rennie

The 2021 FIM Supersport 300 World Championship is warming up nicely ahead of the season’s start, and we caught up with the reigning Champion Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki), as he goes in search of defending his crown. The 19-year-old beat his teammate, the now retired Scott Deroue, to the title in the final round of 2020 and has his hopes on defending it in 2021. He talks about his title-winning year, his future and how he’d like to be in the WorldSBK class in the not-too-distant future. Talking about the year ahead, Buis remained calm: “I’m not nervous because every year is a new year, but with the experience from last year, I think we can have a good strategy with a good team. I think that if we improve in every race, both from me and some little things on the bike, then we can stay competitive and that is good. The reason I stayed in WorldSSP300 was due to the fact that I can still learn more and gather experience. At the same time, I can ride the ZX-6R privately and gain some experience on that before moving up full-time to WorldSSP next year.” Talking about his first experience on the ZX-6R, Buis said: “My feelings are good with the ZX-6R Kawasaki, as my team had some experience with it a few years ago. We have some small set-ups that we can try but for me, the bike is great right now and we do have some small set-ups we can try. For me, the bike feels great; it has a lot more power but that’s good. The riding lines and braking areas are different but in general, to adapt, it wasn’t that hard as it is also a bike. When you have a feeling with a bike, you can ride any bike.” There was a clear turning point for Buis in 2020: “I realised last year that I could fight for the title on the podium at MotorLand Aragon in the Aragon round, after Race 2. Scott Deroue, my teammate at the time, said on the way to the podium, ‘you’re leading the Championship!’ and I didn’t realise it. However, from that moment on, I realised that it was possible for me to win the Championship.” “For me, the most difficult race was at Magny-Cours in Race 1,” he continued. “It was in mixed conditions and the track was different after every lap. It started raining at the beginning of the race, then stopped raining before starting again in the last laps. You have to slow your pace in these kinds of conditions, but Scott had a great pace in that race. My strategy was just to follow Scott until the last lap, then make a pass for victory, a plan that worked out for me.” WorldSSP300 often sees leading groups of over ten riders going for victory, making it hard for Jeffrey to pinpoint one title rival: “My biggest rival is hard to say. Tom Booth-Amos I think will be one of my biggest, but there’ll be plenty more and we’ll see that from the first race. Koen Meuffels, my teammate, could also be someone who can challenge for the title; for him, when everything is right for him in his head, he’s very fast. If he can fix that, then he will be my biggest rival. The whole team is very close to each other, so we’ll work together throughout Free Practice but then it’s the main fight in the race. There’s a lot of new riders and it could be like me in 2020. I was nowhere one moment and the next, I was on top. I didn’t expect that!” So how will Buis stand out again in 2021, like he did in 2020? “I think the most important thing to do in order to stand out again in 2021 will be to work really well with the team,” he said. “The team is very important because the bikes themselves are the same, so you need to make a difference with suspension and the set-up of the bike. We need to test a lot and we’re already testing new things for the suspension as well as trying other new things to stay competitive.” Not shying away from stating his ambitions, Buis has one aim he wants to achieve: “My target is to be World Champion in World Superbike. I’m happy in the paddock and I think that this is a better paddock for me. I spoke with some other Dutch racers about my title in 2020 and they are all very proud, as it is another Championship for The Netherlands. I hope in five years that I will be in WorldSBK; that is a dream so I really hope that it can happen!” Follow Buis in 2021 and enjoy all races from all three classes with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

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The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues to warm up, this time with the strikingly bold livery of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati outfit being unwrapped. The livery, one of the most iconic in recent years, was first seen in the Championship in 2015 when Aruba.it came on board as title sponsor of the team. However, the Ducati Panigale V4 R is one of the most advanced production bikes in the world and with it in full race trim, it is a thing of beauty and a spectacle to behold. From the winglets to the suspension, electronics to hidden intricacies, it’s a machine that has the credentials for a title charge in 2021. View the 2021 Ducati Panigale V4 R in all of its glory at the top of the article! Enjoy the 2021 World Superbike season and find out if Ducati can take the title for the first time in 10 years with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

