After the Miller Motorsports Park race, there are only 28 points now between the leader of the Superbike World Championship Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and Carlos Checa (Honda). A victory is worth 25 points, there are two races per WSBK weekend, and eight events remain, which means sixteen races to go. Martial Garcia (team manager): “We received our motorcycles form the USA last Friday (June 6) and the team had to work very hard last weekend to have them ready for Tuesday morning when the trucks left from the workshop. We continue on developing the Yamaha R1, like we work now on the suspensions and we try to make the ECU perform better.” The Superbike World Championship visited in the past in Germany the circuits of Hockenheim, Oschersleben, Lausitz, but it also came to the Nürburgring in 1998 and 99. The winners were in 1998 Aaron Slight (Honda) and Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati), and in 1999 Carl Fogarty (Ducati) and Troy Corser (Ducati). 8 riders raced on the “Ring” before: Eight on the 2008 Superbike World Championship permanent riders raced here before: Nori Haga, Troy Corser, Gregorio Lavilla and Ruben Xaus since 1998, while David Checa finished 17th of the 1999 World Supersport race. In the German Grand Prix, Max Biaggi participated to the 95, 96 and 97 250cc races, Carlos Checa to the 1995 250cc event, and to the 96 and 97 500cc races. Gregorio Lavilla did the 95 250cc event, and Regis Laconi the 96 250cc GP. The track with 174 curves The architect Gustav Eichler designed this circuit, and the work began in September 1925. It was inaugurated on May 18, 1927 with 3 different layouts: The 28.265 km (17.563 miles) long Gesamtstrecke (“Whole Course”) consisted of 174 bends which in turn consisted of the 22.810 km Nordschleife (“Northern Loop”), and the 7.747 km Südschleife (“Southern Loop”). The new Nürburgring was inaugurated on May 12, 1984, the track being 4.542 km long. Then it went to 4.556 km in 1995, to 5.145 in 2002, and 5.148 in 2003. There have been 14 West German Grand Prix at the Nürburgring between 1955 and 1990, the other races been held at Hockenheim and Solitude. There were also 3 German GPs from 1995 to 97. This coming weekend, the track to be used is the “GP-track with motorcycle-chicane” which is 5.137 km long. It’s the F1 track with the Mercedes Benz Arena, the Dunlop Kurve and the soft motorcycle version of the NGK Chikane. World Championship standings: 1-Bayliss (Ducati) 194 points, 2- Checa (Honda) 166, 3- Neukirchner (Suzuki) 144, 4- Nieto (Suzuki) 126, 5-Haga (Yamaha) 122″¦ 20-Nakatomi (Yamaha) 16 Nürburgring Superbike stats Practice record (1999): 1’38.843 Carl Fogarty (Ducati) 165.935 kph Lap record (best race time 1999): 1’39.318 Troy Corser (Ducati) 165.142 kph Race 1 result 1999: 1-Fogarty (Ducati), 2- Slight (Honda), 3- Corser (Ducati), 4-Lavilla (Kawasaki), 5-Goddard (Aprilia) Race 2 results 1999: 1- Corser (Ducati), 2-Slight (Honda), 3- Yanagawa (Kawasaki), 4- Edwards (Honda), 5- Chili (Suzuki) 8th round of the Superbike World Championship: June 29, Misano (Italy) Team YMF Yamaha Superstock YZF Yamaha Junior Team FIM Cup Superstock 1000 Superstock 600 European Championship Loris Baz as the leader After his victory in Monza in the Superstock 600 race, Loris Baz (15) arrives to the Nürburgring with a 19 points lead over Italian Daniele Beretta and 20 over British Dan Linfoot. In the Superstock 1000 class, Sylvain Barrier should have now better results after he was operated of arm pumps. Winner of the first race of the season in Valencia and again in Monza, Baz had a good start this year, but it’s far from being finished, as there is a total of 10 races. Loris participated two weeks ago to the practice of the German Supersport Championship event. But he did not take part in the actual race itself; his adviser Adrien Morillas thinking it was too risky. Some of the Superstock 600 European Championship riders did race however, like Patrick Vostarek (4th overall) and Michael Sembera. After the last race in Monza, doctor Simmonet (who took care before of riders like Jean-Michel Bayle, Sebastien Gimbert and Shinichi Nakatomi) operated Sylvain Barrier for an arm pump problem. He could do some practice a few days ago. Martial Garcia (team-manager): “Loris Baz has a comfortable advantage of 19 points. He should be able to confirm all the good things that we think about him. He did a lot of testing lately. Sylvain Barrier should have better results after being operated. He did some testing in Magny-Cours to get back in shape. We hope everything will go well.” FIM Cup Superstock 1000 standings: 1-Siméon (Suzuki) 57 points, 2- Polita (Ducati) 42, 3- Roberts (Ducati) 38, 4-Berger (Honda) 34, 5-Pirro (Yamaha) 30″¦26- Barrier (Yamaha) 2 Nürburgring 1999 Superstock 1000 European Championship stats: Practice record (1999): 1’48.144 Karl Harris (Suzuki) 151.664 kph Lap record (best race time 1999): 1’48.241 Paul Notman (Yamaha) 151.528 kph Race result 1999: 1-Oliver (Aprilia) 2-Harris (Suzuki), 3- Notman (Yamaha), 4-Tosolini (Yamaha), 5-Poensgen (Suzuki) Superstock 600 European Championship standings: 1- Baz (Yamaha) 61 points, 2- Beretta (Suzuki) 42, 3-Linfoot (Yamaha) 41, 4-Vostarek (Honda) 35, 5- Petrucci (Yamaha) 33 More, from a press release issued by Sterilgarda Go Eleven: The seventh