Category: Superbikes

1. Donington Park another ‘home’ race for Pata Honda‏

   Posted on 9:00am Tuesday 20th May 2014

   The Pata Honda team will re-assemble in the United Kingdom this weekend (23-25 May) for round five of the 2014 World Superbike Championship at the Donington Park circuit to the north-east of Birmingham.

   After a home round for the team at Assen in the Netherlands last month, title partners Pata enjoyed their own home event at Imola’s fourth round in Italy last time out. Now it’s the turn of Honda Motor Europe – based at Langley near London – to enjoy its own home round, along with the team’s British riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, who lives just 30 minutes drive to the north of the historic 4.023km Donington Park circuit.

   Haslam has enjoyed two World Superbike podiums in recent years at Donington including a second place in 2009 during an earlier spell on Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade. The Derbyshire rider will be more determined than ever to provide those kind results that have so far eluded him since his return to Honda in 2013.

   Despite valiant efforts to the contrary in practice sessions, 30-year-old Haslam was unable to race at Donington Park last season after breaking his left leg in a practice crash at Assen just four weeks earlier.

   Pata Honda rider Jonathan Rea, meanwhile, will be seeking to extend his stunning run of recent form which has seen the 27-year-old British rider take his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP to podium finishes in five of the last six races, including victories in the last three with a dominant double in the last round at Imola.

   That run of results has given Rea a four-point lead at the top of the championship table, but the Northern Irishman has been on the Donington podium just once in his World Superbike career. That was a visit to the top step following his victory in race two in 2012.

2. Sam Lowes looks to improve at Le Mans

   Posted on 12:05pm Monday 19th May 2014

   This weekend Sam Lowes heads to the historic Le Mans circuit in France for round five of the Moto2 championship, The Monster Energy Grand Prix de France.

   Sam will be looking to make amends following the previous round at Jerez where he unfortunately twice crashed out of the race, after a weekend plagued with tyre issues. The young Brit has shown huge potential during his maiden season in the Moto2 championship, including a sixth place at the opening round in Qatar.

   Le Mans will be another new circuit for Sam, who already during the last four rounds has learnt three new circuits; with Jerez being the only one he had previously ridden at.

   Sam Lowes

   I’m really looking forward to the weekend and to ride at another new circuit. The team are working really hard to improve and I’m hoping for a strong weekend. I’m excited to get out there for FP1.

   The Monster Energy Grand Prix de France takes place on Sunday 18 May, starting at 1220 French time, 1120 British Summer Time.

   For news, blogs and updates follow Sam’s official Twitter @samlowes11 and visit www.samlowes.com

    

3. Top ten Le Mans finish for Lowes‏

   Posted on 9:04am Monday 19th May 2014

   Sam Lowes collected well-earned championship points in Le Mans today after finishing the French Moto2 race within the top ten in ninth position.

   Making his debut at the French circuit Sam started the race from the fourth row of the grid after qualifying in tenth place. A run-off in the early stages saw the young-Brit lose some time, but he soon got back on the pace and eventually went on to score the fourth best lap of the race.

   In his maiden Moto 2 season Sam is currently 12th in the overall riding standings and is looking to further improve at the next round at Mugello, Italy in two weeks time (30 May – 1 June).

4. Honda Racing completes North West 200 qualifying‏

   Posted on 9:02am Friday 16th May 2014

   Following the second and final qualifying session for the 2014 North West 200 in Northern Ireland today, Honda Racing’s Conor Cummins and John McGuinness will start Saturday’s Superbike races from seventh and 15th respectively on the grid.

   The 45-minute session took place in warm and sunny conditions as the riders headed out on the 8.9-mile circuit in an attempt to improve on yesterday’s times. Cummins was able to climb to seventh on the grid after posting a 4:26.638 lap, 2.5 seconds behind pole sitter Michael Dunlop.

   McGuinness – who is celebrating his 20th North West 200 – struggled in today’s session as he continues to recover from a broken scaphoid sustained in training two months ago. The six-time NW200 winner did manage to improve his lap time and will start from 15th position. Just five seconds separate the top 15 riders on the highly-competitive Superbike grid.

   Saturday’s race order is below, with roads closing at 10.30am BST. Cummins and McGuinness will complete for Honda Racing in the two Superbike outings:

   Supersport race (6 laps)

   Superbike race (7 laps)

   Supertwin race (4 laps)

   Superstock race (6 laps)

   NW200 Superbike race (7 laps)

5. Mitas announces sponsorship of speedway rider Matej Žagar

   Posted on 8:42am Thursday 15th May 2014

   Mitas is delighted to announce the launch of a new sponsorship agreement with Slovenian speedway rider Matej Žagar for the 2014 season.

   In this year's season, Žagar will compete in the Grand Prix, the Czech League, the Polish Ekstraliga and the British Elite League. Žagar's bike will be fitted with Mitas' SW-07 and SW-02 tyres, which were developed according to FIM rules through close cooperation with TOP speedway riders.

   “Mitas' association with speedway goes a long way back. In a long tradition, Mitas has produced special motorcycle tyres for speedway since 1947. Since then, we have been dedicated to the development and improvement of speedway and other motorcycle tyres for extreme motorcycle sports,” said Andrew Mabin, Mitas’ marketing and sales director.