The title fight between Scott Redding (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) went all the way to the final round at Estoril in 2020 but Redding, who finished as runner-up last season, is aiming to go one step further as he enters his second season with the factory Ducati outfit; looking to stop Rea making it seven consecutive MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship titles in a row. 2020 provided different challenges for everyone up and down the paddock but one additonal challenge Redding had, as a rookie, was to learn tracks for his new machine as well as different tyres and a new weekend format as he contested the WorldSBK weekend format of Race 1, the Tissot Superpole Race and Race 2. With a year of racing using Pirelli tyres, the Ducati Panigale V4 R on WorldSBK circuits and the format now know, Redding is hoping to take Rea’s crown from him 2021. Looking back on 2020 and how the challenges will help in 2021, Redding said: “The 2020 season was a really exciting year for me, it was my first year in World Superbike and to be with the great manufacturer of Ducati was really nice. We had a great bond also with the Aruba.It team. This is important to me and this is what gave me the feeling to try races again, I hope for 2021, we can go one step more.” “The difference from the 2020 season going into the 2021 season is the experience that I’ve gained. I’m not going to every circuit... it’s not that I don’t know the track, but I don’t know it with a superbike, the tyres, the brakes. Small details but it means I need to start lower down than the other guys and play catch-up. On top of that, there were new circuits for me to learn as well. The new format in WorldSBK compared to all the other racing I’ve done in my career. Going for 2021, I’ve got all that in my pocket so I’m looking forward to being able to start on the same level as the other guys at the beginning and being able to fight for more victories.” Aruba.It Racing – Ducati Team Principal Stefano Cecconi echoed these thoughts, saying: “Scott's first season as a rookie has been amazing because he has shown great speed and a strong feeling with the Panigale V4 R right from the start. Given the experience he gained last year, when he had to tackle tracks for the first time and he was new to the Superbike format, we expect him to make the leap this year.” Watch the Championship battle unfold in 2021 using the WorldSBK VideoPass[1]! References^ VideoPass (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

2021 will mark the start of a new era at the Aruba.It Racing – Ducati outfit as Michael Ruben Rinaldi joins the team after his breakthrough campaign with Team GoEleven where he claimed one victory and three podiums. It is not the first time he has worked with the Aruba.It outfit though as he showed his talent and prowess in 2017 when he claimed the European Superstock 1000 Championship title. Since then, Rinaldi has had three years of action in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship for the Aruba.It Racing – Junior Team in 2018, Barni Racing in 2019 and Team GoEleven in 2020; with the latter where he secured his and the team’s first WorldSBK victory. Moving on to his fourth team in four seasons, Rinaldi will be looking to build on his successful 2020 campaign as he moves to the factory Ducati outfit. Discussing his move to Aruba.It Racing – Ducati, Rinaldi said at the team’s launch: “After the Superstock 1000 Title with the Aruba.it Junior Team, now it feels like coming home to my family. Wearing these colours is a great honour, and it makes me very proud. I think all the guys in the team are proud too because it means that the job done in the Superstock 1000 championship was the right one. We aim higher this year. The 2020 season was very positive because I won my first race: a beautiful memory, a goal I had been pursuing for a long time. But now the bar is set higher, and I will work harder. Joining the factory team means having all the support from the Aruba.it Racing - Team, and from the guys at Ducati. We’ll have to work with new components, and I think I have the right technical support and the ideal environment to try and achieve good results.” Stefano Cecconi, Team Principal at Aruba.It Racing – Ducati, discussed Rinaldi’s career path that has led to him the factory Ducati seat: “Rinaldi has had a long journey with us, including winning the Superstock 1000 title in our second attempt. It is a great satisfaction for us to see him in the factory team, as this has been our aim since the beginning of this adventure together. In light of his extremely convincing season with a private team in 2020, we hope he can do even better this year.” Follow the action from WorldSBK in 2021 using the WorldSBK VideoPass[1]! References^ WorldSBK VideoPass (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

