Pride and determination Monza: the team is ready to fight The World Superbike Championship is going to return in Italy, for the second time in this season. The 4th round will be held this weekend at the “Autodromo Nazionale di Monza”. The Effenbert Liberty Racing Team will cross the gates of the historical track of Monza inspired by the still vivid happiness and pride for the first World Championship victory achieved by Sylvain Guintoli at Assen, however there is still a little bit of sadness for the Brett McCormick’s injury due to the bad crash during race 2 at Assen. Unluckily the fractures reported by the talented Canadian rider force him to stay away from the competitions for some time, but luckily, the news coming from Canada are hopeful. Few days ago the Team announced the will of not to replace Brett, expressing in this way the highest form of respect and deepest affection for the rider. “The 4Th Ducati belongs to Brett”, said the Team Owner Mario Bertuccio. For the Monza challenge, the team will rely on its three riders: Jakub Smrž, Sylvain Guintoli and Maxime Berger. It have however to be admitted that the Monza circuit isn’t the Effenbert Liberty Racing Team’s best track, the long fast straights that characterize it, penalize the team’s bikes. So, technicians, engineers and mechanics are working hard to make their Ducati more competitive, reducing the speed gap, with the conviction that even from the “Autodromo Nazionale” it could be possible gone out with an important result, perhaps hoping also in the helping of “Jupiter Pluvio” …! Also last year, at Monza, the determination of the team didn’t lack, in fact the 2011 edition ended with encouraging results despite the expectations weren’t so good at the eve of the Gp. In race 1 it Smrž arrived 10th behind Checa; Guintoli, still painful from the injury due to the crash in Australia, crossed the checkered flag 12th. In race 2 Sylvain ended 8th after a exciting head to head against the Badovini’s BMW; Kuba, however, involved in the fall of Haslam and Rea, was forced to retire. Here it is, while on one hand Maxime Berger will use this week to study more deeply the behavior of his Ducati, acquiring other important data to increase his performance, on the other, Guintoli and Smrž, the two more experienced riders, will have the hard mission to contend with the opponents who will rely on much more performance bikes, then it will be a fight with unequal arms for the ours, but they aren’t scared and they are ready for the battle. The 2012 Sbk Championship’s chronicle tells that, after the positive beginning held in Phillip Island, and closed with the third step of the podium; and after the bitter head at Imola, with the Sylvain Guintoli’s bad crash in race 1; more than a week ago, at Assen, the Effenbert Liberty Racing Team reached the long-awaited goals of the win, with the amazing victory of Sylvain in race 1. The day was crowned in the second race with the second place obtained once again by the French rider, without forgetting the exciting show offered by Jakub Smrž, who, in both races, never gave up despite the unlucky end, confirmed also in the Dutch GP, even if it were needed, the crystalline class of Kuba. After Assen, in the points’ standings Sylvain Guintoli is now 4th (with 66 points), Jakub Smrž 9th (with 39 points), and Maxime Berger 12th (with 25 points). So the exciting show of SBK now shines spotlight on Monza circuit and the Effenbert Liberty Racing Team is once again on the starting grid ready to challenge without hesitation against the opponents, continuing to attract attention in the real competitive world such as the SBK Championship, and for the Czech team having reached the top step of the podium is just another strong incentive to continue on this road. With the occasion, the team would like to underline once again to be closer to Brett McCormick, who, for some time, will have to follow us and his team mates from Canada. The Effenbert Liberty Racing Team is waiting the return of “The Kid” with great affection. “Get well soon, Brett”. More, from a press release issued by PTR Honda: PTR HONDA’S Jules Cluzel is looking forward to putting the top speed advantage he has had all year to good use at the very quick Monza circuit in Italy this weekend for the fourth round of the World Supersport Championship. Ronan Quarmby on the second PTR Honda is coming back and fast after a tough round at Assen. Riders PTR Honda racer Martin Jessopp is keen to get on a track that on paper looks as though it should suit his riding style and fast motorcycle. The racing is at 1330CET on Sunday May 6th with practice and qualifying sessions on Friday and Saturday. Jules: “I am ready to discover this new track. It looks fast and nice. I know the circuit with the video game and it does not really look hard to learn because it is straights and chicanes. I think it is good that I have a fast top speed with my PTR Honda and I can do a good event. The only thing is it looks like some rain but that will be the same for