Capannori - Pro Ride World Superbike officially announces that will start the Superbike World Championship 2010 from its second round at Portimão, Portugal (event from March 26th to March 28th). This decision was due to some logistics problems that the Italian team is facing after defining its participation in a moment which normally a structure is ready to be on the road. In short, we needed to take February to take care of some important elements that are still missing and we plan to be ready by the beginning of March. Pro Ride apologizes for not accomplishing the World SBK official calendar in time, but INFRONT (championship organization) has been already informed and we do not want to come back racing without a complete and prepared structure to be competitive in the series.
Makoto Tamada, Rider:
"I have to be honest and say that I am disappointed that I cannot make the season opener in Phillip Island. I always enjoyed going to Australia and the people there has always been so supportive to me. However, I believe that Marco's decision is right. We are a new team, and we didn't have enough time. It is tough decision, but this decision should turn out for the best in the long run."
Eng. Marco Nicotari, Team Manager:
"Once again I had to take the decision that we shall miss Phillip Island round. Personally for me it’s a shame, cause it’s a track that I love, but as the responsible for this Team and a project, I have to think professionally, so once we are not ready at 100%, due to the late agreements, it is better to stay home one more month and prepare everything properly. We hope to be at Portimão at full gas."
For more information please contact our press officer at info@proridesbk.com
Capannori – Italy – Pro Ride World Superbike officially announces for immediate release that the team has signed two-time MotoGP winner, Makoto Tamada as rider for 2010.
Pro Ride Team Director, Eng. Marco Nicotari is pleased to announce today that the Team has signed with Makoto Tamada as their rider for the 2010 FIM World Superbike Championship. Nicotari also announced that the team will be competing this season with Honda machinery. Tamada, well known for his two-time win in the MotoGP, will be back with Honda after parting the Japanese manufacturer for 3 years. Tamada has raced on a Honda since his novice years in Japan, and has brought Honda many wins. His three wins in the World Superbike was when Tamada raced with HRC factory team in Japan.
Pro Ride and Nicotari have lots of experience on the Honda CBR1000RR, and with Tamada’s ability and Nicotari’s expertise, the team will aim for the top Honda team, as well as the Championship.
Comments
Makoto Tamada, Rider
“As much as I am excited to work with Marco (Nicotari), I am thrilled to be back with Honda. I have always been a “Honda” rider. I have not performed at my best potential since I left Honda. This year, I plan to be competitive, and show everyone that Makoto Tamada is still very competitive. I thank Honda and Marco for believing in me and I plan to repay them with a couple of wins this year.”
Eng. Marco Nicotari, Team owner and technical director, Pro Ride Honda World SBK
“The entire Team is thrilled about this agreement. I have been observing Makoto for a long time and I really believe that he has the spirit we are looking for. He knows Honda machines and he knows how to be fast. I truly believe that with us he can be back on top. “GAMBATTE KUDASAI, MAKOTO-SAN!”.
Keita Muramatsu, General Manager, Motor Sports Division, Honda Motor Co., Ltd.
“First of all, I would like to congratulate Tamada that he would continue in the World Superbike Championship. The current economic crisis that we are all experiencing has also affected Motorsports Teams. Even in this hard time, I have heard that the team that Tamada signed is a new team to World Superbike Championship.
It has been four years since Tamada has been on a Honda, and I wish that with his experience in MotoGP, the Japanese National Championship, and the World Superbike Championship, he will be able to bring the new team to a competitive level. I expect him to do well. Being a successful Japanese rider in the World Championship, that Japanese riders in Japan aiming for the World will aim at. ”
Makoto Tamada, Career Profile
Race Profile
1994 Kyushu Road Race Championship GP250 & SP250: Champion
1995 All Japan Road Race Championship GP250: Ranking 11th
1996 All Japan Road Race Championship GP250: Ranking 14th
1997 All Japan Road Race Championship GP250: Ranking 6th
1998 All Japan Road Race Championship GP250: Ranking 4th / Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 10th
1999 All Japan Road Race Championship Superbike: Ranking 5th / Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 8th
2000 All Japan Road Race Championship Superbike: Ranking 3rd / Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 43rd
2001 Superbike World Championship SUGO Round: Champion
All Japan Road Race Championship Superbike: Ranking 2nd
Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 4th
2002 Superbike World Championship SUGO Round: Champion
All Japan Road Race Championship Superbike: Ranking 4th
Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 2nd
2003 Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class: 11th (Mugello GP 4th, Rio GP 3rd)
2004 Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class: 6th (2 Wins at Rio GP and Japan GP;
Portugal GP 2nd)
2005 Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class from Konica Minolta Honda
Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class: 11th(Japan GP 3rd)
2006 Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class: 12th
Suzuka 8 Hours Endurance Race: 5th
2007 Road Race World Championship MotoGP Class: 18th
2008 Superbike World Championship: 20th
2009 Superbike World Championship: 27th
Capannori – Italy – Pro Ride World Superbike officially announces for immediate release that the team has signed a marketing contract with Speed of Japan.