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Aiming to retain their WorldSSP Challenge Champions status, the Altogo Racing Team have unveiled a bold new livery for the 2021 FIM Supersport World Championship. The Italian outfit, which features Kevin Manfredi, aim to defend their crown and with the Yamaha YZF-R6 machinery at their disposal once more, the #34 of Manfredi hopes to be in the fight for success in both the WorldSSP Challenge and in the overall Championship once again. Based in Monza, the team’s new eye-catching design features the modern-day Yamaha blue, combined with the classic Yamaha colours of red and silver. The team enjoyed great successes in 2020, with Manfredi not only taking the crown in the WorldSSP Challenge but also achieving a top five finish overall in Race 1 at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, as he mixed it amongst the major names of the Championship. Speaking of the year ahead, Manfredi is excited about the future with the team: “I'm thrilled to continue with Altogo's colours, a team that has so much passion and desire and this can make the difference. Thanks to the agreement reached with this team as a substitute, we achieved important goals in a short time and with fewer races than my opponents, thus becoming WorldSSP Challenge Champions. “An exciting title for all of us that added to the excellent World Championship results such as the fifth places in Magny Cours and Barcelona, has allowed us, together with our sponsors and partners, to continue the adventure together. 2021 will not be an easy year as reconfirming is always difficult, but we'll try our best as always. I'm happy with how the tests went, where we confirmed the work done in the winter. I can't wait to be at the first race of 2021, and I thank the whole team for what they are doing for me”. Team principal Giovanni Altomonte is equally as excited, saying: “After an uphill start to 2020, which ended with the victory of a prestigious international title, I’m very confident for 2021, which will not catch us unprepared. In the season's tests Kevin showed us that he is in a very convincing state of physical and mental fitness. I have a lot of confidence in him and I'm convinced that he will give us many emotions.” Find out whether or not the team can retain their title and watch all the races LIVE and OnDemand with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

As the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues to warm up, the first of the factory teams gets ready to unveil their 2021 livery. The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati outfit has become a modern iconic livery and 2021 will see the resplendently striking livery return as Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi spearhead the Italian marque’s challenge for the title, in a bid to return the WorldSBK crown back to Bologna for the first time in ten years. Stepping in as title sponsor of the official Ducati outfit in 2015, Aruba.it Racing – Ducati took the Ducati Panigale V-Twin to its first victory in WorldSBK, courtesy of Chaz Davies at Aragon. Since then, they’ve finished second in the riders’ title five times (three times with Davies and once with Alvaro Bautista and Scott Redding), whilst also securing the Teams’ Championship in 2020, with Redding and Davies. In 2021, the big change is the return of the #21 to a factory Ducati as Michael Ruben Rinaldi steps up, becoming the tenth different rider to ride for the team, joining names such as Chaz Davies, Troy Bayliss and current teammate Scott Redding to fashion the livery. With 52 wins achieved for the team since 2015, they’ll aim to add to that tally. View the gallery of the previous Aruba.it Racing – Ducati liveries at the top of the article! Enjoy 2021 World Superbike action in style with the WorldSBK VideoPass[1]! References^ WorldSBK VideoPass (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

Since Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300) fractured her dorsal vertebra during training at the Circuito Estoril at the beginning of September 2020, the evolution and recovery of the Murcian pilot has been recurring news in the media. Five months later, the 2018 WorldSSP300 World Champion has returned to the track to carry out her first successful tests aboard the Kawasaki Ninja 400 and will do so again next week in the Dorna-Supported test scheduled at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya. In an interview conducted by Nadia Tronchoni in the newspaper El Pais[1], Carrasco has shared her memories of that accident and explained the hard times she has gone through during these months until reaching her almost total recovery today. “It was a silly fall going into the gravel. The first thing that crossed my mind after the accident was if I could race in [the Round of] Barcelona, ​​there was a week left. As they gave me information, I realised that I was not going to be able to run that or any other race,” the 24-year-old driver remembers in the interview. “I never doubted that I would race again. They told me that I would need between three and five months to be able to begin to be well and lead a normal life; in the end, we have shortened the deadlines a lot.” Carrasco recalls that Estoril's injury was not her first injury - she had already fractured her elbow, clavicle or shoulder - but is aware that, in the job she has chosen, risk is part of the game: “You go around the bad stuff a lot, the damage that you could have done to yourself, in the end you stay there. The only way is to think about what to do to recover, be better and return as soon as possible.” And she acknowledges that she has not spoken to anyone about the risk that she took: “Not even with my family. From the beginning I have understood their risk as part of my job, I have understood that I can hurt myself a lot and that a fall can have difficult consequences. But I was lucky.” Follow the news of Ana Carrasco during the 2021 preseason with the WorldSBK VideoPass[2]. References^ In an interview conducted by Nadia Tronchoni in the newspaper El Pais (elpais.com)^ WorldSBK VideoPass (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

