Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar EWC team chooses Dunlop
The Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar Team will participate in the full 2021 Endurance World Championship (EWC), which begins with the 24 Hours of Le Mans on April 17 and 18.
For this new season, the Ninja ZX-10RR will once again be ridden by the same three riders, Erwan Nigon, David Checa and Jérémy Guarnoni on the mythical N°11 bike. The same trio won the World Championship in 2019, also under the guidance of Manager, Gilles Stafler.
The Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar Team has just signed a new collaboration with Dunlop, which will be the new partner and tyre supplier for the 2021 season with pre-season testing taking place on 8 and 9 March at the Le Mans circuit.
Wim Van Achter, Motorsport Manager, Dunlop Europe said:
“We are thrilled to be working with Webike SRC Kawasaki France Trickstar. It will be exactly 25 years since Dunlop and Kawasaki last won the championship together and we will aim to celebrate this silver anniversary with a gold medal! Dunlop was chosen by last year’s EWC winners and Kawasaki were the champions in the season before that. Working together shows our ambitions to repeat those results.”
Gilles Stafler, Team Manager of the SRC Kawasaki France Webike Trickstar:
“This season is going to be exciting. I am very happy with the agreement we have reached with Dunlop. It reminds me of my debut in endurance racing in the 90s and our first World Championship titles in 750cc. We will have a special relationship with Dunlop and we will be aiming for the title. We feel a lot of excitement with Dunlop and we’re going to give it our all!
Being an Official Team will allow us to do private tests with Dunlop. We will be developing and will have the best possible tyres for all circumstances (dry – wet – intermediate)
We can’t wait to start our first tests!”
Erwan Nigon
“I’m very happy to go back to the title race with the SRC that I know well and where I feel very comfortable. We have the experience and the speed, so all the conditions are there for us to be strong this year.
With my two team-mates, we have managed to create a unit, a block. We will be very strong mentally!
We all feel good together, we talk about everything, both on a sporting and personal level! We also share the same passion for motorcycling, motocross and cycling. We have real affinities.
I have ridden with the Dunlop in the past and I can’t wait to discover their new generation of tyres.”
Jérémy Guarnoni
“I’ve been riding with the team for a few years now and I’m very happy with that. There is a good general atmosphere, with very good relations with Gilles and my team-mates. This is a very important factor in the endurance world.
I do a lot of cycling and hypermotard, I am progressing well compared to last year, following a very precise programme. That bodes well for the future!
I’ve never ridden on Dunlop, it must be the only tyre I haven’t ridden with. But I suspect that it works well given the performance of some of the competitors in the last few tests. I am very confident. We will have to be quick on the adaptation, we will give the maximum but the fact that we are starting in a 24 hour race suits us well because it is not about pure speed in this kind of race, but it is above all about finding the right rhythm. So the 24 Hours of Le Mans will be ideal to start the season. I can’t wait to get back behind the handlebars and ride 8th and 9th on these first tests with Dunlop!”
David Checa
“In 2018/2019, I was brand new with this Team and yet the dream came true: a victory in the first year! I’m delighted to be with Jérémy and Erwan again in 2021, and I hope we’ll come back even stronger!
After the Estoril race, I wanted to stay in the team and stay on the #11. I thank Gilles for his confidence and his frankness and I am delighted with this new collaboration. I love the team, they work really well and the atmosphere is great.
Last year, for the first time, I did a full championship, my objective remains the same: to do all the races and only aim for victory! I ride to win, and even second place is not enough for me. I concentrate and train hard for the next race. We will fine-tune the details of the bike during the pre-Mans test at the beginning of next week to get the best possible result during the 24 Hours of Le Mans.
I’ve already been French Superbike champion with Dunlop, and I’m sure they work perfectly under any condition. Dunlop bikes are the most efficient and reliable. They are a very good choice to win the World Championship”