WSBK – Statements by World Superbike riders at Laguna Seca – Statements from the 2nd WSBK round

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World Superbike riders’ statements at Laguna Seca

WSBK - Statements by World Superbike riders at Laguna Seca - Statements from the 2nd WSBK round

The ninth round of the 2016 World SBK took place this weekend in Laguna Seca, USA. To complete our near-live reports, here are the statements of the Superbike riders at the end of their two American races..

WSBK Round 2 Statements

Tom Sykes, 1st:
"The race was very exciting and I was under a lot of pressure from the Ducati riders until the finish. We struggled with the grip on the corner today so I had to change my style a bit to secure my lines. It weighed down my lap times, but gave us 25 points! Overall, the race was fun for the spectators and it was tight between three drivers. I’m pretty happy, but it was difficult in some ways. The second start gave us food for thought and we made some changes which improved the situation. We never found the perfect setting, but I feel like we got a good compromise".

"We had a good weekend with pole position, a second place and a victory. We start the summer break on a good note and we will try to assimilate the information gathered during the previous event in Misano and this one, then try to put the puzzle together for the last part of the season.".

Davide Giugliano, 2nd:
"What a fantastic race! I had a lot of fun, but it was difficult both physically and mentally as it was essential not to make mistakes when battling Chaz. We were both clean and I think we made the people on the track and at home happy. For me, getting on a podium here is special because last year my season ended at Laguna Seca and my career was almost ruined … Yesterday was difficult for the whole team, Chaz and I fell as we were riding for the podium at a good pace, but a few small tweaks allowed us to make the most of our current potential. We will now take a break, but we will not stop working to improve ourselves".

Chaz Davies, 3rd:
"This day went a little better. After what happened yesterday, I got down to finishing the race first, just focusing on my pace. I wanted to avoid being too aggressive from the start, but I got stuck in the field and put a lot of pressure on the rear wheel to get back on Davide and Tom. I think we could have won today, but I widened in Corkscrew (maybe because of the wind) and in the last laps I didn’t have enough grip to try several passes. It was important to go on vacation with a podium, and we’ll use this time to figure out how to improve.".

Xavi Fores, 4th:
" I am very happy ! This fourth place is like a podium for me. Laguna Seca is a very difficult trail and this is my first time racing here. Last year on this circuit, I lost two great friends, Dani Rivas and Bernat Martinez (read, NDLR), and it was not easy for me this weekend. Together with the team, we worked hard and were able to resolve the issues up front at the start of the race. I had fun with Nicky but unfortunately spent a lot of time catching up with him. I thank the whole team for their work this weekend! Can’t wait to hit the track again in September, hoping to get closer to the top three".

Nicky Hayden, 5th:
"I am really disappointed with the way the race went, especially the way things were going before the red flag. At the first departure, I had a small problem when the lights went out and I got knocked out. But I was good in the first two corners and recovered a lot of places. I felt more and more confident and had just set my best time of the weekend on race tires when the red flag came out. After the second start something happened, we don’t know exactly what because the team is still analyzing the data, but the bike was completely different … I couldn’t brake as well as yesterday and I lost all confidence. It’s a shame, really, because after the first start I thought I could do something really special. I would however like to thank the team because they did everything in their power to give me the best bike, and thank the fans for their incredible support. It was certainly not a disaster, but I wish I could have given more today".

Jordi Torres, 6th:
"Today’s race was quite different from yesterday because we were more competitive. We changed the settings of the bike overnight and in doing so we were able to understand a lot of things during the race, collect data which will be useful for the next events. I am happier today, although I know I have to be a little more aggressive to be able to overtake … Anyway, we will continue to work during the summer break in order to be well prepared for the end of the season".

Niccolo Canepa, 8th:
"This day went much better than yesterday! We continued to work on the YZF-R1 in order to best configure it for this track and so that I understand it better. It’s only my second weekend of racing and I still have a lot to learn about my riding style and my setup. I think we made a lot of progress for the race this afternoon and I want to thank my team because they did an amazing job throughout the weekend. I’m happy with my race because I was able to stay with the group that was fighting for fourth place. I had the same pace and for a few laps I was faster which is very good for me. I had a good pace, but unfortunately I was not able to overtake them and I had to content myself with following them until the end. Eighth place may seem like a disappointment, but I’m really happy with the gap to the winner, my overall pace and the work we have done this weekend. It was a great opportunity for me and I would like to thank once again the official Pata Yamaha WSBK team for this experience.".

Jonathan Rea, retirement:
"Not finishing this race is disappointing because I felt particularly good with the bike. I got stuck in the peloton at the start, but I was able to close the gap on the leaders. In my opinion, it was still a race that we could really capitalize on, but that’s the game. We have to fully analyze the bike. After exiting on turn 7, I got back to the track and it looked like I had a problem. As soon as I turned off the throttle the rear locked up and I heard a noise. I continued a bit but arrived in the first corner, the blockage intensified. Something was wrong and I swerved into the second corner. We have to put things in perspective because we have had a very good season so far. It’s frustrating to go on vacation on this. I would have liked the Lausitzring event to take place next weekend because I feel really good with the bike, it’s a huge motivation for me".

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