Team HRC Sacks Jeremias Israel

Jeremias Israel is removed from Team HRC’s Dakar rally squad over image rights and trademark violations.

Chilean rider Jeremias Israel will not be part of the Team HRC effort at the 2016 Dakar Rally–or anywhere else for that matter–after the team relived him of his position due to an apparent dispute over Israel’s unauthorized use of team photos and company trademarks.

The following is from Team HRC:

“After in-depth discussions and considerations, to its regret, Honda Racing Corporation has decided that Mr. Jeremias Israel is officially and irrevocably relieved from all his duties as a member of the HRC Dakar Team.

“HRC has determined, in fact on the basis of factual evidence, that the rider – even if possibly in good faith – contravened however the exclusivity image rights granted to HRC, in addition making improper and non authorized use of HRC and Honda trademarks and goods.

“Last September 17th, 2015 Mr. Israel was formally advised of the objections raised by HRC and of the termination of his contract with immediate effect.”

Israel has participated in three Dakar rallies, having made his debut on a non-factory Honda CRF450X in 2013, where he finished 53rd overall. In 2014, Rally, he ran as high as fourth overall on a Speedbrain entry, only to suffer a crash late in the rally and incur injuries that forced him to drop out of the event. As a full-fledged member of Team HRC for the 2015 Dakar Rally, Israel got off to a solid start, but his results suffered right along with teammate Joan Barreda’s after Barreda suffered a catastrophic electrical failure and needed to be towed to the finish of Stage 8 by Israel, who was serving as Barreda’s support rider.

No word yet on what, if any, kind of support Israel might be able to drum up from another team with 2016 Dakar Rally looming in little over 2 months’ time.