The contract was signed this week and from now on the Tokyo-based Japanese group, which has years of experience in racing and manages riders competing in championships worldwide, like the IndyCar Series, European and American Le Mans Series, Moto GP, World Superbikes and the Japanese National Championships in both cars and motorbikes, will be responsible for Pro Ride marketing administration, image management, sponsorship acquisition/management and also consulting services on the choice of riders.
This agreement was the final result of a negotiation process that started by the end of 2008 and was based on the serious job that Speed of Japan – under Achromatic Incorporated – has always developed. Pro Ride believes that both companies can bring a quality upgrade to the team structure, image and logistic. This will help the team to become more professional and updated to the last marketing trends and consequently allow the Ing. Marco Nicotari and its staff to be more focused on the development of racing parts and solutions.
Pro Ride will periodically release news and results from this new project.
Comments
Charles A. Chen, Senior Executive Producer, Speed of Japan
“We are more than thrilled to sign the marketing contract with Pro Ride. Marco has always been a true professional in racing, and we look forward to be working with him for a long time. The world economy is not as its best, as we all know, but we’ll try our best to find the budget for Pro Ride to be competitive in the Championship.”
Ing. Marco Nicotari, Techninal Director and chairman, Pro Ride Superbike
“We are very pleased that we have reached this agreement with Speed of Japan and Achromatic Inc. We have been looking for a professional company that could care about our marketing and image and to get the cooperation with Speed of Japan and Achromatic gives us exactly what we need: “professionality and security”. Mr. Chen have been close to us during our bad moments and it is good for us to know that companies like these still believe in our work.”
Portimao - Portugal - Pro Ride Racing, lead by Eng. Marco Nicotari, is in its final stage preparing for the 2010 season. An unavoidable situation lead to a decision where Nicotari had to stop continuing his season in 2009. He is now determined that in 2010 that would not happen.
Negotiations are currently being held with manufacturers, sponsors, and riders, and Nicotari is making it sure that the package for the 2010 season is one that would make the team competitive from the beginning of the season.
"I am making it sure that we are competitive from the 1st race of the season." said Nicotari. "Currently, I have succeeded in procuring the best machines and mechanics. We are currently in negotiation with several top riders also. If we can be committed financially, then Pro Ride will make the qualitative leap that we are looking for a long time."
Nicotari is also negotiating with a marketing company with an expertise in Motor Sports. This marketing company will be in charge of sponsorship acquisitions, as well as publicity strategies to make sure Pro Ride is the best buy in the paddock.
"The marketing company I am in negotiations with is an expert in Motorsports. They have been present in Europe, USA, and Asia. I am confident about the team management technically, but marketing the team has been my weakest point. With them on board, Pro Ride would be a team where the sponsors find their fundings in best hands. Almost all of the details have been agreed upon, and we should be signing a marketing contract with them pretty soon."
With regards to the riders, Nicotari commented, "I am also in talks with several riders, all of whom have been winners. They are all interested in what I have to offer."
Pro Ride with Marco Nicotari will be making an official announcement shortly with details of the 2010 package.
