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Category: Superbikes
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 The Pata Honda team has announced the introduction of a nepotistic youth policy designed to enhance development and ensure continuity of its world championship racing programme.
On tomorrow’s third and final day of the World Superbike championship test currently taking place at Jerez in Spain, regular riders Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea will hand over their Honda CBR1000RR SP racing machines to their respective young sons. Despite being less than a year old, Max Haslam and Jake Rea are deemed to have inherited sufficient quantities of the so-called ‘speed gene’ to warrant a full test on the sophisticated production race bikes. The Pata Honda crew has lowered the ride height on both CBR machines and engaged the services of a goo-ga translator to record feedback from the would-be young racers.
Leon Haslam
It’ll be interesting to see if young Max has got it. The ‘rocket’ that is, which is coincidentally what me and my dad have on our salad when it’s in season. I reckon he’ll be fast though – he’s got a bit of a weight advantage.
Jonathan Rea
Jake was born a month or two after Max but we’ve been weening him on Manx kippers to build up his strength. He had a wee go on my CRF450R motocrosser on the Isle of Man, so I had to clean up the seat after, but he’ll be right.
Pieter Breddels - youth development manager
With world championship racers seemingly getting younger every year – just like policemen, really – we’ve decided that we need to start investing in youth. Jonathan’s father raced and won a TT and Leon’s dad was pretty handy, too, so it absolutely HAS to be a genetic thing. If it’s not, we’re going to look a bit silly, but the lads will have had some fun.
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The Pata Honda World Superbike team has completed a private three-day test at the Circuito Cartagena near Murcia in Spain.
It is the first time that riders Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea have ridden their new Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP machines since returning from the opening round of the 2014 World Superbike championship at Phillip Island in Australia one month ago.
The pair used the test to continue development of chassis settings on their CBR machines, as well as refining power delivery and traction control. They will stay in Spain this weekend and move further south to Circuito de Jerez for another three-day test which starts next Monday.
Round two of the World Superbike championship will also take place in Spain, at Motorland Aragon on 11-13 April.
Leon Haslam
Yeah, I’m happy with this test and we were able to make some good progress with the overall CBR package. We tested a new swingarm and some other chassis settings and we’re still waiting for one or two other elements to come through. We also worked on traction control which is a lot better now and to go 0.3s under the circuit record was a good way to finish. We’re going to do a bit of cycling before heading down to Jerez and we’ll see what the weather brings us down there.
Jonathan Rea
We’ve made some really good steps here and our test rider, Michele Magnoni, did a really good job over the first couple of days, especially on Wednesday when it was really windy. I rode with some new strategies that he was developing and I’m happy to be able to ride more aggressively on longer runs. The speed over one lap was good, too, but I was more satisfied with the longer runs. We also tried a lot of chassis settings, varying pivot points and things, and the bike is definitely steering better on tighter lines.
Pieter Breddels
It’s been a really good test. I can’t really say much more. Apart from the really strong winds on Wednesday, the weather has allowed us to get through a lot of work and both Jonathan and Leon were able to go faster than the old lap record here at Cartagena. Apart from the chassis settings, we concentrated on throttle opening and getting the traction control to catch slides more predictably. I think both riders are feeling a lot more confident about that. We have three more days testing at Jerez next week but, at the moment, the weather forecast is not looking too good for that, so I’m glad we got this time at Cartagena.
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APRILIA STARTS THE NEW WSBK SEASON WITH ONE WIN AND TWO PODIUMS.
GUINTOLI TRIUMPHS IN RACE 2 AT PHILLIP ISLAND AND SHOOTS TO THE TOP OF THE CHAMPIONSHIP. APRILIA – REIGNING CHAMPION – IS NUMBER ONE IN THE MANUFACTURER STANDINGS. MELANDRI SECOND IN RACE 1 AND THIRD IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP.
Phillip Island (Australia), 23 February 2014 - On the Australian Phillip Island track for the opening round of the 2014 World Superbike season, Aprilia wins with Sylvain Guintoli in Race 2, takes two podiums in Race 1 and immediately takes back the top spot in both the Rider and Manufacturer standings. It was an extraordinary weekend for the Aprilia Racing RSV4s, key players in both races.