round of the World Superbike Championship is going to take place at Nurburgring track (GER); the Superbike has been away from it since 1999 when the win went to Karl “King” Fogarty. The first circuit was built in the twenties and it was 28 km long. Several pages of the motorbike history have been written at Nurburgring and Sterilgarda Go Eleven would like to be in the next chapter. Ruben Xaus and Max Biaggi would like to capitalize the good job done in the United States in order to be again among the best riders of the round. Also Alex Polita is going to take to the track after the Supersport break in the USA. The young riders comes from a great performance at Monza where he got the third place. He will face the round with the goal to reduce the 15 points gap from the rank leader, Xavier Simenon. MARCO BORCIANI | Team Manager: “We did an excellent job in the USA and we got back to be one of the best team both in the qualifying and in the race. We are in good spirits and we are confident to have what it takes to face the round in the right way. Getting a good feeling with the track will be crucial in order to optimize the job and to focus our work on the set-up chiefly. I expect a good performance from Alex Polita too. He got a great result in Monza and I hope he will repeat it in Germany. Alex is burning to be back on the bike after the break of the USA were the Superstock didn’t race”. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: BAYLISS AND FABRIZIO (DUCATI XEROX) FACE UP TO THE CHALLENGE OF THE RING The Nuerburgring (Germany) Wednesday 11th June: The Ducati Xerox Team prepares for the next round of the World Superbike championship, and another “new” track for both Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio. The riders, having recently returned from the race weekend at Miller Motorsports Park in Salt Lake City (USA), now move on to The Nuerburgring. The Ring is one of the best known European motor racing tracks, and a track at which the Superbikes have not raced since 1999, with the German round of the championship having been held at various tracks – Oschersleben, Lausitzring and the Eurospeedway – in recent years. The last time the Ducati Superbike Team visited the Ring nine years ago they claimed victory in both races with a win a piece for the two factory riders Carl Fogarty and Troy Corser. Troy Bayliss (1st in championship, 194 points) “I came away from the last round in Salt Lake City extremely disappointed and so I’m hoping to have a much more positive weekend now in Germany. It’s another track that I don’t know at all, so again we will have to learn as we progress through the weekend in order to arrive at the best set-up for Sunday. I know that Max (Neukirchner) will be looking for a home win and he knows the track too so competition will be stiff but I’m fit and ready to race.” Michel Fabrizio (8th in championship, 87 points) “We now head on to another track that is new to nearly all of us, and so, after my results at Miller, I hope I can do equally well at this next unknown circuit too. I was really happy with my performance last weekend in America and the points I gained moved me up a few positions to eighth place in the championship. I’m definitely ready to build on those points in Germany!” Country: Germany Name: The Nuerburgring Circuit length: 5.137 km Pole position: left Race distance: 20 laps = 102.74 km Lap records: Fastest lap – Corser (Ducati) 1m39.318s (1999). Superpole – Fogarty (Ducati) 1m38.843s (1999). 1999 results: Race 1 – 1. Fogarty (Ducati); 2. Slight (Honda) 3. Corser (Ducati). Race 2 – 1. Corser (Ducati); 2. Slight (Honda) 3. Yanagawa (Kawasaki). More, from a press release issued by Honda: DETERMINED HONDA RIDERS RETURN TO EUROPE After Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) won two races at the American circuit of Miller Motorsports Park in the previous round, all of Honda’s supported riders in the World Superbike class have arrived in Germany in confident mood. Checa’s first two WSB race wins were also the first for the 2008-specification Honda CBR1000RR, a machine which still has untapped potential to be exploited on the racetrack. With championship leader Troy Bayliss failing to score in the past three individual races, the championship fight is very much back on again with Checa, in second place, the best placed competitor to reduce the points gap again this weekend. Currently, Bayliss has 194 points and Checa 166, a differential of only 28. The Nürburgring was last used for World Superbike and Supersport races in 1999, but there are several changes in its layout for this year’s event, making it almost another new circuit for the WSB riders to deal with. At 5.137km long, it is one of the longest tracks on the championship calendar. On completion of the races on Sunday the halfway point of the 14-round/28-race season will have been reached. Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) is another Honda podium finisher in 2008, having almost won a race at Monza in May. He sits 10th overall at present, in what is his rookie year of competition at this level, despite having raced in a great variety of other categories and classes for a 25-year-old. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR Jr) is also a rookie in WSB, but he at least has more recent experience of the Nürburgring than most others, as he was a German Championship regular before moving to European Superstock and World Supersport full time a few years ago, finally winning the World Supersport Championship in 2007, for his current WSB team. After six rounds Sofuoglu is 16th overall, on 32 points. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Althea Honda CBR1000RR) has had to overcome recent injury to compete again in World Superbike. In Miller last time out he was still struggling to ride at anything like full pace due to his troublesome shoulder injury. He hopes that two-weeks of physiotherapy and rest will be enough to allow him to compete at a high level once again, and improve his overall ranking from his current 19th. In recent races Kiyonari has taken over the second-best Honda rider mantle from Spanish rider Gregorio Lavilla (Vent Axia VK Honda CBR1000RR) although Lavilla is still the only rider to have scored points in every race so far. Karl Muggeridge (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) has, on occasions, shown the pace everyone in World Superbike knows he has so far this year, as his private team makes gradual progress with the set-up of their machine and electronics package. Muggeridge is out to improve on his best individual race finish so far in 2008 of sixth, which he has posted on two occasions, as his team-mate Russell Holland (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR), in his rookie WSB season hopes for more points from the two races. Despite bad luck in the races at Miller, the Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR team has made real progress in company with lead rider Shuhei Aoyama. The former 250GP rider has found qualifying speed in the past two events, at Monza and Miller, and hopes to translate that into another Superpole start, and then two strong points scores on raceday. American rider Jason Pridmore will join him once again. Pridmore has new been drafted into the team to help their overall development program. In the run up to the Nürburgring races Checa, stated: “It was a fantastic moment to be on top of the podium again in Salt Lake City last week. The bike felt good and the tyres were working well for us. I hope we can continue working the same way for the German round and stay in front to fight for more victories.” Kiyonari said: “I hope to improve and not make any mistakes. I had a few issues in practice in America and worked hard with my team to improve and run good race pace. Unfortunately I made some mistakes in the early laps and didn’t get as far up front as I would have liked to. I’ll try and ride a more consistent race at the Nürburgring and hope to achieve good results.” Sofuoglu said: “I am looking forward to racing in Germany this weekend. I started racing in Germany years ago and know the Nürburgring well, even though it has been four years since I last raced there. There will be a lot of my friends there to support me.” Rolfo stated: “Only a few days ago I discovered another fracture to my shoulder blade, one that was not revealed by the previous medical report. Luckily I don’t need an operation and I’m following the Clinica Mobile’s treatment in order to be able to race in Germany and take full advantage of the power of my Honda. I want to enter Superpole and fight for the podiums.” Muggeridge said: “We showed we could have had two good results in America and I want to be able to put in two strong rides per meeting from now on. The Nürburgring should be pretty even for everyone so I’m looking forward to racing there, and it’s not too far from my home in Switzerland either.” Aoyama said: “We improved in America and until raceday it was going well. I have not seen the Nürburgring. Well, only on TV! But if we continue to improve I hope to get into Superpole again. That was a big positive step for us in America, and it has given everyone in the team real confidence.” Pridmore said: “I have never raced at the Nürburgring but hopefully we could have an updated motor for that race. In America we made the bike better for race two and I have found that the bike is quite sensitive to small changes and that was the mistake we made getting ready for race one.” World Supersport Championship PITT AND BROOKES TIED ON POINTS AS THEY CHASE LASCORZ Privateer Honda rider Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard Honda CBR600RR) continues to lead the World Supersport Championship riders as the sixth round of the series approaches, after a mid-season break of over a month. The Spanish rider has had an astounding season so far, and has shown a consistency that has eluded many bigger names in the championship. Over recent rounds, however, the championship chase has got closer again, to the point whereby the top five riders are separated by only 14 points. As we approach the Nürburgring in Germany, the highest placed official Honda entrant is Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) in equal fourth place, alongside Josh Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsports Honda CBR600RR). Thanks to Pitt’s superb wins at Phillip Island and Assen, he is effectively ranked higher in the standings than his countryman, despite posting two no-scores. Brookes is looking for his first race victory of the year, having been runner-up twice, in Australia