THE RUSSIAN “MOSCOW RACEWAY” CIRCUIT MAKES ITS DÉBUT WITH WORLD SUPERBIKE. FOR THE FIRST EVER WORLD SUPERBIKE RACE WEEKEND ON RUSSIAN SOIL MAX BIAGGI LEADS THE RIDER STANDINGS, WHILE EUGENE LAVERTY STRIVES FOR A SIGNIFICANT RESULT TO CONFIRM HIS GROWTH. Moscow, 21 August 2012 Superbike engines will roar to life for the first time on Russian soil for the next round at the Moscow Raceway. Located about 100 kilometres from Moscow, the new track marks the début of the factory derivatives in a country which is undergoing strong economic development with a growing host of fans. The 3,931 metre Russian track will host a motivated Max Biaggi, coming from two difficult races which ended with the Corsair managing to defend his lead in the rankings. With four rounds left in the championship, the five-time world champion’s goal is to take maximum advantage of every opportunity with the competition not leaving any room for tactics or distraction. Max’s experience could make the difference on a track that is new to everyone and which the Superbike riders will test just a few days before the official trials. “A new circuit is always an unknown confirmed Max Biaggi The weekend tests will give us an opportunity to gain familiarity with the track. From what I’ve seen it looks like a well built track with a more technical part and some fast sections. We are coming from two demanding races where we had to grit our teeth. This is another reason that the Moscow round is crucial from a championship standpoint. Starting on the right foot and taking maximum advantage of the package we have available to us will be vital”. Eugene Laverty is also looking forward to the Moscow round with interest. The rider from Toomebridge has demonstrated excellent progress astride his RSV4, but he is still searching for that brilliant result which will provide unmistakable confirmation of his growth. On a new track Eugene will have to put forth his best effort to find a good feeling right away and set up a weekend on the attack. “Moscow offers a great challenge as the circuit is new to all of the riders. I’m extremely motivated for the final four rounds after such a difficult mid-season. We have a test on Wednesday to learn the circuit before the race weekend begins which gives us a good opportunity to improve our electronics package. Our engine braking strategy caused big problems in Silverstone and so we need to work on that area. Aside from that the Aprilia has been feeling better and better over the past few rounds so I’m optimistic”. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Russia Moscow. Preview. 24th 26th August 2012 11th of 14 race weekends Munich/Stephanskirchen, 20th August 2012. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport is entering uncharted territory: This weekend (24th to 26th August), the FIM Superbike World Championship makes its debut in Russia. The new “Moscow Raceway” is the venue for the eleventh of the 14 rounds that make up the 2012 season. The circuit was opened in July and is located in Volokolamsk, about 80 kilometres west of Moscow. In order to acquaint themselves with the track, BMW Motorrad Motorsport and factory riders Marco Melandri (ITA) and Leon Haslam (GBR) will take part in the official Infront test at the “Moscow Raceway” on the Wednesday prior to the race weekend. BMW heads to Russia leading the Manufacturers’ Championship. Ten race weekends into the season, the Bavarian manufacturer has 316 points to its name a lead of 13.5 points over its closest rival Aprilia. Marco is currently second in the Riders’ Championship with 263.5 points just 10.5 points behind leader Max Biaggi (ITA). Leon is sixth in the Riders’ Championship with 170 points. Between the two of them, Marco and Leon have already scored 433.5 points for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport this season. The team will celebrate an anniversary in Russia: the first race at the “Moscow Raceway” will also be the 100th race for BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the FIM Superbike World Championship. The goal for the weekend is to increase the lead at the top of the Manufacturers’ standings and close the gap in the Riders’ Championship. Moscow from the rider’s point of view: Marco Melandri: “This will be my first time in Russia. I have never been there before, so it is going to be a new experience. It is a brand new circuit, but I know a little bit about it as I watched a car race on TV. The track looks good and very nice. There is a very slow section, a very long straight and long braking. It looks like it is going be very good fun and it seems to offer many overtaking opportunities. We will use the test to learn the circuit and to start work on the set-up. We will be 100 per cent focused and work hard to make best use of the sessions on this new circuit ahead of Superpole and the races. Our goal is to challenge for the top positions again in Moscow and to get as many points as possible.” Leon Haslam: “I have never been to Russia before and it is always exciting to visit new countries. It is a good addition to the championship; as a World Championship it is great to go to as many countries as possible. It is also exciting to race on a new circuit. We