Biaggi and Co. make eagerly awaited Silverstone comeback
Round ten of the 13-round HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship
will take place at the latest incarnation of the classic Silverstone
circuit this weekend, between 30 July and 1 August.
The championship has been to Silverstone on six previous occasions,
the most recent being in 2007, when only one race took place due
to incessant rain that flooded the track before race two could get
underway. The Silverstone that WSB returns to this year is a very
different venue from previous versions, with massive investment in
both a heavily modified circuit layout and infrastructure improvements
resulting in a 5.902 km circuit, which owes a lot to the ex-airfield
circuit's original reputation as a fast and open racetrack, where speed
is a key element.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) and his factory team have been almost
immaculate in 2010, winning half the races on offer, finishing every
race in the points and having no individual placing lower than eighth.
Biaggi has been so consistent he has only had five non-podium finishes
all season. No surprise to find that Max is a clear championship leader
after round nine at Brno, now having a 68-point advantage approaching
Silverstone.
Biaggi has not got far to look to see the immediate threat at
Silverstone, with the first of seven well-equipped local riders being
second placed in the overall WSB rankings, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare).
Haslam could ask for no better current WSB venue to try to make big
inroads into Biaggi's points lead, as he will have the crowd firmly on
his side for the first time all year, and greater recent experience of
at least some of the Silverstone layout than many of his rivals.
There are no fewer than seven full time riders in the 2010 line-up
who emanate from the UK, and all of them are on either official or
well-supported machinery. For this reason alone Silverstone may well
provide the best chance of a new name appearing on the 2010 winner's
roster since Kyalami in May.
So far we have had six different race-winning riders, the roll of honour
led by Biaggi with nine victories. Next up, Haslam is tied on three wins
with overall third placed rider Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda).
Rea has been busy of late, winning the first race at Brno last time out
before heading to Japan and a podium slot at the Suzuka 8 Hours last
weekend.
Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) was a winner at round one in Australia and
he is now fourth in the points, close to Rea and the following rider
in fifth place, Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox). Haga is another with a
single win to his credit in 2010, and the most recent rider to enter the
2010 winners' club is Haga's own team-mate, Michel Fabrizio - eighth
overall and twice a podium man in the past two rounds. The Ducati 1200cc
Vee-twin riders will all arrive at Silverstone with the same regulation
minimum weight of 162 kg as the other machines, after once more breaking
through the lower threshold of the balancing regulations at the previous
Brno round.
The seven British regulars looking for hometown glory on Sunday include
James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda), a double WSBK champion but a rider
still looking for his first win in his comeback season. He has already
stated that a British 1-2-3 is very possible at Silverstone and for him
the top step of the podium is his overriding motivation this weekend.
James is sixth in the current rankings.
Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) was unlucky to injure himself at
the previous round in Brno, missing raceday, but he is expecting great
things from his S1000RR around the fast sweeps of Silverstone, if he
comes through a test at Mugello in good condition. Troy is seventh now,
two points ahead of a chasing Fabrizio, with the second official BMW
rider, Ruben Xaus, 13th overall and improving all the time.
One of the 'magnificent seven' local riders is particularly well known
to British crowds, 2009 BSB champion Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia).
Already a podium placer on his vee-four Aprilia, Camier is having an
intense learning year in WSB, tied on points with a Superpole expert
in his first full season, Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda). Briton
Crutchlow has scored pole four times so far, and has four podium places
to boot. He is tenth in the championship, but tied on the same 138 point
total as Camier and British-domiciled Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki
Alstare).
Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) sits 12th right now, looking forward to his
latest return home to race and another chance to match his sheer speed
over a single lap to a race result of equal prominence.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) is the seventh Brit in regular WSB
competition in 2010 and he more than anyone will see Silverstone as an
opportunity to shine. With his regular team-mate Chris Vermeulen out for
the rest of the year through injury, he will have the legendary figure
of Akira Yanagawa alongside him at Silverstone, as the Japanese star
stands-in for Chris for this race.
Series regular Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati) who suffered a fracture
at the Brno race weekend, has recovered well and will race in England.
Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Aprilia) will be on a vee-four for this round
again, with Max Neukirchner (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) and Honda
privateer Broc Parkes (ECHO CRS) out for more points to move up the
standings. Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) plus Pedercini Kawasaki
team-mates Roger Lee Hayden and Matteo Baiocco are also privateers worth
watching.
Wildcards of the highest quality and equipment levels are set to join
the Silverstone party in 2010, as Josh Brookes and Ryuichi Kiyonari
(both HM Plant Honda) combine forces to lever points and places from the
hands of the regulars. Privateer rider Tommy Bridewell will also be made
welcome in the WSB paddock on his Quay Garage Honda.
SUPERSPORT: For the fifth time this year the championship lead has
changed hands once again with three riders having taken turns to head
up the standings even before the last round at Brno. After another win,
his third of the year, Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) left
Brno at the top of the reckoning and second place in the race gave
Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) second in the rankings also, some
15 points behind Sofuoglu. Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) no-scored
for the first time last time and is now third, 22 points adrift but
with four races to go - including Silverstone. ParkinGO Triumph BE-1's
Chaz Davies is an increasingly impressive fourth, having scored three
podium finishes so far. Almost a podium finisher last time out, Gino Rea
(Intermoto Czech Honda) is looking forward to his first full Supersport
World Championship race at Silverstone.
Ronan Quarmby (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) will replace injured regular
runner Michele Pirro at Silverstone and there are no fewer than 28
riders on the Silverstone grid, thanks to a wildcard rider influx.
SUPERSTOCK 1000: Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) has remained
untouchable at the top of the Superstock 1000 standings, winning six
from six as his championship carries on relentlessly. He now has a
77-point advantage over Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Honda), and a
win at Silverstone would give Badovini the championship no matter what.
Lesser results would also see him crowned champion, if all his four main
rivals have poor weekends. Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Racing Junior Honda)
is third overall, while Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini Honda) heads up
the final top five runners, together with Davide Giugliano (Team06
Suzuki).
SUPERSTOCK 600: Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) is overcoming
all obstacles in his way this year in the 600 Superstock division,
having won four races and been placed in the other two. He leads his
French countryman Florian Marino (Ten Kate Junior Racing Honda) by 30
points after his last win in the Czech Republic. Italian rider Federico
D'Annunzio (Martini Corse Yamaha) is still third but looking for his
first win of the year.
TRIUMPH PARKINGO SERIES: The monomarque Triumph ParkinGO European Series
will be back at Silverstone, with riders on identical Triumph Street
Triple R machines battling it out for glory in this thrilling class.
Fabrizio Perotti is the leader with three rounds to go, 16 points ahead
of Matteo Marzotto.
THE CIRCUIT: The recent works at Silverstone have now created a multiple
use circuit of truly international class, including several initiatives
that have been specifically designed for motorcycle use. Riders and
spectators have been well catered for in the layout to be used for
World Superbike, with the track now shooting to the infield at one key
section to allow spectators in that area a closer look at the action,
while still meeting all the latest safety requirements. The work at
Silverstone is still continuing, to make the classic British circuit
even more user-friendly for all. High top speeds and fast average lap
speeds will be much in evidence.
-source: wsbk
