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Triumph and BE1 Racing announces
four rider line-up for 2010
Triumph Motorcycles and BE1 Racing will enter four riders in the
2010 Supersport World Championship, including French two-time world
champion Sebastien Charpentier, who returns to the series following
a two-year absence.
The youthful ParkinGO Triumph Factory Team will consist of
British rider Chaz Davies and American Jason DiSalvo, while
Charpentier will be joined by Spaniard David Salom in the ParkinGO
Triumph BE1 Racing squad. All four riders will be running identical
BE1 Racing-prepared versions of Triumph's award-winning
three-cylinder Daytona 675-machine.
Davies, 22, a former winner of the famous Daytona 200 race,
joined the squad for the final three races of 2009, scoring a
fourth placed finish first time out at Imola. Despite his relative
youth, the Welshman has an impressive CV that includes five years
spent in the MotoGP paddock and three spent in the highly
competitive American AMA series.
Speaking of the new season, Davies said: "I love working with
this team and am really motivated for the coming season. We've not
won races yet, but that doesn't mean that we can't do so this
season. We've already had a rigorous test in Valencia and have two
more big tests planned in Portugal and Australia before the first
race. I know Jason from my time racing in the States and I am sure
that together we will make a good team."
DiSalvo, 25, joins the official Triumph squad having spent the
past eight years in the American national championships. With 10
wins and 50 further podium finishes to his name, the New Yorker has
been one of the leading lights in the American scene in recent
years. Despite making his debut in the Supersport World
Championship, DiSalvo is familiar with life in Europe, having spent
the early part of his career racing in the British 125cc
championship.
"I'm honoured to be considered by the ParkinGO Triumph Factory Team
and to ride for them in world supersport," declared DiSalvo. "I've
followed the series over the years and have had my eye on the
Triumph for some time now and it looks like an awesome machine.
It'll be a good challenge, I've never ridden it before and it'll be
interesting to see what it's like. People always asked me why I
didn't go and race in Europe before, but I didn't want to unless it
was in a top-level team. Now I am and I'm really pumped to be
going."
With two world titles and 13 race wins to his credit,
Charpentier is the most successful rider in the history of the
Supersport World Championship. The Frenchman was utterly dominant
in on his way to the 2005 and 2006 championships, but moved out of
the championship following an injury-hit defence in 2007. The
36-year-old has remained competitive by competing in the World
Endurance Championship for the last two seasons and is highly
motivated to return to the white hot environment of the Supersport
World Championship with Triumph.
Commenting his decision to join Triumph, Charpentier said: "I
have always had the desire to race and this season I am looking
forward to riding the Triumph Daytona 675 in a top team with
professional people. After two years of coaching young riders and
competing in world endurance I feel ready, both physically and
mentally, to attach the championship again. I have always been
attracted to the Daytona 675 and I want to thank everyone at
Triumph and BE1 Racing who have proposed us working together. I'm
looking forward to our test at Portimao this weekend and the season
ahead."
Spaniard David Salom completes the quartet of Triumph riders.
The 25-year-old from Mallorca joins the series following a season
spent as a privateer in the superbike class, but has two seasons of
world supersport experience under his belt. Salom will be looking
to recapture the form that saw him run as high as eighth in the
championship in his 2007 debut season. He said: "I am pleased to be
able to ride for an official factory team for the first time in my
career. The first contacts with the team have been very positive.
The technicians are very good and the motorcycle will be
competitive."
There will be no place in the line-up for Garry McCoy. The
Australian had been expected to take his place alongside Davies but
has left the team by mutual consent.
Commenting on his rider line-up for the 2010 season, BE1 Racing
team owner Giuliano Rovelli said: "I'm very sorry that Garry McCoy
and my team didn't reach an agreement, and I thank him for his
determination and expertise, and for the good results achieved in
2009. I do wish Garry all the best for his career in the future.
I'm fully satisfied with this new team in the Supersport World
Championship. We have three young talented riders and one very
skilled world champion, all of them extremely motivated in doing
their best."
Triumph's four world supersport competitors will make their
first appearance of 2010 at this weekend's Infront test at the
Portimao circuit in Portugal.
About Triumph:
Triumph Motorcycles, the iconic British motorcycle marque, is
solely owned by Bloor Holdings Ltd. First established in 1902 and
now located in Hinckley, Leicestershire, Triumph has always set the
pace for category-winning machines. From the iconic Bonneville to
the award-winning Daytona 675, Triumph offers a blend of design,
character, sex appeal and performance that combines to create truly
distinctive motorcycles. The rebel choice of 1960s stars such as
Steve McQueen, James Dean and Bob Dylan, today Triumph continues to
attract a diverse range of screen heroes, music idols and sports
stars such as Tom Cruise, Nicholas Cage, Joseph Fiennes and Hugh
Laurie.