Ducati pull out of BSB

Added on Wednesday, December 17th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor | No Comments

Ducati UK has announced that it will be withdrawing from British Superbike Championship in 2009 after failing to come to an agreement with team operators.

The move is part of a wave of contraction within motorsport, from Honda’s F1 and AMA Superbike exit, to Subaru’s and Suzuki’s WRC rally effort going by the board, and Michelin pulling out of MotoGP after 36 years in top level motorcycle racing.

Ducati UK said that `negotitions’ had broken down, which would have allowed them to defend their title, after Shane Byrne took the BSB title with Airwaves Ducati in 2008. It is believed that Wrigley, who own the Airwaves brand, have decided to put their sponsorship money into the BSB series as a whole, rather than back one team. Ducati will however continue to compete in the Superstocks series, as well as maintaining their commitments in WSB and MotoGP.

Tim Maccabee, Managing Director of Ducati UK said in a statement; “The 1098R has proven to be a winning machine and this makes it all the more frustrating not to be in BSB next year, but we owe it to Ducati and to race fans to put together as strong a team as possible. Unfortunately due to a number of factors we have been unable find a team solution that will allow us to compete at the highest level. We do however expect to be back in 2010.”

One race insider, who didn’t wish to be named told Insidebikes that “Money was especially tight this year, but there is a feeling in bike sport that we are seen as rubbing people’s noses in it during a recession, with lavish motorhomes, corporate hospitality and so on.”

In some ways, the recession could be good for motorcycle racing, if it brings a new realism back to the paddock. Perhaps circuits will start to woo real spectators, rather than simply chase TV exposure and corporate deals. The return of the amateur bike racer, able to win on sheer talent, not just the size of their bank balance, could be a feature of 2009.

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