World Superbike returns to the ‘Temple of Speed’ at Monza for the first Italian round of the 2010 season The HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship returns to the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza from May 7-9 for another classic appointment with the Italian track. Twenty years on from the first edition at the Monza parkland circuit on the outskirts of Milan, the challenge is still the same, but this time with seven different manufacturers competing with the best racing talent from Italy and abroad. On this high-speed track production-based Superbike machines lap at an average speed of close to 200 km/h, and this year expectations are high that the races will produce sparks from lights to flag. For two-wheeled racing fans Monza will offer numerous talking points this weekend: table-toppers Suzuki with Britain’s Leon Haslam, the all-Italian combination of Aprilia, Alitalia and Biaggi, the factory Ducati riders trying to shrug off their below-par season start, Honda back at the top once again following Johnny Rea’s domination at Assen, reigning champions Yamaha with two talented British stars, BMW on the up and up and Kawasaki who are aiming to finally join the front-running party. On the rider front the 27-year-old Brit Leon Haslam, the son of Ron ‘Rocket’ Haslam who graced the 500 GP scene for many years, is currently on the top of the pile. After four rounds Leon leads the way with two wins to his name, and is 20 points ahead of Max Biaggi. Max, for his part, appears to have all the right cards this year to become the first ever Italian to win the World Superbike title and a double win in Portugal is projecting him towards that success. All eyes will also be on another British Lion, 23-year-old Leon Camier who stepped onto the WSB podium for the first time at Assen, while another Suzuki, a GSXR1000 Yoshimura for Yukio Kagayama, also joins the grid in the first of three races slated in for this year. Not everything is going according to plan in Ducati and the Italian manufacturer, which has won 18 of the 36 races held at Monza, is looking to one of its congenial tracks to set things right. Both the Xerox Ducati men, Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio have struggled to regain ground since the opening round in Australia and thousands of fans will be following closely their every move. As well as the factory squad, the Althea Ducati team has brought back Spaniard Carlos Checa to a level of competitiveness rarely seen in the last couple of years, and Checa will receive capable back-up from Shane Byrne, who is still looking for a breakthrough this year. Jakub Smrz is producing excellent form, especially in qualifying, on the Borciani-Guandalini Ducati 1098 machine, while Italian colours are also capably represented by Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX) and Luca Scassa (Supersonic). Much attention surrounds relative newcomers BMW, who after a year of running in the new S1000RR, are now starting to appear in the top positions. BMW hope to continue this positive trend at Monza, a track where the four-cylinder German machine can lay down all of its power and maybe a podium finish is on the cards. The Tardozzi effect is beginning to be felt throughout the team and two-times champion Troy Corser, together with Ruben Xaus, is rapidly making progress. Dutch team Hannspree Ten Kate have taken Japanese manufacturer Honda back to the top after a disappointing start to the year with a dominant double win for Rea at Assen. After the latest modifications the CBR is now a perfectly competitive bike again, and Rea is aiming for further success, while things are a bit more difficult for young German Max Neukirchner who hasn’t yet got entirely to grips with his new Honda mount. Monza will also mark the return of Vittorio Iannuzzo on the private Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR. Yamaha hopes of repeating last year’s fantastic American exploit, when Spies took one win at Monza and the title, lie with two British riders, James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow. For Toseland the return to Superbike, after a couple of unsuccessful seasons in MotoGP, has not been easy but his well-known perseverance has rewarded him with three podiums in the last four races, a result that has propelled him into fifth overall. Crutchlow’s impact is the result of a spectacular riding style and two Superpoles have earned the Coventry man a front-row place in the eyes of Superbike fans everywhere in his debut season. For Kawasaki the grass continues to be ‘greener’ on the other side of the fence. Chris Vermeulen’s crash at Phillip Island together with him missing the next two rounds at Portimao and Valencia as he recovered from his knee injury, has scaled down the revitalized team’s ambitions. Tom Sykes is doing everything possible to get good results but for the moment there is some way to go. Points (after 4 rounds of 13): 1. Haslam 148; 2. Biaggi 128; 3. Rea 110; 4. Checa 103; 5. Toseland 86; 6. Haga 85; 7. Corser 68; 8. Guintoli 55; 9. Fabrizio 53; 10. Crutchlow 49. Manufacturers: 1. Suzuki 148; 2. Aprilia 134; 3. Ducati 130; 4. Honda 111; 5. Yamaha 93; 6. BMW 69; 7. Kawasaki 19 SUPERSPORT: The Supersport World Championship has always offered close competition, but this year Monza is guaranteed to produce sparks, with slipstreaming the name of the game. In the first three rounds there were three different winners, each of the ‘big three’ scoring well, with first Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), then Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), then Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) scoring full points. At the most recent race Laverty scored win number two, but he had to, as two less than happy weekends in Portugal and then Spain saw him drop way off the leading pace. At Assen he recovered ground, and now only 19 points, cover the top three in the championship. Points (after 4 rounds of 13): 1. Lascorz 85; 2. Sofuoglu 77; 3. Laverty 66; 4. Davies 46; 5. Harms 35; 6. Rea 33; 7. Salom 32; 8. Foret 28; 9. Roccoli 24; 10. Fujiwara 23. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 95; 2. Kawasaki 85; 3. Triumph 55 SUPERSTOCK 1000: You cannot get better than perfect, and for BMW Motorrad Italia and Ayrton Badovini perfect is what 2010 has been so far. Three races, three wins, the full 75 possible points on offer and the nearest challenger 30 points behind. The basis of the team is the same one that took Ducati to the championship for the past three years, under the guiding hand of Serafino Foti. Behind Badovini are three riders who have shared the podium with him so far, Davide Giugliano (06 Team Suzuki), Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior) and Sylvain Barrier (BMW Garnier). Loris Baz (MRS Racing Yamaha) was the champion in the 600 Superstock class in 2008, and has also now scored a top three in 1000 Superstock, in Portugal. Points (after 3 rounds of 10): 1. Badovini 75; 2. Giugliano 45 ; 3. Berger 40; 4. Barrier 40; 5. Antonelli 28; 6. Baz 27; 7. Magnoni 27; 8. Tutusaus 20; 9. Petrucci 19; 10. Bussolotti 18. Manufacturers: 1. BMW 75; 2. Honda 53; 3. Suzuki 45; 4. Yamaha 27; 5. KTM 20; 6. Kawasaki 19; 7. Ducati 13; 8. Aprilia 9 SUPERSTOCK 600: French riders continue to dominate the European Superstock 600 championship which comes to Monza for its fourth round. Two youngsters are at the top, 17 year-old Jeremy Guarnoni (Yamaha MRS Racing), who won in Portugal, followed by 16 year-old Florian Marino (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda), winner at Valencia and Assen. They are separated by 11 points. The third interloper could be Norway’s Frederik Karlsen (MTM Racing Yamaha), who is emerging as a contender after a fifth place at Assen and having been given back the points he lost at Valencia. Behind can be found the Martini Corse Yamaha pairing of Dino Lombardi and Federico D’Annunzio. Points (after 3 rounds of 10): 1. Guarnoni 61; 2. Marino 50; 3. Karlsen 47; 4. Lombardi 38; 5. D’Annunzio 31; 6. Lanusse 30; 7. Fanelli 25; 8. Major 20; 9. Calero Perez 19; 10. Elliot 15 THE CIRCUIT: Following the multiple incident at the start of race 1 last year , which involved numerous riders, the first chicane has been slightly modified to give an easier entry angle . As a result the track now measures 5.777 km, 16 metres less than last year. COLLATERAL ACTIVITIES: But Monza is not only about the racing. The parallel activities for one of the most important races of the year also include events that will involve spectators both inside and outside the Paddock. Dedicated Aprilia, BMW, Ducati and Kawasaki grandstands will offer a unique spectacle, while fans can also watch exhibitions by German stuntman Chris Pfeiffer on Sunday during the pit-walk and on two other occasions in the Casa SBK Village, which will also be organizing competitions and prizes throughout the weekend. EXTRAORDINARY EVENT FOR AN EXTRAORDINARY RACE: The fever-pitch expectation for the WSB Round at the legendary Monza circuit and the rise in ticket pre-sales are elements that will surely guarantee the success of the event. Starting the weekend off in style, an SBK Party has been organized for Thursday 6th May at 8pm in the prestigious OLD FASHION club in Via Alemagna, Milan. The event sees the participation of the top riders in the championship, sponsors, journalists, TV and media and sport and show business personalities. The evening will also be opened up to all Superbike fans, who can download the invitation from FACEBOOK at www.facebook.com/sbkofficial to have free access from 11pm onwards by presenting the invitation. More, from a press release issued by Team Pedercini: The fifth round of the Superbike World Championship and the fourth round of the Superstock 1000 FMI Cup will take place over the weekend of May 7-8-9 at the historical Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, Italy. The Monza circuit is one of the most important motor racing circuits in the world. Major features of the main track include the Curva di Lesmo, the Curva Parabolica, and