Good Morning at the moment they want me to do 6 10 hour+ nightshifts! I'm too old for that shit!

Good Morning I'd love to only do 4 nights a week! can't see it happening though

After a busy week of testing in MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship with teams and riders heading to the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, attentions swiftly focussed to the south of Spain with Team HRC and Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK heading to the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto with Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), teammate Alvaro Bautista and KRT’s Alex Lowes taking to the track. Lowes was making his first appearance on track in around four months as he missed out on track action when teammate Jonathan Rea tested at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve as he recovered from a shoulder injury as well as poor weather preventing KRT from taking to the track at various tests throughout the off-season. Lowes recovered to return to the Spanish circuit as his testing programme go back underway ahead of the 2021 campaign, with Lowes looking to build on his debut campaign with KRT using the new-for-2021 ZX-10RR. Lowes completed around 120 laps across the two days of testing at Jerez as the British rider looked to confirm some new parts on the machine including changes to the engine, chassis and aerodynamic package. Lowes, who was taking to the track for the first time since suffering a shoulder injury in February, said: “I am really happy to be back on the bike for these two afternoons with the team. I was not sure how much I would be able to do with my shoulder, but we did a lot of laps - 65 I think on the final day - and I was able to continue the work that we started with the new package in November. This was positive because we did not know if we could be on a good enough pace to start working - but we were. We literally picked up where we left off, the pace was good, and we found some positive steps with the bike. Also, with my riding, as I have been focusing in the winter to be smoother on the exit of the corners. It was a really positive test, and we ticked all the boxes we had set out for these two days. We are looking forward to the official test now in Montmelo.” For Honda, the two-day test was about gaining and confirming data as they look to refine the CBR1000 RR-R for the Japanese manufacturer’s second season as a full factory outfit after returning to the Championship in 2020. With Leon Camier taking the reigns as Team Manager at HRC for the new campaign, Honda will be hoping to build on their return last year with the Jerez test a crucial aspect of this for both Bautista and Haslam, although Haslam saved half-a-day of testing available to him by not using the full second day available to him. Reviewing the test, Bautista said: "We have done a lot of work over the last two days, taking advantage of two sunny days with no sign of any fog or rain, which unfortunately prevented us from doing any real work on the bike back in January. It was important to complete the entire testing programme, which concerned bike set-up in general and specifics such as braking and electronics, areas in which we concentrated a little more. The session was very useful in providing the information that the engineers need to continue working on the bike back in Japan. I'm very happy with work we have done, and I think we now have a clearer idea as to where to focus during the next test.” Camier added: “It’s been a very positive test, especially because last time out we were only able to make about ten laps with the 2021 bike due to the bad weather. So, having this day and a half has been very important. We had a long list of things to try, and we’ve been able to get through almost all of it. We’ve found some more consistency and I’m feeling a lot more confident. Now we head to Barcelona with everyone else, where we will be better able to understand where we are and how the bike is working. We only did a half day today as we need to be careful considering the limited test days we have available.” Follow action from WorldSBK in 2021 using the comprehensive WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

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Skype/karaoke with the Norfolk nutters tonight

