2008 HM Plant Honda team unveiling heralds a ‘new
era’
 2008
marks the start of a new era for the all-conquering HM Plant
Honda team in the Bennetts British Superbike Championship.
At a ceremony at the Sports Café in Newcastle yesterday,
the 2008 team was unveiled, a team that hopes to take a clean
sweep of the major British road-racing championships. In the
Superbike class, HM Plant Honda has two new riders in Leon
Haslam and Cal Crutchlow, a new machine in the awesome Honda
CBR1000RR Fireblade and they will be using new Pirelli control
tyres. All of this adds even more spice and excitement to
the championship, which this year will be held over 12 rounds
between April and October. Running alongside the championship
will be the Supersport and Superstock series in which Steve
Brogan will be aiming for success in both classes. Last season
Brogan did well as a substitute in the Supersport class and
was second in the Superstock series – he aims to go
one better this year.
On the roads, Brogan will be making his return to the North
West 200, while current lap record holder John McGuinness
will once more be aiming to master the gruelling Isle of Man
TT course.
Leon Haslam
British Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
“I’m so looking forward to this year. For me,
the biggest thing is to be back with Honda, as they’ve
been part of my family and gave me my first big break. I need
to take the title this year, I should have had it for the
last couple of years, but it proved a little too hard to beat
the Hondas on the Ducati! The opposition is going well and
are going to be tough to beat, but in testing we’ve
been quickest pretty much everywhere and that’s been
a massive confidence booster before the start of the season.
The best thing is that since testing, the bikes have been
in the workshop for the last two weeks and the boys are still
finding more from the bike. I’ve worked with Pirelli
in the past in World Superbike and I know that set-up of the
bike is going to be important, but I’ve got the experience
now to do what it takes to win the title.”
Cal Crutchlow
British Superbike – Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
“I know I need to win races this year and the HM Plant
Honda squad is the dream team to do it with. When you look
at their results over the last few seasons – including
last year’s 1-2 with Kiyo and Rea – they want
success and nothing less. Leon will help push me hard, as
he’s been a title contender for the last few years:
I’m looking forward to that challenge. Testing went
fantastic in Spain, although I had a small crash which left
me with an injury. I was still sore at Guadix, but I’m
looking forward to getting to the first round at Brands. I
had a three-year plan in British Supersport and won the title
in my third year and I have a two-year plan in British Superbike
before I win it and this is my second year! The Bennetts British
Superbike Championship is the best domestic series in the
world and I want to win before going onto the world scene.”
Steve Brogan
British Supersport – Honda CBR600RR
British Superstock – Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
“I’m over the moon to be part of the HM Plant
Honda team. Doing both Supersport and Superstock will make
for a busy weekend, but I proved I could do it last season
and the more time on track for me the better! It’s a
dream come true for me and I can now concentrate on both championships.
I truly believe I’m in the best team and riding for
the biggest and best motorcycle manufacturer so it’s
a real privilege. I’ve only been to the North West 200
twice, and the last time a mechanical problem kept me out
of the race, so I’m looking to make amends this year.”
Isle of Man TT races – Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade
John McGuinness
“After last year’s successful Isle of Man campaign
I want more of the same for this year. We’ve got a new
bike, but one – which I’m sure – will be
able to do the business: it looks fantastic! It will be interesting
to see if the lap record can be pushed any further, but to
be honest, all I want to do is carry on winning for Honda
on the Isle of Man first and foremost so that’s going
to be the main aim. We want to show that the Honda CBR1000RR
is the best litre class road bike out there and the TT course
is still the ultimate challenge.”
Havier Beltran – HM Plant Honda team manager
“We’re looking for consistency this year. We have
a brand new bike, new riders and a control tyre. These are
new elements and we all need to pull in the same direction
to get the desired results. I have confidence in the team,
riders and machinery – in fact all the teams in the
Superbike paddock have changed riders and tyres, so effectively
we’re in the same boat. We will all work hard to do
the best job we can so we can win the manufacturer and rider’s
title in Superbike as well as secure the Supersport and Superstock
titles. That’s what we’re aiming for.”
Steve Martindale – Honda UK – General
Manager Motorcycle Division
“With Honda and HM Plant you have a phenomenal and happy
marriage between a manufacturer and people who love racing.
This year HM Plant Honda has the best machines available at
their disposal to do the job and the best sponsor in the paddock:
one, which is both understanding and enjoys racing. The new
Honda Fireblade is an amazing machine, but it has a tough
act to follow thanks to HM Plant Honda’s success over
recent years. We feel that everyone – riders and team
– are at the right stage of development to take the
next step forward. Both our Superbike riders are young, but
very experienced and have strong links with the Honda family
in the past. Our aim for 2008 is to complete the whole ‘set’,
by winning Superbike, Supersport and Superstock titles, as
well as continuing our dominance on the roads.”
Neil Tuxworth – Manager of UK racing for Honda
“2007 was the most success domestic season we’ve
ever had in British racing and for 2008 we’re looking
to meet that level if not better it. We’ve won the Superbike
title and we obviously want to win that again, along with
the manufacturer’s title. On top of that we want to
win both Supersport and Superstock titles. It’s a tough
ask, but we wouldn’t be going for it if we didn’t
think it was achievable.”
|
