Alstare To Run Ducati’s World Superbike Team
Cycle News Staff | November 11, 2012
Francis Batta’s Team Alstare has inked a two-year deal to run Ducati’s official World Superbike team for the 2013-2014 seasons with Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini set to ride the team’s Ducati Panigales. The team will be known as Team Ducati Alstare.
The Belgian-based team last race with Suzukis, though it did run Ducatis from 1995-1997 in European Supersport, World Supersport and World Superbike.
“At Ducati, we are very happy and confident with this agreement,” said Ernesto Marinelli, Ducati Superbike Project Manager, in a release issued this afternoon. “The professionalism, passion and sporting character of Francis Batta and all his staff, together with his structure, which sets an industry standard in terms of equipment and organization, are vital elements for our future plans. We have a lot of work to do, and I am sure that we are able to do it in the best possible way.”
Alstare technicians and the Ducati Superbike development team will start working together immediately, with pre-winter tests scheduled to begin at the Aragon circuit in Spain November 14-15, and continuing at Jerez, November 28-30.
“For me, it’s an absolute thrill to be able to join the Ducati family again,” said Batta. “Together, we were so successful in the past and Ducati remains a reference brand for me today. We are going to face a challenge which is highly stimulating both for me and for my team and we will apply our absolute best efforts to making sure this is a successful endeavor.”
