WSBK back to UK for Round 9 at Silverstone Rome (Italy), Tuesday 30 July 2013 – The eni FIM Superbike World Championship will be back in action this week for Round 9 at Silverstone, still mourning the loss of Italian rider Andrea Antonelli. The Northamptonshire circuit made his WSBK return in 2010 with a completely new layout and, as it used to be back then, the series will be using the “old pits” and the start/finish straight between “Woodcote” and “Copse” curve. Two technical problems, one during the Tissot-Superpole and the other on lap 4 of the only one WSBK race performed this year at Moscow Raceway, have left Tom Sykes empty-handed in the weekend when the one-year contract extension – between the Brit and the Akashi manufacturer- was made official. Sykes lies now 2nd in the standings, just 4 points behind Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), who rode through the pain barrier to secure a sixth place under ever changing weather conditions – unlike the other works Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty, who fell off his RSV4 on the sixteenth lap and had to withdraw from the race. Frenchman won race 2 at Silverstone one year ago – in the wet – after leader (and Race 1 winner) Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) crashed out, moments before the race was red flagged – and then ended. After winning at Moscow Raceway the 13th World Superbike race of his career, Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) has narrowed the gap with the front down to 32 points. The Italian – as well as his team mate Chaz Davies – will try and keep the concentration up on the final goal, despite the fresh announcement by BMW regarding the future sporting plans of the German manufacturer. Following the disappointing result of the 8 Hours race – despite a brilliant effort – Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) is looking forward to a good performance on the track that saw him finishing twice second in 2010 (behind Cal Crutchlow), while winner at Suzuka Leon Haslam hopes to bring some good momentum to his difficult season. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) scored his 2012 only podium place at Silverstone, by sliding along the finish straight – and over the line – in Race 1, after losing control of his BMW. The Italian targets another great result on the British venue after bringing the 1199 Panigale R to a long awaited maiden WSBK rostrum finish at Moscow Raceway. Carlos Checa won both races the year before, onboard the Ducati 1198. The FIXI Crescent Suzuki Team – still looking for its first top-3 race finish in the season – aims to turn the page on a difficult first part of the season and to shine, in front of the home crowd, with its riders Leon Camier and Jules Cluzel. Standings – provisional (round 8 of 15): 1. Guintoli 239; 2. Sykes 235; 3. Melandri 207; 4. Laverty 190; 5. Davies 174; 6. Baz 144; 7. Rea 138; 8. Fabrizio 131; 9. Giugliano 99; 10. Camier 87; 11. Cluzel 83; 12. Badovini 75; 13. Neukirchner 69; 14. Checa 59; 15. Haslam 42; 16. Sandi 33; 17. Clementi 18; 18. Iannuzzo 15; 19. Canepa 11; 20. Lundh 10; 21. Lai 8; 22. Allerton 6; 23. Stauffer 4; 24. Akiyoshi 2; 25. Haga 2; 26. Aitchison 2. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 300; 2. Kawasaki 267; 3. BMW 262; 4. Honda 151; 5. Suzuki 129; 6. Ducati 112. * Possible updated results could be defined by the International Disciplinary Court which is dealing with the appeal lodged by Aprilia Racing Team and rider Sylvain Guintoli, following the decision taken by the FIM Stewards in Monza (Italian Round, last 12 May) to cancel the drop of position sanction (from third to fourth place in race 2) imposed by the Race Direction on rider Tom Sykes. World Supersport As the fatal crash that led to the tragic loss of Andrea Antonelli brought to race cancellation at Moscow Raceway, World Supersport riders are about to face the ninth round of the season at Silverstone with the same standings positions as after late June’s race at Imola. Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha) will try to maintain his 34 points margin over defending Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki). The Turkish was 5th last year on the English track, after an outstanding recover following an early run-off into the gravel, while home rider was edged by former team mate Jules Cluzel at the chequered flag by only 0.157 seconds. Frenchman Fabien Foret (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki) aims to mix it up front, as well as Suzuka 8 Hours winning team member Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport). Despite the injuries sustained after finding himself involuntarily involved in Andrea Antonelli’s crash, and the shock after it, Lorenzo Zanetti will be on track this weekend at Silverstone to race for the departed rival and friend. Former British Supersport stars and WSS rookies Jack Kennedy (Rivamoto Honda) and Christian Iddon (ParkinGo MV Agusta Corse) are hoping for a strong performance on a track they both know very well. David Salom (Intermoto Ponyexpres Kawasaki) joins back team mate Luca Scassa after missing the last round in what’s been so far a very tough season (the Spaniard has only two races under his belt in 2013). AARK Racing Team has decided to switch to Honda for the rest of the season, meaning Australian Mitchell Carr will be riding a CBR600RR – after racing a Triumph Daytona 675 for eight rounds. Standings (round 8 of 14): 1. Lowes 140; 2. Sofuoglu 106; 3. Foret 85; 4. Vd Mark 73; 5. Zanetti 68; 6. Scassa 63; 7. Antonelli 55; 8. Kennedy 47; 9. Leonov 42; 10. Rolfo 40; 11. Marino 39; 12. Morais 36; 13. Russo 28; 14. Coghlan 22; 15. Ivanov 18. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 155; 2. Yamaha 148; 3. Honda 104; 4. MV Agusta 46; 5. Suzuki 19; 6. Triumph 6. Superstock 1000 After the race win achieved at Imola one month ago, Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) leads the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup standings by 12 points over Niccolò Canepa (Barni Racing Ducati), who was 2nd at the flag on home soil while team mate Eddi La Marra crashed out on Lap 9, as he was trying to keep up with the Frenchman. La Marra heads to the double race at Silverstone focussed on redeeming himself after a DNF that had a big impact in his Title chase – as he lies now 4th in the standings with a 26-point gap from Barrier. The Italian scored last year, on the British venue, his first ever win in the series. Similar situation for Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki), who needs some strong finishes to stay in contention for victory. Standings (round 5 of 10): 1. Barrier 95; 2. Canepa 83; 3. Guarnoni 70; 4. La Marra 69; 5. Mercado 60; 6. Savadori 46; 7. Jezek 45; 8. Bussolotti 33; 9. Lanusse 32; 10. Lussiana 25; 11. Andreozzi 23; 12. Gildenhuys 16; 13. Massei 15; 14. Bergman 15; 15. McFadden 13; etc. Manufacturers: 1. BMW 106; 2. Ducati 101; 3. Kawasaki 83; 4. Honda 17; 5. Suzuki 5. Superstock 600 Despite a 10-point lead on Franco Morbidelli (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki), Gauthier