Category: Superbikes

1. GREAT START FOR THE APRILIA TEAM IN THEIR HOME ROUND

   Posted on 8:43pm Friday 9th May 2014

   PROTAGONISTS IN BOTH SESSIONS ON THE IMOLA TRACK, MARCO MELANDRI AND SYLVAIN GUINTOLI ENSURE A GOOD SPOT FOR THEMSELVES IN THE SUNDAY RACES.

   Imola, 9 May 2014 - On a decidedly summer day the World Superbike engines roared to life at the Enzo and Dino Ferrari circuit at Imola. For the Aprilia Racing Team, reigning Manufacturer World Champion, it was a very promising début: Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli were protagonists straight away in the two sessions today, demonstrating great determination and an excellent pace. The only black spot on the day was a red flag 12 minutes from the end of the second session when the riders were getting ready to test the last solutions.

   Marco Melandri, playing on his home pitch, ended the day with the third best time in the combined standings. The young man from Ravenna improved consistently until arriving less than two tenths of a second from the ranking leader. Efforts will be focused on two fronts tomorrow: continuing the search for the best settings in view of the race and finding speed on the flying lap in order to do well in Superpole. In fact, one of the characteristics of the Imola track is difficulty overtaking.

   Marco Melandri: "I am really quite pleased. For us today was like a new, positive beginning. I feel good on my RSV4 and I am able to ride very smoothly. Today we did a lot of work in preparation for the race, trying to understand how the tyres behave and working on our electronics strategies. Tomorrow we'll continue in this direction, also looking for speed on the flying lap for Superpole. The interruption in the second session didn't even create any big problems for us. We already have a good base to build on".

   It was also a decidedly positive day for Sylvain Guintoli, winner at Assen and fourth best time today. The Frenchman put in a lot of laps at Imola and showed that he is consistently fast. There are a few regrets about the time lost in the last session, which could have led to further improvements. For Sylvain and his team tomorrow promises to be a rather intense day.

   Sylvain Guintoli: "We started off well. As usual we are working on race pace, but my initial feeling with my RSV4 is very good. With all the red flags that interrupted the practice sessions there are still a few things left to test. I hope we can get some consistent time to work tomorrow and finish what we have planned. In any case our times are promising and I'm confident that starting from the good work we did today we'll be able to improve even more".

2. HOME ROUND FOR APRILIA: SUPERBIKE RACES AT IMOLA

   Posted on 7:52am Thursday 8th May 2014

   MARCO MELANDRI AND SYLVAIN GUINTOLI ARE READY TO INCITE THE ITALIAN FANS.

   Noale, 7 May 2013 - The first Italian round of the 2014 World Superbike Championship season is coming up. The factory derivative bikes are getting ready to take on the Imola track, the historic circuit on the banks of the Santerno which has always stirred up the hearts of fans. Its nature as an "old school" track, despite the changes that have been made over recent years, always makes it a particularly demanding circuit for bikes and riders and, consequently, for any gearhead.

   For Marco Melandri motivation abounds. After the demanding weekend at Assen the rider from Ravenna is keen to improve his synergy with to find the consistency and speed he'll need to aim for the title. Imola is definitely not an easy track. Experience and focus are required to turn up at the races Sunday in the best possible conditions and Marco has plenty of both.

   Marco Melandri: "Imola is my true home round and I really want to do well, so I'll take to the track with a huge desire to battle and to do well. I certainly don't expect things to be easy. There will be a lot of fast riders here, but with the entire team we have put in a lot of hard work and the time is coming to reap the benefits of what we have done so far to improve."

   A key player in Holland, where he took a win and just barely missed making it a double, Sylvain Guintoli will take on the Italian round with an eye to confirming his progress. He now lies in second place in the rider standings, just 12 points behind Sykes in the lead, a truly slim gap considering the fact that this is only the fourth round of the season. The podium he took here in 2013 during his rookie year on the Aprilia RSV4 is a nice calling card for the French rider who has recovered from the blow he suffered during Race 2 at Assen.

   Sylvain Guintoli: "In Assen we made big progress with the RSV4 and we showed our fighting spirit, it paid off with the win in race1. I want to continue in this way in Imola. Although my back was really painful after the crash in race2, I am now back to full fitness and ready to fight for the win".

