First practice sessions at Assen, third round of the 2914 World Superbike season. Favoured by the good weather conditions, the factory derivative riders engaged in a close battle on the track that is confirmed by the rather similar times all the top riders in the class put on the boards.
For Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli it was a day marked by hard work on tyre longevity and finding the best setup solutions. The areas they need to focus on are primarily going into turns and consistency, essential characteristics on a flowing track like the Dutch one.
 
Eighth in the combined standings of the two sessions today, Sylvain Guintoli is focused first and foremost on working in view of the races, concentrating on tyre wear and understanding how they perform as conditions vary. The characteristics of the Dutch track, basically divided into two completely different sections, require fine tuning of both the electronics package and the chassis setup.
 
Sylvain Guintoli: "We did quite a bit of work today. Assen is not an easy track to interpret. You have to get a clear understanding of where you need to control power and where you can push it to the limit. This is a process that takes time in order to fully understand how the tyres work and to act accordingly. It looks like the conditions for the first session tomorrow will be similar to those for Race 1. We'll have to take advantage of that so we can be ready on Sunday".
 
The expected variable weather doesn't particularly worry Marco Melandri (in ninth place), confident that he has identified the points he needs to work on with his mechanics.
 
Marco Melandri: "We have a lot of work left to do tomorrow but we have a clear idea of which areas we need to improve. Especially going into turns and braking the bike is very twitchy and we need to work on that. I would like to be able to get some more laps in to work toward finding a solution".

IAM’s head of riding standards and advanced biker, Peter Rodger, is advising on filtering.

•Plan ahead when approaching long queues. Make a decision in advance for passing each vehicle, but be ready to change your plans if the traffic situation changes
•Be prepared for vehicles to move out or change lanes, particularly approaching junctions
•In bus lanes, watch for cars that want to turn left across your path
•Be aware of cyclists wearing earphones – they may not know you’re there
•Watch side roads. Drivers waiting to emerge will be looking for larger vehicles – not necessarily a motorbike
•When filtering give other vehicles time to notice you’re there – don’t arrive too quickly
•Wait behind stationary vehicles unless you're sure you can get past them before they start to move. – avoid sitting next to them where you can be in a blind spot.

Rodger said: “One of the great things about riding a bike is that you can reduce your journey time by filtering through traffic and congestion. But be considerate to other road users, and bear in mind they may not know or expect you to be there.”

World Superbike fans will have the chance to meet their SBK heroes and feel the thrill of riding the Donington Park race track at a brand new Riders for Health event.

Day of Dreams takes place on Thursday 22 May and is an opportunity for fans to go behind-the-scenes of SBK and meet past and present superbike stars ahead of the UK round of the Superbike World Championships.

The family-friendly day costs just £15 per person and includes paddock and pit-lane access, with the opportunity to get close to the incredible SBK bikes as crews prepare for the upcoming race, as well as the chance to meet the current stars of SBK at an autograph signing session.

Tickets can be purchased today by visiting www.donington-park.co.uk

Fans looking for something extra special can join three-times British Superbike Champion Niall MacKenzie and legend Ron Haslam for half an hour of expert tuition on the Donington Park race track. It’s the chance to feel the thrill of riding on a world famous track, with two champions who know Donington better than anyone, just days before the British SBK race.

Track time tickets cost £95 and include lunch in the paddock hospitality suite and entrance to all Day of Dreams events. These can be purchased by emailing [email protected]

Niall Mackenzie said ‘I’ve supported Riders for Health for a long time, and I think events like Day of Dreams are really special. You get the chance to experience the pre-race buzz that goes on behind-the-scenes, as well as raising money for a charity that really is helping to save lives.’

Day of Dreams will also include a Riders for Health auction, where fans will get the opportunity to bid on unique SBK memorabilia and experiences to really kick-start their weekend of racing.

Riders for Health CEO Andrea Coleman said, ‘We’re really excited about returning to Donington Park and adding a brand new event to our calendar, and are grateful to Donington for all their support in staging Day of Dreams.’

All of the money raised from Day of Dreams will help Riders for Health ensure health workers in Africa have access to reliable, well maintained motorcycles and ambulances so that they can continue to transform health care for 14 million people.

For more information visit www.riders.org.uk/day-of-dreams

Track Time Terms and Conditions

The track time will consist of two sessions with 25 people in each. Each session will include two 15 minute rides on the track. Donington Park has a noise restriction policy of 98 db.

...next to the Bimota Alstare Team in the Superbike Championship for 2014. URANIO, historical battery brand of FIAMM Group, is the official sponsor of the Bimota Alstare Team for the Superbike World Championship 2014.

