Tati Mercado

Team Pedercini has announced they have decided that Spaniard David Salom and Argentinean Leandro “Tati” Mercado will lead their line up in the World Superbike Championship for 2012.

Both riders will be taking part in the next test at the Philip Island Circuit in Australia from February 13th-15th and also the official test on the 20th and 21st, a week before the opening race of the season which will be held on the same track.

David Salom was born on the 16th October 1984 in Palma de Mallorca, Spain. His first major achievement was winning the Spanish Supersport Championship in 2006 and between 2007 and 2009 he competed in the World Supersport Championship. David joined the Pedercini team in 2009 and made his debut in the Superbike class. In 2010 David returned to the Supersport class and finished a very impressive 2nd onboard his Kawasaki.

Tati Mercado was born on the 15th February 1992 in Jesus Maria, Cordoba, Argentina. He won the AMA Supersport Championship in 2009 and the following year competed in the Superstock 600cc European Championship. In 2011 Tati joined up with the Pedercini team and competed in the Superstock 1000cc FIM Cup and Stock 1000cc Italian Championship.

The entire team is said to be delighted to see the return of both riders for the 2012 campaign. Salom and Mercado are already familiar with all the teams’ technical staff; this will surely help both riders and the team as they prepare for the upcoming season which opens in Australia in only a few weeks.

Donato Pedercini: “I’m extremely satisfied with the agreement reached with David Salom and Tati Mercado and I’m very happy to have the possibility to work with them again during the 2012 World Superbike championship. I know both of them very well and I appreciated their riding qualities and determination. Mercado is young and talented. He’s full of enthusiasm and has a real passion for racing. I think he’ll be the youngest Superbike rider this year and we will do our best to help him to adapt to our Kawasaki Superbike. Salom is still young but already has some experience. He’s strongly motivated and is on our wavelength in terms of projects and targets. We are now working hard to be ready for the first test in Phillip Island and also for the first races of the season. We are expecting a very busy season but one full of great professional satisfaction.”

David Salom: “I’m very happy to say that I will join the Pedercini Team for the 2012 World Superbike Championship. I know all the Pedercini team and they are professional, enthusiastic and ambitious. I want to thank the Pedercini family as they are giving me the opportunity to compete once again in the World Superbike category. I’m really looking forward to this new adventure, as staying on a Kawasaki motorcycle was very important to me. I know that, compared with 2009, the bike is now more competitive and the team also has more experience so I can’t wait to get started!”

Leandro “Tati” Mercado: “I am really happy to have made this choice and proud to be competing with Team Pedercini in World Superbike. Right from the start of my career, I always considered Superbike to be the premier class and my main goal. I am honoured to remain a part of this fantastic group of people and to be joining them as part of an ambitious project. I’m also very happy to have David Salom as a teammate. I know he’s an expert rider and I’m sure he’ll help me as I start this new adventure in such a difficult World Championship. I’ll do my best to pay back the faith Pedercini family have shown in me with some good results and technical development.”

Jonathan Rea in action at Philip Island

Honda’s World Superbike team of Jonathan Rea and his new team-mate for this season Hiroshi Aoyama started their preparations for the 2012 season by taking part in a three day test at the Philip Island race circuit in Australia this week.

The team ran the new 2012 SBK specification Honda CBR1000 Fireblade for the first time from the release of the 20th Anniversary version of the legendary machine which was launched in September last year.

The team will start the year with an added boost that, following a year as title sponsor, Castrol will remain as one of the key secondary sponsors until the end of the 2013 season.

The world famous lubricants manufacturer sponsored Honda’s World Superbike team as part of a global marketing campaign to re-launch its Power 1 brand in 2011. The continued support of the company extends a commercial and technical partnership between Castrol and Honda which dates back the whole way to 1959 when the Japanese manufacturer first started racing on the world stage.

Robert Watherston, the motorcycle racing manager at Honda Motor Europe said: “We’re delighted that Castrol has decided to continue its long-standing association with Honda and, in particular, our World Superbike campaign. We are especially pleased to have signed a two-year agreement, which takes us to the end of the 2013 season.”

Donald Smith, the sponsorship manager in Castrol’s Global Marketing Unit commented: “We are pleased to confirm the continuation of our long-standing relationship and support of Honda and motorcycle racing. World Superbikes is the ideal proving ground for the development of our advanced range of Castrol Power 1 lubricants and we look forward to the future of our continued relationship with Honda.”

Paul Denning

With only a few weeks until the start of the 2012 World Superbike season this would be a perfect time to catch up with Paul Denning, the team principle of Crescent-Yoshimura Suzuki World Superbike Team talks about the season ahead.

What are your feelings about the upcoming World Superbike Season, and the level of competition in the field?
Paul Denning: “The series looks very interesting for 2012 and even with Yamaha’s withdrawal, the level of manufacturer representation is very positive- Suzuki, Honda, Kawasaki, Ducati, BMW and Aprilia all have strong teams, whether “factory” or privately operated and all have very fast riders. The combination of the Pirelli tyres and Superbike specification machine is an “easier” package to access the limits of performance compared to the MotoGP bikes and therefore more riders can battle for the top positions. I say that with complete respect to all the riders in SBK, who fight like animals to win, but the Superbike specification bikes generally permit closer racing and different riders going for the podium week-to-week which is great for the fans. In Superbike, the rider can still make the difference. That said- the highest quality riders, bikes and teams are the ones who always end up battling for the title and we hope to be amongst them!”