3. Mitas is the official tyre supplier of 2014 FIM Speedway Grand Prix series

   Posted on 8:00am Tuesday 6th May 2014

   Mitas has signed a multiyear contract with BSI Speedway, the promoters of the FIM Speedway Grand Prix, to be the official tyre supplier and associate sponsor of the world championship series for the 11th consecutive year. The Czech-based company will also be the title sponsor of round three on 17 May, which will be known as the 2014 Mitas Finnish FIM Speedway Grand Prix.

    

   Paul Bellamy, managing director, BSI Speedway, said: “Mitas has been a great supporter of the world championship FIM Speedway Grand Prix series for many years, and we look forward to continuing this relationship.  It is exciting times for the world championship, and we are delighted that Mitas are also title sponsor of our inaugural Finnish SGP at the Ratina Stadium, Tampere, on 17 May.“

    

4. Fernandez wins wet EJC race at Assen

   Posted on 1:49pm Monday 28th Apr 2014

   Spaniard Augusto Fernandez won today’s second-round European Junior Cup race at Assen in the Netherlands, leading from first corner to chequered flag to narrow the lead at the top of the 2014 championship.

   Fernandez is second in a Spanish 1-2-3 at the top of the table with Marc Miralles leading the way after finishing in third place in today’s six-lap race at the 4.542km Assen circuit, adding to his first round win at Aragon in Spain two weeks ago. Javier Orellana could finish only eighth today, but still sits in championship third position.

   In damp conditions in Assen, which followed disruption to the schedule following a heavily-delayed second World Superbike championship race, Jesper Hubner finished in second place today. The Swedish rider is just one point behind Orellana in the table.

   Podium finisher in Aragon, Mika Perez, was one of several riders who fell victim to today’s wet conditions but local Dutch wildcard, Ricardo Brink, finished in a creditable fourth place, while his fellow Dutchman and the second Assen wildcard, Jamie van Sikkelerus, rounded out the top ten.

   “It was a difficult weekend,” said Fernandez after the race. “I started from sixth place on the grid but my start was OK. I was a bit nervous but went into the first corner in the lead. I thought I could push, but I had to concentrate very hard. I’m very happy with this win, though, and I look forward to Imola.”

    

   2014 European Junior Cup, powered by Honda Racing

   Round 2: Assen, Netherlands - race result:

   1 Augusto Fernandez (ESP)

   2 Jesper Hubner (SWE)

   3 Marc Miralles (ESP)

   4 Ricardo Brink (NED)

   5 Hannes Soomer (EST)

   6 Paolo Grassia (ITA)

   7 Connor London (NZL)

   8 Javier Orellana (ESP)

   9 Alex Wisdom (USA)

   10 Jamie van Sikkelerus

   Championship points after two of eight rounds:

   Miralles 41, Fernandez 38, Orellana 28, Hubner 27, Soomer 20, Grassia 18, Perez 16, Angelo Licciardi (BEL) 14, London 14, Brink 13.

   Next race: Imola, Italy – 9-11 May

5. Glorious eighth place for Lowes in Argentina

   Posted on 1:00pm Monday 28th Apr 2014

   Sam Lowes finished the Gran Premio Red Bull de la República Argentina Moto2 race in eighth place today after starting from 22nd on the grid.

   Sam showed optimism, true grit and determination to improve and build on the difficulties the Moto2 rookie and his team has encountered since arriving in Argentina.

   Storming through the warm-up session he finished in P5 and was just 0.25 seconds off the lead rider. In the race he made his way through the field and by lap-15 was with the top ten riders, and firmly in the points. With just five laps left the reigning World Supersport Champion had settled into eighth position, where he finished the race.

   Sam’s result from today sees him in tenth place in the overall rider standings, with 18 points in his debut Moto2 season.

   The next round of the Moto2 Championship takes place next weekend (2-4 May) with the series heading to Europe for the Gran Premio bwin de España in Jerez, Spain. The Spanish circuit will be familiar ground for the young Brit and the first circuit of the year he has ridden at before.

   It was a hard race and a difficult weekend overall with the bike settings, but I improved a lot in the warm up. The race was always going to be hard starting from 22nd, but I’m so happy to finish eighth and have shown we have good potential when everything is right. Jerez is up next and the first circuit of the year I know so I’m excited to race there again. Thanks to everyone for the support!