Hero MotoCorp and EBR have jointly made an announcement that the brands will be running a dual-rider team at the 2015 edition of the SBK Championship. The two riders who have been chosen for this coveted championship are Niccolo Canepa and Larry Pegram. The new riders will have the privilege of leading the brands to the race on the premier class EBR 1190RX motorbikes.
The racing team is still based out of Italy, though there have been a plethora of changes in the new team. Canepa brings with him, a sea of racing experience. He has been a seasoned racer and a champion in the 2007 edition of the World Superstock class. He stood runners up in the Evo class of the 2014 edition of the World Superbike. Apart from these achievements, the man has ample knowledge about testing and development of racing bikes on the tracks of SBK. On the other hand, Pegram will take over additional responsibility at the team by taking up the role of the team’s manager. This additional responsibility has been given to him because of his experience at the Pegram Racing in the United States. He has also become a household name, riding high on his reality TV show, the Superbike Family.
Hero MotoCorp has become the first Indian two-wheeler company to take part in the world superbike series. Incidentally, it has a 49.2 per cent stake in the American two-wheeler manufacturer, EBR. Apart from the share, there is an agreement between the two brands to co-develop bikes.
Erik Buell, the founder of EBR, said about the team, “We are delighted to be able to participate in the 2015 World Superbike championship. 2014 was a learning year for us, and we thank very much all the members of the 2014 team for their hard work. For 2015, based on what we learned last year, we have made many changes and look forward to seeing how these all play out. My personal and grateful thanks go out to Hero MotoCorp for continuing as our primary sponsor, and to AMSOIL for their sponsorship and technical support.”