Duwelz (MTM-MVR Racing Yamaha) needs to get back on top step of the podium to slow down the impressive momentum of the Italian rider. The young Belgian hasn’t won since the second race of the season at Assen while Morbidelli, even though he was edged out by team mate Alessandro Nocco for the win at Imola, has officially raised to the status of title contender. Tony Covena (Nito Racing Kawasaki) and Bastien Chesaux (EAB Ten Kate Junior Honda), third and fourth in the standings respectively with 19 and 20 points from the leader, will try to be part of the battle for the top-3 in the two races scheduled for the weekend. Standings (round 5 of 10): 1. Duwelz 84; 2. Morbidelli 74; 3. Coveña 65; 4. Chesaux 64; 5. Nocco 50; 6. Gamarino 47; 7. Morrentino 44; 8. Salvadori 37; 9. Nestorovic 33; 10. Mulhauser 32; 11. Casalotti 25; 12. Tessels 19; 13. Vitali 19; 14. Tuuli 17; 15. Schmitter 17; 16. Tatasciore 16; 17. Marchal 14; 18. Mercandelli 9; 19. D’Annunzio 8; 20. Jones 7; 21. Mamola 5; 22. Nekvasil 5; 23. Vavrous 5; 24. Cecchini 2; 25. Spedale 1; 26. Basic 1. European Junior Cup Thanks to his first win of the season at Imola, young Frenchman Guillaume Raymond (Activbike) moved up to first place in the Pata European Junior Cup standings. The fight for the Title of the entry-level, one make series powered by Honda is still very close as the UK Round draws near: former leader Michael Canducci (Colors Experience) and Robin Anne (Anne Formation) are second and third with 2 and 3 points respectively from the leader, while Kiwi Jake Lewis (Jake Lewis Racing) is only 7 points behind Raymond. Standings (round 4 of 8): 1. Raymond 48; 2. Canducci 46; 3. Anne 45; 4. Lewis 41; 5. Fernandez 36; 6. Sebestyen 35; 7. Pittet 29; 8. Fernandez 28; 9. Bendsneijder 25; 10. Flitcroft 25; 11. Levy 23; 12. Manfredi 23; 13. Rusmiputro 21; 14. Bodis 20; 15. Arenas 20; etc. More, from a press release issued by FIXI Crescent Suzuki: FIXI Crescent Suzuki is homeward bound for round nine The FIXI Crescent Suzuki team will make its second appearance on home soil in this season’s eni FIM Superbike World Championship when it heads to Silverstone in England this weekend. Leon Camier and Jules Cluzel will be making welcome returns to the circuit that holds pleasant memories for both of them. Camier has tasted success at the English track with a number of podiums and wins in various championships, including securing the British Superbike title. He also set the weekend’s best overall lap-time at last season’s event, so will be looking to emulate that type of form on his Yoshimura powered GSX-R at Silverstone this year. Cluzel was triumphant at the English circuit in the World Supersport race last season, as he took victory in the 600cc class after setting the weekend’s fastest lap and securing pole position. The Frenchman also secured his first-ever Moto2™ race win at Silverstone in 2010. Cluzel is looking to follow on with the good form he showed in Russia recently that saw him perform strongly in practice and qualifying, only for his efforts to be thwarted in the race when he was knocked off on the first corner by another rider. He was able to re-mount and continue the race in the awful conditions, before eventually finishing 10th, but was aware that a very good result was possible in Moscow. Silverstone was built on the site of a former RAF airfield and the 5,902m track is the longest circuit on the calendar. It is situated in the Northamptonshire countryside in England, approximately 80-miles north of London. The layout is quick and flowing with a mixture of fast, slow and technical corners and some long straights, which leads to some impressive lap-times and competitive racing. With a total of 18-turns throughout its layout, including world famous corners such as Luffield, Woodcote and Maggots, Silverstone is still one of the most iconic race-tracks in the world and for 2013 World Superbikes will be making a return to the ‘National Paddock’, in a move designed by the organisers and the circuit to give racing fans a better and more involved experience. FIXI Crescent Suzuki will take to the track for the first time on Friday for the initial free practice session, which will be followed by the opening qualifying session in the afternoon. Saturday will see the second qualifier to decide the 15-riders that will head towards the afternoon’s Superpole session, to challenge for the best grid positions for Sunday’s two 18-lap races. Leon Camier: “It’s always special to race in the UK and in-front of the home fans on my FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R. I really like it at Silverstone and it’s a track that I’ve had a lot of success at in the past. It will be a better atmosphere this year as the start-line has moved back to the National Paddock, but the layout is still the same. I had the best lap throughout the whole weekend last year, but the races didn’t go to plan although we were looking good in the first race until I crashed! The FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R is improving all the time, so hopefully we’ll start turning these promising moments into positive results very soon.” Jules Cluzel: “This is really strange for me to have a second home race in the season, before I have had one in my home country! I felt really good in Russia and I was certain of a good result no matter what the conditions were, but I didn’t expect to be knocked off on the very first corner, so this ruined my chances. The FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R worked well at the Moscow track and hopefully we can transfer that to Silverstone. I like this track a lot, it’s very long, but one that I enjoy racing at and I have good memories here. This is a very important event for the whole team, because we have many guests coming and I’m sure there will be lots of people at the track cheering for the team, I just hope we can put on a great show for them and give them some really good results.” More, from a press release issued by Team SBK Ducati Alstare: It’s all systems go as Team SBK Ducati Alstare prepares for Silverstone Silverstone (UK), Tuesday 30 July 2013: Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini (Team SBK Ducati Alstare) are all set to take part in this weekend’s ninth round of the World Superbike Championship at Silverstone, the last event before the traditional summer break. Two weeks ago the team competed at Moscow Raceway, with Ayrton scoring the first podium of the season for team SBK Ducati Alstare and also achieving the first podium for the 1199 Panigale in this championship, crossing the line in third position at the end of what proved to be an extremely wet race. Luck was not with Carlos at Russia’s Raceway but although he took a knock to the head in two separate crashes during the weekend, he is now fit and well and looking forward to joining his team-mate Ayrton on the British track this coming weekend. Both riders are confident ahead of Silverstone, a track at which Carlos took the double win in 2011 and Ayrton reached the podium during last year’s event. Carlos Checa: “Silverstone is a