the Variante Ascari. The first track was built from May to July 1922, There was major rebuilding in 193839 and in 1955 work began to entirely revamp the circuit, resulting in a 5.750 meters course. With technology still improving vehicle speeds, the track was again changed in 1979. It has a capacity of 113,000 spectators, including 45,000 seats. Only one week after the Monza’s CIV (Italian Championship) races, Team Pedercini is now back in the historical Italian circuit to compete in the World Superbike and in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. After the good results reached in the Italian Championship, all Pedercini staff is eager to race in this very fast circuit, where they really hopes to be able to gather the fruits of their first races hard work. Matteo Baiocco : “I like Monza, that’s one of my favourite circuit also thanks to the affection shown by my Italian supporters. I had one week to rest and I’m fully fit and ready for this fifth round of the World Superbike. I know that I have to work hard during practices, to be able to start in good position on Sunday races and I will try to get as many points as possible”. Roger Lee Hayden : “This will be my first time in Monza circuit. I have never raced on the track before so I will have to familiarize with this new circuit starting from Friday’s free practices. I’m eager to ride and get to know this historical circuit. After the first four races of my first Superbike season I’m more confident with my bike’s set-up and in Monza I want to enter the Superpole because I would like to reach good results for my team and for all my sponsors”. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: High Speed Monza Welcomes Sykes And Vermeulen The fast straights and heavy braking zones of Monza are the challenges facing the Kawasaki Racing Team pairing of Chris Vermeulen and Tom Sykes this coming weekend, at the historic parkland circuit. Monza, like the previous circuit of Assen in the Netherlands, is an iconic venue, and one that has high average speed at the centre of its character, despite the presence of several chicanes to slow down the 200bhp-plus World Superbike machines. A classic venue in every sense, Monza is an essential stopping off point for any fan that wishes to understand the passion and heritage that underpins Italian Motorsport. The first chicane has been altered for this year’s race, making it a faster and more flowing section, which is expected to take the times down between 1.5 and two seconds per lap. After making a breakthrough in set-up at Assen, Sykes is hoping he can carry on the aggressive form he showed there and start moving up the championship table from his current position of 16th. Tom had two top six finishes last year at the Monza circuit. Having been forced to miss some 2010 races due to a troublesome knee injury, Vermeulen is all ready for his latest challenge at a circuit he holds dear. Chris won there in 2005, before embarking on a stint in MotoGP. Tom Sykes: “I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike for the Monza weekend. I feel slightly cheated that I wasn’t able to finish race two in Assen after the progress we’d made there. Each race I am getting more and more comfortable on the Ninja ZX10R and I’m learning a lot about the bike every weekend. We are making steady progress and I have full confidence in my team. I hope that I continue to bring the bike home inside the points scoring places and hopefully creep in to the top 10, which we’re all aiming for.” Chris Vermeulen: “I’m really looking forward to the Monza event as it’s an exciting race and a special circuit, partly because it is so fast. It will be great to race there again, this time on the Kawasaki. The last time was 2005 and I had a win so it’s a positive circuit for me, with good memories and results. As for my knee, I’m still not 100% but I’m working hard on it and it’s improving each day. I still have some difficulties with movement but for sure it will be an improvement from Assen. I’m looking forward to jumping on the bike and seeing what Monza brings to us.” More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki: Leader Lascorz Out For Win Number Two Joan Lascorz extended his championship lead at the previous Assen round by finishing second on his Ninja ZX-6R, just ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu. After four rounds he has 85 points to Sofuoglu’s 77. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Lascorz’ team-mate for the second year in succession, has a long history of racing at Monza, but has had good and not so good turns of fortune this year. His immediate goal is to move further into the top ten by posting a strong finish at the ultra-fast Monza circuit. Both official Kawasaki entrants will find a new-look first chicane at Monza, making the circuit 5.777km long this time around and still one of the fastest tracks on this or any other race calendar. Lap times are expected to drop significantly due to the new chicane layout. Lascorz has now scored three second place finishes and one win this season, his victory coming at Valencia. At the classic Monza circuit Joan will be out to make it win number two of the season, before heading to Kyalami for round six, on May 16. Monza has been a good track for both Joan and Kats in the past, with Joan second last year and Kats a Monza winner in his earlier career. Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret has also been a Monza race winner, on two previous occasions. Joan Lascorz: “I want to have a clean qualifying result to be in the position to fight for the win at Monza. I am taking things one race at a time and just working hard with the team to go for wins and not make mistakes. We are leading the championship because we have been consistent, but also because of our speed in races, which we have been able to repeat each weekend.” Katsuaki Fujiwara: “We have had a good pace this year but so far it is not being turned into the kind of results we all want. I want that to change at Monza. This weekend there will be a lot of slipstreaming, so it is important to get away in the leading group and be clever when overtaking. I am going for a good finishing position and want to show my fighting spirit again.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Two good podium finishes by James Toseland at Assen followed by a successful two day test in Misano last week have given the Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team extra motivation for the team’s home race. Riders Toseland and Crutchlow head to Monza for round five of the World Championship this weekend, the first of three Italian races this year, intent on capitalising on the steps taken recently in development. These include steps forward in electronics and chassis set-up, making the bike even more competitive and making the British pairing serious contenders for victory at the legendary high speed circuit. The circuit itself was first constructed in 1922 and has undergone various changes from then to its current set up. Its 5.7km layout is characterised by long high speed straights and chicanes, with three main corners, the Curvone di Biassono, Curva di Lesmo and the Curva Parabolica. For 2010 the first chicane at the end of the start / finish straight has been modified. The current and previous lap records were both taken on Yamaha R1s, the current last year by Ben Spies, the previous in 2007 by Noriyuki Haga. James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team “The test last week was encouraging, I think I ended up second and third. I am particularly looking forward to Monza; I’ve always loved riding there, as we didn’t in Moto GP I’m happy to be going back. It’s got an ambience in the park, to hear the engines resonating through the trees is really special and you can feel the history. The high speed circuit is also pretty special; to hold it flat out in top gear for 7 or 8 seconds is something you don’t do anywhere else. I’m really pleased with the way things are progressing with package and the team and as it’s the home race for them it also adds something extra to the weekend.” Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team “I’m looking forward to putting the Assen weekend behind me and getting back to the front at Monza. We’ve been working hard as a team to keep improving the bike and it was really useful to spend the two days at Misano working on a set up for me. I’m confident both James and I can be at the front this weekend and fighting for podiums on Sunday. I love the high speed Monza circuit and enjoyed racing there on the Supersport bike last year, I can’t wait to tackle it with the R1.” Monza technically speaking according to Frankie Carchedi, James Toseland’s Crew Chief “At Assen we were able to make more steps forward with the electronics and chassis, and more importantly close the gap on the championship lead. Since then we have had a successful test at Misano where we were able to evaluate different links and further improvements to the power delivery. Monza is the fastest track on the calendar and requires good top end speed, strong brakes and good at changing direction as it has three chicanes, also tyre life for the famous Parabolica corner which dictates the speed on to the main straight. We are hopeful that with the further improvements we have made, and the strong Yamaha engine, James can again fight for the win and close the gap for the championship.” Monza technically speaking according to Marcus Eschenbacher, Cal Crutchlow’s Crew Chief “The Misano test was really interesting for us using different approaches to chassis set up. We’ve improved our mid corner grip and stability and also our straight line traction and drive coming out of the corners. Monza has the highest average speed of any circuit we visit this year, with chicanes in between the high speed sections so we will be setting up for high speed stability as well as working on a bike that can change direction quickly and drive out of the chicanes.