Denning: MotoGP move an accolade for BSB.

Paul Denning, who has handed over day-to-day control of his championship winning Crescent Suzuki team to take up the position of team manager at the factory Suzuki MotoGP team, believes his appointment is a massive accolade for the British Superbike series - and warned that, despite his loss, the 2005 Rizla squad is 'mega'.

Crash.net talked to Paul (top pic) about his new MotoGP adventure, plus the 2004 and 2005 BSB seasons, at the recent NEC bike show - and began by asking if he saw his GP 'promotion' as an accolade following his British title success with John Reynolds.

"Yeah I guess," he replied, "and for British Superbike it's a massive accolade as well in the fact that what a team, or a team manager, does in British Superbike can be recognised and taken on to the MotoGP stage.

"I'm really pleased to be able to take up the challenge," he added. "It is a massive challenge - the 'to do' list is a bit longer than I anticipated -but yeah I'm kind of, with some nervousness, looking forward to it."

Turning to the 2004 BSB season, Denning was quizzed as to how good it felt to finally clinch the crown after near misses in the past:

"We've managed to win the Supersport 600 championship three times at Crescent... the only season we could have really won (the Superbike title) was the year 2000 and we missed out on that. So four years later to win it with John was just superb.

"He was everything a team could want in a rider and will be again next year: Age isn't slowing him down - his commitment is stronger than ever - and with new team-mate Scott Smart I think Rizla Suzuki will be a force to be reckoned with again.

"The team I've left in the UK is mega," he enthused. "We've got a fantastic team, an awesome looking motorbike in the new GSX-R1000 K5. I can't say 'I wish I was going to all the BSB races instead of GP' but at the moment it looks so exciting that I'm going to miss it that's for sure."

And is it a case of moving on to bigger and better things in MotoGP next year?

"Yeah, but there's nothing I wouldn't give to be part of Rizla Suzuki and British Superbike - I'll still be very much involved," Denning stressed, before looking ahead to his debut GP season: "The grand prix thing is just a question that everything's new; the travel, the environment - it's much harsher politically and a harsher noise environment with the grand prix bikes - to work in.

"I am looking forward to trying to do my best to make a difference. I can't guarantee that it's going to work, but I'll just give it my best shot. If we can make some small gains straight away in one or two areas then at least we'll be starting in the right direction. I'll just give it my best shot. That's all I can guarantee," he concluded.

The full interview with Paul Denning can be found in the Crash.net radio archive...