Misano – Italy – Sunday – After long 5 months apart from the paddock, Pro Ride Superbike has not missed the second Italian round of the World Superbike Championship. The Team is still looking for alternatives to come back to the race track, but the team and managing director, the Eng. Marco Nicotari, has taken this round at Misano to attend important meetings with our technical sponsors and also to discuss some interesting possibilities for the Team. The idea is coming back to the Championship as fast as possible, but for sure this is a decision that depends on certain ongoing negotiations and also on essential elements that we need to consider and analize before restarting our racing activities. These elements basically are: finding the right rider and the missing sponsors to cover each race budget. As it has been widely broadcasted in our previous communications, the team structure and staff is ready to be at any round of the World Superbike Championship, however we intend to do it only when we found all the proper conditions for that.
Meanwhile, at our workshop in Capannori (LU), Italy, we have been building up the entire commercial and marketing department of our company, specially looking for maketing partnerships. Our e-commerce is working since March and can be accessed by clicking on the link “shop” of our website www.proridesbk.com and we have been supplying teams and privateers that are seaching for special racing parts and racing consulting.
For sure walking around the paddock gave us the right ideia of into what extent the world economical crisis has affect the area and the solutions the racing world has found to overcome it. Brainstorming was the key word during the weekend for us and we are ready to re-plan our strategies and projects for next season.
We would like to thank Infront, specially to Paolo Ciabatti, Giulio Bardi, Sabrina Mangia, Olga Yarets, Federica Marti and Julian Thomas to give us this opportunity and to help us to keep our work in the paddock, even if not racing yet. Pro Ride also thanks to all the media and journalists, specially to Gordon Richie, Paolo Gozzi, Luigi Rivola, Luca Sordi, Paolo Scalera and Claudio Porrozzi for the attention and support given.
It was amazing being near the noise that comes from the track. Better will be producing ouselves this noise again.
CAPANNORI – ITALY – The Team Pro Ride World Superbike was supposed to finally start the 2009 season of the Superbike World Championship from its first Italian round, at the fast Monza circuit. But as anyone can see from the races results, we weren’t there. Why? The past months were crucial inside the Team headquarters at Lucca, where all the efforts have been to find new partnerships for all the projects we have prepared for 2009 and the ones we are preparing for 2010. Our structure is ready to be at any race, but we still need sponsorship to move it and make it finally race again.
The Perfomance Center is also under construction and we expect it will be officially inaugurated by the end of this semester. We are planning a nice event to launch this important project that will mark the beginning of a new phase for Pro Ride. Media, sponsors and the sector main representatives will be communicated and invited as soon as we have the precise date.
Moreover, we would like to inform the media, our sponsors and the public that we do not intend to sell the Team or to close our Racing Department, since racing is exactly the basis of our activity and the origin of the company. Some rumours came about at the paddock in Monza and this official communicate is also to clear it and once again release what the Team real intentions are. Actually we are restructuring this department and looking for new marketing strategies (with the support of companies and people specialized in this kind of acitivity) to avoid the lack of sponsorship in future seasons. This process requires a lot of investiment, amministrative decisions and hard work.
Says the Eng. Marco Nicotari:
“We are a serious and well structured company in the administration and techinical areas, but it is clearly missing stronger commercial and marketing departments. That’s why we are working with some marketing specialists to solve this gap that are separating us from racing. For me it is easy to show how valuable it is the product we have, but in a moment like the one we are living nowadays, it is not easy to reach the people that can invest in racing projects and convince them that the “crisis” would not necessarily affect us. The targets now are launching the Performance Center, finally finding the partners that we are searching for a long time and that would be interested in investing in the second half of the championship with us and planning 2010. For next season we have been working in a project that is already half developed. Besides, for the rider that will be with us this year and probably also in 2010, I’d like to inform that we have been talking to very important names in the racing world, but nothing has been decided yet. It’s simply unacceptable for me being far from the pit lane. However, I am responsible for a name and a company, and I am not keen to move my staff and my structure without a safe budget.”
Pro Ride took the hard attitude to giving up momentarily from the “paddock status” in order to reorganize itself and not commiting to impossibile things during uncertain times. We aim the tracks and we’ll come back in the right way, in the right moment.