very different track to Moscow Raceway – the English circuit has fast sections where you’re riding full throttle, and that will mean a disadvantage for us. Having said that, I’ve always felt happy riding there and I hope to be able to continue the positive work carried out during the Misano tests and at Moscow during the practices. The aim is to continue to grow, build and carry this project forward.” Checa’s Superbike form at Silverstone: 2012: Race 1 – 5th, Race 2 – 6th 2011: Race 1 – winner, Race 2 – winner 2010: Race 1- 7th, Race 2 – 10th Ayrton Badovini: “My main objective this weekend is to get back the good sensation that I had in dry conditions before the Moscow round, during both the Imola practices and tests at Misano. Of course, being a British track, the weather is always an unknown but if conditions were to be strange or wet let’s just say that I wouldn’t be too upset, considering how it went for me in the wet last year at Silverstone!” Badovini’s Superbike form at Silverstone: 2012: Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – DNF 2011: Race 1 – 10th, Race 2 – 10th CIRCUIT DATA: Country: UK Name: Silverstone Length of circuit: 5.780 km Pole Position: right Race distance: 18 laps = 106.236 km LAP RECORDS: Best lap – Crutchlow (Yamaha) 2’05.259 (2010). Superpole – Hopkins (Suzuki) 2’04.041 (2011). 2012 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Baz (Kawasaki); 3. Fabrizio (BMW); 3. Badovini (BMW). Race 2 – 1. Guintoli (Ducati); 2. Baz (Kawasaki); 3. Smrz (Ducati). More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda Superbike Team: Haslam and Rea back to SBK action at Silverstone Pata Honda riders Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea will return to World Superbike action this weekend (2-4 August) for the ninth round event at Silverstone in the UK, just a few days after contesting the prestigious Suzuka 8-hours race in Japan. The Suzuka race was won by Haslam, who teamed up with Pata Honda World Supersport team-mate, Michael van der Mark, and Japanese rider Takumi Takahashi. Rea had looked to be well-placed to repeat last year’s victory before his own team-mate, Ryuichi Kiyonari, crashed out of contention. Both riders will arrive at Silverstone following an event with Honda colleagues at the company’s European HQ on Wednesday 31 July and both are keen to get back to their regular Honda CBR1000RR machines on the fast and flowing 5.902km circuit in central England, home to the British Formula 1 Grand Prix. Haslam, 30, has not won at Silverstone but visited the podium in 2010 and was leading last year’s race on slick tyres when rain began to fall, turning the circuit into an ice rink and the race into a lottery. Rea took two second-place finishes in that 2010 event and the 26-year-old missed the following year’s races through injury. He took fourth place in race one last season but was bizarrely taken out by another rider’s machine immediately after crossing the finishing line. Leon Haslam Suzuka was an amazing experience and I struggled a bit during my first stint, probably trying too hard to be precise and have a good pace. Also, the compensating I had to do for my leg ended up giving me some really bad back problems, but it was all worth it in the end. Now it’s all change for Silverstone this weekend, but I’m really looking forward to it. I love the circuit and was on the podium in 2010 and led the race last year when we all got caught out on slicks when the rain came. I missed the races at Donington earlier this year because of my leg injury, so this will be the only chance to ride in front of the British fans this season, so it’s something I’m really looking forward to. Jonathan Rea I was devastated to finish the 8-hour race the way we did, but these things happen and I was happy for my Pata Honda team-mates and for Honda. I’m feeling really good though and looking forward to getting back on my bike this weekend. I’ve had mixed results at Silverstone in the past and I’ve had some great races there; I particularly remember a couple of second places in 2010, which I really enjoyed. We struggled a bit last year, but it’s a nice circuit to ride. The modifications made to the track in recent years have made it better but I’ll attack it the same way I attack every other circuit. Of course, being a second British round, it’ll be good to see a lot of friendly faces there, even if they can be quite far away in some places. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Home Race For Sykes And A Favourite For Baz At Silverstone WSBK, Silverstone, Great Britain, 30 July 2013 Tom Sykes and Loris Baz will compete for the Kawasaki Racing Team at Silverstone circuit in the ninth round of the FIM Superbike World Championship this weekend, with podium finishes in their sights After a sombre end to the recent Moscow Raceway round and the cancellation of the second Russian SBK race as a mark of respect to the late Andrea Antonelli, Silverstone is the venue for the entire SBK paddock to reconvene at between 2 and 4 August. There will be one but two races for each Superstock class at this event, in addition to the usual two SBK races and single WSS event. Silverstone is the second British round of the year for Yorkshireman Tom Sykes to compete at. His first home round at Donington in late May delivered him a virtually perfect race weekend, which was topped off by a double race win. For Sykes two more race victories would be the perfect way to finish the first part of the season, before the long summer break which will run almost all the way to the end of August. Tom is currently second in the championship by only four points and with a win total of five races, more than any other rider in 2013. Loris Baz had his first career SBK race win at Silverstone last year, riding his Kawasaki Racing Team machine to the top spot in a rain-affected first race and then taking second spot in race two to underline his true talent. Loris, now 20, has reached the podium again in 2013, taking third at Assen and aiming to be in a position to fight for another top three by qualifying well at Silverstone. Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) goes for more points in his rookie SBK season but he will have a new riding partner at Silverstone, as Alex Lundh (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) continues his recuperation from a wrist injury. Mark Aitchison, who used to ride for Team Pedercini in SBK, is scheduled to rejoin the squad for this SBK round. Leandro Mercado and Lorenzo Savadori will ride as usual for the Kawasaki Pedercini Team in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup class, while Jeremy Guarnoni and Romain Lanusse lead the MRS Kawasaki charge in England. Tom Sykes: “At the previous round we had an issue in the race but we had been fastest in most of the practice sessions and had great race pace. So in that respect I am happy. When you are pushing at the front of races sometimes mistakes or issues come along. Last year at Silverstone in normal conditions the Ninja ZX-10R was good but in the wet conditions of raceday we struggled a bit. I think many people understand that we have made a big step with the set-up since then. I am looking forward to racing again in front of my home crowd and hopefully we can have a similar kind of result as we did at Donington, but we will see. I am going to Silverstone relaxed and motivated and we can look to hopefully get ourselves back on track. There is a long summer break afterwards with three weeks off; then in September the calendar gets really busy again. So a good result at Silverstone would be ideal to enjoy the summer break all the more.” Loris Baz: “I had a short holiday in Spain after Moscow and now I am ready for the Silverstone weekend. After everything that happened in Moscow it will be good to be back racing. I really like Silverstone and after I won a race there last year I had a really good weekend. We are at a moment in the season when I need a strong weekend. I think we can make a good weekend and we need it again. I am not sure why I like Silverstone but I always enjoyed it when I rode it in Superstock and in BSB. It is a really nice track and to go England is always cool because I know the British spectators and I have some good fans there so I am always happy to go to race in the UK.” More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki: Opportunities Abound For Sofuoglu And Foret At Silverstone WSS, Silverstone, Great Britain, 30 July 2013 Kawasaki Mahi Racing Team India riders Kenan Sofuoglu and Fabien Foret head to the Silverstone round of the SBK championship with a clear purpose of closing in on the championship lead After the tragic events that led to the passing of Andrea Antonelli at the previous round in Russia, and which eventually brought about the cancellation of the WSS race as a mark of respect to him, the championship now enters the ninth round – although only seven races have been completed so far. Including Silverstone there are now six rounds of the WSS series left to run in 2013. Sofuoglu was the most recent race winner in the championship, at Imola in late June, while Foret is out to try and win his first race since the second round of the year, Motorland Aragon in Spain. Due to rider injuries there are still some final decisions to be made in terms of some supported Kawasaki teams’ final line-ups in WSS. David Salom (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) has passed a fitness test in time to take his normal place in his team alongside Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres). British rider Kevin Coghlan (Kawasaki DMC-Lorenzini) will take his regular spot in the WSS race line-up too. Kenan Sofuoglu: “I like the Silverstone track and I think it should be a positive round for us. I just hope for good weather in the UK because right now my bike is very strong and everything feels good with it. I just want to get to Silverstone and take the best result possible. I also hope we can improve our set-up again and keep going in a good direction.” Fabien Foret: “I am looking forward to riding at the great track of Silverstone again this weekend. There is no more pressure than usual but I do need to be back to the top of the time sheets and fight for the win. This should be one of the good tracks for me. We can try to put some pressure on the championship leader and try to get closer to the lead in the championship. I will be out to hit a good target this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: FIM SUPERBIKE / SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 09 SUNDAY AUGUST 4 SILVERSTONE, GREAT BRITAIN PREVIEW SILVERSTONE A KEY HOME EVENT FOR BOTH REA AND HASLAM The ninth round of the FIM Superbike World Championship takes place on Sunday August 4, at Silverstone in the English Midlands, shortly before the start of the summer break in the 15-round SBK calendar. It has been a busy period running up to this event for team-mates Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team). They competed in the eighth round of the SBK championship at Moscow Raceway on July 21, and then took part in the Suzuka 8 Hour race on July 28, with contrasting fortunes. Now they each return to home soil in the UK to take on the challenge of SBK racing once again. Rea, who was unable to finish the Suzuka 8 Hour race because of a crash involving his team-mate, now turns his attentions to moving onwards and upwards from his current seventh place in the SBK points table. Jonathan has scored three podiums in 2013 so far on his CBR1000RR but is looking for his first win of the year to add to his career total of ten. He has enjoyed some good experiences at Silverstone, having scored podium finishes there in the recent past. Despite still being in the recuperation stages after badly breaking his left lower leg at Assen way back in April, Leon Haslam has shown that he is well on the way to recovery with his recent joint win at the Suzuka 8 Hour endurance race. The SBK races at Silverstone offer Leon a real opportunity to test his recent level of improvement; particularly at a circuit he too has scored podium finishes at in previous seasons. After the long summer break, which follows the British weekend, the SBK paddock will reconvene at another iconic circuit for round ten at the Nürburgring in Germany, between August 30 and September 1. VAN DER MARK AND ZANETTI PREPARE FOR ANOTHER BRITISH ROUND The ninth round of the FIM Supersport World Championship will take place at the fast and flat Silverstone circuit in the UK on Sunday August 4, with Dutchman Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) and Italian Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) each ready to push for podium finishes. For Van der Mark, an impressive winning ride alongside Leon Haslam and Takumi Takahashi at the Suzuka 8 Hour race sets him up in good shape for the Silverstone WSS round. Michael aims to close the points gap in the championship standings to promote himself from his current placing of fourth. In his rookie WSS season Michael has already scored two podium places and three other top five finishes, to give him a current points total of 73. One place behind Michael is his team-mate Lorenzo Zanetti. Battered and bruised during a fast crash in what was an eventually abandoned Moscow Raceway WSS race, Lorenzo is hoping to move on from the previous round in Russia, which was eventually cancelled after his Italian compatriot Andrea Antonelli was fatally injured. Silverstone, one of the most famous names in all of motorsport, has been a rewarding venue for Van der Mark, who was pole man in his championship winning Superstock 600 European Championship season in 2012 for Honda. He went on to finish second in the race last year, before taking the championship itself at the final round. Zanetti, an SBK rider last season but a Superstock 1000 FIM Cup runner in 2011, was second at Silverstone in 2011’s FIM Cup race. A result of that magnitude this year would be mission accomplished for the 25-year-old rider from Brescia, who like his team-mate is also a full-season rookie in the WSS class. Other Honda riders have real reason to look forward to Silverstone, not least former British