Alex Debon to take over role as team manager next season

Alex Debón will begin a new chapter in his career in 2011 as he takes on a Team management role, his first campaign in 12 years in which he will not be riding.

Overseeing the Aeroport de Castelló set-up the Spaniard will have Kev Coghlan taking on the challenge he himself carried in this year’s Moto2 class, with Debón’s compatriot and talented youngster Adrián Martín continuing in the 125cc category.

It was far from an easy decision for a hardened competitor such as Debón to hang up his leathers, but a crash in the penultimate round in Portugal resulted in an injury which proved to be the decisive factor.

“It’s been a complicated decision because I wanted to ride for another year, but sometimes you have to take the advice of the doctors,” said Debón. “After the fall in Portugal in which I dislocated my shoulder I met with Dr Gastaldi and his team and together we decided it was for the best. For once health had to take priority over sport.”

Now Debón’s experience of developing the FTR bike this year will benefit Coghlan, the 22 year-old who impressed during 2010 with wild card rides at Silverstone and Aragón. Preparations are underway for a visit to Jerez next week (November 24th-26th) where the 2009 Spanish supersport Champion will start work on the FTR inherited from his predecessor and now Team Manager.

Alex Debon: “What we’ll give to Kev from the Aeroport de Castelló team is something that until now we haven’t been able to give anybody, which is a comprehensive work plan, a team specifically prepared and one which is 100% official. Also a bike that’s completely new but with all the data I can offer as a rider, and with a manufacturer in FTR that is one of the three that is working well in the World Championship,” said Debón. “I think that with my help in the box and advice on unfamiliar circuits that he doesn’t know, we can cause a surprise next year in terms of results.”

Source: motogp.com