[kropotkin thinks...] - 2010 World Superbike Rider Line Up - 20 Bikes On Grid So Far

[Ninjette Newsbot]

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With the announcement that the Pedercini team will be back on the grid for 2010, the World Superbike paddock is starting to fill out. The addition of Pedercini brings the total number of entries up to 20 which, while well down on the nearly 30 which started the season in 2009, is still a reasonable size given the current economic climate. One factor that is both heartening and vaguely worrying is that 14 of those riders have been entered by factory (or factory-backed) teams, with 7 manufacturers fielding two-man teams. Having 7 manufacturers in the series is a demonstration of the rude health of the liter sportsbike market, but just 6 privateer entries shows the difficulties in raising sponsorship for teams wishing to take part in the series.

The other factor of note is the very high number of British or British-based riders in the series. Johnny Rea, Cal Crutchlow, James Toseland, Leon Camier, Leon Haslam, Tom Sykes and Shane Byrne are all British citizens, while Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli lives in the UK with his British wife. Add in the three Australians - Chris Vermeulen, Troy Corser and Broc Parkes - and the paddock has an incredibly Anglophone feel to it.

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