THE FACTORY DERIVATIVES MAKE A STOP AT ONE OF THE HISTORIC TRACKS IN MOTORCYCLE RACING. AFTER A GOOD START TO THE SEASON, MAX BIAGGI SEEKS CONFIRMATION AT ASSEN. EUGENE LAVERTY FOCUSES ON DEMONSTRATING HIS POTENTIAL ASTRIDE THE RSV4. Assen, 18 April 2012 The 2012 World Superbike season started off on a positive note for the Aprilia Racing Team, with Max Biaggi as a key player in Australia and tenacious in the Imola races. Assen, the third round on the schedule, is an opportunity for the five time world champion and his RSV4 to confirm their competitiveness, arriving in Holland with every intention of taking a lot of points home. In fact, the tight competition in the first races foreshadows a truly difficult climb to the peak of World SBK: each and every result can make the difference at the end of the year. The particular setting of the Dutch event, which has one of the biggest followings, enhances the performance of the riders, immersed in the biking enthusiasm of the thousands of fans, and contributes to the excitement of the Assen races. The technical aspects of the circuit, although modified compared to past rounds, have earned it the title “University of Motorcycling” and this is indicative of just how important this round is. “Racing at Assen is always special confirms Max Biaggi and that is why the races here are always memorable. It would seem that the weather wants to rain on our parade, but we’ll wait for Sunday and keep our fingers crossed. After an excellent start in Australia we struggled a bit at Imola, in any case managing not to lose sight of the frontrunners. This weekend we will need to solidify our lead, without losing focus even for one minute: from what we’ve seen so far, there is no margin for even the smallest error. The track is demanding but I like it. It’s technical and flows well, and demonstrating competitiveness here would be excellent confirmation for the rest of the season”. For Eugene Laverty the Assen round will be an opportunity to show his potential, after “getting to know” his new RSV4 during this first part of the championship. The rider from Northern Ireland knows that he needs to aim for the podium, and he is confident that the Assen track caters very well to his riding style. His return to fitness and the information collected during the Imola tests increase Eugene’s confidence. “I’m back to 100% fitness and ready to fight at the front again. The beginning of the season has been tough but it’s now time to step up and finish consistently on the podium. We made a big step with our chassis setting at the Imola test following the race weekend which allowed me to feel more confident on the bike. I’ve only ridden the Aprilia at three different circuits and so it’s taken until now to fully understand the machine. I enjoy the flowing nature of the Assen circuit which really suits my style. My aim for the weekend is to join the lead group and show my true potential onboard the RSV4″.