2011 World Superbike
The Supersonic Team run by Danilo Soncini, will again take part in next year’s World Superbike Championship with a Ducati 1198, but this time with young Frenchman Maxime Berger.
Berger was born in Dijon, 1989 on June 27, and after winning the continental title in 2007 in Superstock 600, he competed for three years in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup.
Maxime has always achieved good results concluding in the first three positions of the drivers’ standings. The Supersonic Ducati Team has confirmed its strategy of focusing on young riders and is now ready to possibly improve on last year’s good Superbike results with Luca Scassa, with more experience and valuable assistance from sponsors and Ducati.
Danilo Soncini (Supersonic Ducati Superbike Team Manager) says: “I am very happy to have signed a two year contract with Maxime Berger and my team. After working with Luca Scassa last season, once again I preferred to focus on a young rider with great prospects. A decision, perhaps that goes against the grain in World Superbike, which usually prefers experienced riders.”
“I know Maxime very well because I have followed him for a long time and I have seen the continuous improvements. I am sure that we have chosen a young rider with great potential, a choice shared with the engineers from my team.”
“Ducati will be with us next year in giving support, and we are excited to continue the collaboration that includes the supply of improved materials and support during the races. The choice of Berger is of course also welcomed by the Bologna Ducati manufacturer, who consider Maxime Berger to be a young rider with great future prospects. We are planning to do some tests later this year to be able to debut in the best possible way at the first round of the championship in Australia in late February.”
Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati Superbike Rider) says: “Today is an important day for me and my career. I’m really happy to join the Supersonic Team and start my adventure in World Superbike.”
“Since the beginning of my career, Superbike was for me the premier class and the main goal. I will give the best I can and I’m flattered by the attention from Danilo Soncini, he has always shown interest, and believes in me.”
“This is a great stimulus for me. The contract binds me to the Supersonic Ducati Team for two years and it is a very important aspect for me that will allow me to work without too much pressure to be able to adapt to the team and to this demanding category. I want to keep my number 21 also for Superbike. It is a number that is certainly a challenging one and I intend to ask permission from Troy Bayliss before using it! It will be a further incentive to do well.”
