SBK
SBK Lausitz preview: Toseland determined to maintain the momentum
06 settembre 2007 Toseland, the 2004 World Superbike Champion, has taken a total of eight race wins this season, three in the last four races. These points have contributed to an overall championship lead of 66 points over Noriyuki Haga, with six individual races still to run. Max Biaggi is now 69 points behind Toseland, with 2006 champion Troy Bayliss some 97 points adrift. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) has a higher championship finish than his current eighth position in his sights, after a season of ups and downs. Still looking for his first podium finish in SBK racing solely because of ill-timed misfortune at Monza, Rolfo is understandably keen to score a top three before the season ends. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) is more than ready for another podium push at Lausitz, after his Brno heroics earlier this year, when he finished third on his privateer machine. A recent fifth and fourth place at Brands underline his true abilities on a Superbike. Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) heads to Lausitz after a very successful test at Mugello, and with a new approach to his suspension set-up, feels that Lausitz could deliver much to him after a turbulent year in the Alto Evolution Honda squad. Muggeridge is joined at Lausitz, as he was at the Mugello test, by 20 year-old French rider Yoann Tiberio (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) a proven WSS race winner in 2006. Luca Morelli (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) returns to business after the long late summer break fully charged and ready to score more points in what is his rookie season in World Superbike racing. Toseland is fully aware that he has a lot of work still to do, but good memories of the 2006 event will be important in his approach to this weekend’s action. "We had a great result last year at Lausitz after winning a hard battle against Haga, so it's a track we know we can do well at,” said Toseland. “If we can have a weekend similar to Brands Hatch then it will be difficult for the rivals to catch us in the championship. However, at this stage there is still all to play for and 66-points is not a big enough lead to enable us to relax. We still need to concentrate and hopefully we can do the job." For Rolfo Lausitz means the chance to show his true colours once more, but just returning to the racetrack is a positive thing for him, especially after such a long break. "I can't wait to get back to racing as we have had quite a break since Brands Hatch,” said Rolfo. “I am happy with the bike now and the feeling is very good. I feel like I have made good progress over the last few rounds and I am looking forward to Lausitz so I can try to get up to the front of the pack. The team is working really well together and I hope that I can bring home a good result for them this weekend.” Fabrizio’s fine podium finish in the Czech Republic and a strong ride at Brands Hatch are proof of what the CBR1000RR and the young Italian are capable of in tandem, and Fabrizio will be looking for more of the same at the tight German circuit. “Now my Honda CBR is very competitive and after the race in Brands Hatch the people have seen the real Michel Fabrizio,” said the Rome based rider. “I hope to continue in the same way in the future because for my career the races in Lausitz, Vallelunga and Magny Cours will be fundamentally important.” Muggeridge benefited greatly from his recent testing experiences, especially in one particular area of machine performance. “The test we did went quite well,” said Muggeridge in the build up to the Lausitz weekend. “We concentrated on the suspension mostly, and we made good progress with it. I’m quietly confident that it will help us at Lausitz. The track there is OK, it’s not the kind of place you can make or lose time so we have to qualify well and get good starts. We have very good brakes on our bike and that will help a lot there.” Morelli knows the challenge of Lausitz is going to be a great one, especially against riders who are more experienced than he. “The Lausitzring is an unknown circuit for me and it will be difficult,” said a realistic Morelli. “The World Superbike Championship is very complicated and I am not so experienced on a Superbike yet. My improvement is consistent, but is not yet sufficient for to compete with the leading riders. I hope to find a good set up in qualifying to help make it a good weekend for results.” Tiberio is looking forward to his first World Superbike experience, especially after enjoying a recent test session in Italy. “It was very exciting to ride the Superbike in the test, and that fact that it wheelies everywhere is a big change after my Supersport machine,” said the Monza WSS race winner for Honda in 2006. “I enjoyed the whole experience. I was impressed by the team and the set-up, so I hope for the best at Lausitz.” Back-to-back championship rounds in Vallelunga (30 September) and Magny-Cours (7 October) form the double-header denouement of the 2007 championship season, for both SBK and WSS classes. |
|
Print version
Send to a friend
Write your comment » Related headlines
Commenti dei lettori| Attenzione: si prega di non utilizzare un linguaggio offensivo, eventuali commenti volgari o offensivi saranno rimossi, così come link non giustificati. I commenti sono inseriti dai lettori, che se ne assumono la responsabilità |
|
Non sei registrato? Registrati, è gratis! |
|
|
Commento |
|
Ultime news:
