WSBK – Mondial SBK 2010: on your marks! – Ducati

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Mondial SBK 2010: on your marks !

WSBK - Mondial SBK 2010: on your marks! - Ducati

The 2010 World Superbike season opens in two weeks at Phillip Island: Ben Spies having yielded to the sirens of MotoGP, he gives up his SBK throne to whoever wants … No Troy Bayliss in sight either? The way is therefore clear, but for whom ? Forecast.

Ducati

In order to fully enjoy the spectacle, announced as grandiose as every year, that the Mondial Superbike will offer in 2010, Site offers a small tour of the manufacturers … Let’s start with the n ° 1 of 2009: Ducati !

And yes, although the rookie – we always have a hard time getting over it – Ben Spies won the Superbike World Champion title last year riding a Yamaha R1, Ducati is indeed the champion. from the world of builders !

Indeed, Michel Fabrizio was perfectly able to take over from Noriyuki Haga known for his sudden drop in form. Also, when Ben Spies did not win the race – only once in two … -, "an" 1198 beat him almost every time, sometimes flanked by n ° 41, sometimes by n ° 84.

This year, their public enemy n ° 11 having gone to ride in MotoGP, the official Ducati riders dream again of winning the world crown, Nitro Nori the first! Because the Japanese have finished vice-champion three times already: in 2000, 2007 (2 points behind Toseland), and last year (6 points behind "Big Ben")…

Out of his 260 races contested in the World Superbike, Haga has climbed 106 times on the podium, 41 times on the top step, occasionally signing 8 doubles, all this starting "only" 55 times from the front row on the grid. and 7 times in pole position.

The n ° 41 has thus forged, over the races and over the years – it will be 35 years old on March 2 casually – a solid reputation as a brawler, a showman but also Poulidor! An image he would like to erase this year. But despite the absence of Spies, the challenge promises to be tough…

His teammate, for example, presents himself as a serious customer! Indeed, Michel Fabrizio is no longer the young and hot Italian who only stood out on rare occasions – especially in Brno – at the controls of his Honda DFX. !

Member of the prestigious Ducati Xerox Team since 2008, "l’Ouragan Mich" has matured. Certainly he took his time, not winning his first WSBK victory until last year. But he still took 3rd place in the championship, ahead of a certain Max Biaggi, sì signore !

Facing his Japanese teammate, Fabrizio has a much smaller record: 26 podiums including 3 wins, a single pole and 8 race lap records (55 for Nori) in 106 races … But Michel is only 25 years old, so tons of niaque to spare. And if it was him, the first transalpine SBK world champion ?!

Also on Ducati, Carlos Checa and Shane Byrne – respectively 7th and 8th in the 2009 championship – may not be able to claim the title, but should be able to act as referees in some races. !

After two arduous years riding a hard to pin down Honda Ten Kate, Carlos Checa intends to integrate – and never leave – the outposts on a world champion 1098R, prepared by the competent team Althea.

The counter of the ex-star of the GP, of which one inevitably expected a lot, remains for the moment blocked on two victories gained in quick succession in 2008 at Miller Park. Beside him, Shane Byrne will compete in his second year of row competition driving a Ducati…

Less rated than n ° 7, "Shakey" is nonetheless fast, particularly on the Portimao track! But the 2008 British champion also disappointed last season. The change of team – Byrne was at Sterilgarda in 2009 – will it allow him to bounce back ?

The return of Regis Laconi to competition is ultimately irrelevant, the DFX team has decided to entrust its Ducati to Lorenzo Lanzi, a "former" of the house. Official Ducati rider in 2006 and 2007, the Italian had remained in the shadows – so vast! – by Troy Bayliss and has been trying for two years to come back in the spotlight.

In 2008, his only victory – and podium – at the beginning of the year in Valence did not allow him to keep his place in the world plateau and it was only following the accident of our national Laconi that No. 57 reappeared. For Lorenzo, the 2010 season promises to be one of the last chance. Will he be able to seize it ?

Finally, watch the two other private Ducati riders: the Czech Jakub Smrz and the Italian Luca Scassa. The first has yet to prove himself in the race – but he goes quickly in qualifying! – and the second forget his last season – ruedment – on the ZX-10R.

Ducati teams

Ducati Xerox team
Noriyuki Haga # 41
Michel Fabrizio # 84

Althea Racing
Carlos Checa # 7
Shane Byrne # 67

DFX Corsica
Lorenzo Lanzi # 57

Borciani-Guandalini Racing Team
Jakub Smrz # 96

Supersonic Team
Luca Scassa # 99

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