Team Guandalini Racing - Misano Adriatico - Race Preview - 16 June 2009
The World Superbike Championship do the turning point on a track that isn’t so far from beautiful coast of Adriatic Sea. After the first seven races, four of which has been out of europe, WSBK circus come back to race in “old continent” landing on Misano Circuit for the first of last seven european races of this year.
For Red Bikes of Borgo Panigale, Santamonica Circuit is a friendly track where both factory riders and private riders have been successful and excellent results, such as the first and second places obtained last year by Ducati Sterilgarda Team. Statistically speaking, last five years at least one Ducate has always gone on podium and in 2004 race 2 was won by Pierfracesco Chili on a Ducati private.
After missing the races at Kyalami and Miller Motorsports Park, due to the consequences of his crash at Monza, Brendan Roberts postpone his return to racing and will not be taking part at Misano race and his place will be taken another time by spanish rider Gregorio Lavilla, extremely desiderous of ransom after crash suffered in race 2 in US race. Gregorio rode Ducati 1198 by Team Guandalini last april during Campionato Italiano Velocità (CIV) and he’ll start on friday with a lot of data to work on. Jakub Smrz comes back from States enthusiastic for achive Top Ten of Championship Standings. Costancy of performance in last races is the result of growing constantly that Czech rider doing in this season. In Misano the target is gain the most of points available.
The track has been slightly lengthened and now it is 4226 metres, 12 metres wide at its minimum and validated for every sport competition by international organizations.
“In next races I'd like to contiunue to get as many point as possibble. Misano is really nice track where I went fast last race so I'd like to aim for higher positions than last race where I was little bit limited by low speed. My team made lot of work to have better bike performance and I hope to use it in Misano. This year in the SBK championship anything is possibble but I hope for another podium in rest of the season and for sure I will try my best to achieve it.“
Jakub Smrz
“Honestly I was dissapointed not to finish the second race and obviously to crash as last time I crashed due to my fault was 2 years ago so I am sorry for the team.We had some problems in race one with clutch and engine performance but I was feeling better with the chassis so,my feeling is getting very close for what I would say my "perfect"bike.We used bike number 2 in second race and the feeling was strange and all in a sudden I was in the floor so I am dissapointed with that.
Misano is a rack that I like and last year the ducatis run well there.Its not going a be so important the engine performance there so hopefully my results can be better there.Sure it would help the fact I tested there some months ago so will be the first time i am not starting with a big disvantage respect the other”
Gregorio Lavilla