Sponsorship at all levels of motorcycle racing is a difficult proposition, as witnessed by the fact that the factory Yamaha team, home of the reigning MotoGP world champion, is yet to announce a title sponsorship deal, despite the tens of millions of fans that watch each race live on TV. How much more difficult then is it to find funding for the support classes, where a competitive 125cc entry may cost between 1 and 2 million euros a year, and TV coverage is far more restricted geographically?
If you are the Molenaar Racing team, the answer to that question is "nearly impossible". The Molenaar team, which fielded Randy Krummenacher and Luis Salom last season, and is schedule to run Jasper Iwema alongside Salom in 2011, is on the verge of withdrawing from the 2011 season, after several key sponsors pulled out during the past couple of weeks. The reason the sponsors gave for pulling of the project was simple: for the second year running, it looks like the Netherlands - the Molenaar team's home country - will be without TV coverage, as the hoped-for deal between Dorna and the satellite channel Sport 1 (no relation of the German-language sports channel of the same name) has failed to materialize. The withdrawal of Molenaar's sponsors leaves the team short some 350,000 euros for the entire season, meaning the team would just about make it to their home round at Assen, and then forced to pull out if no sponsorship was forthcoming.
Mike Baldinger Alex Baldolini Mike Baldwin Brian Ball Andrea Ballerini Kork Ballington
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