At the debut race of the Italian SBK Championship at Mugello, Luca Scassa and his MV Agusta F4 R 312 run by the UnionBike Gimotorsports team were at the front of the pack. Following an excellent performance in qualifying where he got second place on the grid, Luca attacked the field from the start. Fifth at the first corner he rapidly gained ground finally taking the lead seven laps from the end. At that point Luca and Claudio Corti (riding the official Yamaha R1 of the Italian Importer) started a phase in which they studied each other’s moves in order to gain an advantage in the final stages of the race. The fight saw Corti and his Yamaha come out on top for only half a second. A fantastic result from the rider, the bike and the UnionBike Gimotorsports Team against a motorcycle that in the hands of Noriyuki Haga races for wins in the World Superbike Championship. The next race of the Italian Superbike Championship will be held at the super-fast track of Monza in two weekend’s time. Maurizio Pratichizzo on the other F4 run by the Factory SBK team obtained a great result as well. Following his third place in qualifying, Maurizio had a difficult start but the rider from Milan put on a great show to come back to finish fourth while running lap times close to the frontrunners. “I’m very satisfied” admits Luca Scassa “I rode really well and the bike was very fast in the bends. We still have some work to do to reduce the power difference with our rivals, but I know that the Race Department at Schiranna (Varese) is already hard at work for the next race at Monza. On the last lap I was too far to attempt an attack so I decided to hold my position rather than risk it. “The bike and the rider are improving” commented Gigi d’Esposito (Team Manager), “the lap times and the final result demonstrate it. We have been working hard and to get so close to a bike that won the last World Superbike round in Valencia gives us great satisfaction.” Qualifying results: 1. Corti (Yamaha) 1’53.264; 2. Scassa (MV Agusta) 1’53.461; 3. Pratichizzo (MV Agusta) 1’54.376; 4. Lucchiari (Ducati) 1’54.390 Final result: 1. Corti (Yamaha); 2. Scassa (MV Agusta) at 0.579; 3. Lucchiari (Ducati) at 5.332 SBK Championship Standings: 1. Corti 25; 2. Scassa 20; 3. Lucchiari 16; 4. Pratichizzo 13; 5. Conforti (Honda) 11 Unlucky weekend for the F4 at the 24 Hours of Le Mans where the French team raced at the front until they retired due to damage sustained after a crash. Excellent weekend in the UK for the debut of the F4 R 312 in the British Superbike Championship at Thruxton. The 18th position overall in Race 1 meant Chris Burns finished second in the CUP Class. Sadly the English rider didn’t manage to finish Race 2.