PATA to become Honda title sponsor for 2013
As well as confirming its rider line-up for 2013, Honda has announced it will feature a brand-new title sponsor for next season after agreeing terms with Italian snack company PATA.
A familiar brand to fans of WSBK, PATA made its first appearance in the series as a title backer for PATA B&G (itself an amalgamation of BRC Racing and Guandalini Racing) in 2010, before dropping the B&G appellation and progressing as simply PATA Racing from 2011.
Enjoying podium-winning success with Noriyuki Haga on an Aprilia last year, PATA switched to Ducati machinery for 2012 with Lorenzo Zanetti before doubling up to include Sylvain Guintoli mid-season. It was a relationship that yielded immediate results when Guintoli won the rain-affected second race on his debut outing with the team.
Despite this success, PATA was known to be seeking a factory-backed partner for 2013, but while it was originally linked to a move to Aprilia, its logos will instead appear on Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam's Honda overalls next season.
A deal that will see PATA become the title sponsor of the team, the move will also see youngster Zanetti revert to the Ten Kate-helmed team in the World Supersport Championship, where he will be joined by Superstock 600 challenger Michael van der Mark.
