Pedrosa

Playing Devil's Advocate here.....

If asked, HRC will tell you that all of the Honda RCV212 machines being run by satelite teams are "factory backed" which is completely true. Unfortunately those teams are a little way down the pecking order when the new good stuff emerges from the R and D department. To suggest that they receive anything other than good bits is frankly wrong and of no value to HRC. It is just a matter that the two Repsol Honda riders will get access to the new parts much sooner than the other team's riders.

I have still not seen anything that convinces me that Tech 3 will get any support other than what a normal satellite team would get...yes that is fully factory backed.But giving them the exact opportunity as their main team and riders? That really is never going to happen, apart from during the first few races of the new season when all will be pretty much on a par until data is looked at following those early races.

If anyone gets any hint of preferential treatment outside of the main Fiat Yamaha team in 2008 it will be Jorge Lorenzo on his Fortuna Yamaha and even that would see him lag a touch behind Rossi and his team mate.