first have to learn the track, but we have a test there in the week leading up to the race, so I am looking forward to Russia. When you go to a new track, your pace is not so fast at first and you initially have to concentrate on your riding and getting used to the circuit without changing too much. As you get faster you can concentrate on the bike’s set-up. There are some circuits, which you get used to very quickly and the set-up of the bike is very similar to that used on the previous race weekend. However, some circuits are very unique and you need a totally different set-up and to ride the bike very differently. In Russia, we will know after the first few test sessions how much work we have to do. We obviously want to push to win every weekend, and at Silverstone I felt that we were back to where we want to be. We had a front row start and were challenging for the race win. It went in the right direction; it was just another weekend of bad luck for me. We will keep pushing on and then luck will hopefully be back on my side.” Moscow from a technical point of view: Andrea Dosoli (Head of Race Operations): “We are all looking forward to the next race. The Russian event is very important, not only for the Superbike World Championship but for motorsport in general. It is amazing that Russia is given the chance to share the unique emotions that only motorsport can offer. The Superbike World Championship is growing and expanding its boundaries. The Moscow race is a clear example of this. It will be a tough challenge from a sporting and logistic point of view. It has required a lot of hard preparation from the teams and the organisers. We are sure that it will be worth it. The riders and the crews will experience a new race track, so we have to be one hundred per cent focused from the first day on in order to learn the circuit and find the best possible set-up for the bike. The races on Sunday will be very important for the championship and we will do our best to leave the Russian BMW fans with a happy memory of their first World Superbike experience.” Moscow from Pirelli’s point of view: The Russian circuit is a new track, not only for the riders who will race there for the first time, but clearly also for Pirelli. Precisely for this reason, the Wednesday prior to the races will be dedicated to tests which will allow the riders to test an SC1 and SC2 compound solution on both the front and rear. On the other hand, for the race weekend, besides the rain and intermediate tyres, there will be a total of six slick solutions, three for the front and as many for the rear. On the front, Pirelli have the standard SC1 (N1159) and two SC2 solutions the P773 and the N508, already used in various races this year. For the rear, in addition to the SC2 N1157, the riders will be able to choose from two solutions with compounds in the SC1 area: the already well known and popular R302 and the brand new R347, an SC1 development solution which has never been used before. Background: When the FIM Superbike World Championship makes its debut in Russia, it will be at a new, ultra-modern racetrack. Only a few weeks have passed since the official opening of the “Moscow Raceway”. The facility is located about 80 kilometres west of Moscow in Volokolamsk, right on the New Riga Motorway (M9), which links the Russian capital with Riga in Latvia. The Russian’s first developed a love of motorsport 100 years ago, and motor racing has enjoyed a resurgence in popularity in the largest country in the world since the fall of the “Iron Curtain”. Work on the “Moscow Raceway” was opened on 1st October 2008 by former Formula One driver David Coulthard. The circuit was officially opened on 15th July 2012 with a race in the World Series by Renault. On 18th July the FIM gave the “Moscow Raceway” the green light to stage international motorcycle races. The Superbike World Championship races will be the first world championship races to be held on the new track. One week later, the FIA GT1 World Championship will make its debut in Russia. At the heart of the facility is the 4.070-kilometre racetrack, which offers a total 26 different layouts. These include the 2.5-kilometre sprint and 1.3-kilometre super sprint variants, which can be used at the same time. The Superbike World Championship will stage its races on the 3.932-kilometre FIM circuit variant. The “Moscow Raceway” is located on a slope and the layout follows the natural terrain and includes a number of uphill and downhill sections. The total difference in altitude comes to 22 metres. The circuit features many corners and offers a fascinating mixture of fast and slow sections. There is also a kilometre long straight, which leads gently uphill from the technically demanding western section of the circuit into a left-hander and back onto the start/finish straight. Factory riders Marco Melandri (ITA) and Leon Haslam (GBR) will once again be able to count on the performance of the BMW S 1000 RR’s engine here. The “Moscow Raceway” also features VIP and meeting rooms of all sizes. The grandstands currently offer seating for up to 30,000 fans, while a further 10,000 spectators can be accommodated on the natural banks around the circuit. The grandstand capacities are to be increased in the future. The architect responsible is renowned German Formula One circuit designer Hermann Tilke. The responsibility for preparing, operating and marketing the facility also lies with a German: Hans-Jörg Fischer, whose company Speedway Dienste GmbH supervises racetrack projects around the world. The 120 million Euro project is financed by a private Russian investor, Rustem M. Teregulov. The visit of the Superbike World Championship is of huge importance to Russia, with the contract initially set to run for ten years. