Bimota to return to World Superbikes

Aussie fans may remember Anthony Gobert's race win on a Bimota at a wet Phillip Island World Superbike round in 2000. Since then, Bimota's on-again off-again financial troubles have made a regular racing campaign unlikely, put under WSBK's more cost-effective EVO rules, a return has become financially feasible for smaller manufacturers, hence the recently announced inclusion of MV Agusta and EBR (Erik Buell Racing) for the 2014 season.

The inclusion of Bimota means the 2014 World Superbike grid will feature nine manufacturers, a record in the history of the series. Bimota joins MV Agusta and EBR as recent additions to the field that already features BMW, Ducati, Aprilia, Honda, Kawasaki and Suzuki.

Alstare, the Belgian tuning house previously linked with Suzuki, and most recently linked with Ducati, will partner with Bimota in what's been called "a global racing collaboration" to make its World Superbike return in the EVO class. Riders for the Alstare Bimota team will be Christian Iddon and Ayrton Badovini. Iddon already has a Bimota connection - his father Paul rode a YB3 in the opening years of WSBK. Alstare last won the World Superbike title in 2005 with Australia's Troy Corser aboard a Suzuki.

Subject to FIM homologation requirements, the 2014 Bimota campaign will see Iddon and Badovini on the 'BB3', which is powered by BMW's S 1000 RR four-cylinder engine mounted inside Bimota's own steel trellis frame.

The team will add to the growing number of bikes contesting the all-new EVO sub class with its superbike-spec chassis, superstock-spec engine regulations. Following its introduction for this season, EVO will become the sole WSBK category in 2015.

"I am very happy and excited about this long-term global project with Bimota - a famous and highly thought of brand," said Alstare team manager Francis Batta.

"It all started at EICMA (Milan) last November, when I met the new owners Marco Chiancianesi and Daniele Longoni and immediately got on well with them. After that first meeting, I had a really good feeling about our prospects together.

"We knew our companies would complement each other in every way and such a symbiosis would be of enormous benefit all round. We both have enjoyed success in racing and putting our expertise together will be like a marriage made in heaven.

"The BB3, designed by Engineer Acquaviva and his team in Rimini, is a fantastic bike and full of potential. We at Alstare are excited to help develop it, get it on the track and unleash the beast within."

Bimota was a founding world superbike marque in 1988 with Davide Tardozzi and Stephane Mertens as its lead riders, and continued the following year with Giancarlo Falappa at the helm.

Tickets for the 2014 Phillip Island world superbike opener are on sale now at www.worldsbk.com.au or call the hotline on 1300 728 007.

Image: courtesy of IRPR