The fourth round of the season gets underway at Monza this coming weekend with all three of the main Kawasaki hopes ready to enjoy the unique challenge of this circuit on the awesome new Ninja ZX-10R. The fabulously historic Monza is well known to all three official riders, with Tom Sykes in particular keen to return to a circuit he had some high points at last year and at which he expects even more from in 2011. Tom qualified on the second row of the grid at Monza in 2010, and raced his way to fifth in the second race of the day. After a successful recent test in Japan, Tom has even more confidence to take into the next round. For team new boy Joan Lascorz – an experienced WSS rider and race winner for Kawasaki in recent seasons – the circuit is another he has to re-learn now he has taken the step up to Superbike competition. After a largely positive introduction to WSBK racing, including an impressive fifth in one race at Donington Park recently, he has shown that he is a natural on the new Ninja ZX-10R. Like Lascorz, Chris Vermeulen continues to improve his physical condition after a big crash in the 2010 season, with Vermeulen’s right knee now even more improved after more physiotherapy sessions and higher levels of training. Ten times WSBK race winner Chris is looking at completing two strong rides in Italy, and gaining more experience of the Ninja ZX-10R in real race conditions. Monza is the first of three Italian-based rounds in the 2011 championship and it is arguably the biggest. Held on the ultra-high speed parkland circuit, now peppered with chicanes that allow many overtaking opportunities, Monza is a true classic – having witnessed racing for the first time in the 1920s. As well as the long straights and heavy braking areas there are several long and fast curves, all of which demand a high degree of trust between the top riders. The Pedercini Team Kawasaki squad will once more be out in force, with regulars Roberto Rolfo and Mark Aitchison heading to Monza amid all the expectations of a home round for the team and for Rolfo. Tom Sykes: “I am really looking forward to Monza because it is a venue I enjoy and a circuit we had a relatively good result at last year. We should be looking to improve on that result with this year’s bike. I have had a boost because we had a test in Japan after the previous round and we found some good settings, so hopefully those changes will transfer to the Monza round and then through the rest of the calendar. My crew chief Johnny, and also Danilo who is the man behind the electronic strategy, were there in Japan for the test and it was good for me to work with the Japanese development engineers again. It was all a positive. I am quietly confident and I do like racing at Monza.” Joan Lascorz: “Each race I know the bike a bit better and it seems each time if we make a good setup we should be competitive. The choice of the tyres will be important, as we learned in Assen. I think my transition to WSBK has been fine, I feel comfortable and competitive. Not as much as I used to be in WSS but I think that will arrive soon. Our bike is good, KHI is focused so much and my technicians are very good. I just have to learn a little more and regain more physical strength and I’m sure the results will arrive. I know Kawasaki is working hard, and me too, so we are heading in a good direction.” Chris Vermeulen: “My knee was a bit sore and swollen after the Assen weekend but I started back into training and physio and the weather has been good to help me. My doctor is very happy with everything and now I just need to build up muscle strength and endurance in my leg. My intention is to do the full weekend and both races on Sunday at Monza and to become quite competitive again on the new Kawasaki. Our engine is fast and I think we could be competitive with the quicker bikes.” More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki: Parkes And Salom Out To Fly At Superfast Monza No circuit on the WSS calendar can match the sheer velocities reached at Monza and both Broc Parkes and David Salom from the Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com team are going out to enjoy its unique nature. Parkes is a serial winner in this class of racing, but has yet to take his first full victory for Kawasaki despite a few strong podiums since he joined the official Kawasaki team at the end of last year. Broc also knows there is no better place to write your name large in the public consciousness than Monza, one of his personal favourites. Despite some residual pain from a rib injury, Parkes expects to be on top form at Monza, and he is only three points behind the lead after three action packed races in the 12-round series. David is still working to improve his own physical condition to be strong throughout the entire race on May 8. Salom is proving to be a strong asset for the official Kawasaki team, as he is currently in fifth place and only 16 points behind the lead – and therefore only 13 behind Broc. The competition in this class in 2011 is remarkably close. That may see the usual trains of riders using each other’s slipstreams around the ultra-fast Monza bringing in more and more potential competitors this weekend. Always a favourite with riders and spectators, Monza will be a difficult race result to call for this very reason. Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki riders Vittorio Iannuzzo and Massimo Roccoli will be in the mix at their home race, aiming high after some strong results I have already been recorded. Roccoli is now seventh overall. Broc Parkes: “I feel much better in terms of my rib cartilage injury and I have been doing a bit more training, so my injury is getting better and better. I feel we have not been able to show our full abilities in the first three races because of some things that have happened like being run off track at Assen – but we are still second in the championship and only three points off the lead. Monza is a great track but you have to have a strong engine there. If you can stay in the draft you can get pulled along, but you never know at Monza. It is a unique track and it has got to be one of my favourite circuits. The atmosphere is awesome and springtime is a nice time to go there to race.” David Salom: “Monza is a very difficult circuit because there are a lot of areas where there is hard braking and long straights. Now our bike is working very well and therefore I think we can also do very well. I like the second part of the circuit, particularly the Ascari Chicane. When we get there we must work quickly to find good settings as soon as possible and for sure if we do, we can be on top. At the moment after only a few races we can still finish the championship in the top positions as all the top five are now close together. I have to look after my shoulder injury recovery because Assen was a very hard race for me. I am working with my physiotherapist a lot so I hope to be at the highest level when we get to Italy.”