Team Guandalini Racing - Assen TT - Races - 26 April 2009
Assen - RACE 1
There were excellent results in the first of two races on the track of Assen. Jakub Smrz had a very good start and by the first corner was in third place behind Ben Spies and Noriuki Haga. Jakub has struggled with Haslam, Fabrizio, Biaggi and Rea but thanks to a shrewd tactical race maintained a constant gap from these riders. Using the last laps to recover positions lost in the middle of the race, he passed under the checkered flag at sixth place, the best result of the season for the Guandalini’s Team and for this rider from the Czech Republic.
A rather difficult start for Brendan Roberts who shut down the red light and had a problem with the clutch which caused him to lose several positions, and through to the first curve was in twenty-third position. From that moment began the comeback of the World Champion Superstock lap after lap, and he concluded the race in sixteenth position, only three cents from Kiyonari and close to points. These excellent results have not disappointed the expectations of riders and team, even if there is regret for Brendan Roberts who had lost the first point in World Superbike Championship. Brendan is demonstrating his potential and race after race is increasing confidence with the bike and the race strategy.
Assen - RACE 2
There was great satisfaction with the boys team who were celebrating with Champagne at the end of the second run. Smrz scored his first-ever career podium in third, with the Czech rider getting the better of Michel Fabrizio, rider of factory team Ducati Xerox, in the final stages. Jakub believed until the end and this perseverance paid off when he had to overtake Michel, bringing him to the lowest step of the podium.
There was great happiness for the first points in the World Superbike Championship for Brendan Roberts who finished the race in thirteenth position. Brendan finally was able to maintain a good pace in the race and fought stubbornly to achieve this goal, failed due to bad luck in Valencia, but obtained here in Holland thanks to the hard work of his team and the advice of the Sport Director Piefrancesco Chili. In two weeks the team will be on the historical track of Monza, the first of three races in Italy, where we hope to enjoy the success of our guys once again as we did in Holland this weekend.
"I was just staying behind Michel and he had a problem or something, it was really close but I could just pass him at the finish. I'm really happy because everybody said before that I can be fast only in qualifying, so now I showed everyone that I can be fast in the race as well and it's a great result for me and the team."
Jakub Smrz