Opinion/Commentary
By Pete Hitzeman
Behind the Visor
I'm writing this, knowing fully that it will attract nothing but the ire and disdain of the motorcycling press, and large parts of the motorcycle racing community. But I wouldn't be writing it if I didn't think it needed to be said, because I know from many private conversations that I'm not alone in this sentiment.
Kevin Schwantz is not God.
The 1993 500cc World Champion has found himself embroiled in an ugly legal and public relations battle with the Circuit of the Americas, the new Grand Prix track that opened last year in Austin, Texas. Schwantz was involved in the negotiations between the track and Dorna, rights owners to the MotoGP championship, to create a third US round for the series at COTA. At some point, Schwantz was under the impression that his company was going to be the promoter for the race. Instead, Dorna and COTA signed a contract that did not include Schwantz or his company. Schwantz has filed suit, alleging "tortious interference and fraud" on the part of COTA, but not naming a dollar amount, or mentioning Dorna at all.
Whether or not Schwantz has legal standing is a difficult question. If all he had was a verbal agreement, and COTA denies that any agreement ever existed, one would think it would be hard for a judge to award any ruling in favor of the plaintiff. If. It strikes me as exceedingly odd that someone with 25 years of experience in the MotoGP paddock would rely on a handshake agreement, and not have something, anything, in writing. That level of naiveté is expected from a Moto3 rookie, but certainly not a seasoned veteran of the business.
