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Melandri at MV Agusta would be “100 percent a negative”

Marco Melandri joining the MV Agusta World Superbike team aboard a second bike in 2016 would be “100 percent a negative”, according to the team’s existing rider Leon Camier.

Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse

Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse

Ken Weisenberger

Marco Melandri, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Marco Melandri, Aprilia Racing Team Gresini
Marco Melandri, MV Agusta
Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse
Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse
Leon Camier, MV Agusta
Leon Camier
Leon Camier, MV Agusta Reparto Corse

Former 250cc world champion Melandri has been out of a ride since parting ways with Aprilia’s MotoGP squad early last year after a string of poor results.

The Italian has been linked with the Forward Racing-run MV Agusta WSBK project, which has so far only confirmed a sole bike for Camier in 2016.

But the Brit reckons accommodating Melandri, who tested for the team at Jerez in November, would stretch the manufacturer’s resources too thin.

“For me, it would be 100 percent a negative to bring a second rider on board,” Camier told Motorsport.com when asked about the possibility of signing Melandri.

“It would dilute what we’ve already got with regards to budget, parts and everything.

“Once we’ve reached the limit of what we’ve got now with the bike, maybe the experience of a rider like Marco would be positive, to bring new ideas.

“But at the moment we just need to work on making the bike consistent and reliable.”

Camier was also adamant that Melandri being invited to test the F4 machine was in no way threatening to his own position.

“A few people in the team wanted him involved because of his name and his record, but they’ve always been really supportive of me,” said Camier.

“When Marco came along, his feedback was pretty much the same as what I had already given. They made some changes with the electronics and they made a good step, but it was no different to what I would have wanted anyway.

“They just happened to try out those ideas with Marco first and I was totally in agreement with them.

“For me, it’s not a problem if he were to join the team, I just don’t think it’s a wise decision [to have two riders] at the moment.”

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