WSBK – Honda renews its Dream Team in WSBK for 2014 – Used HONDA

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Honda renews its Dream Team in WSBK for 2014

WSBK - Honda renews its Dream Team in WSBK for 2014 - Used HONDA

Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam will ride the Honda Pata team’s CBR1000RRs again next year. After a season marred by injuries, the No.65 and 91 count on their good old Fireblade to shine more in 2014. Trailer.

At Honda Pata, we don’t change a team that doesn’t win … yet! The manager of this unique Honda team, Ronald Ten Kate, is indeed still convinced that his "Dream Team" made up of Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam can aim very high in this world Superbike championship (read our)…

"With two riders in full possession of their means and some additional improvements in the bike, we can approach 2014 with renewed confidence and optimism.", considers the Very Big Boss Batavian.

With its eight "pilot" titles in World Supersport (with Foret, Vermeulen, Muggeridge, Charpentier and Sofuoglu), the Ten Kate team had managed to win a title in the World Superbike category: it was in … on the old Fireblade !

Launched in 2008, the latest generation of Honda Superbikes failed to dominate the Ducati, Yamaha (from Ben Spies) and Aprilia for an entire season. This year again, despite the support of the HRC, the CBRs are behind the RSV4, ZX-10R and S1000RR in the manufacturers’ standings and are only a few lengths ahead of the GSX-R.

It was above all the electronics that posed a problem for the two British pilots: paradoxically, the arrival of "new software developed by Honda for MotoGP"did not allow the bike to improve its behavior or its performance.

It must be recognized, however, that the injuries of Leon and then of Jonathan did not favor the development of their Superbike machine. "The 2013 season was tough for everyone, for a lot of reasons", recalls Carlo Fionari, race manager at Honda Motor Europe.

In addition to the recovered health of his two loyal foals – Rea has spent his entire career at Honda and the Haslam family is inseparable from the winged manufacturer – the Italian is counting on the evolution of the regulations to find the forefront again next year..

"We all hope that with the orientation of the discipline by the Dorna towards new horizons (to the Superstock to summarize, Editor’s note), we will be able to have a 2014 season without booze and full of success", summarizes Segnore Fiorani, whose pilots are obviously on the same wavelength !

Rea and Haslam remain in the Honda family

Approached in MotoGP – riding a Yamaha at Forward Racing, the Ducati prototype at Pramac or the next Honda compe-client – Jonathan Rea has finally chosen to remain loyal to the team that has been running him for six years..

"I know how hard the guys are working to make the Honda competitive and I know we have the potential to fight for more podiums and wins, and for the championship next year", says the Northern Irish pilot.

Package since his (broken left femur), the n ° 65 is currently eighth in the championship and is about to conclude his worst season in World Superbike … Also Johnny, who could participate in the in a little more than 15 days, is it already turned to 2014.

"We will start the test program in a much better way than twelve months ago, because we have worked very hard on the new on-board electronics this year.", assures Jonathan Rea, recently become a father like his teammate."I’m still so motivated and can’t wait to ride my bike again".

His teammate Leon Haslam is delighted to have another chance, rightly believing that his first season at Honda Pata was hampered by his (broken left tibia and fibula) and "the long progression that we have known with the new electronics".

"We have really improved recently, but we were also unlucky this year", regrets the English pilot."I hope this is all behind us and that we can continue to improve in the last races and during the winter testing.".

Winner this year alongside Supersport rookie Michael Van den Mark, Leon has not won a World Superbike race since. He had then obtained three victories – his only three in the category – and finished second in the championship behind Max Biaggi, riding a good old GSX-R. Can he do the same with a CBR? Case to follow on MNC: stay connected !

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