Ten Kate Racing rides into the future
Ten Kate Racing has equipped its bikes, which will compete in the FIM Supersport World Championship, with a world’s first. The fairing parts are made of bio flax, which has almost the same properties as carbon. The big difference is that this is a natural product, which means CO2 reductions of more than 90% during production.
The fairing being ridden now is the second generation fairing where the base material (flax) is already 100% bio, but the resin is still traditional. The third generation is now in preparation and is currently being produced by our partner, so that we will soon be able to test it in practice. The resin used is 50% of a natural base product.
The German Project 1 approached Ten Kate Racing for a sustainability project in motorsport. With knowledge, experience and inspiration gained in motorsport with Four Motors, Motonext was set up in Nieuwleusen.
A project that acts as a driving laboratory to test innovative sustainability initiatives on a global level, from which innovations can be implemented on a large scale. Many initiatives and projects are based on plans in the distant future. Motonext focuses particularly on implementation of innovations in the short term but also in the long(er) term.
Over the past year and a half, a network of stakeholders has been built to contribute (in terms of content) to making motorsport sustainable in the short term.
– National motorsport federation KNMV, world motorsport federation FIM, and Dorna as the rights holder of the World Championship races MotoGP and World Superbike.
– Engine manufacturer Yamaha, oil supplier Putoline, fuel developer ETS, tyre manufacturer Pirelli and brake pad specialist SBS. University of Twente
Kervin Bos (Ten Kate Racing team manager)
“With the Motonext project, the Ten Kate team is showing what it is technically capable of. Our technicians have had a double job the past few months. On the one hand, the engines of Dominique Aergerter and Leonardo Taccini had to be optimally prepared and, on the other hand, a lot of passion and commitment was put into “greening” our race engines. For both, the results are there. Aergerter is leading the World Cup standings and the results of the various sustainability studies and tests are (ahead of) schedule.”Ronald Ten Kate (Ten Kate Racing team principal)
“Eighteen months ago, I was initially sceptical about a sustainability project in motorsport. One thing, sustainability, seems to exclude the other, motorsport. Nothing could be further from the truth, it is now abundantly clear to me that motorsport can only survive by being actively involved in this. Not only is it good for the image of our sport, but we can play an active role in the future of mobility.Ignacio Verneda ( deputy President FIM)
‘As the FIM, we have been concerned with the development and implementation of sustainability in motorsport for many years. The FIM was the first sports organisation to address envirement for 30 years. Three years later, a sustainability committee was already formed. That motorsport is the platform to explore issues
such as innovation and sustainability is more and more obvious to everyone. Ten Kate’s
Motonext project is an official FIM Innovation project, which fits in perfectly with our policy.
We are regularly informed about the project and are very curious about its results.”
For more information head to www.motonext.nl