The Italian brand , known in the graphical representation of the “U” with two dots will be displayed on the motorbikes , on the suit of the pilots, inside the race boxes and in the Hospitality Booth of the Team , on the trucks and on the Team clothing . It will appear also within the official media of the Teams such as the website , the social network Facebook and all the other tools dedicated to the dissemination of the news related to the championship.

The Alstare Bimota Team, born as a result of the agreement between the Bimota Mark and the Alstare Team, will be officially on the track starting from the next race weekend on the Aragon circuit (ESS) for 13 races scheduled for the 2014 championship. The pilots who will take the Bimota BB3 on track are Ayrton Badovini (ITA ) and Christian Iddon (UK).

“ I am very excited about this initiative that will bring visibility to the URANIO brand, a brand that is representing us with great satisfaction abroad and that already in the 80's and 90's was close to motor racing in Italy . I am confident that the Alstare Bimota Team led by Francis Batta , strong of a long and successful tradition in the superbike championship , will do well in the category of Evo” says Alessandro Lanari, Marketing Director of the Company settled in Vicenza.

"I would like to thank the FIAMM Group that by sponsoring us with the URANIO brand has demonstrated to believe in Alstare although we came from a not really happy year. I hope to be able to grasp some results well aware that we are debuting with a new motorbike , the BB3 Bimota "says Francis Batta , owner of the Alstare Bimota Team.

THE only man ever to win a Formula One World Championship in a Ferrari that wasn’t red will be reunited with his blue and white machine this weekend.

John Surtees, who is also unique in having won world championships on both two and four wheels, will be at the 34th Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show at Staffordshire County Showground alongside his unusually painted Ferrari 158. The car’s original Rosso corsa colour scheme was painted over in American NART team livery for two races only during the 1964 World Championship on the orders of Enzo Ferrari. It was a protest move after the fiery company boss fell out with the Italian racing authorities.

Also on display at the show will be the MV Agusta 500 GP on which Surtees won the 1956 Motorcycle Grand Prix and his 1955 Norton Model F. Unrivalled in his achievements, Surtees was crowned as BBC Sport’s Personality of the Year in 1959 and has since been awarded both an MBE and an OBE.

In 2013, he was also named as the recipient of the Seagrave Trophy, awarded to British nationals who are deemed to have accomplished the most outstanding demonstration of the possibilities of transport by land, sea, air or water. He joins pivotal figures such as Malcolm Campbell, Stirling Moss, Geoff Duke, Mike Hailwood, Barry Sheene, Colin McRae and Richard Branson.

Later this year, Surtees will release a photographic memoir of his life as he celebrates both his 80th birthday and the 50th anniversary of the triumphant moment when he became the first, and only, man to conquer the world both on bikes and in cars. Surtees’ appearance at Stafford will kick-start a year of events marking his phenomenal career.

He will also be raising funds for and awareness of the Henry Surtees Foundation, the charity he set up following the tragic death of his son following an accident at a Formula Two race in 2009.

James Robinson, editor of The Classic MotorCycle magazine and spokesman for the Stafford show said: “What John achieved in both bike and car disciplines is remarkable. He is a real master of machinery and it’s a great honour that he’s chosen to come to Stafford.

“We are all delighted to be able to share some of the incredible work done by the Henry Surtees Foundation with the event’s visitors, as well as showcase a man, a career and three machines that we believe to be among the finest – if not the finest – that have ever graced the world of motor racing. It’ll be fascinating to hear him talk about his wide ranging experiences; surely he’s the only man in the world who was employed by both Count Agusta and Enzo Ferrari, as well as being Mike Hailwood’s boss!”

The Carole Nash International Classic MotorCycle Show is one of the flagship events of the classic motorcycling calendar, and with John Surtees in attendance, April 26-27, 2014, is set to be just that little bit more special.

Those wanting to attend can enter the Staffordshire County Showground on both days from 9am, with a one day adult ticket priced at £13.

Surtees will be on stage at various times throughout the weekend as he’s interviewed by ex-TT winner and TV personality Steve Plater, and he’ll also be taking part in signing sessions, paddock displays and trophy presentations.

James added: “The opportunity to meet one of Britain’s most successful ever sporting stars is one that doesn’t come around all that often, and to see the MV Agusta, Norton and Ferrari that played such a vital role in that success on display, together in one hall next to the man himself, is incredibly rare. This is something that any motorcycle enthusiast or motorsport fan simply cannot afford to miss.”