Supersport challenger Jack Kennedy (Rivamoto Honda). His best result of his rookie WSS season has been sixth in a race, which he has now posted on two occasions. Irishman Kennedy is currently eighth overall. Unlike some other circuits on the WSS trail, Kennedy has intimate knowledge of the Silverstone track. Sheridan Morais (PTR Honda) comes back to the WSS class at Silverstone after missing the Russian round to recover from a painful right shoulder injury that has dogged most of his 2013 season so far. Another recently injured rider, Luca Marconi (PTR Honda) is set to rejoin the action in England, as the young Italian rider goes for more top ten race success at what is a home round for his PTR team. He has had an operation on his broken right forearm, with a steel plate now reinforcing the fractured areas. Another Italian rider, Raffaele De Rosa (Team Lorini Honda), moves on to the UK with a personal best of ninth so far, as he sits in 19th position overall. Gabor Talmacsi (PRORACE Honda) will miss another race for his Czech team and at this event recent Honda WSS rider Ronan Quarmby will be his replacement. Austrian rider David Linortner (Team Honda PTR) looks to add to his 2013 points total in England while Imre Toth (Racing Team Toth Honda), Eduard Blokhin (Rivamoto Honda), Nacho Calero Perez (Honda PTR) and Matt Davies (Team Honda PTR) aim to score their first points of the year against a strong line up of riders. After the summer break the next race for the WSS riders will be held at the Nürburgring, on September 1. HONDA RIDER COMMENTS: Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) “I was devastated to finish the 8-hour race the way we did, but these things happen and I was happy for my Pata Honda team-mates and for Honda. I’m feeling really good though and looking forward to getting back on my bike this weekend. I’ve had mixed results at Silverstone in the past and I’ve had some great races there; I particularly remember a couple of second places in 2010, which I really enjoyed. We struggled a bit last year, but it’s a nice circuit to ride. The modifications made to the track in recent years have made it better but I’ll attack it the same way I attack every other circuit. Of course, being a second British round, it’ll be good to see a lot of friendly faces there, even if they can be quite far away in some places.” Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) “Suzuka was one of those weekends where everything went to plan. I did not expect the win, because of my leg and so on, but it all went well. We have been very busy recently and I have just come back from Suzuka. Things have gone from just finishing two races at Imola to winning the 8 Hour in a short space of time. I want to continue that momentum into Silverstone. Every year we have been challenging for podiums and wins there. I had a podium in 2010 and led by two seconds last year until the rain caught us out on slick tyres. It is a track that we can be good at, even if there are a couple of big long straights. They are not going to be too handy for us but there are some big long flowing corners leading onto them. Jonathan has had good results at Silverstone in the past and that proves that the Honda can be competitive there. This will be the only chance I will get to race in front of my home crowd in 2013 so I am going to give it a good go.” Michael van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) “I feel great after the Suzuka 8 Hour race and I had never achieved something big like this before. It was very special. Now we go to Silverstone for WSS and it has always been one of my favourite tracks. I am hoping we can have a good result in the race there because I have had some good results in Superstock before, especially in qualifying. It should take only a few laps to get back into Supersport mode. I have ridden the CBR600RR so much this season it should not be difficult to get back on it at Silverstone. We’ll have to see how it goes on Friday and I’ll try to be near the front.” Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) “The crash in Moscow was very big – the data said it was 255kph – and, of course, it affected everybody a lot. I broke my thumb and a finger, and injured my right foot and damaged ligaments in my left knee. I had some surgery on the finger when I got home to Italy so I hope everything will be OK for this weekend at Silverstone. I want to start again immediately because I don’t think it would be good to wait a long time without riding the bike. The Silverstone circuit is OK, very fast and long, so I hope the weather is good and we can have a good weekend.” Jack Kennedy (Rivamoto Honda) “I am back to 100% training even though my knee injury is not quite 100% right. I had an MRI scan and I just have some soft tissue damage, which may take time to recover. I still have some swelling on it. My weight is good, I’m really happy and I suppose you could say I am confident going into this round. I cannot wait to get back out there on my bike at a track that I know. I hope to be able to go for it from the first session. I know where I am from the start at this track this time around.” Sheridan Morais (PTR Honda) “I missed Moscow so I could rest up and I feel a lot better now. I absolutely love Silverstone, so nothing was going to make me miss this round. I think a podium is possible and will be giving it my all.” Luca Marconi (PTR Honda) “I had an operation on my arm and I hope it will be OK to let me race. I think my arm is around 80% so we will have to see how it goes in the race. I am looking forward to a good result. I have a plate with several screws and because it is my right arm that I broke, that’s the one you use for the throttle and the brake. I know Silverstone but it is maybe not my favourite track. It is a home race for my team, so I hope for a good race result for myself and for them.” More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Team Althea Racing – Silverstone SBK preview The ninth round of the Superbike World Championship will take place over the weekend of August 2nd- 3th – 4th at the historic Silverstone circuit in Northamptonshire, UK. Silverstone was opened as a World War Two airfield in 1943, near the leafy village of the same name. On October 2nd 1948, amid straw bales and ropes, Silverstone’s first event took place, the RAC Grand Prix. In 1951, the British Racing Drivers’ Club took over the lease from the RAC and set about turning the temporary airfield track into something more permanent. Much work was done at circuits all rounds the country to improve safety during the 1960s. Further track revisions to reduce speeds came in June 1994 and by 2003 Silverstone had opened its gates to a vastly improved road infrastructure. In November 2009, work commenced on a series of developments to establish Silverstone as a premier motorsport venue and one of the best motor sport facilities in the world. Work on a magnificent new Pit and Paddock Complex and Conferencing Facility, the Silverstone Wing, is now complete. Only two weeks after the tragic Moscow round, team Althea Racing returns to the