Category: Superbikes

1. Ducati announce 2014 World Superbike riders

   Posted on 8:44am Tuesday 29th Oct 2013

   Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano destined to race in Ducati colours for 2014 World Superbike season

   Riders and technicians to immediately start pre-season testing 30-31 October at Jerez

   Borgo Panigale (Bologna, Italy), 28 October 2013 – Following the announcement of the mutual decision to conclude early the partnership with Team Alstare, Ducati today confirm its participation in the 2014 World Superbike Championship and its agreement with the riders who will compete aboard the Ducati 1199 Panigale motorcycles.

   Welsh rider, Chaz Davies, and the Italian, Davide Giugliano, are both now officially confirmed to compete for the Italian manufacturer during the 2014 and 2015 World Superbike seasons. This is an important decision for Ducati, determined to bounce back after a year of disappointing results for the 1199 Panigale, which failed to deliver the results expected in World Superbike despite its considerable success in many national championships and the highly-competitive FIM Superstock Cup.

   The new Ducati Superbike riders will immediately join technicians of the Ducati development team to start work 30-31 October at Jerez de la Frontera (Spain), carrying out the first of three test sessions planned for the winter break.

   More detailed information concerning the organisation and management of the team will be available in the coming weeks.

   Rider profiles:

   Chaz Davies  was born 10 February, 1987 in Knighton, Wales (UK) and first started racing in minimoto in 1995, winning the championship title in this rookie category the following year and retaining it until 1998. From 2002-2006 he competed at World Championship level in the 125GP category, moving up to 250GP soon after. After additional experience in the AMA championship he was selected to take part in the World Supersport Championship and in 2011 became World Supersport Champion. The following year he moved up to World Superbike, a category in which he scored his first victory in 2012 and three more in 2013.

   Davide Giugliano was born in Rome on 28 October, 1989 and started his racing career in 2005 by competing in the European Superstock 600 championship, finishing third in the championship the following year. After a year in the World Supersport Championship he switched to FIM Superstock 1000 Cup and in 2011 rode the Ducati 1098 R to championship victory competing for the Althea Racing team. Giugliano made his Superbike debut in 2011, riding as a wildcard at Portimão immediately after clinching the Superstock Cup title. In 2012 he became an official rider for the Genesio Bevilacqua team alongside Carlos Checa, taking two podiums and closing the season 10th overall. In 2013, he achieved one pole position and two more podiums in the World Superbike series, finishing the championship in 6th position.

    

      

2. Quattro Plant Kawasaki confirmed as official Kawasaki roads team at 2014 Isle of Man TT Races

   Posted on 9:41am Monday 28th Oct 2013

   The Bournemouth based Quattro Plant Kawasaki team are mounting a concerted effort to gain more road racing podiums and wins in 2014 with the news that BikeSocial.co.uk Lightweight TT winner James Hillier will again ride for the team.

   Announcing the renewal of the successful relationship, the team has also secured the endorsement of Kawasaki Motors UK as their Official entry for The TT Races as well as the North West 200.

   Having climbed to the top step of the TT podium by winning the 2013 Lightweight TT on his ER-6f based machine, Hillier has declared his intention to pursue other classes including the Senior TT on the awesome Ninja ZX-10R with equal vigour and determination.

   Already the Ringwood based 28 year old has become a member of the elite “131mph average lap” club at the TT and, in doing so, became one of the names that many teams had on their wish list for the coming season.

   Quattro Plant Kawasaki Team Manager Pete Extance explained the importance of having James leading the team assault in next year's campaign: "To keep James for our roads assault was always the number one priority for us. I am pleased to say that he is really happy where he is and we have already started work on plans to step up our approach yet another gear in 2014. We are also delighted to retain our loyal sponsor Quattro Plant who’ve been fantastic in their support for us."

   For KMUK, Racing Coordinator, Ross Burridge explained what the deal meant to Kawasaki. - "It's great news that the team have signed James for 2014. They really are coming of age as a roads team and I have no doubt that they will achieve more podium success with such a popular and proven winner next year."

