Lavilla Confirmed At Paul Bird Motorsport Following on from their announcement last month regarding the team contesting the 2008 World Superbike Championship, Paul Bird Motorsport have confirmed that they will field a single ride on board factory-supported Honda machinery in the fifteen round series. 2005 British Superbike Champion, Gregorio Lavilla is the rider who has been entrusted to ride for the Cumbrian businessman and the Spaniard will return to the World Championship full time after a four year break. Bird has secured the necessary backing from his sponsors, although it has yet to be decided as to what branding Lavilla’s bikes will run when the opening round gets underway in Qatar on February 23rd and an announcement will follow in due course. Paul Bird: “It’s back to our tried and tested formula of a one rider team and that’s where we’ve had most of our successes in the past. The team will be geared around Greg and he’ll get everything he needs to make sure we have the best chance possible. It’s a new venture for us but it’s one that the whole team is very excited about and we aim to start testing very soon in readiness for the opening round in Qatar.” Gregorio Lavilla: “It has always been my aim to get back into the World Superbike Championship on a competitive bike and I’m very grateful to Paul Bird and his team for this opportunity. I have enjoyed my time in BSB very much and I’m sad to be leaving as I have made many good friends and it has been a good time for my career. I’d like to say thank you to my fans and not only do I have a home race in Spain next season, but I have two more ‘home’ races in England and I’m very much looking forward to it.” Name: Gregorio Lavilla Born: 29/9/73 aged 34 Hometown: Tarragona, Spain 1991 Debut season in Spanish 75cc Championship 1992 2nd Spanish 125cc Championship 1993 1st Spanish Sport Production Championship 1994 1st Spanish Supersport Championship & Sport Production C’ship 1995 250cc GP with MX-Onda points in NL & AUS 1996 WSB Debut at Albecete as Wild Card 11th & 12th 1997 2nd German Superbike Championship (Ducati), WSB Wild Cards GB, D & ESP scoring 18 points 1998 12th WSB with De Cecco Ducati, 500cc GP Debut 11th 1999 8th WSB with Kawasaki Racing Team 2000 10th WSB with Kawasaki Racing Team 2001 10th WSB with Kawasaki Racing Team 2002 10th WSB with Alstare Corona Suzuki 2003 5th WSB with Alstare Corona Suzuki 2004 Suzuki MotoGP Test/Reserve rider 16th in AUS, BSB Debut 3rd at Thruxton 2005 1st British Superbike Championship with Airwaves Ducati 2006 3rd British Superbike Championship with Airwaves Ducati 2007 4th British Superbike Championship with Airwaves Ducati 2008 World Superbike Championship with Paul Bird Motorsport 2008 World Superbike Championship Provisional Calendar 23 February Losail, Qatar 2 March Phillip Island, Australia 6 April Valencia, Spain 27 April Assen, Netherlands 11 May Monza, Italy 1 June Miller, Utah, USA 15 June TBA 29 June Misano, Italy 20 July Brno, Czech Republic 3 August Brands Hatch, GB 24 August TBA 7 September Donington Park, GB 28 September Vallelunga, Italy 5 October Magny Cours, France 26 October Portimao, Portugal