everyone. Now I need to score good points for the Championship.” Ronan: “I feel much better than I did at Assen. I like Monza, it is superfast and I like the fast turns. Last year at the end of the round I was picking up pace a lot despite poor qualifying. Now with a quick PTR Honda I am looking forward to getting into the top five. The track is awesome and I can’t wait.” Martin: “I am really looking forward to Monza, it is a track I have never been to or seen before but it is all about getting out of corners and slipstreaming – and that is what I am good at. I may be a bit heavier and taller than some other riders but this is the sort of track that should suit me and the Riders PTR Honda is very fast. On paper it could be really good for us. The weather may be interesting again, but Monza looks like a mega fun track to ride.” Simon Buckmaster, PTR Honda Team Manager: “Jules straight line speed will be a bonus at Monza. We will be looking for him to challenge on the podium and maintain his title challenge. Ronan had a difficult Assen but he has been impressive this year and we are looking for him to get back to the front at Monza. Martin has been knocking on the door for points and after a disappointing Assen we are optimistic he will score at Monza.” More, from a press release issued by Aprilia: WORLD SUPERBIKE AT MONZA. MAX BIAGGI ARRIVES IN MONZA AS RANKING CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER AND IS READY TO ENTERTAIN FANS IN THE TEMPLE OF SPEED. EUGENE LAVERTY, WHO ENJOYED A DOUBLE WIN AT MONZA IN 2011, IS ANXIOUS TO CONFIRM HIMSELF AFTER HIS FIRST PODIUM WITH APRILIA. Monza, 2 May 2012 The Aprilia Racing Team arrives in Monza in excellent condition. The Brianza track, historically favourable to the characteristics of the RSV4, is also the ideal hunting ground for Max Biaggi and Eugene Laverty. The Corsair is coming off of a weekend in Assen which, although fraught with difficulties, delivered the rider leadership position to him. Monza, with its treacherous braking zones and mind boggling accelerations, is a much loved track by the five time world champion, who took a double win in 2010, as well as being favourable to all the four cylinder bikes. The uncertain weather that hovers over the weekend is contrasted by Max’s absolute determination to redeem the tarnished performances at Imola and Assen. In any case it will be no easy task, as Max Biaggi confirms: “I’ll make no secret of the fact that Monza is a track that both I and the RSV4 like. We can definitely fight for victory, but we also must consider the performances we’ve been seeing in the first few rounds. Various riders have made a qualitative leap forward, so the battle for first place has gotten very tight and there could be a surprise around every corner. Assen put us back into the leadership position, but we suffered quite a bit both during practice and in the races. Doing well here in Monza, in front of our fans, would be very important for the season”. Eugene Laverty also has good reason to look forward to Monza optimistically. The memory of his troubles early on in the season has faded now, replaced by much fresher images of the Northern Irish rider’s first podium with Aprilia in Assen. The fastest track in the championship has already seen him win. “I was happy with my debut podium on the Aprilia at Assen following a tough start to the season. The team were very supportive and never lost faith in my ability so it was nice to reward them with a podium finish. I’m really looking forward to Monza as the Aprilia is very fast in a straight line. I had a double victory at the circuit last year so I’d love nothing more than to do the same again this time around”. More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: THE ALTHEA RACING TEAM IS BACK IN ITALY FOR SBK ROUND 4 THIS WEEKEND AT MONZA Monza (Italy), Tuesday 1st May 2012: after a double podium for Althea men Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano at a very wet Assen circuit ten days ago, the team now returns to Italy, and Monza, for round 4 of the 2012 World Superbike Championship. The Monza track is one of the most difficult for the Ducati due to its 1195m straightway, along which the four-cylinders have the chance to demonstrate their superior top speed. One year ago at the Monza track, Carlos, on board the 1198, closed the two Superbike races in ninth and tenth position. Davide, competing in the Stock 1000 category, finished second in a race that was red-flagged and subsequently restarted. Ten days ago, at the Dutch TT circuit of Assen, Checa and Giugliano stepped up to the podium together for the very first time. While Carlos crossed the line in third position, his team-mate Davide closed just in front of him, securing his first ever Superbike podium finish, with both earning significant championship points in the process. Race two was more complicated for both Althea Racing riders: Davide battled hard to finish in ninth place, while Carlos did not reach the points zone, as a result of an incorrect tyre