MÃœNCH will attack in Imola Two MÃœNCH racing drivers participate in the FIM final After Matthias Himmelman’s first victory for the MÃœNCH racing team at the high speed race track in Magny Cours two weeks ago the German team announced through spokesman Ralf Ernst: “We will fight hard in Imola!” The airplane which brought the team including successor Matthias Himmelmann to Italy started on Wednesday, 22nd of September. However, he was not the only racing driver on board. His new team member Stefano Scrocchi is also going to start in Imola and wants to demonstrate his abilities in his home country. The native born Italian already took part in the race in Magny Cours and got the chance to get used to the MÃœNCH bikes by running in the electronically powered TTE-1. Therefore, the race in Imola is guaranteed to be suspenseful and fascinating since now there are two MÃœNCH machines in the competition trying to preferably come in as one of the top three. After the free practice opportunities on Thursday and Friday it is essential to give ones eye teeth for the race on Saturday and Sunday. It is not only the machine capacity but also the driving capability of each racing driver that will determine the ranking at the 5km long circuit. Imola is famous for its difficult features such as challenging ascents and descents as well as three chicanes, which in some parts have to be approached blindly. Because of its features and fast turns in which the running gear is most crucial for a good time the race track demands a great deal of both – man and machine. Withal the double left turn “Piratella” is supposed to be the most challenging course segment of the former formula 1 race track. The most important start dates for the FIM e-Power final are: Saturday : 13.05 -13.35 Open Practice 18.30 -19.00 Qualification Sunday: 14.30 final (6 laps with 29.616 km) More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Imola, 23rd September 2010 The penultimate round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship will take place this weekend at Imola. The two Althea Racing riders have different objectives but are both ready, under the guidance of Team Manager Genesio Bevilacqua, to run two strong races on the Italian circuit. 37 year old Carlos Checa will be looking for another top three result. The Spanish rider hopes to power his Ducati to the sixth podium of the season, after the win at Phillip Island and the four second place finishes achieved at Valencia, Kyalami, Misano and The Nurburgring. Morale is high after the recent success in Germany and Carlos knows he has a strong bike and team, with which he plans to conclude a positive and satisfying season in the best possible way. The rider, from San Fruitos, currently lies in fourth place and will try to defend that position this weekend, ahead of the last round at Magny-Cours on 3rd October. Since coming to the Superbike championship, Checa has never reached the Imola podium and last year he failed to do better than tenth, but during this year’s Pirelli tests the Spanish rider proved to be one of the fastest around this track, another reason to hope for another satisfying weekend for the Civita Castellana-based team. Shane Byrne will also do his best at the Italian team’s home track. The British rider is still striving to get back on top after suffering an injury to his hand which has held him back until now. This weekend he aims for the top five, which would be his best result of the season after two sixth place finishes scored at Portimao and Miller Motorsports Park. The 33-year old, BSB champion in 2008, hope to be among the frontrunners, closing his season as positively as possible. In the last Imola tests “Shakey” showed that he can keep pace with the best and on Sunday he will have two chances to show his full potential. The General Manager of Althea Racing, Genesio Bevilacqua, is confident ahead of Sunday’s races. “The great results achieved in the Pirelli tests stand us in good stead. We weren’t able to try the development tyres on that occasion as we are not a factory team but despite this we were able to do a great job with both Carlos and Shane. With Checa, we will try to close the season in the best possible way, defending fourth position in the championship or even improving on it. With Shane we’ll try to do better than ever. We’re confident because our bike has reached a high level from the performance point of view, we’ve closed the gap that existed at first between us and the other teams and now we know that we can fight with the best of them.” More, from a press release issued by FIM: FIM e-Power International Championship Final for the first historical crown at Imola The fifth and final race of the first FIM e-Power International Championship is running this weekend at Imola in Italy as part of the round of the FIM Superbike World Championship. This finale promises a high voltage since it will award the first title in the history of FIM e-Power International Championship. This title will be between the Italian Thomas Betti (Betti Moto), a leader in the standings since winning the first race at Le Mans, and the Belgian Thijs de Ridder (Crystalyte Europe), always on the podium since his victory in Spain. Matthias Himmelmann (Münch Racing Team), winner of the race in Magny Cours on Bol d’Or, will certainly go for the win at Imola. Absent on the first two races, the German rider cannot mathematically take the 2010 title. It’s the same for Christian Amendt (Epo-Bike RT) however regularly at the forefront since the beginning of the season. The first practices will be done at Imola on Saturday afternoon and the start of the race will be given on Sunday at 14 pm 30 for six laps just before the second Superbike race.