Byrne denies Sterilgarda deal
Added on Wednesday, September 24th, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Byrne denies Sterilgarda deal
Shayne Byrne has played down speculation that he will be making a move to the Sterilgarda Ducati World Superbikes team next season, although he admitted that talks were ongoing.
The British Superbikes Championship leader, who could secure the title this weekend at Silverstone, has been linked with a move to the World Superbikes Championship after an impressive season this year with the Airwaves Ducati team.
Speculation grew further as Byrne was spotted in the hospitality suite of the Sterilgarda Team at Saturday’s WSB event in Vallelunga and with the satellite team looking for two new riders for 2009 to replace the outgoing Ruben Xaus and Max Biaggi, it was deemed that a deal was imminent.
But Byrne has dismissed that a deal has been done and is keeping his options open for new season.
“We had a few teams lined up to talk to as well as some meetings with the organisers and the whole day went real well,” said Byrne. “I bumped into a few old mates, spent a bit of time with a couple of different teams and even did an interview on Italian TV whilst in the Sterilgada teams hospitality, which no doubt got a few tongues wagging.”
“It was a successful day although I can officially tell you no deal has yet been negotiated to go to WSB, although talks are now ongoing.”
With GSE Racing – owners of the Airwaves team- announcing that they will be ditching Ducati in favour of Yamaha in 2009, speculation had grown further that Byrne was due to leave BSB, having had considerable success on Ducati machines, although there is a new offer on the table from GSE.
“I do have a good offer on the table to stay with my current team and go forward as Airwaves Yamaha and with others in BSB next year, which is something I’m really quite interested in too. My team’s a mega team, with whom I’m really happy and the chance to ride a top spec four-cylinder is quite interesting as I had quite a good year last year on a privateer Honda.”
Nonetheless, Byrne reveals he still has a ‘burning desire’ to go back to World Superbikes.
“It’d be pretty cool to try to win the [BSB] title again back to back on different bikes. The only problem is this burning desire of mine to get into and have a proper stab at the World Championship, I guess for now we’re going to just have to kick back and see what comes of it all.”
Should Byrne make the move as expected, he will become the third rider to leave the BSB for next season for the World stage, with Tom Sykes signing for Yamaha WSB and Cal Crutchlow accepting a Yamaha ride in World Supersport.