Hello and Welcome

Caricasulo makes GMT94 Yamaha debut as riders hit Navarra Just over a week after it was announced on the WorldSBK calendar, riders from WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 headed to Navarra for a two-day test sessionRiders from across the FIM Supersport World Championship and FIM Supersport 300 World Championship headed to the Circuito de Navarra as part of a two-day test. The track will host round five of the 2021 season with teams and riders taking the opportunity in the off-season to undertake some testing at the Spanish circuit ahead of the campaign getting underway. The conditions at the venue were far from ideal, with it being very cold and windy but nonetheless, the riders took to the circuit to get an upper hand before coming back in July. GMT94 Yamaha’s Jules Cluzel and new recruit Federico Caricasulo headed to the circuit in Los Arcos, Spain, as part of their off-season preparations with Caricasulo joining the team after a year of competing in WorldSBK. They were joined by Yamaha MS Racing’s Marc Alcoba and Pawel Szkopek from WorldSSP while Unai Orradre, who competes for the same outfit in WorldSSP300, was joined by rival Ana Carrasco (Kawasaki Provec WorldSSP300). Speaking about the track and getting back to a circuit on the WorldSSP machinery, Jules Cluzel debriefed his first feelings: “We are here after five months which for me, was without riding any bike. I was so happy to be back on the bike but a bit scared because five months is a lot. At the end, after a few laps, I felt quite comfortable, so I was really happy about that. On day two, we made a step but I still believe we can make another one. I feel a little bit sore physically because I hadn’t done any laps before. The first step of 2021 preparations are done, now it is back home to work on my physical condition.” Cluzel also described the new track, saying: “We discovered this new circuit for us, the Circuito de Navarra, and it was good for my first test to check my condition and also to check the circuit. Today, we did it. It was sunny, everything was nice, and we started the work for this year. The circuit is different from what we know in the World Championship, but I enjoyed it quite a lot. There are some very nice parts, so I think everyone will enjoy and it’ll be quite good to race here.” Making his debut in the GMT94 Yamaha team, Federico Caricasulo reviewed his first day: “I’m here in Navarra for my first test with GMT94 Yamaha. I’m really happy because we worked a lot today to get to know each other and work on the bike. The track is very nice, a little bit small but I like this because it has fast parts and slow parts, so it is a complete track. I’m happy to be back on the 600cc bike; after the first laps, it was difficult to get the feeling back and get used to the corner speed, but after two days, I have it back. I’m really happy as we made a big step from day one, and I think now we can focus on the Barcelona test with everyone else.” Making his debut in the WorldSSP class in 2021, Marc Alcoba spoke about getting on track to start his 2021 preparations: “I am very happy to get back on my training bike and to get my feelings in this category. I’m super happy with the team, as they are very professional and also very human. It’s a pleasure that the Championship will compete at the Navarra Circuit in 2021, as it is a circuit that I have a very good feeling with and also nice experiences. Now, I’m looking forward to going to Barcelona and riding my World Championship bike.” Recently returning to the track after a back injury, 2018 WorldSSP300 Champion Ana Carrasco joined them on track and said: “I’m very happy with the first day of testing in Navarra, I already knew the circuit because I raced here a few years ago when I was racing in the CEV Moto3 Junior World Championship. Physically I'm feeling better every day and test days like this help me a lot to recover my feeling. I finished the second test day with a good feeling, I’m very happy with the work of the team. We were able to test a lot of things on my Kawasaki Ninja 400 and find a good set up. I'm looking forward to the next test at Catalunya and to continue improving my riding and performance with the bike.” Enjoy the bikes on track at Navarra and take a look at the new circuit, courtesy of Roadphoto! Watch the WorldSSP season unfold with all of the action and drama on the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

Good Morning I still like Fridays!

Good Evening they want me to work Friday night again! I said no!

