---
title: "Honda unveil 2017 challenger & Red Bull tie-up at team launch"
canonical: "https://readmotorsport.com/2017/02/06/honda-unveil-2017-challenger-red-bull-tie-up-at-team-launch/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Lewis Duncan"
section: "SBK"
published: "2017-02-06T13:57:48Z"
modified: "2017-02-06T13:57:48Z"
---

# Honda unveil 2017 challenger & Red Bull tie-up at team launch

Honda World Superbike has unveiled its 2017 challenger and a title sponsorship deal with energy drink giants Red Bull in Austria.

Run by the Dutch Ten Kate squad, Honda WorldSBK come into the 2017 championship with a brand-new CBR1000RR SP2 at their disposal, as well as two former grand prix world champions in Nicky Hayden and Stefan Bradl. 2017 also marks the first year since 2015 that Honda has had a title sponsor after losing Pata to Yamaha for 2016.

The last few years have proven tough for Honda in WorldSBK, the ageing Fireblade lagging further and further behind rivals Ducati and Kawasaki with each passing season. Five podiums last year for Michael van der Mark – who joins Yamaha this season – plus a victory in Sepang for Hayden hinted at big things for when the new bike arrived.

Delays in development of the new bike meant the team only received it just a couple of weeks before the first test of the year in Jerez, and as such track time has been limited. To boot, both tests in Spain and in Portugal didn’t go quite to plan, with a number of issue popping up.

![Honda WorldSBK](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/589751776b68c-904x602.jpg)

Bradl makes the switch to WorldSBK after 11 years in grand prix racing. Moto2 Champion in 2011, the German enjoyed podium success with LCR Honda in 2013, and helped Aprilia to develop the RS-GP in 2015 and 2016. Facing an almighty task in getting accustomed to the championship and developing a new bike, Bradl is relishing the challenge.

“I’m really looking forward to the new season,” he said. “It’s a whole new experience for me, and a new championship where I’ve never raced before. It’s going to be a very interesting partnership with Honda and Red Bull, which is undoubtedly and amazing brand, and one that has been supporting me my whole career.

“We have a new Fireblade for the season, so it will take a little bit of time to dial in but we’ll do out best to take to the top as soon as possible. All in all it’s a great project and step by step we will make it a successful one.”

![Honda WorldSBK](https://media.readmotorsport.com/readmotorsport/2017/02/5897510d5e36d-904x602.jpg)

His new team-mate Hayden made the step over to WorldSBK last year following two dire seasons on the open class Honda RC213V-RS. 2016 proved up and down for the 2006 MotoGP World Champion, but his race two victory in Sepang on top of several other decent finishes saw him a worthy challenger to the highly-rated van der Mark.

“It’s a new year with a new bike, new title partner and new team-mate, so there are definitely may changes ahead and a lot of things to look forward to,” the Kentucky-born rider said. “This is my second year in World Superbike so I hop to take the experience I made last year and take it up to the next level.

“We have to focus on the job ahead and work as hard as we can in order to be ready for the season opener. The level of competition is higher than ever and we have a big job ahead of us, but everybody is really motivated and I cannot wait to get started.”

Honda have just two more days of testing available on February 20 and 21 at Phillip Island before the season gets underway proper just a few days later.