choice. Going into the fourth Superbike event of fourteen, Checa lies in second place in the championship, just one point behind leader Biaggi, while Giugliano is tenth, two points from Smrz. Carlos Checa: “We know that Monza will probably be the hardest round on the calendar for us and the Ducati, something we have also seen in the last two seasons. We will do our best to take as many points as possible but realize that this weekend will be mainly about containing the damage. Two top ten finishes would be good, and closing inside the top five would feel like a win for us here!” Checa’s Superbike form at Monza: 2011: Race 1 9th, Race 2 10th 2010: Race 1- 14th, Race 2 11th 2009: Race 1 9th, Race 2 10th 2008: Race 1 8th, Race 2 DNF Davide Giugliano: “Reaching the podium at Assen has really boosted my confidence. I realize that a similar result will be almost impossible at Monza as the bike is disadvantaged at tracks with long straights but I’ll be fighting to improve my position in the standings with a good performance in the two races on Sunday. It’s always great to race at ‘home’ so I’ll be doing my best to please the Italian crowds!” CIRCUIT DATA Country: Italy Name: Autodromo Nazionale di Monza Length of circuit: 5.777 km Pole Position: left Length of straight: 1195 m Race distance: 18 laps = 103.986 km LAP RECORDS: Best lap Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1’42.937 (2010). Superpole Biaggi (Aprilia) 1’41.745 (2011). 2011 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Laverty (Yamaha); 2. Biaggi (Aprilia); 3. Haslam (BMW). Race 2 1. Laverty (Yamaha); 2. Melandri (Yamaha); 3. Fabrizio (Suzuki) More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: World Superbike: from the Cathedral to the Temple of Speed Rome (Italy), 1 May 2012 With Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) at the top of the points table, the eni FIM Superbike World Championship returns to Italy for the second of three events, this time at Monza, the fastest round of the calendar. The production-based racing series will be celebrating its 25th anniversary at the fourth of its 14 rounds, with a glittering array of riders and bikes present throughout the four days. The legends of then and now will be present on Saturday and Sunday in the SBK Paddock Show and for Italian fans it will be a unique opportunity to get close and personal with the men and machines who have contributed to the success of the championship over the past quarter-century. Monza is the venue for a championship round for the 21st time: the first edition was held in 1990 and it saw a double win for Fabrizio Pirovano on a Yamaha. This will also be the 301st World Superbike round, which will reach the 600-race mark next time out at Donington the following weekend. 2010 champion Biaggi is back at the top of the points once again despite struggling to get on the podium at a rain-disturbed Assen. Last year’s champion Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) lies just one point behind, but the top of the table is a tightly-fought affair with eight riders (Biaggi, Checa, Sykes, Guintoli, Melandri, Rea, Haslam and Laverty) on five different manufacturer machines separated by just 36 points. Each one of the remaining 22 races will assign 25 points for the winner. Aprilia are present with their latest-spec engine that may help Biaggi to increase his points lead and improve on last year’s record top speed of 334.8 km/h and average lap speed of 204.405 km/h he set during Superpole. The Italian rider has started from pole in the last two Monza rounds and also scored a double win in 2010. Twelve months ago he finished second and eighth on what became Eugene Laverty’s incredible day of success for Yamaha. The 25 year-old Irishman, who is now his team-mate, is another Monza specialist, having also won the Supersport race the previous year. Ducati have a great tradition at Monza (18 wins, 40 podiums), but their twin-cylinder bike has not won there since 2009. Checa’s best result is eighth place in 2008, when he was with Ten Kate Honda, while another competitive Ducati machine will be in the hands of Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert Liberty Racing), who is on a roll following his maiden win in the Netherlands. Honda World Superbike Team’s Jonathan Rea also broke the ice at Assen and will be aiming to continue his move up the points table after his first win of the year. Monza’s long straights should help to boost the chances of the other four-cylinder machines present in this year’s championship, starting with Kawasaki. The phenomenon of the season so far, at least in the Tissot-Superpole challenge where he has a perfect 100% record, has been Britain’s Tom Sykes, and it will be interesting to see how well the ZX-10R goes this time around. At the time of press, no replacement has yet been slated in for the injured Joan Lascorz. After twice throwing away a first win at Assen, BMW are extremely confident things will go well this time around; Marco Melandri scored two seconds