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager “For me Monza is something special, it was the same when I was racing here. In the past we have traditionally had good results in all race categories at the track, and after the last two races and the test in Misano we are arriving with good expectations. Unfortunately the weather forecast is bad for this weekend so that is a question mark but hopefully it is wrong!” Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike team sponsor FIMER will tomorrow (5th May) launch a new division dedicated to renewable energy at the SOLAREXPO in Verona. To mark this occasion the bikes of both James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow will have green FIMER logos on the fairings instead of their usual red colour for the Monza race weekend. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM GEARS UP FOR THE FIRST OF THREE ITALIAN SUPERBIKE ROUNDS, THIS WEEKEND AT MONZA Monza (Italy), Tuesday 4th May: With four of the 2010 World Superbike rounds already completed, Ducati Xerox riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio are now mentally and physically preparing for the first of three Italian appointments, to take place this weekend at Monza’s Autodromo Nazionale. Monza has hosted the Superbikes since 1992 (the only year that didn’t see a Monza round was 1994) and last year provided the setting for Michel’s first ever Superbike win, achieved in Race 1 and consolidated by a second place finish in the second of the day’s races. Noriyuki too had a strong first race and crossed the line second, just two tenths behind team-mate Michel, but was subsequently involved in an unlikely, and extremely unlucky, collision with a pigeon which put a dramatic end to his Race 2. Just over a week ago the TT Circuit of Assen played host to the Superbikes and at the end of a very difficult weekend, Noriyuki lies in sixth position in the riders classification and Michel in ninth. Ducati is third in the manufacturers standings at this point, four points behind Aprilia and eighteen behind leader Suzuki. Straight after Assen the factory team carried out two days of testing at Misano and, although Noriyuki was suffering from a high fever, some very useful work was completed by both riders and at the end of the sessions Michel proved to be the fastest rider on track. Noriyuki Haga (6th in championship, 85 points) The Japanese rider has celebrated numerous race wins and podiums at this track in recent years and lists it among his favourites. “It was unfortunate that I was sick after Assen and so couldn’t make the most of last week’s Misano testing session. The work I did do there went well and now we have to see what happens at Monza. This weekend will be tough; I like the Monza track but at the same time I know that my 1198 does not have the top speed of some of the other bikes and with Monza’s long straights, it will be hard for us I think. Nevertheless, I’ll be opening the gas and giving 200%.” Haga’s Superbike form at Monza: 2009: Race 1 2nd, Race 2 – DNF 2008: Race 1 2nd, Race 2 winner 2007: Race 1 winner, Race 2 winner 2006: Race 1 4th, Race 2 3rd 2005: Race 1 11th, Race 2 9th 2004: Race 1 DNF, Race 2 DNF 2002: Race 1 DNF, Race 2 3rd 2000: Race 1 DNF , Race 2 5th Michel Fabrizio (9th in championship, 53 points) Michel put on a great performance here last season, winning Race 1 and finishing Race 2 in second. For this reason, Michel too cites Monza as one of his favourite circuits. “I had a good weekend here last year and am very happy that my first ever Superbike race win came in front of my home crowd, at Monza. We’ve not had an easy run of things recently but testing went well at Misano last week and I’ll be doing everything to put on a great performance this weekend. We need to start to make up lost ground.” Fabrizio’s Superbike form at Monza: 2009: Race 1 winner, Race 2 2nd 2008: Race 1 9th, Race 2 5th 2007: Race 1 8th, Race 2 11th 2006: Race 1 DNF, Race 2 14th CIRCUIT DATA: Name: Autodromo Nazionale Monza Country: Italy Circuit length: 5.777 km Pole position: Left Corners left: 5 Corners right: 8 Length of race: 18 laps = 103.986 km LAP RECORDS: Best lap Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1’45.336 (2009). Superpole Spies (Yamaha) 1’44.073 (2009). 2009 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 2. Haga (Ducati Xerox); 3. Kiyonari (Honda). Race 2 1. Spies (Yamaha); 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox); 3. Kiyonari (Honda) More, from a press release issued by Honda: REA AND LAVERTY OUT TO CONTINUE WINNING WAYS Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea approaches the fifth round of the Superbike World Championship on a high after winning both races at the previous round at Assen, promoting himself to third in the championship in the process. Rea is now 38 points behind leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) and 20 points behind Max Biaggi (Aprilia) but with 18 individual points scoring races still to go the series is still wide open for the top riders. Rea gave Honda its first wins of the 2010 Superbike season at Assen but in the Supersport World Championship