Category: Superbikes

1. Pata Honda heads east to new SBK circuit

   Posted on 8:05am Wednesday 4th Jun 2014

   The Pata Honda team is preparing for this weekend’s (6-8 June) two sixth-round World Superbike championship races at the Sepang International Circuit near Kuala Lumpur in Malaysia.

   The weekend marks the first visit of the World Superbike championship to Sepang, situated just 60km to the south of the centre of the Malaysian capital, as the production-based series spreads to an increasingly wider global audience.

   It will be the first time that the Pata Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP has been raced at the fast and flowing 5.548km Sepang circuit, which is characterised by two back-to-back straights at the end of the lap. However, the team’s two British riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam have both visited in the past.

   Northern Irishman Rea, 27, tested Honda’s RC212V MotoGP machine at Sepang at the end of 2011, while 31-year-old Haslam from Derbyshire last raced there during a season on a 250cc Honda in Grands Prix in 2002.

   Sepang International Circuit, World Superbike schedule (local times GMT+8hrs):

   Friday 6 June
   10.30-11.45 Free Practice 1
   15.30-16.15 Free Practice 2
   (timed for Superpole)

   Saturday 7 June
   09.45-10.30 Free Practice 3
   (timed for Superpole)

   12.30-13.00 Free Practice 4
   15.00-15.15 Superpole 1
   15.25-15.40 Superpole 2

   Sunday 8 June
   09.30-09.45 Warm-up
   13.30 Race 1 (16 laps, 88.768km)
   16.30 Race 2 (16 laps, 88.768km)

2. Carl Fogarty thrills Donington WSBK crowds in 20th anniversary title celebrations

   Posted on 8:28am Wednesday 28th May 2014

   The most successful Superbike racer of all time, with 59 victories and four world titles, took to the Donington Park track over the weekend to mark the 20th anniversary of the first of his four World Superbike championships.

   "Foggy" rode the Leicestershire track over the thrilling race weekend lapping on a specially painted Ducati 988 - the same livery as his famous 916 from 1994.

   Dainese, his long-term, leathers, boots and gloves supplier made him a special suit to mark the occasion. The 48-year-old from Blackburn enjoyed entertaining the crowds at the UK's sole round of the FIM World Superbike championship.

   Carl Fogarty commented: "It was a great weekend and fantastic to be back on a bike I love at a track that means so much to me in front of fans who gave me such great support over the years, and showed so much appreciation yesterday. He continued: "I have always wanted to work with the best and the partnership I've had with Dainese continues today. They were class leading when I was riding and they still are today."

   It was fitting that the fifth round of the championship saw a double win from reigning World Superbike Champion and Dainese-protected, Tom Sykes. The British rider now heads the championship by 26 points.

3. Orellana leads home another EJC classic in the UK‏

   Posted on 10:08am Monday 26th May 2014

   Spanish rider Javier Orellana won today’s fourth-round Pata European Junior Cup race at Donington Park in the UK today, winning his first race of the season after another epic battle on board Honda’s CBR500R machine.

   Orellana beat Belgian Angelo Licciardi to the chequered flag by 0.719s after 10 laps of the 4.023km Donington Park circuit in a support race to the fifth round of the World Superbike championship.

   Another Spaniard, Augusto Fernandez, finished third today, just one tenth of a second behind Licciardi, but retaining his championship lead thanks to victories in the last two rounds at Assen in the Netherlands and Imola in Italy.

   Local rider Josh Harland took pole position for today’s race but crashed out of contention on lap two. The 19-year-old was taken for a precautionary medical check but expects to be fit for round five in four weeks’ time.

   There were no fewer than four riders who crossed the line in the lead at various stages of today’s race, but there were plenty of other lead changes too. Swedish rider Jesper Hubner was among the leading group until he crashed out of the race with just four laps to go.

   “It was another fantastic race on the CBR500Rs,” said Orellana after the race, “and I am very happy to take my first win after finishing second in two races already this season. Now we are halfway through the championship so I must work hard to stay at the front for the second half of the season.”

   The 2014 Pata European Junior Cup powered by Honda will re-assemble at Misano in Italy for round five of the series on 20-22 June.

   Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda Racing – round four

   Donington Park, United Kingdom – result (ten laps):

   1 Javier Orellana (ESP)

   2 Angelo Licciardi (BEL)

   3 Augusto Fernandez (ESP)

   4 Illan Fernandez (ESP)

   5 Mike Perez (ESP)

   6 Marc Miralles (ESP)

   7 Jamie van Sikkeleru (NED)

   8 Connor London (NZL)

   9 Alex Wisdom (USA)

   10 Carmen Geissler (SUI)

   Championship points after four of eight rounds:

   1 A Fernandez 79, 2 Orellana 73, 3 Miralles 63, 4 Hubner 40, 5 Licciardi 34, 6 I Fernandez 34, 7 Perez 33, 8 Harland 27, 9 Grassia 27, 10 London 26

   Next round: Misano, Italy – 20-22 June

4. PODIUM FOR SYLVAIN GUINTOLI AT DONINGTON

   Posted on 4:34pm Sunday 25th May 2014

   MELANDRI, FOURTH IN RACE 1, CRASHES DUE TO CONTACT IN RACE 2 WHILST BATTLING IN THE TOP POSITIONS.

   Donington (UK), 25 May 2014 – A nice third place for Sylvain Guintoli closes out the weekend for Aprilia Racing at Donington in the English round of World Superbike. With this result the Frenchman stays in the top part of the championship standings at 11 points from second place and 37 from the leader. It was a shame that during the first race while duelling with Baz he ran straight on and was relegated to a seventh place finish.

   Sylvain Guintoli: "Race 1 did not go as I had hoped. I started off well, pushing hard, but then I wasn’t able to keep the pace and I was really struggling. Then the team did a great job for Race 2. The bike changed a lot and my pace improved compared to the first race. I pushed hard to get away from Davide Giugliano but I wasn’t able to keep up with the two front runners. Anyway, this podium, on a track that is certainly not one of my favourites, tastes like victory to me".

   Marco Melandri, after finishing Race 1 in fourth place, seemed better in the second race and even able to battle for one of the top positions. A good start (from the third spot on the front row of the grid) had him duelling for first place with team mate Guintoli. However, in the fourth lap contact with Lowes, who came from behind and bumped him full on, forced him into a crash, taking him out of play. Marco courageously made up positions but only after a long stop which relegated him to the bottom of the final standings.

   Marco Melandri: "I can’t help but be disappointed. In Race 1 I struggled to go fast, but in Race 2 I’m sure I could have taken a spot on the podium because with the changes we made the conditions were a lot better. Unfortunately things didn’t go well and it wasn’t my fault. On the positive side we collected some important information about how to adapt the bike to my riding style. Now I just want to take things one race at a time, trying to improve constantly so I can get the good results that I know I am capable of".

5. GUINTOLI ON THE SECOND ROW DESPITE A SLIDING CRASH

   Posted on 10:30am Sunday 25th May 2014

    

   FRONT ROW FOR MARCO MELANDRI

   Donington (UK), 24 May 2014 – The wet Superpole on Saturday placed the official Aprilia Racing RSV4s on the first two rows and ensured that Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli will be key players in the races tomorrow.

   The rain which had been forecasted for the past few days finally arrived to dampen the beautiful English track at Donington and to nullify all the work the teams had done during Friday practice. The extreme conditions – it is also quite cold – enhanced Marco Melandri’s riding quality as he rode his Aprilia to just two tenths of a second off the top time, taking a spot on the front row of the starting grid with the third best time.

   Marco Melandri: “Today’s result was important. I want to thank the guys on the team because they are really working hard. Superpole was hard. The first part of the track – the fastest part – was slippery and then the last long braking sections were quite difficult in the wet. It was hard to find the limit, so tomorrow we’ll have to see first of all how the weather shapes up and then we’ll prepare as best as possible for the races.”

   Sylvain Guintoli, a specialist in the wet, started off strong, firmly establishing himself in the top positions and even taking first, but a sliding crash in the second part of the session (without consequences for the Frenchman), forced him to come into the pits, keeping him from defending his top time. Once back on the track with time for only one more lap, Guintoli in any case was able to improve on his time, taking a spot on the second row with the fifth best time.

   Sylvain Guintoli: “As always a wet Superpole makes a mess of things. I felt good, but I slowed down for a lap and the tyre probably cooled down so I took a slide. I was able to get back on the track and take a flying lap even though the bike wasn’t performing at 100%. It could have gone better but in these conditions there is always a risk and second row is fine to get off to a good start tomorrow.”

   www.aprilia.it