In one of the oddest press releases we have ever received at MotoMatters (though well short of the Liberty press release issued a day or so ago), Paul Bird Motorsport has denied rumors - started by team owner Paul Bird himself - that Shane Byrne is to replace James Ellison in PBM's MotoGP team. Bird told Bikesportnews at the BSB round at Oulton Park that Byrne would be replacing Ellison at Le Mans, "to get a second opinion". Bird was today forced to issue a press release denying that that was the plan, that PBM are committed to racing with Ellison for the 2012 season, and that both Byrne and Stuart Easton remain as test riders for the PBM team.
The idea of replacing one rider whose greatest shortcoming is currently a lack of time on the bike with another rider with even less time on the bike seemed madness from the very start. Confirming the team's original plan is an outbreak of common sense. If Bird was truly concerned about Ellison's performance aboard the Aprilia ART machine, all he need do is give the Cumbrian some more testing time on the bike.
Below is the press release from PBM:
Statement From Paul Bird Motorsport
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