CAPANNORI , ITALY – One of the most difficult things in the racing environment is giving bad news to the press and to partners. The concern is: what about the Team’s image? Rumors can destroy lot of hard and honest work. But the question is: What happens with a racing team that cannot race? How can we explain that things stronger than our plans, than our eager to work and to produce could be strong enough to keep us at home? No one who is part of the Team Pro Ride World Superbike wants to be far from the race tracks. From the sound of the engine revving. Maybe one that has never heard this amazing sound would not understand. But we have it inside. And the ones who also have it inside will surely understand how hard it is to communicate to all supporters and to the world media that the Team has decided not taking part in the Valencia Round of the Superbike World Championship.
This difficult decision was taken after many internal meetings, mainly between the Team Manager and the Spanish rider Gregorio Lavilla. And it was based only on the economic crisis which nowadays is more than spreaded out. We are crazy about races, engines and bikes, but we are also (and mainly) a young and serious company and Pro Ride srl must look after its most important project. We have changed our strategy due to the world scenario. It means that Pro Ride will participate in some races this season and concentrate efforts in our “Performance Center”, an activity dreamed by the Eng. Marco Nicotari for more than 20 years. The aim is to balance and increase our racing budget. At the same time, our racing project for 2010 is ready and we are constantly searching for new partners and sponsors. We have planned to be in all Italian rounds of the Superbike World Championship and in some European rounds (calendar to be defined soon). Unfortunately that means we cannot afford Gregorio Lavilla as rider anymore, since he certainly deserves to race all rounds and to show his talent to the world without economic barriers. Pro Ride and Lavilla were a perfect match, and this would continue if we had enough sponsors to keep this amazing project. The cooperation between Lavilla and Pro Ride ends in a friendly way, because both parts see very clearly that the situation was inevitable. We know that Gregorio will find nice opportunities for the 2009 season and Pro Ride will always keep its doors open to him.
The entire Team is making a hard effort to beat this moment and we believe this is the best attitude to help ourselves and our country to overcome the crisis.
Says the Eng. Marco Nicotari, Team Manager:
“We had the dream environment this season…Experienced technicians, good internal organization, very good rider…The bike has achieved a point of development where we believed that Gregorio, with his talent and experience, would be able to give us amazing moments…We felt that finally we were close to the points and to come back to the top 10...But the economical crisis does not have eyes for these kind of things.
Nobody inside the Team is happy. We are very angry and disappointed with a situation that is simply out of our control. We are a Team and we want to ride…But how? “Sponsorship” has become almost a forbidden word inside most of the companies nowadays. The key word inside the marketing departments worldwide is “save money” and who lives from sponsorship suffers deeply. Talking to my technicians “guys, we don’t have Lavilla anymore and I’m not sure how many races we can do this year” was one of the worst moments of my career. Gregorio was a choice that I made with both my brain and my heart. I feel sad for all this and I hope Pro Ride will soon develop the other commercial possibilities that will allow us to be as more independent as possible. We are still fighting for new sponsors (which are close but not “in” yet), the project for 2010 is ready and we are aware that sometimes an army must take one step back to restore its strength and make many steps further.”
All things considered, we would like to thank Infront, specially Mr. Paolo Ciabatti, for allowing us to make the races we can afford. Without this support the Team would never have the chance to stay in the Superbike World Championship. Being part of a high-level event like this is certainly the motivation we need to find solutions and to grow. Besides, we also address an special thank to Mr. Giulio Bardi, who is a real sportsman and a dear friend of this Team. Pro Ride World Superbike thanks all its supporters and sponsors, Mormaii, Valter Moto, Carbonin, Wladoil, Nissin, Giannelli, DID, BMC, Unifila, Titax, Drive Beer and HM Quickshifter for believing in us and being on our side in any moment. Behind these respectful brands there are special people and we enjoy working together. Finally, we specially thank Gregorio Lavilla, for his comprehension, pacience, professionality, fair play and perfect attitude towards these hard times.
Pro Ride World Superbike is making its best to be in Assen, and surely we will be present in the round of Monza. We plan launching a more precise calendar in the next weeks and as soon as our “Performance Center” be ready, an official communication will be released. We are available to answer to any doubt that may raise and our Press Officer (info@proridesbk.com) will answer them promptly.
LUCCA – ITALY – The Team Pro Ride World Superbike officially communicates that unfortunately it will not take part of the first two rounds of the World Superbike Championship (Australia, March 1st and Qatar, March 14th). Due to the economical world crisis that has also affected the motorsport arena, we lost an important sponsor and a contract that was about to be signed was cancelled. The Team administration has decided to start the championship from the Spanish round in Valencia that will happen in April 5th.
