World Superbikes
24 hours after clinching the British Superbikes Championship, Byrne confirmed that he would contest the 2009 World Superbikes championship with the Sterilgarda Ducati team, teamed with Alex Polita. This was his first full-time World Superbike campaign, although he has made successful wild card appearances in the past. Byrne became Sterilgarda Ducati's sole rider in February (due to apparent financial problems forcing Polita out) and recorded his first podium with the team, a second place, in the first race at the San Marino round of the championship.
Due to financial problems, the Sterilgarda team failed to announce its intention to compete in the 2010 Superbike World Championship season, leaving Byrne without a confirmed ride for 2010. In November 2009, Byrne announced that he signed for the Althea Racing team for the 2010 season. He raced alongside former Honda rider Carlos Checa. He was well behind Checa in performance, had no top five finishes by midseason, and said he was "bitterly disappointed" with the season as a whole.
Read more about this topic: Shane Byrne (motorcycle Racer)
Famous quotes containing the word world:
“Had Dr. Johnson written his own life, in conformity with the opinion which he has given, that every man’s life may be best written by himself; had he employed in the preservation of his own history, that clearness of narration and elegance of language in which he has embalmed so many eminent persons, the world would probably have had the most perfect example of biography that was ever exhibited.”
—James Boswell (1740–95)