From a press release issued by NW200 Ducati: The wait is finally over! The British Superbike season starts this weekend, 4th – 6th April at Brands Hatch GP Circuit, Kent. The NW200 Ducati team are eager to get the ball rolling with riders Michael Rutter and John Laverty. Rutter will be contesting the fiercely competitive British Superbike Championship under the North West 200 banner and his team-mate John Laverty will be running in the tough British Superbike Cup Championship in the Buildbase NW200 livery. The NW200 team have been working all hours during the winter to ensure that the team is fully prepared for the challenge that lies ahead. Running the Ducati F08 1098R’s, the team has been hampered with their testing plans when the production of the new Superbike was delayed forcing the team to collect the new bikes en route to the Spanish tests at Almeria and Guadix. There was a further set back for all teams at the official MSVR test Snetterton two weeks ago when the extreme weather conditions halted proceedings. But with a brief testing session for Rutter at Mallory Park the NW200 team have now found a good base setting and are very much looking forward to racing at Brands. John Laverty was originally due to compete in the National Superstock Championship on board Ducati’s new flagship 1098R production Superbike, but after lengthy consultation with the MCRCB, MSVR and the Team’s sponsor’s it has been decided to switch Laverty to the Superbike Cup. So with both Rutter and Laverty on the main Superbike grid for 2008, the team and all of its supporters are in for some fantastic racing this year. Net Visibility Ltd Despite the lack of testing Michael Rutter commented: “I’m really looking forward to the 08 season. I managed to get a few laps around Mallory last week and this has definitely helped but we still have a bit of work to do and we need to be out on track with similar Superbike riders to see how we compare and to gauge how competitive the new bikes are. I’m really pleased to be back on a Ducati and looking forward to running under the North West 200 banner. The North West is a great week of Irish road racing (in May) and I would encourage anyone to go along and I guarantee they will have a great time. To be able to promote the event by racing in BSB is a tough job, but somebody’s got to do it!” New Superbike Cup rider John Laverty said: “I’ve not been able to test much and the decision as to which Championship I would be competing in was up in the air until the last minute. Riding in the Superbike Cup is a prospect I’m extremely looking forward to and a new challenge which I am certainly eager the tackle. My bike is a bit different to Michael’s, mainly on the electronics and data logging side but he’s an experienced rider to learn from and has been in this game for years. I will be learning my way round at the start and getting used to the bike and the best field of riders in Britain, but hope it won’t be long before I can mix it with the top boys. I just want to be consistent and get the best results I can.” Team Manager Ken Foley is excited about this year’s new challenge saying: “This year is a new venture for us all, but the entire team is focused and ready for the big challenge that lies ahead. We have been on the back foot with the lack of testing, but hopefully the weather will be kind to us at Brands Hatch and both Michael and John will be able to start the season on a really positive note. It’s been a busy six months in the off season for us and as we head into managing our first British Superbike Team we are all eager to ensure it works. We have got two very capable, yet different riders and some fantastic backing behind us from Alistair Kennedy (North West 200) and Stephen Thompstone (Buildbase) and we are hoping for some great results throughout the season.” Alistair Kennedy, Commercial Director of the Kennedy Group commented “The creation of the NW200 Ducati Team with JHP and Ducati is a unique and innovative way of raising the profile of the Kennedy Group International North West 200 within the BSB audience and beyond and in turn promote Northern Ireland to a much broader audience. It is an ambitious venture but one which we are confident will bring a new dynamic to what is already a fantastic event in a fabulous country.” Steve Thompstone, Director of Buildbase added “We supported Andy Tinsley in 2003, when he claimed the British Superstock title and we were aiming for John Laverty to repeat this in 2008. However, due to rule changes affecting the Ducati 1098R, we will now be contesting the Superbike Cup with John. We are now very much looking forward to an enjoyable and successful season’s racing in 2008.”