PATA Honda launches 'champion' 2015 WSBK team
PATA Honda has formally launched its 2015 World Superbike Championship campaign, complete with its title-winning rider line-up of Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark.
Following its best WSBK season since 2008 last year with Jonathan Rea, the Ten Kate Racing-prepared team head into 2015 with an entirely new rider line-up having lured 2014 WSBK champion Guintoli to the fold and promoted its World Supersport winner van der Mark.
A bold new rider line-up for the team, the launch at the Verona MotoBike Expo revealed a similar livery to that of 2014, with Italian snack company PATA entering its third season with the team as title sponsor.
For Honda Europe's Carlo Fiorani, he believes the inclusion of Guintoli will see it challenging at the front from the off, while he envisages van der Mark progressing in 2015 ahead of a title tilt in 2016.
"The 2015 season has already started very well as we are the only team with two world champions in our garage - one from Superbike and the other from Supersport," he said.
"Of course, our plan was to have a very experienced rider and a young rider with very good prospects. Our expectation is to have good results with Sylvain and, after a few races, to see Michael fighting in the top six. We want him to grow with the team and be ready to challenge for the title in 2016.
"The team has worked really hard with the new regulations but the CBR was already quite production-oriented. After the first tests we are quite satisfied and we expect Honda to be fighting for the podium once again."