and then Monza. Both Australian riders’ have 63 points at present. Official Honda riders fill sixth to eighth places in the championship with Craig Jones (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR), Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) and Robbin Harms (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsports Honda CBR600RR) separated by only ten points. Each of those riders is still looking for their first World Supersport race wins, although each has come tantalisingly close in the very recent past. As they had no race in America alongside the Superbike competitors, Pitt, Rea and Jones all competed at some point during the British Supersport Championship round at Donington Park, to continue their development work on the CBR600RR, and keep sharp in the long gap between Monza and Nürburgring. Brookes went back to Australia to see his family and keep up his strict training regime, as his Swedish-based team returned north to make preparations for the next few race weekends. The Hannspree Althea Honda riding duo of Gianluca Nannelli (Hannspree Althea Honda CBR600RR) and Tommy Hill (Hannspree Althea Honda CBR600RR) have had some appalling back luck with injuries this year, particularly Hill, who has not been able to compete in a single race so far after a pre-season testing crash. As he makes his eagerly awaited debut for his highly respected team in Germany, Nannelli will be out to improve on his overall 12th place in the championship, and his personal season best of fifth on raceday. Pitt said: “I have never been to the Nürburgring before but I’m looking forward to racing there. We’ll have to do as many laps as we can in practice to understand the track and find the right setup for the bike. We’ll need to make some progress on the front guys and close the gap in the championship. After Carlos’s good Superbike weekend in the USA we will have to try and win some Supersport races again.” Brookes said: “It is great to be back in Europe again, although it is always nice to have a bit of a break and great back home for a while! I’m prepared and ready for the season to get going again. I have been working hard back home in training, staying focused on the races to come. Nürburgring is a track I have never ridden before, so it will be very interesting to see what will happen. I really hope I like the track and that our machines work well there.” Rea said: “After the test we did in Donington a couple of weeks ago we found a lot more information to help us with the electronics and chassis. In terms of development we are ahead of where we were at Monza. The Nürburgring is a new track for almost everyone so it should be a level playing field to start with. With the research we’ve done during the tests I am confident we can make a head start and get some good results this weekend.” Harms said: “I’m ready to get going again. For sure it has been great to have some time off, but I would rather race then stay home! Anyway, Nürburgring will be great fun. I was there a long time ago, racing in the IDM championship on the old track, but they have rebuilt it since I was there, so it will be like riding a new track this weekend. The team seems to have done great things in the workshop and that makes me very happy.” Jones said: “My injured hand was very sore after being on track on Friday afternoon at the Donington BSB round, so I made a decision with my team not to continue that weekend. Now I’m looking forward to Germany as I will be fully fit.” Nannelli said: “I spent a lot of time in the gym and I trained by running and biking. My physical condition is now very good and I’m fully fit and ready for Nürburgring. I usually dislike new circuits because I’m not familiar with them, but I want to get to know the track quickly to be very fast as soon as possible. I hope I won’t encounter difficulties like I did in Valencia or Monza because this time I really want to reach the podium.” Hill said: “My physical condition is very good and I feel very fit. My leg is nearly 100%, and I pretty much have my full strength back, which is fantastic. My target for the German round is to take my time and enjoy riding and then try and reach the podium. It’s been seven months since I last raced, but this isn’t going to hold me back.” Two weeks after the Nürburgring race weekend a full WSB and WSS meeting will take place at the normally sun-kissed Misano circuit, Italy, on 29 June. It will be round eight of the Superbike series and round seven for the WSS contenders. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha riders go back to the future in Germany Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) approach the seventh round of the 2008 World Superbike Championship, at the Nürburgring in Germany this coming weekend, safe in the knowledge that they are as experienced at this circuit as almost any of their peers. Both Yamaha factory riders have raced on the 1998 and 1999 versions of the circuit, located in the Eifel Mountains close to the Belgian border, and will have little difficulty remembering the majority of the layout. After an action-packed WSB round in the USA, Haga has had to show grit and determination to participate in the German round. His nasty collarbone fracture, plated and pinned in California last week, did not stop Haga competing