WSBK – Guide WSBK 2013 – Ducati: the 1199 Panigale hits the track – WSBK 2013: presentation of the Ducati teams

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WSBK Guide 2013 – Ducati: the 1199 Panigale hits the track

WSBK - Guide WSBK 2013 - Ducati: the 1199 Panigale hits the track - WSBK 2013: presentation of the Ducati teams

Defeated by Aprilia and BMW in 2012, Ducati fully intends to correct the situation with its new weapon, the 1199 Panigale F13. The Alstare team has been tasked with carrying Checa and Badovini to victory, and Neukirchner will be back with MR Racing…

WSBK 2013: presentation of the Ducati teams

The 2012 season was the year too many for the 1198! Weighted 6 kg in accordance with the regulations – MNC spares you the implausible calculations decreed by the FIM -, the motorcycle world champion of Superbike with Checa in 2011 could not keep his crown….

Was the Bologna machine too penalized in 2012 (7 wins despite everything), or not enough the previous year? The mystery will never be elucidated and will continue to fuel the debates between the supporters of the single 1200 cc twin on the plateau and those of the 1000 cc 4-cylinder (in V at Aprilia, in line with the Japanese).

One thing is certain, however: Ducati engineers and riders who regretted last season to compete with a motorcycle at the end of its development will not be able this year to pretend a lack of potential on the part of their mount….

Because in 2013, the 1199 Panigale (read our) landed in the World Superbike arena! Second in the European Superstock 1000 Cup (with Eddi La Marra,), the new Ducati Superbike must be competitive from its first races: the image of its brand depends on it. !

The Bologna firm indeed bases an important part of its sales pitch on its success in competition, but Ducati is currently slowing down in sporting terms … In MotoGP especially, the snub suffered by Valentino Rossi Himself these last two years in MotoGP have marked the minds (customers?!).

Despite the efforts made by the factory, the No. 46 did not win a single race. The Reds did not hesitate to make major technological changes, including a capital: the abandonment of the monocoque frame, present on the famous Panigale…

Ernesto Marinelli, Superbike Project Director at Ducati Corse, remains confident despite everything: "these last two months have been difficult", admits the big Italian boss,"the work on our project and on the development continued without interruption and at the same time we managed to assemble the new F13 Superbike version of the 1199R for this first test of the year (to), Editor’s note), who was his baptism of track".

Too much watered – by rain the champagne will wait! -, the baptism of the Panigale made it impossible to carry out its test program but, here again, Signore Marinelli is enthusiastic: "our cooperation with Alstare is going very well" !

"We didn’t have much time", recognizes the leader of the Reds in WSBK,"but we are doing our best on both sides and we are working in record time. I have high regard for Francis, we are both determined to get the best results".

"The overall development of the engine and the running gear is done in Bologna", says Ernesto."Alstare has enormous potential and a lot of experience in terms of both structure and personnel, and they will help us develop the bike on the track but also for the engine tests carried out in the workshop.".

While looking well, one small thing worries all the same Ernesto Marinelli: "the restriction on admission on the Panigale represents a greater handicap than the one that was already causing us problems on the 1198, so it will be a double challengeIn terms of weight, however, the Ducati is aligned with its competitors: 165 kg minimum (read

To lead this new Superbike – the only one to change this season – to the top, Ducati has secured the services of the only SBK world champion still in office, "his" official rider in the category: Carlos Checa !

Hyper experienced driver, ultra regular, very appreciated by the public and the paddock, the Spanish driver rushes headlong – like a "Torro" … – in this new challenge and intends to imitate his best enemy of the GP Max Biaggi, titled for a second times in the World Superbike in the year of his 41 years !

According to its "tweets" launched on Tweeter after its tests in Jerez, the Panigale is progressing well. The sensations of the famous n ° 7 at the controls of his new toy would be good … But due to the lack of lap times, it is impossible to quantify the progress and the level of this new shocking duo !

From a purely personal point of view, the pilot says he is ready: "Physical tests before starting the new season, my chassis and my software are ready to go! It starts soon … Ciaooo", indicates Checa, already placarded Volkswagen (read) !

On the other side of the Alstare box is the perfect complement to Carlos Checa: the young and fiery Ayrton Badovini. Titled in Superstock 1000 three years ago on S1000RR with team Italia Goldbet, the Italian driver was removed from the same team this year due to the BMW restructuring.

The pretty Behème page therefore turns for Ayrton, but the one that looms should be even more beautiful! Indeed, during his last two seasons in WSBK – which were not his first, he had already ridden in the "queen" category in 2008 on a Kawa ‘- the native of Biella rode only once. on the podium.

Badovini is nevertheless very swift and has a formidable aggressiveness in the race. In the absence of a big splash – although finishing 3rd on the buttocks at Silverstone was quite remarkable! -, he even had a solid 2012 season and finished 4.5 points behind his teammate Fabrizio.

This year, the n ° 86 joins the Ducati Alstare team and will therefore benefit from the support of a factory "doomed" to succeed and from a very high level of support: For the record only, Alstare won 3 world titles, won 64 victories and climbed 204 podiums with Suzuki … So who knows ?

Ayrton himself is extremely cautious on the matter: "i really don’t know what to expect for next year"Said Ayrton at the time of the official announcement of his arrival at the Reds last November. !

What he is sure of, however, is that he will get along well with Checa, and that "this will help to ensure the development of the bike and the project"."It’s a great opportunity, the one that all pilots hope to meet in their career and it is finally happening to me". So: Forza Ayrton !

Former member of the Alstare Suzuki team, Max Neukirchner is doing his – big? – back to World Superbike! "Max back to the roots", can we read on his official website which simply refers us to his official Facebook page, the only source of information on his new project.

We discover that the old n ° 76 – this race number is held in WSBK by Loris Baz, himself dispossessed of "his" n ° 65 by Jonathan Rea! – will ride this year on a Panigale flanked by a n ° 27 … Would the German driver be inspired by Casey Stoner ?!

In terms of efficiency on the track, for the moment, Max has not yet reached the level of the Australian, or even that of the Superbike leaders. During the tests at the end of November in Jerez, Max and his machine – then in Superstock configuration but on slick tires … – was 3.5 seconds behind Checa and 4.5 seconds behind leader Melandri.

Author of 125 starts in the World Superbike, Neukirchner climbed on 10 podiums and climbed the highest step twice, at Monza then at Misano in 2008. Will the 2013 season bring him the same joy? Above all, let’s hope that it will not be … Health above all, no ?

Ducati teams in WSBK 2013

  • # 7
    WSBK: 2011 Champion, 135 starts, 49 podiums including 24 wins, 9 poles

  • # 86
    WSBK: 85 starts, 1 podium

MR Racing Team

  • # 27
    WSBK: 125 starts, 10 podiums including 2 wins, 2 poles

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