The Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team has announced that their second rider will be 25-year-old American, Jake Gagne.
Gagne stepped in a few races in this year as wildcard entries after the tragic loss of beloved rider, Nicky Hayden.
Jake Gagne will be racing together with another new Red Bull Honda rider, Leon Camier.
After several wildcard entries for the factory Honda squad in last year’s WorldSBK season, Jake Gagne has finally got his opportunity to race full time. The 25 year old from California USA will be racing for the Red Bull Honda outfit together with double British Superbike Champion, Leon Camier.
After the tragic loss of MotoGP World Champion and beloved racer Nicky Hayden, Jake Gagne was the first person Honda brought in to fill in the empty seat. It was back in June when Gagne hopped on the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 and raced at the iconic Laguna Seca speedway.
To know more on the tragic passing of Nicky Hayden, CLICK HERE.
The 24 year old has been actively participating in the MotoAmerica championship this year on board Honda machinery so the move together with some experiences in the FIM World Superbike Championship finally sealed the deal for the young American. Gagne has been crowned champion in both the Red Bull Rookies Cup as well as AMA Superstock 1000.
This will be the biggest challenge for Gagne as the Red Bull Honda outfit has been struggling with finding the right settings for the challenging Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2. Even with the help of a great rider like Stefan Bradl couldn’t smooth out all the creases.
For 2018, the WorldSBK Honda factory is optimistic as Gagne will be partnering with another experienced rider known as Leon Camier. This will not be a walk in park considering their opponents from Kawasaki and Ducati who clearly dominated the field during the entire 2017 season.
According to Gagne himself, “It’s really a dream come true to have the chance to contest a full World Superbike season with the Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team,” said Gagne. “I cannot thank Red Bull, Honda and Ten Kate enough for the opportunity to race the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP2 over three rounds this year.”
“2018 will be an exciting year for me, with a lot of travelling and racing on some of the best race tracks in the world. I want to thank again everyone involved for this incredible opportunity, and I feel I’m ready for the challenge ahead!”
Will things finally turn around for Honda next season? Only time will tell. Stay tuned to Bikes Republic for more details.
Source: WorldSBK