and scoring ten more points than championship leader Troy Bayliss. Haga, now sporting a steel plate and eight screws in his right collarbone, will be out to score as many points as possible in Germany without taking undue risks that may cause further complications to his injury. Remarkably, Haga’s fracture was his first significant injury since taking up racing, almost 30 years ago! A rejuvenated Corser had a one-up and one-down experience in America, securing a close second place and a crash when pushing for another podium finish, he approaches the Nürburgring race safe in the knowledge that he won the last SBK race held at this track, in 1999. The circuit has been altered somewhat since Haga and Corser battled it out in 1998 and 1999 (When Haga rode for Yamaha and Corser Ducati) with the first corner now a hairpin, followed by a stadium-style complex of corners, before the riders head back out to a more familiar full circuit layout. Haga is ready for another challenging weekend, as he goes for win number three of the 2008 season. “We got back from America on the Tuesday evening after my operation from Doctor Ting in San Francisco. I was in so much pain right afterwards but day-by-day the pain has got less and less. I went to the hospital in Italy for checks and it all seems OK. I expect to approach the German round pretty much like any other race, and score good points, even though I need to be a little careful. All of this is a new experience for me anyway. It is the first time I have broken a bone in 29 years of racing! As for the track, I remember some of it, but everybody will be finding their way around and I am a quick learner. I am not worried about the track or anything else this weekend.” Corser is looking for his first win of the year and his return to podium status at Miller has buoyed him with confidence to get the job done in Germany. “I have been there before and a lot of guys haven’t but it’s been changed a bit anyway. As I remember, it’s a bit like Brno, lots of straights and then up and downhill corners. We found a good setting with the chassis when we went to America, and I hope that we can get the same grip from the track surface that allowed us to use our bike the way we wanted to in Germany as well.” Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha Team YZF) scored in neither American round, but is ready to step up to improve once again, with Yamaha GMT94 regulars Sebastien Gimbert and David Checa also in the same situation, albeit in 23rd and 24th places in the overall standings. Technically speaking – The Nürburgring according to Massimo Meregalli (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team – Team Manager) “The layout of the Nürburgring seems OK for our bike and to be honest it will be almost a new track because we were there quite a few years ago now. At the moment we have no real data covering the circuit. We will work the same way we did in Miller to find the best possible set-up in the shortest space of time.” “I think that Troy really can repeat his Miller performance again in Germany. Last time Troy raced here he won and he can take a lot from that. For Noriyuki, it depends on the scale of his recovery from injury. What he did in Miller was unbelievable, and after the operation he should be even better. We should hopefully have good results again.” “Considering that the doctors in America felt Nori wouldn’t be able to race at all, anything is possible here in Germany” “It took some time for the bikes to come back from America, but there will be some updates and adjustments for Germany. We always put the bikes on the dynos in the workshop to check everything is OK after each race and we took that opportunity to adjust the engine mapping for Germany.” Germany Hosts the Return to Action in World Supersport With the Supersport Championship not featuring on the Miller Motorsports Park race schedule this year the championship moves onto round six at an old favourite, the Nürburgring, for the first time since 1999. For Broc Parkes and Fabien Foret, from the Yamaha World Supersport Racing Team, the interruption to the rhythm of the season was unwelcome in some ways, but it has also provided the recently injured Parkes with much-needed recuperation time for his injured wrists, hands and forearm. In the current standings, Foret is second on 71 points, only six from the lead, while Parkes is on 65, in third place. Parkes is sure his weekend in Germany will start on a high note, as he has now made a good recovery from recent injuries. “Finally my injuries are starting to heal up because for the first couple of weeks there was only a slow improvement, and that was an unpleasant surprise. The main thing is I have improved a lot now. The strange thing is that I had more problems with my sprained wrist than my broken radius bone, yet the radius bone was the one that was fractured. But it’s all good now, and I’ll be ready for the German race. I have raced at the Nürburgring recently; we did a German Championship race on a Superstock spec R1 in the Superbike class about three years ago. That was on half the circuit, not the full version we will use this weekend. The whole championship race has changed now and I am really looking forward to this weekend as I will be fully fit for the first time in a few races.” Foret, now