2011 FIM Superbike
At Imola during the World SBK Round Mr Paolo Sesti, the chairman of the Italian Motorcycle Federation, presented the Team Italia Velocità Project, which will also be involved in WSBK with 3 riders in Supersport, Superstock 600 and Superstock 1000 from 2011.
Following in the footsteps of past success in Superbike, Team Italia Velocità is ready to come back as a protagonist in Supersport, Superstock 600 and 1000 for the 2011 season.
It is a clear demonstration of the commitment of supporting new Italian talent at an International level, through concrete and direct support by the Italian Motorcycle Federation.
For the Team Italia Velocità riders this will mean racing in the World Championship with the possibility of growing up in a professional environment which will be completely devoted to sporting activity.
Italian motorcycling can already count on young and successful talent on which it is working constantly, in the belief that talent should be built up since the junior categories.
Paolo Sesti says: "The aim of the initiative is to launch Team Italia again in the Superbike World Championship, something that over the years has allowed many talented Italian riders to come to the forefront on the international scene – declared the President of the FMI.
"We will be doing it with the support of Infront and Pirelli, whom I would like to thank for believing in our project. We will have three riders involved in Supersport and the Superstock 600 and 1000 categories and we will try and help them to grow in the best possible way in three apprentice but hard-fought categories. The aim, one day, is to get them to race in World SBK".
This project is approved in full by Infront Motor Sports and its CEO Paolo Flammini, who has always had faith in this type of activity, dedicated to young riders coming from National championships, through the support of the various Team Italia in the Superbike circus since 1998.
Paolo Flammini says: "Infront Motor Sports firmly believes in a strong rapport with the national federations with the aim of promoting and supporting the participation of young riders in international championships."
"The introduction of the Superstock 600 and 1000 championships by us was designed to create a path that takes young riders up from a national to a professional level, and the initiative that we are developing together with the FMI and Pirelli is the concrete application of these projects".
Pirelli tyres, exclusive partner of the Superbike World Championship, will be ready to support this initiative as technical partner with a 2 year contract with the Italian Motorcycle Federation with the aim of increasing the value of the best Italian talent on the track.
Giorgio Barbier says: "This year Pirelli created a sort of scholarship for the winner of the FIM Superstock 1000 to participate in WSBK in 2011 and after this experiment, the value and the need to bring new Italian talents into the World Championship is clear," said the Pirelli Motor Racing Director.
"We will participate in this project not only as sole supplier to WSBK, but for offering an opportunity to young riders of the national series to move towards a more international scope in the WSBK. Pirelli, as early as the 80’s was involved in this FMI project which worked in tandem with participation in the 500cc European Championship (Errico, Fugardi, Papa) and today is honored to return to this same spirit with the FMI and Infront".
Team Italia Velocità, with the support of Infront and Pirelli will develop a 2 year project, with the involvement of 3 riders in the Supersport, Superstock 600 and Superstock 1000 classes and of Cristiano Migliorati as sport director.
The 3 riders’ names will be announced on October 17th during the Italian Champions 2010 Awards Ceremony at Mugello.
