Franco Battaini

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Italian 250 star Franco Battaini moves up to the MotoGP class for 2005 joining Englishman James Ellison to campaign the V6Blata.

Battaini and WCM's director of Racing Peter Clifford shook hands at the final round in Valencia on their intention to work together in 2005. After some unhurried negotiation the contract was signed this week.

Meanwhile the Blata V6 is under development at the Czech company's headquarters in Blansko 25km north of the Brno GP circuit. The WCM team has also moved into its newly built workshop facilities at the Blata factory.

32 Year old Battaini brings a huge amount of Grand Prix success and experience to the team. What he lacks in four stroke experience is balanced by Ellison's solid four stroke background including the six races on the WCM MotoGP machine this year and his victory in the privateers' cup in the British Superbike championship on the Jentin Racing R1 Yamaha

Battaini is one of the true stars of the 250 class having finished on the podium 7 times and often beaten riders on better factory equipment. He has been on pole, has recorded the fastest lap of the race and has twice finished 6th in the 250 World Championship. As one of the fittest men in racing he should have no trouble adapting to the bigger MotoGP machine.