Roberts plays down World Superbike switch

Kenny Roberts has played down rumours his British-based MotoGP squad could compete in next year’s World Superbike series.

An appearance by team manager Chuck Aksland at the recent rain-lashed Silverstone round sparked rumours of a fully-fledged Team Roberts effort in next year’s World Superbike championship.

Speculation was Roberts would continue with his Honda-powered KR212V 800cc MotoGP project, while also running a new WSB team for son Kurtis Roberts in 2008.

The Banbury-based squad is already involved as parts supplier in World Superbikes and makes the swingarms for James Toseland’s Ten Kate Honda FireBlade.

Roberts has the same deal with another Honda team in the WSB series and Paul Bird’s Stobart squad in British Superbikes.

But Aksland told MCN: “We’ve got some customers in World Superbikes and Silverstone is not far from our workshop. I took the opportunity to go down there and see if there were any commercial opportunities for us.

“I’d never met Paolo Ciabatti before so I met with him to discuss whether there is going to be a market for those types of parts in the future. I just had a general discussion on what the future of the championship is going to be like for after market components.”

Aksland denied his conversations with Ciabatti had touched on a possible switch for Team Roberts to World Superbikes, adding that the priority was to resolve the current struggles of its MotoGP team.

Kenny Roberts Junior has had a torrid time on the new KR212V and in last weekend’s Mugello GP in Italy, Kurtis was called upon to try and speed up development of the Banbury-built project.

“Right now we are trying to make the MotoGP thing work and that’s enough on our plate to try and get sponsorship to keep the team going. Right now we have a lot of engineering ability and experience where can develop for other racing classes.

“Utilising that experience helps us keep the wheels turning at work. The more we can expand in those areas the better it is for our business.

“Right now we are not actively out looking for sponsorship to run a superbike team in the World or British championships. It’s not to say in 12 months time the case could be different.

“You never say never and always try and keep opportunities open should they come. The priority is to promote our expertise to make products.”

Team Roberts confirmed they would continue to run a two-bike operation in MotoGP until the British GP at Donington Park at least. Roberts has given young BSB star Jonathan Rea a chance on the bike for the big clash on June 24, as was revealed exclusively revealed on motorcyclenews.com last Sunday.

The main issue is mileage restrictions in force from Honda but Aksland said: “We’ll try and keep it going for as many races as we can. The agreement at the moment is we still need to work in our original allocation of engine supply, which is for one rider. 

“Right now we are hoping to get through Assen. Pretty much after each event we’ve got to sit down and analyse it and see what engines we have and when we get rebuilds back and how much mileage is on the motors.”

Kurtis Roberts will continue to run alongside older brother Roberts Junior is this weekend’s Catalunya GP near Barcelona.