Preseason preparations continue for the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock as a variety of teams from across WorldSBK, WorldSSP and WorldSSP300 took part in a two-day testing session at the MotorLand Aragon venue. Now the season-opening race for all three classes, it is vital that the riders get familiar with the layout and find a good base-setting in which to start the season with. The sole World Superbike entrant was Belgian rider Loris Cresson (TPR Team Pedercini Racing), whilst in WorldSSP, Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) headlined a line-up that consisted of Danny Webb (WRP Wepol Racing), Thomas Gradinger (DK Motorsport) and Christopher Bergman (Wojcik Racing Team). In WorldSSP300, 2020 race winner Tom Booth-Amos (Fusport - RT Motorsports by SKM - Kawasaki was joined by teammates Harry Khouri and Dorren Louriero with the whole team taking to the Teruel circuit. Victor Steeman (Freudenberg KTM WorldSSP Team) and Peter Svoboda (WRP Wepol Racing) completed the line-up, with the latter also making a full testing compliment of riders for the WRP Wepol Racing outfit. You can enjoy some of the photos from the test at the top of the article! Make sure to keep up to date with everything that is going on and watch every race LIVE in 2021 with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

Testing is crucial to the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship contenders and there’s more preseason preparation to be had for Team HRC, with Alvaro Bautista and Leon Haslam on track at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto this weekend. They will be joined on track by Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who, having had his arm in a sling for four weeks following a training accident which injured his shoulder, will return to the track aboard the new ZX-10RR. The Team HRC effort will be under the watchful eye of new team manager Leon Camier, as they look to refine their package ahead of the new season. Having tested a variety of updated components at the last they had at Jerez back in January, even though it was just half a day due to the changeable weather experienced in southern Spain. Now back to the circuit in what is forecasted to be far better than before with sun all day across both Friday and Saturday, the team will hope to gain valid and reliable data in order to continue improvements ahead of the season. For KRT and Alex Lowes, the main aim will be to get back up to speed, as this will be his first time aboard the bike since the November tests at the same circuit in 2020, when he debuted the new bike. However, the British rider will have a bike that has already had several enhancements and improvements since when he last rode it. Speaking about the prospect of getting back on the new ZX-10RR, Lowes is excited after four months away from his machine: “I can’t wait to get back on the bike! It’s been a tough few weeks, with my arm in a sling for four of them, but I’m working hard to build the muscles back around my shoulder. Luckily, I’ve been in Barcelona and spending a lot of time with the team and all the mechanics. Now we just want to be back at the track preparing for the 2021 season together. It’s going to be fun! Our main target is to continue our programme from the November tests.” Jerez has long been a popular testing location for the World Superbike paddock, often with good weather lending itself to the stability needed to develop motorcycles. However, rain and fog have plagued running in recent times, although with the weather set to be just right, it could be one of the most important preseason testing sessions so far, despite the small scale. The Jerez venue has a mix of characteristics, with relatively long straights, long sweeping corners, hard braking areas and tight hairpins, making it a great all-round test bed. Get ready for the year ahead as World Superbike readies for the off in 2021 with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is starting to take shape in terms of liveries and colour schemes as the reigning Independent Champions Team GoEleven showcased their vibrant new look for the season ahead. Moving from a fluorescent red and yellow colour scheme over the past two years, the Italian team has opted for a baby blue livery to add something different to the grid for 2021. Having taken their first victory in 2020 and thus becoming Independent Champions courtesy of Italian youngster Michael Ruben Rinaldi, the #21 has been swapped for the #7 of Chaz Davies, with Rinaldi replacing Davies in the factory team. Nonetheless, the aims for Chaz Davies are clear for 2021, as he looks to continue his momentum from the final three rounds of 2020 – he was the highest point-scorer across those final nine races. “For the 2021 season, I just want to enjoy it to be honest,” said Davies, speaking during the Team GoEleven team launch presentation. “Hopefully, we can have a normal season without too much interruption like in 2020. I want to get 100% out of myself and this for me, in the past, has always been the approach, instead of setting a big target or speaking too much beforehand. I’m confident that if I’m happy and that if I can have the correct support from Ducati, then we can achieve the same results that we achieved in the past: fighting for the podium and winning many races!” Davies signed off his 2020 season with one last win at the factory Ducati team in Race 2 at Estoril, the last time he rode a bike. Now, having battled COVID-19, he’s looking forward to returning to