in 2011 when racing for Yamaha, while Leon Haslam is always up amongst the front runners. BMW scored the first of its eight podiums here in 2010 and the time is right for a first historic triumph. In the Italian-run BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet squad, both Ayrton Badovini (who crashed at Assen while in the lead) and former Monza winner Michel Fabrizio will again be entrusted with the task of improving on their difficult start to the season. While over at Suzuki, Crescent FIXI men Leon Camier and John Hopkins also showed a true competitive nature following a disappointing opening couple of rounds. Points (after 3 of 14 rounds): 1. Biaggi 92; 2. Checa 91; 3. Sykes 79; 4. Guintoli 66; 5. Melandri 66; 6. Rea 65; 7. Haslam 58; 8. Laverty 56; 9. Smrz 39; 10. Giugliano 37; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 136; 2. Aprilia 100; 3. BMW 86; 4. Kawasaki 85; 5. Honda 69; 6. Suzuki 20. World Supersport The World Supersport battle for supremacy is looking to be pretty evenly-balanced as Kawasaki and Honda have taken the wins in the first three races. At the top of the table two former title holders are equal on 45 points: Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki DeltaFin Lorenzini) and Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step), but Sam Lowes (PTR Bogdanka Honda) is just 14 points behind, despite his crash at Assen, where the 22 year-old Brit started from pole. A Honda did manage to win in the wet at Assen, the Prorace version of Lorenzo Lanzi, but this exploit by the former WSB winner for the moment probably remains a one-off appearance. One of the title favourites Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) has yet to take a win this year, while Vladimir Leonov (Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha) became the first Russian to score a world championship podium at Assen, moving into a very impressive fifth place in the overall championship standings. Raffaele De Rosa, who started off the season amidst the World Superbike ranks, makes a one-event debut for Lorini Honda. Points (after 3 of 13 rounds): 1. Sofuoglu 45; 2. Foret 45; 3. Lowes 31; 4. Parkes 29; 5. Leonov 26; 6. Lanzi 25; 7. Quarmby 25; 8. Baldolini 24; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 70; 2. Honda 61; 3. Yamaha 31; 4. Triumph 30; 5. Suzuki 6. Superstock 1000 BMW Motorrad Italia’s ultra-successful run continues in the Superstock 1000 category reserved for under-26s. In 2010 the Italian squad wiped the floor with Ayrton Badovini, and last year they had Lorenzo Zanetti in their ranks; both now race in the top class. Now it’s the turn of the 23 year-old Frenchman Sylvain Barrier, who prepared for Sunday’s race in the best possible way by notching up another win last Sunday in the Italian series on the same track. Barrier has 50 points after two wins in two races, and is followed on 32 by Eddi La Marra (Barni Racing Team Italia), with the Ducati 1199 Panigale that came very close to the win both at Imola and Assen. Points (after 2 of 10 rounds): 1. Barrier 50; 2. La Marra 32; 3. Baz 30; 4. Savadori 28; 5. Reiterberger 26; 6. Coghlan 14; 7. Baroni 12; 8. Staring 11; etc. Manufacturers: 1. BMW 50; 2. Ducati 36; 3. Kawasaki 30; 4. Honda 10; 5. Aprilia 5. Superstock 600 The weekend programme also sees the third round of the European Superstock 600 Championship for under-22 year-olds. By winning at his home track, Dutchman Michael van der Mark (EAB Ten Kate Junior Team Honda) took over at the top of the table, and he now leads from Spain’s Nacho Calero Perez (Team Trasimeno Yamaha) with Riccardo Russo (Team Italia Yamaha) in third. Monza is sure to offer more high-speed action as any number of riders, including the seven-strong Italian one-event and wild-card contingent aim to mix it with the best European Championship regulars. Points (after 2 of 10 rounds): 1. Van Der Mark 41; 2. Calero Perez 40; 3. Russo 36; 4. Egea 24; 5. Duwelz 22; 6. Morrentino 13; etc. KTM European Junior Cup The second round at Monza will see appearances from two Italian wildcards. Giovanni De Pera is the lucky rider to be chosen for the Moto Vudu / Bikeracing.it competition which bases selection on the achievements and promise of a young local rider, while Kevin Chili is the son of World Superbike legend Pierfrancesco Chili and looks to have inherited his father’s great talent. Both youngsters will be seeking to challenge the EJC regulars on Italian home turf, but it won’t be easy as Poles Adrian Pasek and Artur Wielebski are sure to be strong and there are any number of other riders with the speed to be challenging for the lead. Points (after 1 of 8 rounds): 1. Pasek 25; 2. Hartog 20; 3. Wielebski 16; 4. Demoulin 13; 5. Patterson 11; 6. Lewis 10; etc. