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Only the official announcement was lacking for the news that we had already mentioned over the last few months, and now here it is: Jacob “Jake” Gagne has signed with team Red Bull Honda and will be the official rider for team Ten Kate, alongside Brit Leon Camier.
As you know, Gagne raced in the 2017 World Superbike season for the Laguna Seca round - his home track - as well as the Magny-Cours and Qatar rounds, standing out with his original look and spectacular riding style. Twenty-four years old and a San Diego native, along with Patrick Jacobsen, he will be one of the two Americans on the 2018 starting grid, both astride the Fireblade SP2.
Jake, also a protagonist in MotoAmerica, heads to Europe through the front door, awakening interest and curiosity: “In the three rounds I raced with team Red Bull - Gagne explains - I really learned a lot, immediately establishing an outstanding feeling with the team and I want to thank them very much. Racing for the entire season will be like a dream come true for me and I owe this opportunity to the sponsor, to Honda and to team Ten Kate. I will definitely be up to the new challenge in 2018.”
Marco Chini of Honda Europe is also satisfied: “Jacob is a talented young rider - he says optimistically - Because he showed that he was confident with the bike straight away on tracks that he did not know well and he is only 24 years old. It will be a pleasure to continue having him on the team and we are happy that he will be alongside Leon Camier. We can’t wait for the season to begin.”
With Gagne, Camier and Jacobsen, Honda now has three riders aiming for the top spots in the standings. After a difficult season, we will see if the technical and performance problems that plagued the CBR will have been solved by the end of the winter break.
