WSBK – Statements from World Superbike riders in Assen – Statements from the 2nd WSBK round

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World Superbike riders’ statements in Assen

WSBK - Statements from World Superbike riders in Assen - Statements from the 2nd WSBK round

The fourth round of the 2016 World SBK took place this weekend in Assen, the Netherlands. To complete our near-live reports, here are the statements of the Superbike riders at the end of their two Dutch races.

WSBK Round 2 Statements

Jonathan Rea, 1st:
"Our goal this weekend was to increase our lead in the championship and that’s what we did. Before the start of the race, I had warned Pere, my team leader, that the track was going to dry out pretty quickly. We had had the same kind of experience in the past. I don’t know why I’m doing so well in Assen. It has nothing to do with the track itself. We got a double, but it didn’t look like the one in Australia where I had a better pace than the others. We handled the situations this weekend when needed, we were calm and smart when needed, and our strength as a team allowed us to shine and get two solid results. We got the maximum here and I’m super, super happy. The stars aligned this weekend and it worked so I’m just happy".

Tom Sykes, 2nd:
"At the start of the race, the mixed conditions prevented me from taking the maximum angle and putting the power on the ground with the wet tires, so I quickly returned to the pits. I chose an intermediate front tire and we handled it well. It was the mistake made with the intermediate rear that cost us a lot. Despite this, our pace was very good and the second position is not too bad. Yesterday we were in the gravel so finishing second is a good result. We had a good pace all weekend, in the wet and in the dry, and this morning in warm-up we had a good ride. It was just one of those weekends where we don’t get the results we deserve. But this is the race. We can now focus on the next event and capitalize on the bike settings found here.".

Michael van den Mark, 3rd:
"This third place looks like a victory for me, especially after yesterday’s result. The support from the public was really incredible: I’m pretty sure there were a lot more people here today than in the last two editions. As soon as we started the warm-up lap, I realized that we would have to change tires after a while. We were ready for the pit stop as we are one of the few teams to practice at the end of each session. When Jonathan walked past me, I couldn’t stay with him, but wanted to wait one more lap before I hit the pits. It was a good choice. I finished the race on my own, the guys in front were just too far away. I want to thank the team for the incredible work they have done, my sponsors and all my fans".

Lorenzo Savadori, 4th:
"I’m happy with both of my results, but we still have a few things to do. In the first heat, we had to improve our pace a bit, especially from the middle of the race. As for the second, it was very strange. It hailed, then the sun came out. We started out on a wet and rainy track, but after about four laps it started to dry out and we were cleared to pit. For me, entering the pits and changing tires was brand new, I had never done it before in the race. I am very happy, especially the work done by Iodaracing and the help from Aprilia. One question remains: if I had stopped even one lap earlier, maybe I would have obtained a better result? The next race will be at Imola, a circuit that I really like where I won the Superstock race last year. But this year I am racing in another category with another bike. I will try to do my best"

Chaz Davies, 5th:
"We didn’t choose the best strategy, unfortunately. I thought the Kawasaki got in a bit too early because the track was still slippery, but we waited too long. I am disappointed because another good result was within our reach. The positive point is that from the warm-up we were really competitive and we took a step forward in the dry compared to yesterday. I can’t wait to go to Imola, it’s our home race and I hope to make it an unforgettable moment for all Ducatists".

Nicky Hayden, 6th:
"I can’t say I’m happy with sixth place because I felt I could finish much higher. I got off to a great start, moved up from tenth to fourth on the first lap and everything was going well. It made me smile because it was the first wet race in Superbike for me, and with these tires. Then when the sun came out, the track started to dry very quickly. I felt really good and I guess it made me stay on the track a bit too long. Coming out of the pits, I didn’t manage to get back into the rhythm right away because it was the first time I had ridden a motorcycle in "rain" configuration on slick tires. After a while I found my feet and passed Lowes, but the gap on Davies was just too big. It was still a new experience for me and I am now looking forward to Imola"

Sylvain Guintoli, 11th:
"The race conditions were really changeable today. I thought the track would dry much faster. Normally it dries really fast here so I thought the middle tire would be good for the first lap but it didn’t and I struggled. The plan was to ride well with the intermediates from the start and then switch to slicks, but unfortunately I lost a lot, a lot of time in the first five minutes of the race because I couldn’t warm up the rear tire. I had to change my strategy because we just couldn’t afford to pit. It was a hassle, a bet that just didn’t pay off".

Lucas Mahias, 13th:
"I will remember this race as one of the best of my career. Despite my limited Supersport experience, I quickly found my marks with the bike and its electronics. The feeling of seeing my name in the first position was really fantastic. I hope to have the opportunity to ride a Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R in the Superbike World Championship again, but for now I want to wish Sylvain a speedy recovery and a quick return to competition.".

Matthieu Lussiana, 17th:
NC.

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