three of the four races so far have been taken by Honda riders. Parkalgar Honda rider Eugene Laverty secured his second win of 2010 last time out in the Netherlands, but is still chasing championship leader Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) and second placed Kenan Sofuoglu, from the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team. Lascorz has 85 points, Sofuoglu 77 and Laverty 66. The Monza circuit will be slightly modified compared to the circuit used last year, with the 5.777km track surface now 16 metres shorter than the previous version, thanks to safety improvements on the entry to the first chicane. Hannspree Ten Kate Superbike rider Max Neukirchner was a blameless victim of a first-corner pile-up at Monza last year, but in his return to Monza he intends to make the most of his machine’s ever-improving package at a circuit he has won at in the past. ECHO CRS Honda’s Broc Parkes is about to face his second WSB race weekend of the year, having missed the first three rounds due to a right tibia fracture, suffered in winter training. His comeback at Assen was affected by the last remnants of his injury, so he is looking forward to greater fitness and a better technical package when he gets to the super-fast Monza circuit. Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image entrant Vittorio Iannuzzo will be back from his own injury problem this weekend. Iannuzzo damaged his hand at the Valencia race last month but now feeling fully fit the former Superstock 1000 champion is more than ready to face his home race and turn his so-far luckless season around. Intermoto Czech’s Gino Rea has had an impressive introduction to the Supersport class in 2010, and he already heads up many more established names as he sits sixth in the championship, one place behind Honda rider Robbin Harms from the Harms Benjan Racing team. In the current standings, there are four Honda riders in the top six WSS places. In the Supersport Manufacturers Standings, Honda leads Kawasaki by 10 points after four rounds. Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Michele Pirro is out to move up the order in the overall rankings after some bad luck in recent races. A podium finisher in Portugal, the Italian rider is hoping home advantage and his quick machine will allow him to shine once more at the iconic Monza circuit. Massimo Roccoli, from the Intermoto Czech Honda team, is also on home tarmac this weekend, looking for his second top six of the year. He is ninth overall, four places ahead of Portuguese rider Miguel Praia, Laverty’s Parkalgar Honda team-mate. WSBK Rider Comments Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “I’m really looking forward to Monza and our results there last year were not so bad. We know the bike works there because Kiyo (Ryuichi Kiyonari) got on the podium twice last season, but I can’t wait to see how the new base setting transfers to Monza. It could have been easy to get carried away after the double win at Assen, but we’re not naïve enough to think that our rivals haven’t been working very hard since then. We certainly have, because we know how tough it is to get to the front and stay there. I’ll aim for another steady start this weekend; building momentum on Friday and Saturday. You need a bit of fight and determination at Monza, as well as a fast bike. I’m planning on bringing both this weekend.” Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “I’m feeling very positive as we go to Monza because I really feel that we made a big step forward in the second race at Assen. We’ve changed the bike quite a bit and made it stiffer for race two, but the biggest change I’ve made is in my riding style. I need to brake differently into the corners to help me get out faster and, although Monza is know as a fast circuit, I think we can still make some steps forward there on braking into the chicanes. It’s a special place but obviously I have some bad memories from last year. I will be concentrating on improving the bike and my style and this, I think, will help me to close the book on last season’s problems.” Broc Parkes, ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR: “Assen was a little bit early to come back because my leg was still not 100% but I am glad I did because we found a few problems with the set-up, especially with chatter, that I had to give feedback about before the fly aways to South Africa and America. I have been talking a lot with the team and I am going to visit them and the engine tuners in Italy before Monza to try and sort out the direction we are going with the bike.” Vittorio Iannuzzo, SCI Garvie Image Honda CBR1000RR: “My injured had is better now, almost perfect. I am ready for Monza, the team is prepared and it will be a home round for us. I went to Monza for the Italian championship races and the new first chicane is faster, maybe 1.5 or 2 seconds per lap faster overall.” WSS Rider Comments Kenan Sofuoglu, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “Although I finished third and got some more points for