   Paul Phillips, TT and Motorsport Co-ordinator, Isle of Man Government, commented: "James really came of age last year, not only with his win in the Lightweight TT but also his performance in the Senior TT when he lapped at an impressive 131mph and followed John McGuinness. He is now firmly established as one of the leading TT riders and I expect him to build on his success last year and challenge for a race win in the Superbike class next year."

3. Smith ends Superstock 600 season in style

   Posted on 11:18am Thursday 24th Oct 2013

   Former Moto2 rider Kyle Smith ended his season on the ultimate high-note by taking his Honda CBR600RR to victory in last weekend’s final round of the 2013 FIM Superstock 600 European championship at Jerez in Spain.

   It was almost a home race for the UK-born Smith, who has lived in Spain since the age of seven and who joined the Agro-On Racedays Honda team as a guest rider after splitting with the Avinta Blusens Moto2 team mid-season. After qualifying in fourth place at Jerez, Smith got a superb start in Saturday’s race, leading into the first right-hander. He was never headed and crossed the line 0.3s ahead of second-placed Franco Morbidelli, who secured the series title that was won a year ago by Pata Honda World Supersport rider Michael van der Mark.

   Smith’s Agro-On Racedays Honda team-mate, Lukas Wimmer, finished in 18th place on his first visit to the 4.423km Jerez circuit in southern Spain.

   “It was the perfect way to finish what’s been quite a difficult season,” said Smith afterwards. “I rode at Nurburgring as a guest rider for the Agro-On Racedays Honda team, who have been fantastic to work with. I managed to finish that race in sixth place,” continued the 22-year-old, “and then got seventh at Magny-Cours, but to win the last race of the year in Spain is just a dream for me.”

4. Carl Fogarty takes to the track for 899 Panigale debut

   Posted on 8:19am Monday 21st Oct 2013

   Four-time World Superbike champion wows Brands Hatch crowds in exciting on-track display

   World Superbike star and Ducati ambassador Carl Fogarty led the first ever UK laps for Ducati’s brand new ‘supermid’ 899 Panigale. The bike, which was unveiled for the first time just two weeks ago in Imola, took to the iconic Brands Hatch GP circuit for it’s first demonstration on British soil, with Fogarty leading round the 2013 Ducati TriOptions 848 Challenge champion Marty Nutt and runner up Jonathan Railton.

   Adding to the drama of the BSB Showdown finale, the trio of new machines was chased around the track by a police-liveried 1199 Panigale.  Despite its extra power, there was nothing the bigger bike could do to catch the agile 899 on the damp circuit, and several riders have already confirmed they will make the step up to 899 machinery for the Ducati TriOptions Cup in 2014.

   The 899 Panigale will be available in UK Ducati dealerships from next week. For further information and to find your nearest dealer visit www.ducatiuk.com

5. Lewis wins European Junior Cup

   Posted on 8:18am Monday 21st Oct 2013

   The 2013 Pata European Junior Cup delivered a fittingly close and nail-biting finale in today’s last round at the spectacular Jerez circuit in southern Spain.

   The race - and with it, the title - was won by New Zealand’s Jake Lewis, who took victory after eight laps of the 4.423km Jerez circuit by just 0.036s over his closest championship rival Augusto Fernandez of Spain.

   The first eight riders across the line were covered by less than 0.8s, maintaining the European Junior Cup’s reputation for remarkably close and utterly compelling racing on evenly matched Honda CBR500R machines.

   It was an impressive ride from Lewis, who had to work his way up from 14th place on the grid after qualifying problems yesterday. His third win of the season secured his championship victory by 10 points over Fernandez.

   British rider Josh Harland took the final podium place in third, but Robin Anne from France, who was also in the running for the championship title, could do no better than 20th place today.

   “I can’t believe it!” said 18-year-old Lewis after today’s race. “I knew I had to give it my all from the word go and that’s what I did. I’d like to thank everyone that helped me this year, especially my Dad, as I wouldn’t be here without him!”

   It was announced over the Jerez weekend that the Pata European Junior Cup will return with another eight-round series in 2014 supporting the World Superbike championship on Honda’s impressive CBR500R machine.