WSBK – Videos, statements and analysis from the WSBK at Monza – Statements from Superbike riders

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Videos, statements and analysis of the WSBK in Monza

WSBK - Videos, statements and analysis from the WSBK at Monza - Statements from Superbike riders

The fourth round of the World SBK 2011 took place yesterday in Monza. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the SBK riders, our analyzes and the video summaries of the Superbike and Supersport races..

Superbike rider statements

Eugene Laverty, 1st (x 2) :
"I can’t believe I made the double today! I came for a podium and now I am leaving with two incredible victories. It’s fantastic ! I didn’t get off to a good start in the second run. I had to avoid a collision in the first corner and it wasted time. I also struggled a bit with the tires in these hot conditions. Having arrived in the very last laps, I couldn’t believe that Marco and I were ahead. This double victory was very special for me because the team was racing at home".

Max Biaggi, 2nd then 8th :
"At the moment, all I feel is a huge disappointment, for me and for the whole team. We prepared as best we could and I think we demonstrated it on the track. I have to accept this harsh decision and I can only blame myself for not having been smart enough to avoid this line. We now have to regroup and concentrate for the next races. There is still a long season to go".

Marco Melandri, 4th then 2nd :
"The weekend was tough but good enough after all. I struggled to find the settings to improve stability. We made progress before the second round but the bike was still quite rough towards the end. On the last corner, I struggled with the gearbox and the tire stuck, dragging me outside. I’m delighted to be on the podium and really enjoyed riding on this circuit. We have collected some important points, but I would like to get more next time".

Leon Haslam, 3rd then DNF :
"Honestly, I didn’t get the best of starts in the first run. I also made a few mistakes in the early laps, so I had work to catch up with the leading group. But I felt I had the pace of the leaders. Max and I both slowed down a bit so Eugene fled ahead, but overall I’m happy with my race and the bike. In the second run, I got hit from behind on the first corner of the first lap. I’m not 100% sure what happened, I still fell after getting a much better start. After the fall, I was taken to the medical center where I was confirmed to have a broken toe on my right foot. It shouldn’t be a problem for me during the next tests and then races in Salt Lake".

Michel Fabrizio, 5th then 3rd :
"I’m very happy with my podium this afternoon, especially since I was 4th for a long time and that’s where I thought I would finish. When the leader (Biaggi) had to take his penalty in the pits, both Yamaha and I won a place. So the race goes: sometimes you win, sometimes you lose! My bike was the same for both races and my only problem today was that its top speed and acceleration weren’t as good as my rivals. So I had to attack and brake harder than them in many places. It’s a bit of a shame that I didn’t have a better start in both races, I’ll have to work on that. I’m probably giving myself too much work in the first part of the race, but this category is so competitive that when you concede an advantage, it is very difficult to recover it. Even though I did not get on the podium in the first round, I am happy to have recorded the best time in the race there, especially considering the fact that Biaggi’s bike was going almost 7 km / h faster! I think our team is working very well and I am delighted with how things went. I’m very happy to climb on my first podium this season and I hope there will be more".

Noriyuki Haga, 16th then 4th :
"I had fun in the second run, unfortunately we didn’t find a braking that suited my riding style and that prevented me from carrying out more aggressive attacks on Michel Fabrizio. We have made progress all the same and we are very close to achieving a great result. Now we are focusing on testing at Misano next week, where we will try to improve the bike settings for the next meeting at the end of the month at the Miller Park circuit.".

Troy Corser, 7th then 5th :
"On the one hand I am satisfied with how the two races went today, and on the other hand I am a little frustrated. I had great starts in both heats and led the opening laps. The bike was doing quite well overall. We had some tire issues in the first run which made me downshift, and in the second run I was pretty happy until Marco Melandri got me out of the first corner. I wasted time and couldn’t go back up. The pace we have shown this weekend suggests we could have pushed for the podium, but that unfortunately didn’t happen. We have a test before Salt Lake so hopefully we can continue our progress".

Jonathan Rea, 6th then DNF :
"The right word is "frustrating", especially in the first heat where we just didn’t have any straight line speed. I could equal the lap times when I was alone and could take my lines. But as soon as I found myself racing, with the world slowing me down where I was fast, I had to get out of my lines and lost my speed. It was okay to finish 6th, but it wasn’t what I expected. I’m going to have to watch the videos from the second run to figure out what really happened, but I feel like I was cut on the inside, which forced me to pull up and get into a guy outside. Next stop is Miller, there’s another long straight so hopefully we can find something. Luckily we have some testing scheduled the week before the race, I hope that will give us a chance to do better than last year".

Ayrton Badovini, 11th then 6th :
"I am not completely satisfied. In the straight line at the end of the first lap of the first race, I was embarrassed and struggled to stay focused to finish the race. In the second heat, I lost several positions – and therefore contact with the leading group – avoiding the fallen drivers. I moved up to 6th position and had to make do with my times. I could have fought for higher positions without a problem. This result will serve as a basis for improving and being more competitive.".

Sylvain Guintoli, 12th then 7th :
"I am quite happy with my results today. In the first race I lost a little time behind Sykes’ Kawasaki and I stayed in the wake of my teammate (Smrz) for a long time. Badovini was faster in the straights. The second round went much better, I maintained good lap times and, on a track that was unfavorable to us, I was able to obtain the best result of the season. I really enjoyed fighting with Badovini, we surpassed each other many times".

Carlos Checa, 9th then 10th :
"We are satisfied because we were aware of our limitations before arriving here in Monza. We knew it would be difficult to reach the podium. In the first run, I had to attack in the straights and that surely affected the tire because in the last laps, their performance dropped and I couldn’t pass Camier. In the second heat, we had a good pace until the last three laps when I had an engine problem. It slowed me down so much that I was lucky to cross the finish line! I finished 9th and 10th today and all things considered, those are good points for us at Monza. We are leaving with a 27-point lead, and to tell the truth that surprises me! We are very happy and we will focus on the next event in Miller, where I hope to be able to do two great races.".

Maxime Berger, 14th then DNF :
"In the first heat, I gritted my teeth and forced my pace to stay in the points and bring home a result that would reward my commitment as well as that of my team. In the second heat, after a few laps I felt that the engine of my Ducati was having problems and I returned to the pits. So far, no one can say we were lucky, but that doesn’t change my point of view. Monza is an unfavorable track for the Ducatis, but we entered the Superpole and collected two points. We are now going to Salt Lake City with a big desire to earn points".

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