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Camier and Hopkins fired up for Monza Crescent FIXI Suzuki is on its way to the fourth round of this year’s World Superbike Championship which takes place at Monza in northern Italy on Sunday 6th May with both riders targeting good results. Leon Camier heads to the Italian circuit in a positive frame-of-mind and is sure that his knowledge of the track will enable him to push his Yoshimura powered Suzuki GSX-R1000 on towards a decent finish. John Hopkins is travelling to the Monza circuit to race for the first time in his career. He will need to spend some time acquainting himself with the 5,755m long track, but the 28-year-old is certain that he will get to grips with the circuit quickly and be up to speed as soon as possible. Hopkins has spent the time since the last race at Assen working on his fitness and has reported no problems from his injured hand. The Autodromo Nazionale Monza is located north of Milan and is often referred to as the ‘Temple of Speed’ and is famous for its 1.195 kilometre long front straight, which sees the riders achieve speeds of over 320 kph. Its mix of very long straights and tight chicanes, make good braking stability and traction as important as the high speeds that the bikes can attain. Camier and Hopkins will take to the track for the first practice session on Friday morning as they begin their preparations for Sunday’s two races. The first of which is scheduled to get underway at 12.00hrs local time (11.00hrs BST). Leon Camier: “Monza is going to be a tough one for sure. The track is all about speed, but you also have to understand the corners as well. It’s a place where slipstreaming is very important and it is possible to be fourth going into Ascari and still win the race. For that you need to be in front going into the Parabolica because the finish line is much nearer to the last corner than it used to be. Last year I was faster than my team mate in the second race, but a crash ruined everything. “Because of the changing weather conditions in the last round, we didn’t get a chance to try as many things as we would’ve liked, so we’ll use the first practice as a kind of test session. I am looking forward to Monza and would like three days of dry weather so we can get all our work done at the beginning. If we do that, I feel positive we can come away with good results.” John Hopkins: “Funnily enough, I have never ridden at Monza before, so I will have to start the weekend learning the track. Normally I am a quick learner and, because I have watched a lot of TV footage of the track, I don’t see any big problems. Apart from the chicanes, it looks pretty straightforward. As long as it’s dry, I reckon I can get it dialled in pretty easily. “After the last race, I had absolutely no problems with my hand at all. Since then, I’ve been mountain biking and doing some motocross and the hand has been good. I felt very comfortable on the Crescent FIXI Suzuki in Assen and was just happy to be out there riding and getting to know the bike better. Now I’m looking forward to Monza and getting my best results of the season so far.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: FIM SUPERBIKE / SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ROUND 04 SUNDAY MAY 6 MONZA, ITALY PREVIEW WIN FOR REA BOOSTS HIS CONFIDENCE GOING INTO MONZA Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) approaches the fourth round of the Superbike World Championship this coming weekend, to be held at the classic venue of Monza in Italy, buoyed up by the fact that he won the most recent race at Assen on his CBR1000RR. Rea is currently sixth in the rankings, but as he is only 14 points from third place in the overall points, two good results at Monza could put him well into contention for a top three place going into his first home round at Donington, one weekend after Monza. With 14 rounds on the calendar in 2012 and the usual two races per weekend format in this category of racing in place, Rea has virtually a full season of competition in front of him. Monza is a circuit that often rewards sheer horsepower and slipstreaming so Rea will be hoping that he has an engine package that will allow him to stay in the leading group, which will eventually enable him to use his experience to make a move in the later stages of the 18-lap races. For Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) Monza will be another new test in his rookie season in SBK racing. The former 250 Grand Prix champion has now scored four times in six races, no mean feat for even the most experienced riders in a stupendously competitive championship this year, particularly in the midfield. Aoyama has 22 points so far but has yet to qualify for Superpole, so that will be his first aim in Italy, so that he can try to make a good start from further up the field. The 5.77km Monza circuit is one of the most iconic motorsport venues in the world and, in the modern idiom at least, utterly unique. Its long straights, unrivalled heavy braking areas and largely flat layout make it a virtual speed bowl compared to most modern circuits. The absolute top speed record in this class is expected to be broken once again this weekend, one that takes place against the backdrop of celebrations to mark 25-years of the Superbike