The Team and Managing Director, Eng. Marco Nicotari, declares:
“ We know the crisis is serious and the taking part of the championship with one rider was already one strategy to survive the hard scenario we are living nowadays. We couldn’t expect that those two companies would leave us right in the beginning of the championship. The Team had already the cases ready to be sent to Australia and the news got us by surprise. I had to make a step back in order to keep the things under control and start properly in Valencia. Besides, we are working hard to find new partners that can heal the situation that these loses caused. Pro Ride is a new company and it is not easy to start a business exactly during a so delicate moment, when the investments tend to decrease and people do every possible thing to save money. Apart being an extremely technological area, where we lead the bikes to their limits in order to improve them and create new solutions that may be absorbed by the projects of the future road bikes, races are also made to entertain people. And for sure entertainment suffers the consequences of these difficult days. However we know the quality our product and I’m confident we’ll find alternatives to overcome this period and make a good season. I feel sorry for Lavilla and the entire Team staff, but Gregorio is a great rider and we expect good moments on the race track for Pro Ride this year. The Team is united, we are passing through this together and everybody is giving his best to sail the ship throughout this storm. Everybody that is part of Pro Ride staff today intends to stay for the whole season.”
The Team has recently moved to its new workshop in Lucca, Tuscany and it is working hard to organize its structure and to put in practice the “Performance Center” planned for 2009. News and pictures soon in the website www.proridesbk.com.
PORTIMÃO – PORTUGAL – January 25th , 2009 – After the first tests in Almerìa, Spain, where the Team Pro Ride World Superbike could put in practice many settings and collect important data, the final official test before the 2009 SBK season starts properly took place this weekend at Portimão. The Algarve circuit was as welcoming as ever but the weather refused to play its part, with rain just about every day mixing with sunshine and an almost constant strong wind.
PRO RIDE SUPERBIKE, along with everyone else struggled with the conditions as well as the challenges facing any brand new team – learning to work together effectively. By the end of Saturday they were starting to find solutions to some of the inevitable problems though not as far up the timesheets as they would like.
On Saturday evening, rider Gregorio LAVILLA had this to say:
“A racer is never happy unless he is at the top of the podium, and I am not so no, I am not happy. But I am optimistic. None of the team are happy with where we are now. We have a long way to go but we are trying many things and we are getting some valuable data as we go.”
Team co-ordinator Simon BRADLEY added:
“Although the main purpose of the test is, of course, to get the bike and rider ready for the race season, it is also important as a chance to get the team to work together and to identify areas we still need to develop. So while at the moment we’re not as fast as we want to be and are all a little frustrated by that, we have learned a huge amount and have started to gel as a team, which will stand us in good stead as the season progresses. Greg is right to be optimistic!”
Sunday saw more changeable weather which continued to play havoc with the team’s schedule, not helped by the curtailment of the morning session due t an oil spillage n the circuit. Despite these problems, Gregorio was able to climb to just outside the top ten in the afternoon session, which suggests definite progress has been made.
The rest of the afternoon session was spent in a compulsory practice of the new “flag to flag” procedures for changes in the weather during a race, requiring a rider to be able to come into the pitlane and change bikes at almost any time.
So the team leaves Portimão with work still to do but far more confident that they have something to work with for the first round in 5 weeks’ time.
MONZA - IITALIA - The Team Pro Ride Superbike signed the contract for the 2009 season with the Spanish rider Gregorio Lavilla on the last November the 8th at the Marchesini stand at the EICMA Show in Milan. The event also saw a great presentation of Lavilla in the Moto Live track, where the public could closely see him riding the CBR 1000 RR that the staff managed by the Eng. Marco Nicotari assembled for the Superbike World Championship.
The incredible burnout made by the Spanish rider has gone immediately to the website You Tube and can be accessed clicking on the following link: http://it.youtube.com/watch?v=O-zwElO567Q
The Tuscanian team is now planning the winter calendar. The tests will be in January, at the Spanish circuit of Almerìa and right after in Portimao, Portugal (official World Superbike test).