a force to be reckoned with in the battle for ultimate WSS glory after some early season misfortunes, said, “I have never been to the Nürburgring before, but I heard it is a nice track. I think most of us will be first-timers there, so it will be the same. I’m not worried in any way because it’s easy to learn a new track. I can’t make mistakes any more so I will not push over the limit for the next races, and I will be waiting for the right moment to win. I’m really back in the championship again so I am in the position now to give 100%, but no more. If I can win again, I will.” Wilco Zeelenberg, the Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager, who grabbed a victory at Nurburgring himself in 1990 riding in the GP 250cc class, explained how the team had made best use of its time away from the racetrack. “We have had some time off from actual racing but we have been pretty flat-out anyway. We have had a lot of ideas for development and it was time to try them out. We have lost some weight from the bike, for example, and created some more working areas and an office at the team headquarters. For the coming weekend itself, the Nürburgring is a different track from before in some places, so it will be a new experience for all of us really. Broc is healing well now, and you can be sure each of our riders will be ready for the German race.” Davide De Gea from the Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team is battling to be fit in time to ride again in Germany alongside regular rider Davide Salom. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) is in 11th place overall going into the German round. FIM Superstock 1000 geared up for round four The Nürburgring hosts the fourth round of the FIM Superstock 1000 Championship this year and Yamaha’s officially supported runners are already in the mix. Michel Pirro (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) is currently fifth overall, and is out to propel himself up the championship leader board before approaching his home round in Misano at the end of June, while Sylvain Barrier (Yamaha YZF Junior Team) and Claudio Corti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) are looking to break into the top ten as soon as possible. After Corti’s misfortune at Monza he is determined to make progress this weekend and take some valuable points away from the German circuit. Baz is ready for battle in the Superstock 600 European Championship Loris Baz (YZF Yamaha Junior Team) has already been victorious, the 15 year old put in a fantastic performance at Monza, riding with an ability way beyond his age. He hopes for more of the same in Germany. More, from a press release isssued by Triumph Italia BE1 Racing: Triumph Italia Be1 Racing is moving to Germany where the sixth round of the SuperSport World Championship will take place on the next Friday. After nine seasons the contest returns on the legendary track of Nurburgring. The team will face the round with big ambitions thanks to the developing work done and especially after having finished the first five race into the points. Although the track should suit the features of the British 3-cylinder bikes, it will be crucial for the riders to find immediately the best feeling on this circuit where the most of the riders have never run. Mark Aitchison’s goal is to recover positions on the ranking, reducing his 6 points gap from the top-10. As well, Ivan Clementi might find his revenge at Nurburgring after the poor round at Monza. GIULIANO ROVELLI: “We feel confident about the round in Germany. During the break for the USA round of the Superbike we carried on developments on the machine and in Germany we will bring those improvements to our riders. As the track is new for the most of the riders, all the teams are going to start from the same level. Ivan’s experience will be really important to give something more to our team in order to find the best set-up quickly. I expect another good performance from Mark Aitchison; at Monza he showed to have began to realize the best way to face the qualifying and consequently to start the race from better positions”. More, from a press release issued by Hardcard Holdings: Jason Pridmore returning to World Superbike Action this weekend Jason Pridmore is heading to the famed Nurburgring racetrack in Germany for the June 15 round of the World Superbike Championship. This will be Jason’s second event with the Alto Evolution Honda Superbike team. After a trial-by-fire at Miller Motorsports Park, where he just missed the Superpole cutoff by two-tenths of a second, he is excited to work again with the Pisa, Italy based team. Heading to the Nurburgring, Jason is looking forward to improving his understanding of the Honda Superbike and the Pirelli control tires. Jason Pridmore: “I can’t wait to get on the Alto Evolution Superbike again! The team and the crew are incredible; the level of professionalism is second to none. The level of competition in World Superbike is amazing; the top 16 are usually within one to one-and-a-half seconds of each other in qualifying. The team has had a lot of technical problems in the beginning of the season, but I think we are past that. This track is going to be new to everyone so my goals for the weekend are to make Superpole and start earning some championship points.”