In a meeting with the press at the Bologna Motorshow, the Mayor of Imola Daniele Manca today confirmed the Imola circuit’s sporting activities for the 2009 season, which will see the return of the FIM Superbike World Championship to the Autodromo ‘Enzo and Dino Ferrari’. The date scheduled for the production-based racing championship, which has been absent from Imola for two years, will be September 27th 2009. Some of the championship’s finest moments have taken place at the Imola circuit: racing fans everywhere can still remember the fantastic battle in 2002 between Bayliss (Ducati) and Edwards (Honda), crucial for the outcome of the world title, which attracted well over 100,000 spectators. “The return of bike racing to our circuit is the fulfilment of a project that, following the recent restructuring work, will confirm the extraordinary potential of the Autodromo” declared Daniele Manca. “Superbikes touch the heart of bike fans everywhere and I am convinced that due to the spectacular nature of the event, it is truly second to none. Thanks to Maurizio Flammini for believing in Imola and the chairman of Formula Imola Massimo Cimatti for making it possible to realize this important new project”. More, from a press release issued by FIM: FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships, Superstock 1000cc FIM Cup 2009 calendar The 2009 calendar of the FIM Superbike and Supersport World Championships and Superstock 1000cc FIM Cup is the following : Dates, Country, Circuit 3/1 Phillip Island, Australia 3/14 * Losail International Raceway, Qatar 4/5 Valencia, Spain 4/26 Assen, Netherlands 5/10 Monza, Italy 5/17 Kyalami, South Africa 5/31 Miller Motorsports Park, USA 6/21 Misano, San Marino 6/28 Donington Park, Great Britain 7/26 Brno, Czech Republic 9/6 Nurburgring, Germany 9/27 Imola, Italy 10/4 Magny Cours, France 10/25 Portimao, Portugal * = Saturday race More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP – VALLELUNGA Following two years of successful collaboration, with record spectator attendance at the Autodromo di Vallelunga Piero Taruffi, the contractual agreement between FGSPORT and the SOCIETA’ VALLELUNGA SBK has been terminated. The FGSPORT group and ACI VALLELUNGA spa have over the years set up an efficient partnership of collaboration and a rapport that has seen a total sharing of organizational and strategic matters. The rapport between the two parties will continue in the certainty that in the not too distant future, they will once again collaborate in important new challenges at the Vallelunga circuit. This therefore is not a goodbye to the Rome public, but only an “arrivederci”.