World Championship. Honda has provided race-winning machinery to 16 different riders so far, who have collected a total of 112 individual race wins between them. Honda is the only manufacturer to have won the Riders’ Championship using three different engine configurations a vee-four, a vee-twin and an inline four. Fred Merkel (twice), John Kocinski, Colin Edwards (twice) and James Toseland (one of his two SBK crowns) have all won the championship on Honda machinery, making a grand total of six Riders’ Championship in 24 seasons to date. Honda has won the Manufacturers’ Championship four times. POTENTIAL WINNERS ABOUND FOR HONDA AT MONZA In the 2012 FIM Supersport World Championship unpredictability has been king so far and at the superfast Monza in round four there look to be few certainties to write down before qualifying and practice starts on Friday 4 May.. In the previous round at Assen replacement rider Lorenzo Lanzi stunned the paddock with a wet-weather win for the PRORACE Honda team. It was the first Honda race win of the season and now a first race victory is overdue for Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda), a British rider who is now third in the overall championship rankings. All top three riders, Kenan Sofuoglu and Fabien Foret for Kawasaki plus Lowes for Honda, have had one no score, which contributes to the fact that Sam is only 14 points from the joint leaders. At time of press, it is not known if Lanzi will continue to ride for PRORACE at Monza. Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) splashed his way to fourth at Assen last time out and also took over fourth place in the rankings, only two points back from Lowes. The Australian rider has settled back into his old WSS team and is back in the hunt for not just more podium success but the championship he is so keen to win after so many years of being a top competitor in this class. A first podium at Imola for Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda) has helped put him seventh in the rankings. All of the top seven riders in the championship have taken at least one podium finish of only nine available so far, showing just how open things are in a class which pitches experience against youth throughout the field of over 30 regular riders. The speed of new WSS rider Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) has been evident since his arrival in the class and he will be out to improve on his personal best finish of fourth at Monza. The French rider is now ninth in the points, just one place ahead of Roberto Tamburini (Team Lorini Honda). Along with his team-mate Andrea Antonelli, Tamburini has made a bright start to his 2012 campaign in his new team. Antonelli is 13th currently, having scored good points in the past two races. Balazs Nemeth (Racing Team Toth Honda) has taken points only once but as he rode to a seventh place at Imola he is still inside the current top 15. His team-mate Imre Toth (Racing Team Toth Honda) is yet to score despite showing some real flashes of speed. Thomas Caiani (KUJA Racing Honda) recorded his first 2012 points at Assen, and is now 23rd in the overall standings, one point ahead of Patrick ‘PJ’ Jacobsen (Bogdanka Racing Honda) and two ahead of South African rider Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda). Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda) is yet to got off the points scoring mark, while injured Pawel Szkopek may well be out until Misano now. French rider Valentine Debise (SMS Racing Honda) will be back in the mix at Monza. Immediately after the Monza weekend, the paddock will pack up and head across the English Channel to Donington Park, for the fifth round of the championship on May 13. HONDA RIDER COMMENTS Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team): “I am now looking forward to the weekend at Monza especially after the win at Assen because that boosted the confidence of everyone in the team. As we all know, Monza is a horsepower contest between the manufacturers so we will see where we stack up. I like the circuit and I enjoy going there. We should have the pace to fight. Having two races back-to-back now, Monza and then Donington, just means less time at home but to be honest it does not change anything in my approach to the races. We have been moving the bike into new area with balance and wheelbase, so the one drawback seems to be that it affects my feel on the front. For me Monza it is another racetrack to race at and I do not know all the history of the circuit. But it is unique and I get a real thrill of the speed. I love the Italian culture and in general it feels like a second home. I always go to the old banked section of the circuit and remember how people used to race around Monza. I’ve been involved in a couple of first turn crashes in the last two years it’s always difficult funnelling everyone into that tight chicane at the end of the straight.” Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team): “Monza is another new track for me and I have heard a lot of history about the place. I have also heard that it is very fast with an average speed over 200kph! So, there is a lot for me to learn and, even though I have seen a little bit on Playstation, I will start to learn the way round bit by bit. We had a problem with rear grip at Assen and this will be important to get on to the fast straights at Monza. So I will sit down with my crew on Wednesday and Thursday and work out a strategy. But I am looking forward to riding the Monza racetrack for the first time on Friday morning.” Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda): “Monza is a track I like so I’m looking forward to getting there and starting the weekend. Whatever the weather’s going to be like, I’m looking forward to the race and want to make up for Assen and put in a solid performance. Monza is a bit of a strange track. The lap starts with a tight chicane followed by some fast, flowing corners, a long straight leading into the fast right hander and another long and fast straight. It’s a place with a lot of history and with the long straights and slipstream it always produces some good, close racing.” Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda): “Monza is always a unique place and it is completely different to pretty much any other track we have on the calendar. My preparation is the same for Monza as anywhere else but I just try to make sure I keep my weight down because it makes a difference to your acceleration up to top speed. Slipstreaming is a big thing at Monza, as is horsepower, but I think a lot of people forget that there are so many fast and slow chicanes that you can make up or lose time in those also. If you can get in and out of them quite quick it makes a big difference at the end of the straight. Monza has always been one of my favourites but I am not sure what will happen with the weather. When it rains at Monza it tends to say a bit wet under the trees, so it can be half and half depending on where you are on the track. But it will be the same for everybody.” Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda): “I believe I am going to go into this round really strong, also for Donington. I know the tracks from last year and I have been visiting a sports psychologist to help me get my head right and I think it is better than ever. My bike should be good at Monza. There are a lot of riders in the garage this year, but when we are all set-up we are basically on our own. You have all the data from all the riders and you get looked after well, because our pits are really sorted. I want to be consistent and at Monza I want to get into the top five, so I can get some good points.” Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda): “Another track I have never been to but it looks nice and fast. I want to learn another new track, it is always fun to discover a new one; I like that aspect of racing. I have found a fast bike and at Monza it is good to have that. The chassis is nice and I think we could have a great result in Monza. The weather does not look so good for the weekend but for everyone it will be the same, and it could not be worse than Assen! It should be warmer and the grip should be better if it rains there.” Roberto Tamburini (Team Lorini Honda): “I think it is possible to have a good race at Monza. I hope the weather is good and if it is I feel a good connection with the motorcycle. I am sure we will work well when we get there. Our bike is quite fast and we have worked to improve the bike all the time. There is a lot of slipstreaming at Monza because the speeds are so high.” Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini Honda): “Monza is a difficult race but it is a very important one for the team, our sponsors and myself, because we are an Italian team. I am not sure what is possible but our target is to finish inside the top ten.” Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda): “This will be my first time at Monza so I don’t really know what to expect but the team told me that it’s a really fast track so it seems it could be a lot of fun. Let’s see how things go once we’re there but I’m definitely looking for a good result because we have good pace. We just need to put it all together now. The tight chicanes can be a bit tricky, because you can easily out brake yourself but I hope to get faster and faster over the weekend and challenge for a good position on Sunday. I don’t mind if it’s wet this weekend and I’m sure we’ll have a positive weekend regardless of the weather.” Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda) “I am really looking forward to Monza, it is a track I have never been to or seen before but it is all about getting out of corners and slipstreaming – and that is what I am good at. I may be a bit heavier and taller than some other riders but this is the sort of track that should suit me and the Riders PTR Honda is very fast. On paper it could be really good for us. The weather may be interesting again, but Monza looks like a mega fun track to ride.”