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: New Event, New Venue And New Opportunities Await KRT’s Race Winners Both Tom Sykes and Loris Baz have delivered a race win to the official Kawasaki Racing Team in 2012 but this weekend everyone involved in the squad will enjoy a new experience – a race in Russia. The all-new 3.931km Moscow Raceway, located on the outskirts of the capital of the Russian Federation, is brand new in bike racing terms. It forms the host venue for the 11th round of the Superbike World Championship from Friday 24th to Sunday 26th August, but race weekend will be preceded by a one-day test on Wednesday 22nd, to get the teams and riders used to the layout and surface of the exciting new track. Whatever challenges await the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R riders in Russia, an all-new territory for the SBK championship to visit, both Sykes and Baz are confident that they will be as competitive here as they have been through a tough 2012 season. Sykes is currently third in the championship fight, some 51.5 points behind the championship leader Max Biaggi and 41 points behind second place rider Marco Melandri. Tom has been inside the top three ranking for most of the year and despite a disrupted and ultimately unfortunate home round last time out in the rain at Silverstone, Sykes still has many opportunities to gather valuable points in the remaining four rounds, including the Moscow event. Teenager Loris Baz has impressed many observers after making the jump from Superstock rider at the start of the season to a full-works rider in SBK, even before his astounding win last time out at Silverstone. Loris now has three podium finishes in the last four individual races and has jumped from the top twenty to 13th place in the series overall. Kawasaki Team Pedercini’s Superbike division will field three Superbike riders at the Russian round, regular competitor David Salom, plus David McFadden and Alexander Lundh. There will be no Superstock races at Moscow but all classes will reconvene for the following round at the Nürburgring, Germany, on September 9. Tom Sykes: “I am looking forward to the Moscow race and it will be a new adventure for everyone. I am particularly looking forward to the one-day test to try and put some more miles under the belt and improve our race weekend. I think that this coming round will be very interesting and I am quite sure it will not only be the fastest rider but also probably the smartest team that wins. I am confident in Kawasaki and all of the team and I am sure we can have a good weekend. I have not heard much about the racetrack but I have seen a little video of it. I will go in there with an open mind. It is a new part of the world to me so I hopefully it will give me good memories to take back home.” Loris Baz: “After what happened at Silverstone I feel really good, as you may imagine. Maybe the fact that we go to a new track is going to help us a little bit because everybody will start the same on the bike. But, the same as every race, I want to learn and work, go step-by-step, and then on Saturday we will see where we are. By then we will know more or less where we will be for the race. If the weather good then getting into the third row of the grid, getting into Superpole 2, would be good. Into Superpole 3 would be perfect. If I can take two top eight places on raceday I will be really happy.” David Salom: “I am very much looking forward to arriving at the Moscow Raceway and getting started with practice on Wednesday. It will be a new circuit for me and our team, so I am hoping we can find a good setting for the bike during the first practices and then work forward from this point. In this moment I am feeling confident on the bike; I am learning more and more every time I race the bike, so in Moscow I really want to fight for championship points.” David McFadden: “I’m really happy to be here and I know my team will help me to quickly adapt to the new bike. I’m lucky because I can have this interesting experience at a completely new track like Moscow Raceway. I want to enjoy myself and take this opportunity to do my best for Team Pedercini and for my sponsors.” Alexander Lundh: “This will be my first race with Pedercini Kawasaki Superbike team. I have never raced in Superbike before and so I will have to familiarize myself with my new bike, starting with Wednesday’s test and Friday’s free practices. I know the team’s technical staff will help me adapt quickly to the new bike. I’m happy because I’m starting a new and exciting experience in the World Superbike with a very clever and skilled team. Hopefully we’ll be able to score some very