track at Silverstone for the ninth round of the World Superbike Championship. Davide Giugliano obtained the first Superpole of his career in Moscow but then, in the only race to take place, he was the victim of a crash during the course of the second lap. Both the rider and his team want to head to Silverstone and confirm the progress shown during previous rounds, progress that has allowed Davide to fight in the leading group and challenge the factory riders for race wins. Davide Giugliano: “Silverstone is a really great track and I really like racing there, despite the fact that in both Superbike and Superstock 1000 I’ve never really achieved the results I hoped for. Next weekend in England my aim will be to continue the work carried out together with my team in recent rounds that has allowed us to improve continuously. The weather in the UK is always an unknown and so I hope it doesn’t rain and that the climate works in our favour.” More, from a press release issued by PTR Honda: WITH Sheridan Morais and Luca Marconi returning from injury, PTR Honda is looking for this season’s best results at its second home event, the ninth round of the World Supersport Championship at Silverstone in the UK this Sunday, August 4th. Morais has been struggling with a shoulder injury that is now rested. He will require surgery at the end of the season but is confident he can be competitive this weekend. Sheridan said: “I missed Moscow so I could rest up and feel a lot better now. I absolutely love Silverstone, so nothing was going to make me miss this round. I think a podium is possible and will be giving it my all.” Luca is back after breaking his arm and is targeting another personal best for the season, looking deep into the top 10. David Linortner on his PTR Honda has shown flashes of what he is capable of and if he can maintain concentration and focus, the Silverstone circuit suits the PTR Honda so he has the potential to come away with his best result of the 2013 season. Matt Davies says Silverstone is a favourite circuit and this could be the moment that the 17-year-old shows his true potential and gets into the points. Nacho Calero should also be able to use the high speed of the PTR Honda to challenge the top 20. There are practice and qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday before the race at 1330GMT on Sunday, August 4th. Simon Buckmaster, PTR Honda Team Manager: “It is really good to have Sheridan and Luca back on board after injury. After missing Moscow, Sheridan should be fully fit for Silverstone and ready to show us the real Sheridan Morais. With Luca also back from injury, he will be targeting to get back in the top 10. “David needs to stop making so many mistakes and give himself the chance to show what he really can do. Matt has shown glimpses of potential and regards Silverstone as a second home round, so we are expecting a season’s best result. This can be his launch pad to grow in stature and improve round by round until the end of the season. Nacho is similar to Matt and we hope he can take his opportunity at this round. “We have high hopes indeed after owning the front row in qualifying in 2012 and finishing 1st, 2nd and 4th in the race, this is a good track for PTR.” More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: The Pirelli solutions for the Silverstone round of the Eni FIM Superbike World Championship After the unlucky event in Russia, Pirelli and the World Championship return to the English soil, which hosted a round in May at Donington Park, with the overall ranking hard fought in all classes Silverstone (United Kingdom) – Pirelli, with its trucks loaded with tyres has gone through the English Channel for the second time this year and is now ready to get on track at Silverstone with the riders of all the classes which are part of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship. After the fatal last round, which took place just a few kilometers from the Russian capital, saw only one Superbike race due to bad weather and to the terrible accident that occurred to Andrea Antonelli in the Supersport race, the Championship continues its path, entering the second half of the season with an overall ranking anything but closed in all classes. In Superbike, thanks to the first place obtained in Race 1 in Moscow, Marco Melandri brings his BMW S1000 RR of the BMW Motorrad Superbike GoldBet team to just 32 points behind the leader, Aprilia Racing Team’s, Sylvain Guintoli. He leads the standings with 239 points closely followed by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) just 4 points behind.. With 7 rounds and 14 races remaining, the teammate of the leader, Eugene Laverty, with a 190 points and the other BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK rider, Chaz Davies, with 174 can both fight until the end. A greater gap for the other riders therefore seems they have less chances of winning the World title. Even the constructors’ Championship is still open, with Aprilia leading with 300 points followed by Kawasaki at 267 and BMW with 262 points, further behind are Honda, Suzuki and Ducati. Meanwhile, the new 17-inch Diablo Superbike tyres continue to give satisfaction to teams and riders, whether they are in SC0 compound, the more powerful because it is able to offer more grip, or in SC1, which was used by all riders lined up on the grid in Moscow before the stop to mount the wet tyres. In Supersport, 6 races to go and running with DOT treaded Diablo Supercorsa tyres, Sam Lowes on the Yamaha YZF R6 of the Yakhnich Motorsport team leads the standings with 140 points, followed by the MAHI Racing Team India riders on Kawasaki ZX-6R, the Turkish Kenan Sofuoglu on 106 points and Frenchman Fabien Foret on 85 points. Kawasaki leads the constructors’ championship with 155 points closely followed by Yamaha 7 points behind and Honda at 51, these are followed by MV Agusta, Suzuki and Triumph. Only 5 races still to play for the riders of the Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600, in addition to Silverstone, where there will be two races, there will be one race held at Nürburgring, Magny Cours and Jerez. In the 1000 class, the Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad GoldBet STK) is leading with 95 points but the Italian Niccolò Canepa (Barni Racing Team) at 83, Frenchman Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) at 70 and Eddi La Marra (Barni Racing Team) with 69 points can still claim the title and fight until the end. In 600 Duwelz Gauthier (MTM Racing MVR-Team) dominates the standings with 84 points followed by Franco Morbidelli (Team San Carlo Italian) at 74, Tony Coveña (Nito Racing) at 65 and Bastien Chesaux (EAB Ten Kate Junior Team) at 64. The results achieved by the riders of the Superstock classes, considering the lap times compared to the Superbike riders, are even more relevant if you consider that in the 1000 class, riders run throughout the year with Diablo Supercorsa tyres in SC2 compound on the front and the rear, while in the 600 they run with SC1 on the front and SC2 on the rear. The Silverstone circuit, the next