the championship, I was very disappointed with the result at Assen. I had planned to go back to Turkey after the race but instead I stayed behind with the team to analyse the result and to try to find out what happened. The bike was probably set up too much to do fast lap times and might have been a bit too soft to battle hard with Laverty and Lascorz, who were very strong in the race. The base setting on the bike is very good though, and we will go to Monza to try to improve more and get back on top of the championship by winning again.” Eugene Laverty, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “We are all set for Monza, looking forward to it. I got home for a while after Assen and it was good to get back and sort out a few things. The team has been working hard on the dyno as usual, and it is all about horsepower and slipstreaming at Monza.” Michele Pirro, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “It was very disappointing for me to crash at Assen, especially after my team worked so hard to give me a good bike that I was able to put on the front row of the grid. Kenan is showing with his results how good the CBR600RR is now and I know, after Portimao, that I am able to achieve good results with it, too. I am now even more determined to get back on the podium and it would be great to do it in Italy this weekend.” Gino Rea, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “The team will have done a bit more development on the bike by Monza, maybe on the electronics side. Our season so far, the results on paper, have been good but I was happier with my seventh at Assen than my sixth at Valencia, and it was nice to know I could race and beat some more experienced riders.” Massimo Roccoli, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “I hope for a good race in Monza because in the past few I have not had so much luck. At Assen my team did a very good job and we scored some decent points. My Monza race was good until I fell in 2009 and I should have a better feeling about Monza than I did at Assen. I watched the Italian championship race at Monza last weekend and the first chicane is much faster. It is not a difficult track, but it is very fast, then there is hard braking for the chicanes, then full gas again.” Miguel Praia, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “I am looking forward to having a much better race than last time out in Assen and a better Monza race than in 2009, when I was 12th. The team has been working on our top speed since the last round and I am nearly fully recovered after my big crash at Valencia. Monza should be good for us.” More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Monza, May 5th 2010 – This weekend at the Monza circuit is a very important one, not only because it’s the first Italian round of the 2010 World Superbike championship but also because it represents one of the key points of the season. The two Althea Racing riders come to the track holding fourth and twelfth position in the overall classification. Carlos Checa is, currently, the higher placed rider, thanks to a great victory at Phillip Island and a podium finish at Valencia. The Spaniard hasn’t been on the podium at Monza in the last two years but this year he is very determined and capable of turning that trend around. Shane Byrne has accumulated points in all of the races so far (except Race 1 at Valencia) and seems to have found a good pace, as demonstrated by his recent race results. In 2009 the Monza track wasn’t particularly kind to the Englishman either; he took home just two points. Genesio Bevilacqua, team owner, declared: “We’ve reached a critical point in the season and our team, also in light of our latest results, is ready to be a main player at Monza too. Even though the Lombardy track doesn’t seem to favour the Ducatis, it’s worth noting that the Bolognese bike has still won 18 of the 36 races held there and this gives us confidence. Carlos is in great shape and seems determined to put on a great show in front of the Italian crowd. Shane on the other hand will have the chance to prove that he’s back to being the “Shakey” that we know and love.” The Superbike schedule at Monza starts on Friday with the first free practice at 12.45, followed by the first qualifying session at 15.45. On Saturday, after the second qualifying session at 10.45 and the second free practice at 13.50, the Superpole gets underway at 15.00. On Sunday morning warm-up begins at 9.20, while Race 1 kicks off at 12.00 and Race 2 at 15.30 both races are 18 laps in length, equal to 103.986 km. The lap record for Superbikes at Monza is no longer valid as the first chicane has been modified, changing the parameters. The “old” record, that referred to the previous layout, was set by Fabrizio (Ducati) in 2009, in 1m45.336 at an average of 197,980 km/h, while Ben Spies (Yamaha) set a 1’44″073 (at an average of 200,390 km/h) in practice in 2009. CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS: 1. HASLAM P. 148 2. BIAGGI p. 128 3. REA p. 110 4. CHECA p. 103″¦ 12. BYRNE p. 48