Let’s admit it every time we see # 46 we automatically associate it to Valentino Rossi or # 21 to Troy Bayliss, so a rider’s racing number is not only a trademark or a merchandising gimmick, but it also becomes an emotional attachment that has accompanied a rider during his career and in some cases it’s just plain superstition.

Two riders who will be debuting in the Superbike championship, Eugene Laverty and Maxime Berger are both forced to change their racing numbers in 2011.

Laverty’s #50, which has followed him in the last nine years of his career, is currently being used by Sylvain Guintoli, so the Irishman will be using #58, while Supersonic’s Maxime Berger will have to use #121, as number 21 was retired after Troy Bayliss retired from racing.

Talking about the change Laverty said, “I don’t have an emotional attachment to it, but I do feel it has been very significant in my career so far, and for that reason I am a bit sad to be parting with it. I don’t have a choice, but I did have a choice in choosing my new number, 58. I like it because it’s probably the nearest you can get to 50. I’m sure I’ll go back to it when I get the opportunity. This year Sylvain has it but I’d definitely like to get it back as soon as I can.”

Source | wsbk.com

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Maxime Berger, former Superstock 600 champion and who raced in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup in the last three years, will officially be debuting in World Superbikes in 2011 with Supersonic Racing, finally got his chance to ride the team’s Ducati 1198 at the Cartagena race track in Spain.

The two day test saw good weather, but low track temperatures and the young French rider was able take full advantage of the weather and test the Ducati twin and traction control for the first time with a best lap of 1.34.1

“I’m really happy to have done these two days of testing at Cartagena. Eager to ride for the first time the bike, which I will ride in next World Superbike Championship and to know my new team.” said Berger. “My impressions are very positive. After riding only a few laps to adjust to the Ducati 1198, I realised that it was easier than expected to find a good feeling with the powerful twin. I had never tried a bike with traction control before but I got used so quickly. In the second day of testing we have done a huge amount of work and I managed a best time of 1′34″1. It was fine to spend the two days with my engineers and I must say that I found a really skilled and motivated team. I am sure that I will give everyone a great time during the season.”

Continue reading: WSBK: Maxime Berger debuts on the Ducati at Cartagena

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We are sort of worried about next season’s World Superbike grid, that is painfully looking like MotoGP, with some teams cutting back on their budgets and fielding only one rider, but Supersonic, the team which debuted this year with Luca Scassa, has confirmed that they are going to continue their WSBK effort in 2011.

Team manager Danilo Soncini, speaking from the EICMA Show, revealed that Maxime Berger is on the verge of signing with the Italian team so he’ll will be moving from the Superstock 1000 championship after being this year’s runner-up.

“Luca has moved to Supersport but Supersonic, on the other hand, will remain in the top Superbike category, where we will again run one rider” declared Soncini. “I can reveal that we’re going to sign Maxime Berger, we just need to sort out a few details. I am very happy with this two-year agreement because the Frenchman is a sort of protégé of mine and our aim with him is to score our first podium in World Superbike”.

Soncini is going to field a Ducati once again and believes that Ducati’s decision to pull-out their factory team from the series will help the privateers.

“I’m convinced that the Ducati is still the bike to beat and Checa’s form in the final part of the season after the weight changes are clear proof of that. I think that for us private teams, the fact that the Borgo Panigale manufacturer has decided to no longer take part with an internal team is a point in our favour: we will receive some of the material from the factory, and we’ll try and make the best of it, something which could work well for us in view of 2012″.

Source | wsbk.com

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