The 2015 World Superbike Championship is just around the corner and MV AGUSTA, the Italian manufacturer with 75 world championship titles, presented at Phillip Island their “Reparto Corse” team, the name of the official factory team taking part in the dual challenge of WSBK and WSS. The F4 RC bike will be sold as a 212hp homologation special.
The bike got new livery
There have been plenty of new developments, beginning with the styling. The MV Agusta F3 and F4 fielded for these championships now have a new tri-colour livery that includes, among other things, the Mercedes-AMG logo, thus extending, from road to racetrack, the shared values of exclusivity and high performance that characterize both companies.
On the technical side,the MV Agusta F3, the 2014 vice-world champion together with talented French rider Jules Cluzel, has had the engine, suspension set-up and fuel system tweaked, while the 1000 cc 4-cylinder F4 has been given a thorough overhaul and evocatively renamed the F4 RC, the last two letters standing for Reparto Corse (Racing Department).
This new bike will be sold as a limited edition in a dual road/ready to race configuration, so enthusiasts can enjoy unleashing its as-standard 212 hp on the track.
The MV Agusta F3 and F4 fairings conceal mechanical and suspension set-up solutions that are in a class of their own when it comes to production bikes:the trellis frame with aluminum plates, the single-sided swingarm, the removable gearbox and, on the three-cylinder bike, the shell-cast closed-deck crankcase with integral bore liners, the integrated water and oil circuits and titanium valves, radially arranged on the 4-cylinder engine.
Check out this beautiful F4 Tamburini carbon exhaust: MV Agusta F4 1000 S/Tamburini 2005-2009 Zard Exhaust Full System Penta Carbon
Giovanni Castiglioni, President and CEO: ”When it comes to race wins and world championships, MV Agusta’s reputation is unrivalled. Racing offers an irreplaceable way of testing and quickly developing new technical solutions that can then be transferred to production bikes. That’s why we continue to invest resources and technology into both WSS, where we’re in contention for ultimate victory, and in WSBK, where we expect to achieve significant results in the second part of the season.
The riders
Brian Gillen, Technical Director: “In what will be the second season for our internal ‘Reparto Corse’ team, we have a clear idea of what we need to do to win the WSS and bring home our 76th world title. It’ll be necessary to produce consistent results; the MV Agusta F3 offers truly outstanding performance, so we expect to play a starring role in this season. The team now runs more smoothly and efficiently than ever thanks to the insertion of a technician with long-standing experience, Giovanni Sandi. SBK will be a tougher nut to crack but we expect to make good progress during the season, with confidence levels running high thanks to the skill and experience of Leon Camier and the development potential of the F4 RC”.
Jules Cluzel , number 16: The Frenchman brought MV Agusta their first victory 38 years after their last world title and also went on to win another two races, ultimately taking second place in the championship.
“Well, last year I had an unbelievable day at Phillip Island, riding the 3-cylinder MV to race victory 38 years after the last success scored by Giacomo Agostini. It’s a track I love and its well suited to my F3. I hope I can repeat the endeavour and get the world championship title effort off to a great start.
Lorenzo Zanetti, number 87: an Italian bike for the best Italian in WSS: “I tested the MV Agusta F3 at Portimao and fell in love with it immediately on account of both the performance and the styling which, in my opinion, makes it the best-looking bike on the starting grid. I don’t think it’ll take long to get used to it, riding it is already second nature, and with so little separating it from perfection, I reckon I can score a good result straight away at Phillip Island.
Leon Camier: number 2: The most successful Reparto Corse rider and winner of the BSB championship in 2009 will be taking to the track on the F4 RC, the latest evolution of the legendary F4, the hallmark of MV Agusta excellence: ”We’ve got plenty of work to do, but thanks to the support of a technician as skilled and experienced as Giovanni Sandi, we aim to develop the F4 RC gradually, put it high up in the rankings and, with a bit of luck, on the podium.
Check out this front axle slider for an F4 or Brutale: R&G Axle Sliders (front), MV Agusta F4 1000R ’06- / Brutale 910R (not F4 MY 2010- not F4RR)
Source: MV Agusta
