Preview - Ten Kate

The second part of the season begins at Brno in the Czech Republic, one of the most technical and spectacular circuits in the world. The Winston Ten Kate Honda Team arrives after three positive days of testing at the German Eurospeedway circuit in Lausitz, where James Toseland and Karl Muggeridge made their final preparations for the Czech round. Good progress was made in all areas, including the electronics package, with both riders convinced that they have at their disposal bikes ready to allow them to aim for the top positions on offer. It will be an important race, most of all for Toseland, determined to score as highly in the top three as possible in the overall championship battle, while his team-mate is also aiming high, ready to turn around a not so lucky first half of the season.

Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager
“The three days of testing in Germany have been really important. It wasn’t only an important test to keep us well practiced, but it has allowed us to develop the electronic parts on the bike a bit more. The step forward we made gives us positive thoughts for the second half of the season. I am also very satisfied because I have seen James and Karl very focused, most of all Karl who has helped us a lot working on the electronic parts. I am sure that both riders are ready for the weekend and they will be in top positions in both Brno races.”

James Toseland – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
“At the Lausitzring I found the answers I was looking for and I was fast on both race and qualifying tyres. Physically I feel good, focused and well motivated for the coming weekend. With the bike that we are developing now I feel, day-by-day, any goal can be reached. In Brno there will be lots of riders who want to win: but none of them more than me.”

Karl Muggeridge – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
“In Germany I wasn’t looking for a fast lap, what was most important for me was to develop the new electronic parts and I believe we have done a good job of that. In the previous days I was bitten by an insect which made me feel a bit sick for a few days. Now I have begun to feel much better and for the Brno race I will be at my best, ready to use the potential of our bike in the best way possible.”

Supersport

The seventh round of the Supersport World Championship, which will take place at the Brno Circuit in the Czech Republic, will be the scene of Sebastien Charpentier’s return to track action. The World Champion, who missed out the Misano race due to the injury which occurred at Brno during recent Pirelli tests, is ready to step back on the track in good physical condition. The circuit will show Sebastien’s competitiveness but he will start out to repeat last year’s success and increase the advantage he has in the World standings. Great assistance could arrive from his team-mate Kenan Sofuoglu. The Turkish rider has done very well in the test on the Lausitzring circuit and is therefore ready to use all his talents, with the ultimate objective now to step on the podium and take away as many points possible from his Team leader’s rivals.

Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager
“The most important thing is, of course, to have Sebastien back. I believe that he will be in good physical condition, but in any case only seeing him back in the garage will have a positive impact to the all Team. Another positive result came at the Lausitzring, where Kenan registered really interesting lap times. The break gave him his energies back, I saw him really determined, like he was at the beginning of the season. I hope that both of them will be in the front during the race to fight for the podium.”

Sebastien Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
“I would have been happy to step back on the bike even in Germany but the French doctors advised me to take another week of rest before Brno race. I feel quite good and I can’t wait to be back. I will understand my real physical condition only when I will make my first few laps on the track. I don’t think I will find any sort of mental problems because I got injured on this track during the test. I will only think about last year’s victory, and I am convinced that this will give me the right motivation.”

Kenan Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
“To switch off the button really helped me. I am now back in top condition and I am really satisfied on how the Lausitzring test went. The main progress I made is in my head, I feel much more secure and the fact that I remained concentrated for the all tree days, without making any mistakes, is really important. From Brno I hope that a new championship will begin for me, to demonstrate to the Team, the sponsor and Honda that they didn’t make a mistake betting on me. I am really happy Sebastien is back and I hope he will earn a prestigious result.”