good results.” More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki: Sofuoglu Leads As Championship Heads East Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Lorenzini) will enter the tenth round of the Supersport World Championship ready to score more success alongside the other top Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R riders in the championship. Both Kenan and Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step) have scored two race wins each in 2012 so far, with six podiums in total for Kenan and four for Fabien. These strong results have helped Kenan keep the championship lead he has had almost throughout his first year of competition as a Kawasaki rider. Only just behind the top three riders in the championship Sofuoglu, Sam Lowes and Jules Cluzel – Foret is 30 points from Kenan, with four rounds to run in what now looks like a four-way fight for the championship win itself. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Lorenzini) has now scored five good WSS finishes in a row, including his first podium at the Motorland Aragon round in Spain. These points have taken him from 13th overall after the first four rounds to a strong sixth right now, four points ahead of the next rider down and adding to his experience and confidence every weekend. Another rookie WSS rider, Romain Lanusse (Kawasaki Intermoto Step) is also making progress, with the young French rider now 15th in the rankings. Joshua Day (GoEleven Kawasaki) is 22nd in the standings overall, with four rounds to go including Russia, after making the move up to WSS in 2012. The MSD R-N Racing Team India Kawasaki outfit will have Florian Marino and Dan Linfoot out in competitive action once again as they gear up for a first full season in 2013. Kenan Sofuoglu: “Now we will go to the Russian race and hopefully it will be a good one for us. This year the biggest challenge is that because this is my first time on Kawasaki every track is ‘new’, because I do not have any set-up from previous races. But in Russia we will have a test on Wednesday, so I can prepare my bike for the weekend before it really starts. Normally every time out the other riders have an early advantage because they already have a set-up for the bike but I think this time everybody will be the same. If the weather conditions are good I think I can show what I can do. I am very confident that I can go forward and win the race. The track seems really nice from what I have seen of it on the Internet. But as I always say, the rider cannot choose the tracks, so he has to be fast on all the tracks. Maybe it is not an easy circuit because there are some very fast corners, but I think it will be good.” Sheridan Morais: “I have been in bed for two weeks with Bronchitis so I have not managed to train or anything, but I have enjoyed seeing my family etc back in South Africa. I am looking forward to Moscow because my team and I left Silverstone hungry for the next battle. Everybody has had a break so we will all be fresh and ready for action. My hopes are always to be up near the front and we will work 100% to be there. I do think that the new circuit will play to our advantage and I am very happy to be taking part in the official test on Wednesday. Big thanks to the team for the big effort in making sure we will be there.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: FIXI Crescent Suzuki is in Russia this weekend for the 11th round of this year’s eni FIM Superbike World Championship to compete in the first event of its kind to be staged at the Moscow International Raceway. Leon Camier and John Hopkins will join the rest of the Superbike field on an equal footing for the first time this season, as nobody will have any prior knowledge or data of the track. This is the first time the circuit has hosted such an event and an extra test session has been organised for Wednesday 22nd August, so that the riders can get to know the track, before the real action starts this coming weekend for the first-ever World Championship road-racing event in Russia. The track is built on a slope and its layout follows the natural terrain, including a number of uphill and downhill sections. There are many corners offering a mixture of fast and slow sections, plus one of the longest straights (one kilometre in length) in the championship, over its 3,931m length – in its WSBK layout. The track is located approximately 100kms from Moscow, along the Novorizhsky Highway and the circuit has already received FIA Grade 1T and FIM B homologation and is ready to welcome competitions of any level, from National Cups to international automotive and motorcycling championships. Hermann Tilke designed the Moscow Raceway, with the cost to build this fantastic complex being in the region of €130 million. Camier, Hopkins and the rest of the WSB field will first take to the track on Friday morning for the first competitive two-wheeled action on the Russian circuit, before competing in the opening qualifying practice in the afternoon. Saturday morning will have a second qualifying session to confirm the 16-riders that will progress towards that afternoon’s Superpole session, which will see them compete for the best grid positions for Sunday’s two races. The first race – to be held over 25-laps- is first scheduled for 12.00hrs local time (09.00hrs BST), with the second event set to get underway at 15.30hrs local time (12.30hrs BST). Leon Camier: “It’s a new track for all of us, so learning it is going to be the first priority. As it is new for everybody, nobody will have any previous data or info, so we will not be at a disadvantage from the start – as we have been at other circuits. Recently, our FIXI Crescent Suzuki has improved a lot – thanks to the hard work of the whole team – and John and I have been enjoying riding the bike a lot more. The only thing that concerns me about the track in Moscow is the very long straight – as our bike has not got the same top speed as some of our competitors. Hopefully, we’ll get the bike dialled in pretty quickly and qualify well – as we did in the last round and hopefully the weather will be kinder to us as well.” John Hopkins: “There’s not much to say really, as this is a whole new experience for all of us. It’s hard to know what to expect, but at least I know that I learn tracks pretty quickly. I’ve been so much happier recently and I could do more or less what I wanted to do with my FIXI Crescent Suzuki last time out. My confidence has come back and I’m happy pushing the bike hard again. I’m sure I would have had better results if the weather had been consistent in the last round, but that’s one thing none of us can plan for. The bike’s going great at the moment and I want to carry on the momentum this coming weekend and get some good results.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “A new track, so it’s the same situation for all of us to deal with. We start at the same level as everybody else and that’s a first this season, so it’ll be interesting to see how it goes. The bike has improved a lot recently and you can see that by how happy the riders are. We were unlucky with the weather at Silverstone, so hopefully this weekend will be dry or at least consistent throughout. It’s good to see John at the top of his game again and enjoying the racing. I’m also happy because Leon showed our potential in qualifying in the last round. The team have worked their socks off recently and it would be good to see some rewards for all their efforts. Once again, our first goal is to qualify well and be on the front two rows of the grid on race-day. I’m confident that Leon and John will be giving it everything they’ve got and hopefully the results will come.” More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: THE ALTHEA RACING TEAM TRAVELS TO NEW CIRCUIT MOSCOW RACEWAY FOR ROUND 11 OF THE SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Moscow (Russia), Tuesday 21st August 2012: the Althea Racing team is fully prepared for this weekend’s Russian round of the Superbike World Championship, taking place for the first time at Moscow Raceway. This is the first international motorcycle event to be hosted at the brand new track, which officially opened just last month. Riders Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano are looking forward to the challenges that a brand new track will present; putting all of the Superbike riders on an even playing field, it will be interesting to see who adapts best to the circuit at this crucial point of the championship. Riders will a first taste of the track during tomorrow’s test session, ahead of the first practice session on Friday. After ten of fourteen rounds, current champion Checa lies in fourth position in the classification with 220.5 points, behind Sykes (222.5), Melandri (263.5) and Biaggi (274). Davide is tenth in the rider’s standings, well within reach of the riders immediately ahead of him, Fabrizio and Guintoli. Forced to deal with the very unstable weather conditions at the recent Silverstone round, Checa took care to stay upright and finish the races rather than risk a crash, closing in fifth and sixth position. Giugliano crossed the line ninth in race 1, before crashing out of race 2 in the very wet conditions. Both Carlos and Davide will be fighting hard in Sunday’s races to improve their respective positions in the championship standings. Carlos Checa: “It will be interesting to see this brand new track, we don’t know so much about it seeing as it only officially opened a couple of months ago. There is a fairly long straightway which won’t help us but, on the flip side, it’s an anti-clockwise track and I always prefer left-hand tracks. The goal is always the same, to give 100% and aim for the win. There are eight races still to run this season, meaning 200 points are still up for grabs”¦” Davide Giugliano: “I cannot predict how things will go this weekend. We need to see how Wednesday’s test day goes and then build on that starting with Friday’s first practice session, but I hope I can adapt quickly to the new track. It’s perhaps an advantage that no-one knows the circuit so we’ll all in the same boat this time. We’ll see what we are able to do but I can guarantee that I will be giving my all as always.” CIRCUIT DATA: Country: Russia Name: Moscow Raceway Length of circuit: 3.931 km Pole Position: right Race distance: 25 laps = 98.275 km LAP RECORDS: new circuit 2011 RESULTS: new circuit