the circuit soon: “I’ve been recovering from COVID-19, but I’m all better now and I’ve been training again, ready for the start of the season in two months and even ready for our next test in two weeks. “It’s been a long time since I was on the Ducati Panigale V4 R, as it was Estoril last year at the end of last season but of course, I had great memories. I always look forward to the feeling of getting back on the bike, especially the first laps where they are nice and calm, and you can enjoy it a little bit. I am always keeping myself busy as in my free time, I ride other types of motorcycles.” One of the main take-aways from the presentation is the striking new livery from Team GoEleven; gone is the fluorescent red and yellow and in its place, is a toned down, ice cool baby blue, some Davies approved of: “I really like the new livery! Obviously as a rider, it isn’t something you have a lot of input in, and you hope you like the design, but I absolutely love this colour and it is nice to have something different on the grid for 2021!” With this being his first Independent team since 2013, Davies reflected on his life-long ambition of being a professional racer: “Being a rider is always something you dream of when you are younger, but for me to realise this dream and to turn it into a job is the ultimate for me! I feel very fortunate to be able to call this work. At this stage of my life, this passion is very difficult to achieve by yourself and behind me and most good sports people, there’s a strong family; for me, it is my wife and our daughter and that has been a very positive influence on my life.” Team manager Denis Sacchetti commented on this year's motorcycle, saying it is continued developement: “It’s not a revolution, it is a continuous improvement from the starting product, the 2019 motorcycle. Ducati's heart always beats for competition and to get the most out of it. If we go to the details, we have tried to balance the weights of the bike in a different way, this is perhaps the most important part, it has a new tank a new seat... these are improvements on a starting base that was already optimal.” Sacchetti also welcomed Chaz Davies into the team and looks forward to working with the Welshman this year: “We know that he’s one of the strongest riders in World Superbike, he has achieved incredible results in recent years, with a lot of consistency, and I think he has proven to be the closest rider to Jonny Rea.” Sacchetti continued, this time about the enhanced collaboration with Ducati, as they are far more aligned than when the project began back in 2019: “Working with Ducati is a source of pride; above all, we are proud and happy of the support we are receiving and the confidence that Ducati is giving us. We have come here gradually, ensuring every step has been taken. It is a satisfaction to collaborate with them and I thank them for the trust they have given us all, from Paolo Ciabatti to Gigi Dall´Igna and everyone from the Aruba Racing part. We started this relationship in 2019, as a private team and, over the years, this relationship has been reinforced and today, we find ourselves here with a winning motorcycle and rider.” Marco Zambenedetti, Ducati Corse WorldSBK’s technical coordinator, commented on the year ahead and the enhanced collaboration between the manufacturer and the team: “This year the Covid has complicated our plans a bit, it has not been possible to shoot as we wanted, so the appointment has moved to Barcelona, where we will all be together again. I am very happy that Chaz continues his adventure with Ducati, there is still a lot of work to do and a lot of satisfaction to come. We as Ducati are very close to Team GoEleven and we are looking to create a more established group.” Watch all of the 2021 World Superbike drama unfold with the comprehensive WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will have a completely new look to it for one team, as Team GoEleven unveiled a brand-new livery for their year ahead. Previously draped in fluorescent red and yellow with white, the team has transformed into a baby blue livery and has Aruba.it branding on the side, previously not there. A break from the traditional red of Ducati, the livery of the GoEleven squad will certainly set it aside in 2021, as they look to embark on one of their most successful campaigns yet with Chaz Davies. Both parties were race winners in 2021, and they’ll hope to combine that winning formula for greater success throughout the year. Take a look at the resplendent new livery for the Italian team at the top of the article! Join the conversation on social media about GoEleven’s new livery, as well as enjoying everything that 2021 has to offer with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1][2] References^ social media (twitter.com)^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

The 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is getting closer to kicking off as each day passes and now, the team launches will come thick and fast. The reigning Independent Champions, Team GoEleven, are the first team to reveal their livery for the season ahead. Going into a third season with the Ducati Panigale V4 R and with closer alignment to the manufacturer, the Italian team pull the covers of their 2021 challenger! [embedded content] Enjoy all of the World Superbike season in 2021 with the WorldSBK VideoPass![1] References^ WorldSBK VideoPass! (secure.worldsbk.com)Let's block ads! (Why?) View the full article

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