destination of the Championship, is in England, in the county of Northamptonshire, about 120 kilometers north-west of London, and was built on a plateau often characterized by wind as well as particularly variable weather conditions. In reality what is now one of the most famous tracks in the world and home to internationally renowned motorcycle and car competitions initially was not born with this purpose. Silverstone was created during World War II in 1943 as a military airport with three runways arranged to form a triangle. In 1948, at the end of the war, the Royal Automobile Club understood that the area could be adapted to create a circuit and so on October 2 1948 the first event was held, the RAC Grand Prix. At the beginning, the track used its three runways connecting them together with turns, then the perimeter roads started to be used forming a circuit whose configuration would remain almost that for nearly four decades. Over the years, the circuit undergoes some changes but it’s in the early 90s that major changes are made to limit the traveling speed. Meanwhile, the track is resurfaced in 1997 and in 1998 the kerbs of the track, which are now white and red, are colored for the first time. In the 2011 season is finally built a new and larger paddock. Silverstone from a tyre point of view: The Silverstone track is 5902 meters long and has 11 turns to the right and 7 on the left, the start is on the left side for the rider in pole position. Silverstone is a long and quite complicated track for the riders, it offers a combination of high-speed straights, with high localized pressures in the center of the front tyre (in particular at the Stowe), interspersed with very technical and fast turns, which generate intense loads on the side (like at the Beckett) and high levels of spinning. These features, combined with the presence of multiple dips on the asphalt and to medium-low mechanical grip of the English asphalt and to the abrasive asphalt of the circuit, play a key role in the choice of tyres. The correct rear solution should then be able to balance abrasion resistance, the grip of the compound, belt compactness when traveling and acceleration boost. As per last year when two SC1 tyres have been used to complete the race without problems, this year the central product among the available solutions will be the SC1 in his new 17-inch dress. There will also be the new version more compact and faster in response to acceleration, already seen in Moscow, and a solution similar to the SC2 of range, with high mechanical strength, in order to exclude any problem related to abrasion and wear. The presence of bumps and violent brakings are instead key aspects for the front. The softness of the belt will really help to better copy road irregularities and to hold a more precise trajectory, however a more robust and solid tyre must be used if any excessive crushing and movements in the tread will arise. The front range of SC1 and SC2 will be able to fully satisfy both the needs described. Silverstone from a technical point of view: “This is the tenth year that the World Superbike circus returns to Silverstone, in fact we have raced on this track from 2002 to 2007 and then, after a two years break, all the years from 2010 to date, also we race with the riders of the British Superbike Championship of which we are unique supplier as for the Superbike World Championship, so it is definitely a circuit we know well” said Racing Director of Pirelli Moto Giorgio Barbier “the biggest question mark will be certainly made up by the weather that, as usual in England, is highly variable and may hide some surprises during summer. By the way we are quite confident because with the solutions brought we are able to deal with the asphalt of the English circuit in both dry and wet conditions without any particular difficulty. Both the Superbike and Supersport have for the rear an SC1 solution alternative to that of the range, both designed with the aim to better resist the tearing and therefore have less wear even if used with rather low temperatures in which the standard SC1 could be more exposed to the cold tearing. Our goal from now on is to test whether these two SC1 development solutions, respectively R1431 for Superbike and R1591 for Supersport, are providing the same performance compared to standard SC1s while simultaneously broadening the spectrum of use, if so then they could become the new SC1 of 2014 range.” Pirelli solutions for the Superbike and Supersport classes: 4609 the tyres brought by Pireli across the Channel for the second round on English soil, enough to cover the needs of teams and riders of all classes also in case of rain. Specifically, 1212 is the amount of tyres destined for Superbike riders, 1715 of those are assigned to the Supersport, 704 of those for the riders of the Superstock 1000 and 756 for Superstock 600, on top of these there are other 222 for the young talents of the European Junior Cup. Each Superbike rider will have for the entire race weekend 29 front tyres and 35 rear, whereas for the Supersport the amount is 25 front and 24 rear. The riders in the Superbike class will have 2 slick solutions for the front and 3 for the rear, joined as always by 2 rear qualifiers per rider and the intermediate solutions, 4 for the front and as many for the rear, as well as 8 wet tyres for the front and 8 for the rear. On the front, Pirelli brings the standard SC1 solution (R426) in a soft compound – ideal for low external temperatures and/or medium harsh tracks, as well as the standard SC2 (R982), excellent for high external temperatures because it guarantees a solid tread strip. Both solutions have been already brought to all rounds raced this year. The solutions for the rear include the new development solution R1431 in SC1 compound which was brought for the first time to Imola and which have been used by all the riders lined up on the grid in Russia. It’s a tyre designed with the goal of providing higher tear resistance but equal grip compared to the standard SC1. To better evaluate the performance of this new solution at Silverstone there will be also the SC1 of range (R828) already present in the first three rounds and at Imola and which have been used by all riders at Motorland Aragón. Last slick option for the rear is the R1301, an SC2 development tyre brought this year only to Australia but never used, should be ideal when temperatures are expected to be particularly low because it’s more protected from the cold tearing. For Supersport riders will have 2 solutions for the front and the same for the rear, also in this case joined by intermediate and full rain tyres. On the front once again riders will be able to choose between the two solutions of range which have been already brought to every round this year: the SC1 in soft compound (P1177) ideal for medium harsh tracks and the SC2 in medium compound (R1031), ideal for aggressive riders who prefer a compact tread strip. For the rear, there will be the standard SC1 R303 in medium compound and ideal for medium harsh tracks, which have been already brought in the first