WSBK – Foret and Marino at Ten Kate Honda in 2011 – Two French in the top team!

Foret and Marino at Ten Kate Honda in 2011

WSBK - Foret and Marino at Ten Kate Honda in 2011 - Two French in the top team!

The grid for the World Supersport is slow to fill. We do know, however, that two French drivers will take part in the championship, and in a top team which is more: Foret and Marino will ride at Ten Kate in 2011 ! MNC has already interviewed the rookie…

Two French in the top team !

The Mondial Supersport Ten Kate Honda team was slow to announce the names of its riders for the coming season. They are now known, and they are two French: the 2002 world champion – with Ten Kate already – Fabien Foret, and the 2010 European Superstock 600 vice-champion – with Ten Kate also – Florian Marino !

In its official statement, the Batavian team insists on the renewal of its title sponsor, Hannspree. However, what we remember more – "we" the bikers, and even more so, "us" the French bikers – is that Ronald Ten Kate chose two French pilots to ride his CBR600RR !

The first, Fabien Foret, 38 years old on January 29, from Angoulême, has solid experience in World Supersport. World champion with Ten Kate – the first title in a long series for the Batavian team – he competed in no less than 116 races in this category.

Fabien has been on the podium 27 times and has climbed the top step 12 times! Passed to Kawasaki in 2003 (9th in the championship), then to Yamaha the following season (7th), the Charentais returned to a CBR600RR in 2005 (4th) before attempting the Superbike adventure on Suzuki in 2006.

An experience that ended even before the end of the season, for lack of results … But luckily, our Frenchie immediately bounced back and found the path to the podium in SSP the same year, on an R6 !

In 2007 on the Gil Motorsport Kawasaki, then in 2008 and 2009 on the official Yamaha, our national No. 99 was often unlucky and weakened by too many injuries to clinch a new crown. After a new season – without any podium, a first in his career – on ZX-6R last year, Mister Foret will try to get back in the saddle. And not on just any !

"I have watched the development of the CBR600RR over the years and it remains the benchmark bike as it has won many championships", Fabien analysis … Indeed, since his coronation in 2002, the title has escaped Ten Kate only once !

"My own goals remain personal, but when you’re in the Ten Kate Honda team, you have a pretty clear idea of ​​the mission to accomplish. !", notes the veteran … Like Bayliss or Biaggi in SBK, the almost forty-something Foret could he make his comeback? ?

The second recruit, Florian Marino, 18 years old on June 3 (he could be Fabien’s son!), From Cannes, is a rookie. But the young shoot does not come out of nowhere, quite the contrary: the Ten Kate team already knows him very well for having driven him – brilliantly – in the European Superstock 600 last season..

Second in this championship behind another Frenchman – Jeremy Guarnoni, who preferred to climb in Superstock 1000 this year – Florian slashed champagne champomy seven times and won three races in 2010 !

"This year will be a learning year for me, because even though I know most of the circuits, the Mondial Supersport will be on a whole new level and will require a different way of working.", specifies Florian."But of course, if I have the chance to win in 2011, I won’t be sorry! "

To know a little more about this new recruit, Site contacted him. Attention, exclusive interview on next page !

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