WSBK – World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier – HONDA occasions

World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

The Honda WorldSBK team, managed by Ten Kate and sponsored by Red Bull, has just announced great news: Leon Camier, official MV Agusta rider for the past three seasons, will drive one of the two CBR1000RR SP2 Fireblades next year. !

The Honda Red Bull team is eager to end 2017, and we understand it … In May, their top driver Nicky Hayden disappeared, with whom the Tokyo firm had won the face of "the invincible "Rossi…

The "Kentucky Kid" and his favorite brand jointly dreamed of winning the title in the other top motorcycle speed category, the World Superbike, thanks to the new version of the CBR1000RR "SP2" Fireblade. This season was supposed to allow them to settle, the second to win !

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

Sadly, the youngest champion in AMA Superbike history – Nicky was just 21 when he defeated three-time American champion Mat Madlin in 2002 – will never become the first rider to bring together the MotoGP and WorldSBK titles….

Deeply affected by the disappearance of the legendary n ° 69, the men of Ronald Ten Kate are slowed down in their work on the new Fireblade by the injury of Stefan Bradl: fell heavily in front of his family at the Lausitzring, the German n ° 6 does not even go be able to finish .

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

At Magny-Cours, the German "rookie" – Moto2 world champion in 2011, all the same – was replaced by a certain, while rode on the bike of the late Hayden. With – present in Portimao and scheduled for Jerez -, three drivers have played the interim in recent weeks.

For 2018, therefore, Honda aspires to more serenity! The world No. 1 – in terms of motorized two-wheeler production in the world, but seventh and last in the 2017 provisional WorldSBK manufacturer ranking (!) – has therefore secured the services of a solid rider to more than a title: Leon Camier, 31 years old including 7 in WSBK, 1.88 m for 79 kg !

Honda and Camier want to bounce back

Just like the winged crest, the English n ° 2 is looking to revive … For the record, Mister "Kamir" had crushed the British Superbike in 2009 on the handlebars of a Yamaha (19 wins in 26 races) and had logically joined the World Superbike the following season.

However, since his accession to the world level in 2010, the native of Ashford in England – exiled in Andorra and – has not won a race! Even more infuriating, "Lioness" is no longer on a podium since he was – one and only – factory pilot MV Agusta…

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

In the world championship, his best ranking remains his seventh place obtained during his second season riding the "small" factory RSV4. On the "big" GSX-R1000, the "big" Camier finished 14th and 11th the following two seasons. On the "sculptural" F4 RC, Camier did not do better than 8th.

Regularly in the Top 6 in the race this season, the three-time British champion (125, SSP and SBK) achieved an end to the season as brilliant as it was frustrating: twice fourth in the last two events, he was also betrayed twice by his diva Italian as he fought for the podium !

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

Since the start of the year, a – as official as he is faithful – has committed only one ball in the race (fall in Buriram), while his machine has been the victim of five mechanical glitches (in Imola, Misano, Laguna Seca , Portimao and Magny-Cours). "Mamma mia"…

At the helm of the reliable but – to date – less efficient Fireblade, Leon Camier hopes to restart his WorldSBK podium counter in 2018 (stuck at 9 since the end of 2013), or even sign his first international victory? Duo to follow next year on Site: stay tuned !

WSBK - World Superbike 2018: the Honda team recruits Leon Camier - HONDA occasions

Statements

Marco Chini, Director of Operations for Honda WorldSBK:
"We are very happy to welcome Leon for the next WorldSBK season. He is pure talent and an extremely professional driver, so I am sure it will be a pleasure to work with him. We are confident that his expertise will help us to to take the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 to a whole new level. We are looking forward to this challenge. However, we have a season to finish. We are fully focused on the final events in order to improve our package and end the year on a note positive ".

Andrea Quadranti, MV Agusta Reparto Corse team leader:
"Leon has been a part of our team for a long time. His talent and expertise have undoubtedly played a big role in the development of our bike and its current level. Thank you very much Leon, on behalf of the whole team. I wish him the best for the new season ".

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *