The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team ready for Qatar SBK season finale!
Arezzo/Borgo Panigale (Italy) – The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team travels to Qatar for the closing round of the 2015 Superbike World Championship, confident that its riders Chaz Davies and Xavi Forés (substituting for Davide Giugliano) will be able to finish the season on a high.
Last year’s Qatar round took place according to a night-time track schedule, World Superbikes first experience of floodlit racing. Davies did not have a bad weekend but struggled with some tyre wear issues come race day, scoring a best of fifth in the evening’s second race. Forés was not present at that round but already has some experience of racing at the illuminated Losail track, having done so in Moto2 in 2011.
On the back of his recent run of results, Chaz will be doing all he can to increase his points total as far as possible, so as to consolidate overall second place in the rider’s championship. As he enters this final championship round, the Welshman holds a 16-point lead over third-placed Sykes. Davies also looks forward to celebrating his 100th Superbike race start this coming weekend.
Xavi has already raced with the Aruba Ducati team this season, at both Aragón and Assen, achieving a best of 5th at the Spanish round. He will be aiming to better that result this coming weekend at a track he knows and enjoys.
Comments ahead of the event:
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team #7)
“I quite enjoyed the night format last year once I got used to it. We had two good races and considering how much we were down on speed last season I was happy with the results. We knew our biggest problem was the straight rather than the corners but this year, having made a big step forward with regard to the engine and with a chassis that I’m now really confident with, I’m really looking forward to the weekend. I’m excited to get started and will work hard to close the season with two really strong races.”
Xavi Forés (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team #112)
“I have raced at Losail at night before now and it was a good experience so I’m looking forward to the weekend and hope to be able to improve on the previous results of Aragón and Assen. I’m very interested to see how the factory Panigale R has been developed in recent months, and will do my best to adapt to the bike and the track as quickly as possible. I want to do my very best this weekend, to repay the team for giving me this opportunity.”
More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda:
Guintoli and van der Mark head for final WSBK round of 2015
With the World Superbike championship title already decided, Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark head for the final round of the 2015 season this weekend (16-18 October) at Losail in Qatar.
The two Pata Honda riders have enjoyed a strong upturn in results since the series returned from an extended summer break with Guintoli and van der Mark taking their Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SPs to podium finishes in the last two rounds.
After qualifying in fifth place, Frenchman Guintoli, 33, finished third in a damp race one at his home race Magny-Cours in France two weeks ago, scoring his first podium of the season in front of an appreciative crowd. Qatar will mark Guintoli’s final race with the Pata Honda team and he is looking forward to leaving on a high.
Meanwhile, 22-year-old World Superbike rookie van der Mark took his third podium of the season in the previous round at Jerez in Spain and followed that up with two impressive fourth place finishes at Magny-Cours having started from 15th place on the grid.
The 5.380km Losail circuit near the Qatari capital of Doha, featuring a start-finish straight of 1.068km, hosted World Superbike events from 2005 to 2009. The championship returned following a five-year absence in 2014 to race under the circuit’s famous floodlights for the first time, with both races won by Guintoli.
Sylvain Guintoli
Last year at Qatar were definitely the best racing moments of my career but even before then I really liked the layout of the track and I love racing under the lights there, which I also did while I was racing in MotoGP. It’s a ‘big’ circuit, like Sepang, and it’s fast and flowing, which really suits my riding style. We had a really good weekend at Sepang earlier this season which is another ‘big’ circuit, so I am hopeful that we can aim for something similar. The last three rounds have been really positive with the results we’ve got and it was such a good feeling to finally step on the podium in Magny-Cours. It’s positive for the entire team because it’s what we’ve all been working so hard for during the whole season. I’m hoping we can take that positivity into Qatar and finish in a really strong way, which would be a great reward for everyone.
Michael van der Mark
It might be the end of the season but I’m already looking forward to 2016. It’s sometimes been a difficult learning year on the CBR and, if not for some recurring technical issues, I think we could have been fighting for the podium more often. I think we have shown in the last few races how strong we can be and I think going 4-4 in the last round at Magny-Cours was a really good result from a difficult qualifying position. I like the circuit at Qatar, it suits my style and I think it suits the CBR since Johnny [Rea] was on the podium last year. I was also able to finish last season really nicely under the lights by winning my last World Supersport race. We’ll be working really hard to be at the front again this weekend to finish again in some style.
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator
So, we head into the final round and, of course, the last race for Sylvain with the team. We all wish him well in his new adventure but, before that begins, I hope he can continue the form that took him to the podium in Magny-Cours. Mikey’s qualifying performance in France wasn’t that strong but he had some technical issues during free practice as well. Despite starting from 15th on the grid, he showed in the races the real potential that lies in him and the CBR. We will be working very hard throughout the practice sessions in Qatar to minimize any issues and help him to a good qualifying position. Hopefully he will then get a chance to finish this season’s races fighting for the podium once more.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki:
Plenty For KRT Riders To Play For In Final Floodlit Round
2015 FIM Superbike World Champion Jonathan Rea (KRT) and serial race winner Tom Sykes (KRT) are each chasing their season-end ambitions at the final round of the championship, which for the second year in succession will be held under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar, this coming weekend.
Having secured the championship for the first time in his first season as an official Kawasaki rider, with five races to spare, Rea will be out to secure the all-time points score in a WorldSBK season by going for two wins at the 5.380km circuit.
For Sykes his personal goal, after contributing much to the Manufacturers’ Championship win for Kawasaki, is to finish second in the championship standings. He will have to overturn a 16-point deficit to current second placed rider Chaz Davies over the two floodlit races on Sunday 18th October.
Rea’s season will become the best ever in terms of outright points scores if he gathers 25 or more over the two 17-lap Losail races. He currently has 528 points, while all-time record holder Colin Edwards set a total of 552 back in the 2002 season.
‘JR’s’ season has been quite remarkable, winning 14 races and taking 22 podiums from the 24 races held so far. One more win for Rea this weekend would take his career total to 30. Two victories would take his to the same career race wins total as Colin Edwards, on 31. This tally would put him in joint fifth place overall. After winning both races at the most recent round in Magny-Cours Rea enters the season finale full of confidence and determination to go for full points scores again.
Sykes has also been a multiple race winner in 2015, with four race victories so far. He has also taken 13 podiums since the start of the year, five Tissot-Superpole wins and six fastest laps. Two podiums at Magny-Cours in the previous round allowed him to make up ground on Davies in the fight for second place.
Both Rea and Sykes were more than interested parties at the recent unveiling of the 2016 Ninja ZX-10R, which both riders will soon compete on as they continue their partnerships with KRT for next season.
Last year the WorldSBK field raced under floodlights at Losail for the first time ever, with the experience voted a great success. Both KRT competitors are looking forward to a return to what is a special and unique event, to finish off what has been a hugely successful season over the first 12 rounds.
Jonathan Rea stated: “I have been on cloud nine since Magny-Cours and then joining in with the excitement of the new Ninja ZX-10R. I was lucky enough to ride it last month so it was nice to see the enthusiasm about it from everybody else. The feeling I had leaving Magny-Cours with another 50 points was amazing. Qatar was a track I really enjoyed last year so I am really looking forward to seeing how the Ninja ZX-10R operates around the track; then making a really good plan for each session with my crew chief Pere Riba to make sure we arrive on Sunday in a strong position. Losail is a circuit I love and it suits my style. It also provides good racing as well. I am excited to go and finish off an amazing season for me, for the team and for Kawasaki, having already secured the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ Championships. It is important for me to go into the off-season with great motivation and great memories of the year, so I am looking forward to trying to make sure we have a really nice weekend.”
Tom Sykes stated: “Ideally the aim is to finish second in the championship. From a personal point of view it would be nice because in the previous three seasons we have always been inside the top two with Kawasaki, and so close to the championship wins. We had only missed out on two more world championships by a few points. The best way to try and finish second overall is to go and win both races, for sure. It is never easy but Qatar is a circuit I am really looking forward to. I really enjoy the whole atmosphere and racing in the evenings. It is quite strange because you are able to relax and enjoy yourself during the daytime but then when everybody starts shutting down for the day we go off and race motorcycles. The circuit itself is such a great venue. Under the floodlights it is quite unique.”
David Salom (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven Kawasaki) will take part in what is a mini-decider in their personal duel to be the top Ninja ZX-10R rider from Spain this year. Currently Roman is on 71 points, in 14th place, with Salom just three points behind, in 15th place.
More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing:
ALTHEA RACING PREVIEW: LOSAIL
The 2015 eni FIM Superbike World Championship returns to the track for the final round of the season at the Losail International Circuit in Doha, Qatar.
The track is just a few kilometres from the city and was inaugurated in 2004. It is one of very few tracks where races can be held at night thanks to an extensive flood lighting system. Up until 2009 the Superbikes raced in Qatar but during the day, while this is the second year in which they will race at night. The riders will nevertheless experience high temperatures and will also have to deal with a lack of grip due to winds that carry the desert sands onto the track.
The Team arrives from the French round at Magny-Cours where it brought home two good results in both races.
Matteo Baiocco wants to close his season positively, retaining eighth position in the general standings and, despite never having raced at this track, he will undoubtedly do his best to interpret it as quickly as possible in order to complete two top-level races.
Niccolò Canepa, on the other hand, has already raced at the Losail International Circuit, both in MotoGP and last year’s Superbike event when, on the Team Althea bike and riding in the EVO category, he concluded the weekend with a win and a second place finish. He has high hopes of doing well as well as enjoying the weekend.
Niccolò Canepa: “Unfortunately we’ve already come to the last round of the season. I’m very motivated and really want to do well. I like the track and last year I was very fast in both races, bringing home a win and a second place finish in the EVO category. I have a good feeling about the upcoming weekend.”
Matteo Baiocco: “I want to close the season well and it would be a significant result for me to finish in eighth place in the championship. I want to do well in qualifying, seeing as in the races I’ve always had strong pace. Starting from a good position is fundamental for the races. I can’t wait to get on track.”