The first part revolved around the duel between the two Aprilia standard bearers, Melandri and Guintoli, along with Irishman Laverty who, after making a comeback on the leading pack which also included Giugliano for a long time, kept his rivals in check in the final laps. Marco Melandri made an excellent second place finish, crossing the line just ahead of his team mate Guintoli (third) who had led the pack at the beginning stages of the race for a long time, however costing him wear on his tyre so that in the final laps he had nothing left on the rear to be able to fend off Laverty's attacks.
In Race 2 the leading pack also included Rea, Baz and Sykes, making a comeback from the rear spots. Guintoli led the first part of the race and after being overtaken by fellow leaders Baz and Laverty once, he took back the lead in the 12th lap. Two laps later an engine failure for Laverty - riding second at the time behind he French Aprilia rider - with a consequent oil spill on the track, forced Laverty to withdraw and the marshals to suspend the race. This meant that the finishing order was decided by the last lap completed which had Guintoli winning in front of Baz and Sykes.
With this performance the Frenchman provides an encore of last year's success (also with the Aprilia RSV4) and, thanks to his third place in Race 1, puts him in the lead for the Rider Championship. Sylvain's win and Melandri's second place in Race 1 place Aprilia at the top of the Manufacturer standings, an excellent bounty for the new season.
After his nice second place in the first race Melandri had a bit of a moment during the eighth lap of the second race, running on after braking too hard and having to re-enter the track in 14th place. From there he made a bold comeback to finish in eighth place, earning 8 points that put him in third place in the rider standings.
Sylvain Guintoli: “In Race 1 maybe I had a little too much faith. I started off strong and toward the end I lost the right feeling with my rear tyre. The conditions were much different than they had been over the last few days but we did a good job anyway. In the second race I tried to look after my tyre and it worked. If I think about everything that happened during the winter I can't help but be pleased with our weekend. I'm finally back on the top step of the podium. I want to thank the guys who looked after me during my recovery. I'm pretty tired now but I'll have a month to recover before the next round”.
Marco Melandri: “Race 1 went well. I got off to a good start and then I was able to ride smoothly in the first few laps to conserve my tyres for the end. Unfortunately after the halfway point the bike was sliding around a lot. I wasn't able to be incisive so when Eugene took the lead I preferred holding onto second place. In Race 2 I wanted to use the same tactics again but to overtake Rea I braked harder than usual and the rear wheel came up so I was forced to run on. I'm disappointed because I threw away some important points. I'm sure I still need more experience adjusting to the way the bike reacts and adapting the settings to my riding style. The track conditions also brought out some problems that I had never had before. Now I need to get a handle on the situation so that I'm ready for the next race”.
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A NICE SECOND BEST TIME FOR MELANDRI AND GUINTOLI LAGGING A BIT OPEN APRILIA'S 2014 WORLD SUPERBIKE SEASON.
FIRST DAY OF PRACTICE AT PHILLIP ISLAND WITH THE MORNING SESSION THWARTED BY BAD WEATHER AND A VERY HEATED AFTERNOON SESSION.
Phillip Island (Australia), 21 February 2014 – This is just the first day of practice in a World SBK championship that promises to be well balanced, long and exciting. But the Friday practice and qualifiers that were held on the magnificent Australian circuit at Phillip Island put the first rankings on the record.
The Aprilia Racing Team took to the track for the first time with the RSV4 in its new silver livery which has already gained popularity with fans and the team.
Melandri, in his first round with the Aprilia RSV4 reigning Manufacturer World Champion, put a nice second best time on the boards. After the first morning session that was basically abandoned due to the wet asphalt and changing weather conditions that hindered a decisive choice for bike setups, the games got underway in the afternoon session. Melandri lapped quite a bit (20 laps), working on various setups and trying several technical solutions in anticipation of Saturday's Superpole and – above all – the races on Sunday. It was only in the last few minutes that he went out on the track with his sights set on a fast time and he hit the bullseye with a 1’31.137, just 37 thousandths of a second behind Lowes and ahead of Giugliano, Sykes, Rea and Laverty.
Marco Melandri: “This was not an easy day because of the weather, but it was definitely positive. Even with only one session we managed to follow the scheduled testing programme with good results. There is still room for improvement in many areas, but we are able to lap fast easily and that is a good starting point for Sunday's races. Tomorrow I'll try to focus efforts on speed and on the fast lap for qualifying because with times as close as they are starting as far up front as possible will be important”.
The day didn't go quite as well for Sylvain Guintoli, winner on this track at the world championship's opening race last season. In the 16 laps he put in the best time the Frenchman put on the boards was 1,31.759 which relegates him to tenth place, although the gap is just 66 hundredths of a second from the leader. The French rider took advantage of the session to try out a few setup solutions on his RSV4, identifying the path he needs to follow in the weekend ahead. The small gaps (the top 11 are all within less than a second of one another) is indicative of just how well balanced this Superbike season is right from the start.
Sylvain Guintoli: “The first day went well. I was trying to confirm a few setups that we had to try before the race, so we used this session to check them. I wasn't looking for a top time. Besides, the strong wind bothered my riding quite a bit. Tomorrow we'll try to pick up the pace now that we know which direction to go. We need to prepare as best as possible for two long and difficult races”.
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REIGNING WORLD SBK CHAMPION APRILIA RSV4 UNVEILED TODAY AT PHILLIP ISLAND (AUSTRALIA), THE BIKE THAT MARCO MELANDRI AND SYLVAIN GUINTOLI WILL USE TO TAKE ON THE 2014 WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP.
THE REFLECTIVE FINISH OF THE METAL ENHANCES THE AGGRESSIVE LINES OF THE ITALIAN SUPER SPORT BIKE, REIGNING MANUFACTURER WORLD CHAMPION, HOLDER OF APRILIA'S 5 SBK CHAMPIONSHIP TITLES AND REFERENCE POINT FOR STREET BIKES.
Phillip Island (Australia), 20 February 2014 – We are just hours away from the start of the 2014 World Superbike Championship and Aprilia Racing, the Italian reigning Manufacturer world champion and winner of 5 championship titles in the last 4 seasons, unveiled the number 33 and number 50 RSV4s that Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli will ride in the hunt for the SBK championship title.
Leaving the black and red colour scheme from recent years behind, the Aprilia RSV4 transforms into a silver fireball. In fact, the pure metal colour is the distinctive trait of the 2014 RSV4 SBK. This is a stylistic revolution that enhances the form and technological content of the Italian bike, crowned as the street sport bike leader by the specialised press all over the world and absolute protagonist in World Superbike. With two Rider world titles and three Manufacturer world titles won in the last four season, the Aprilia RSV4 has written some fundamental pages in recent motor sport history and it moves into the starting gates for the 2014 season with renewed ambitions, worthy of the Aprilia collection of 52 total world titles won, 294 World Motorcycle Championship GP races won and 38 Superbike victories.
The extreme lines of the RSV4, a true racing thoroughbred, are highlighted by the sharp red and black inserts (traditional Aprilia colours) which, together with the carbon parts and the reflective surface of the pure metal, enhance its compact size and racing soul. The hashtag #beAracer appears on the RSV4's fairing, this is an expression of Aprilia's intention to create a closer bond between the racing world and motorcycle enthusiasts through digital technology. The dual beam aluminium frame, a sculpted work of art that harnesses the more than 230 HP unbridled by the exclusive, extraordinary 1,000 cc narrow V4 engine, is enhanced by the surface treatments and colour combinations.
This choice did not go unnoticed by riders and mechanics, who fell in love at first sight with a bike that, besides astonishing with its technical characteristics like highly advanced electronic control equipment developed entirely by Aprilia, also stands out from the crowd with a brand new elegant look.
Romano Albesiano, Aprilia Racing Technical and Sport Director and Piaggio Group Bike Technical Centre Manager: “A large part of a racing bike's attraction, obviously besides pure performance, has to do with its visual impact. These are exclusive objects, moving sculptures to be admired, and the RSV4 has definitely blazed an important trail in this area. Its compact size due to the exclusive architecture of the V4 engine and its magnificent polished factory frame are both functional elements and distinctive design traits at the same time, enhanced by the new livery which, in my opinion, is one of the most beautiful and unique that has ever taken to the track”.
Marco Melandri, number 33: “Very rarely has a bike ever impressed me like this one. I liked it straight away. It looks aggressive and elegant at the same time, with a really original colour combination. As a rider I obviously focus on speed, but as an enthusiast I can appreciate a beautiful and well refined bike. Aesthetic details are often synonymous with careful development and particular attention to all aspects of the product”.
Sylvain Guintoli, number 50: “It is simply beautiful! I have always liked the RSV4. It has an aggressive and decidedly racing look even in the factory version. Its lines scream speed and everything is in the right place to guarantee maximum performance. The new colour scheme is the cherry on the top. If it's as fast as it is beautiful our rivals won't stand a chance. This livery would be absolutely beautiful on the street version - I would want one immediately!”
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