eight rounds of 2013, and as a second option the R1591, a new solution in SC1 compound which should provide the same performance of the standard SC1 range together with a greater resistance to tearing. Last but not least, the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and the Superstock 600 UEM European Championship this year use the same tyres which have been used last year by the Supersport class, the new Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa SC. Unlike the Supersport class where they are used in sizes 120/70-17 front and 180/60-17 rear, with different solutions compounds to which development solutions can be added during the year, in the Superstock 1000 the new Diablo Supercorsa SC are used exclusively in SC2 compound both at 120/70-17 front and at 200/55-17 rear while for the Superstock 600 are only available in SC1 for 120/70-17 front and SC2 for 180/60-17 rear. The European Junior Cup Honda CBR500Rs will be shod with Diablo Supercorsa SC1 on the front and SC2 for the rear. The 2012 Pirelli statistics for Silverstone: • Total number of Pirelli tyres brought: 4651 • Number of solutions (dry, intermediate, wet and qualifier only for rear) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 6 rear • Number of solutions for the Supersport class (dry, intermediate and wet): 4 front and 5 rear Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 34 front and 35 rear • Number of tyres available for each Supersport rider: 24 front and 28 rear • Superbike Best Lap Awards won by Ayrton Badovini (BMW Mottorad Italia Goldbet), in 2’06.764 (Race 1, 6th lap) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) in 2’24.324 (Race 2, 6th lap) • Supersport Best Lap Awards won by: Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) in 2’09.313 (6th lap) • Temperature in Race 1: air 17° C, asphalt 27° C • Temperature in Race 2: air 19° C, asphalt 34° C • Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli tyres: 301,1 km/h, Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in Race 1 on the 4th and 6th lap and Michel Fabrizio (BMW Mottorad Italia Goldbet) in Race 1 on the 12th lap More, from a press release issued by Silverstone Circuit: World Superbike Brits confident of success at Silverstone – Four British riders give their thoughts ahead of their home race – Meet the Brits on Thursday during the free ‘Paddock Show’ – Kids go free* The FIM Superbike World Championship heads to Silverstone this weekend (02 – 04 August) and four of Britain’s home-grown World Superbike riders are counting down the days until they go head-to-head with some of the best riders in the world, in front of a passionate crowd. Ahead of the weekend’s race action there will be a free autograph session in the Silverstone National Paddock on Thursday (01 August). The ‘Paddock Show’, providing fans with an opportunity to meet and hear from their World Superbike heroes, will be open to all from 14:00hrs. Families will then be able to make the most of Silverstone’s kids go free policy* (for children aged 15 and under) on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. With plenty of overtaking guaranteed, Silverstone’s fast and flowing Grand Prix Circuit is loved by the riders. Four of Britain’s World Superbike riders have been offering their thoughts ahead of their home race: Chaz Davies (aged 26; born in Knighton, Powys): After a promising debut season in 2012, Davies has proven his capability with consistently strong performances, the highlight being a double victory at Aragón in April. Looking to add another strong result at Silverstone, the BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK rider said: “I’m looking forward to Silverstone very much. It’s a circuit with a unique set of challenges because it is so fast and open, a little bit like the old Brno circuit, with some of the fastest corners in the world. Add to that the fact that the weather has been fantastic, the race falls right in the Summer, there are five British riders in with a chance of winning a race at Silverstone and that the British fans are the most passionate you could ever ask for – we have a very exciting weekend in store.” Jonathan Rea (aged 26; born in Larne, N. Ireland): Rea, who has three podiums so far this year, will be looking to add to that tally at Silverstone. The Pata Honda World Superbike Team rider said: “I’ve had mixed results at Silverstone in the past. I’ve had some great races there and I particularly remember a couple of second places in 2010, which I really enjoyed. We struggled a bit last year, but it’s a nice circuit to ride. The modifications made to the track in recent years have made it better but I’ll attack it the same way I attack every other circuit. Of course, being a second British round, it’s always good to see a lot of friendly faces there.” Leon Camier (aged 26; born in Ashford, Kent): now in his fifth year of World Superbikes, Camier is looking forward to his fourth year of racing on Silverstone’s world famous Grand Prix Circuit. The Fixi Crescent Suzuki rider said: “I’m really looking forward to going to Silverstone and racing in front of my home fans on my FIXI Crescent Suzuki GSX-R. I’ve had a lot of success there in the past – I won the British Superbike Championship at Silverstone – and I’ve had a few podiums there in World Superbikes. Last year we set the best lap throughout the whole weekend, but sadly the races didn’t go to plan, although we were very strong until I crashed in the first race! The bike is improving with every race, so hopefully we’ll be able to give the British fans something to cheer about.” Leon Haslam (aged 30; born in Smalley, Derbyshire): Haslam is currently fifteenth in the championship with a best finish of seventh place in Race One at Phillip Island. Haslam broke his leg at Assen, but has recovered well and will be keen to perform on a circuit he knows well. The Pata Honda World Superbike team rider said: “I’m really looking forward to getting back to Silverstone. Last year, I was leading one race and we all got caught out on slick tyres while it was wet, which made it interesting! This year will be special for me though because I missed my home race at Donington Park earlier in the season through injury. Silverstone will be the only chance I get to ride in front of the British fans this year, so I hope as many as possible can come along and cheer us on.” In addition to the two World Superbike races on Sunday (04 August), there are a host of support races to look forward to, and while away from the circuit, fans can enjoy off-track entertainment in the trade and manufacturer hub. Advance tickets start from just £20, available until 17:00hrs on Wednesday 31 July. Tickets will then be available on the gate. Paddock and Pit Lane passes also available to purchase in advance. For further information, or to book tickets, visit www.silverstone.co.uk or call 0844 3728 260. * Child tickets are for children aged 15 years and under at the time of the Event. Children using a child ticket must be accompanied by a full paying adult. Each full paying adult may bring up to a maximum of four children.