How much difference is there in your Suzuki GSX-R from the British Superbike Series compared to the WSBK spec machinery?
Paul Denning: “The 2012 GSX-R will look pretty much the same but very few components will be shared – the whole bike has been seriously updated. Yoshimura is working very hard on the motor and we are sharing a lot of development ideas together; the suspension and brakes are all new, the Motec electronics package is updated and every single detail on the GSX-R is being carefully considered. The Suzuki is a great all-round package- we have to make sure we allow the riders to use 100% of the bike’s abilities by refining the GSX-R to be as good as it can be.”

Who do you believe are your main competitors for 2012?
Paul Denning: “It’s a much shorter list to say who won’t be! There are so many strong riders and teams and it’s up to us to maximise our potential and do our best, not to second-guess who else will be quick because they all are! As Crescent Suzuki, we are the new guys in SBK and we are entering with a “quiet” attitude; we have to respect all the top teams and riders and focus on our own performance.”

Will John Hopkins be fit and ready for the first race of the season?
Paul Denning: “I guess the finger will never be perfect but it’s good enough to race a motorcycle! John went through a lot last year- it was a minor injury that turned into a real nightmare. He’s just started properly training now- after a horrible month of extremely strong antibiotics- but his base fitness levels are good enough that he’ll bounce back quickly. I have no concerns- I do expect his fitness level to improve race by race- but it will be tough to be at a genuine 100% for Philip Island.”

Leon is a new member of your team, but has experience in the WSBK series, how do you feel he will adapt to the GSX-R 1000?
Paul Denning: “He’ll adapt easily. The bike fits him well, he likes the basic chassis feel and he knows and trusts the team. We had a tough test in Portimao but Leon still wasn’t far off at the end; he’ll be right at the sharp end of the fight I’m sure.”

This year will be your rookie year in the WSBK series, but do you believe you can challenge for podium places?
Paul Denning: “A simple straightforward question deserves a similar answer- Yes!!”

2012 WORLD SUPERBIKE RACE DATES:

1. 26th February- Australia- Phillip Island
2. 4th March- TBA- TBA
3. 1st April- Europe- TBA
4. 22nd April- Netherlands- Assen
5. 6th May- Italy- Monza
6. 13th May- Europe- Donington
7. 28th May- USA- Miller Motorsports Park
8. 10th June- San Marino- Misano
9. 1st July- Spain- Motorland Aragon
10. 22nd July- Czech Republic- Brno
11. 5th August- United Kingdom- Silverstone
12. 26th August- Russia- Moscow International Raceway
13. 9th September- Germany- Nurburgring
14. 7th October- France- Magny Cours
15. 21st October- Portugal- Portimao

John Hopkins - Photo Credit: Suzuki Racing

John Hopkins has undergone surgery in California to have the middle finger on his right hand amputated. The American has suffered numerous complications since injuring the finger at the Czech Republic MotoGP at Brno last August and his consultant decided this was the best option.

“I went to see my doctor for a progress report and the news was not great”, he commented. “It’s never good news when you have to lose a body part, but this was the best scenario all round because otherwise the situation could’ve dragged on for some time, with not necessarily a better result in the end.”

Hopkins has been preparing for a World Superbike campaign with Crescent Suzuki and doesn’t expect the surgery to adversely affect his preparations.

“Apart from the actual pain of the surgery, I must say that it’s feeling better already. I now have about 10 days when I cannot do any physio, but then I can start again. This is a bit of a setback, but really not too bad because I have been training and getting fit for some time now, so my base level is very good. I’ll be able to train fully again soon and be able to get on a bike in three weeks, so I’m sure I’ll be ok for our first tests in Australia.”

“I know the bike well and I’ve raced at Phillip Island before, so at least I will not be starting from scratch. Our GSX-R1000 has a very good base setting and I am confident that we’re not going to be struggling at the start. The level of competition is tough for sure, but I think we’re going to be competitive right from the start.”

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

Althea Racing have received a financial boost ahead of the 2012 World Superbike season after announcing an extension of their sponsorship deal with Unibat. The Italian company, which produces high performance batteries for cars, motorcycles and heavy duty vehicles, will support the team for a third year in succession

After the championship success of 2011, Unibat CEO Antonio Annoscia is full of admiration for Althea and is delighted to continue their association.

“Having seen team Althea’s ambitious plans for the 2012 Superbike season, we have decided to renew our contract as main sponsor of Althea Racing for another year. We believe in this team, made up of individuals who work well together on both technical and organizational levels. We’re certain that our efforts will help consolidate Unibat’s position as leader among motorcycle battery manufacturers across the globe.”

Althea Racing’s General Manager Genesio Bevilacqua has praised Unibat’s involvement in the last two years and has welcomed their latest show of support.

“We are delighted to have come to an agreement with Unibat for a third consecutive season. With an extremely successful 2011 season already behind us, we look forward to working with Unibat in 2012 as we strive to consolidate this year’s performance. Unibat has been one of our most loyal supporters over the last two years and we are therefore very pleased that our relationship will continue into the coming season.”

Reigning champion Carlos Checa will defend his crown with Althea on the Ducati 1098R and joining him will be Davide Giugliano fresh from winning the World Superstock 1000 title.

Chaz Davies - Photo Credit: WSBK

Chaz Davies has completed a sensational year by winning the BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year Award. The Presteigne rider saw off competition from 400m hurdles world champion Dai Greene, WBO light heavyweight boxing champion Nathan Cleverly, ITU World Triathlon champion Helen Jenkins and Paralympic athlete Nathan Stephens to win the award, voted for by the public.

The 24 year old was surprised to receive the honour and told BBC Wales of his delight to even be nominated for the award.

“I’m shocked! It’s unbelievable, I can’t get my head around it! It’s something I’ve worked towards for many years now. I’ve had an up and down career but this year it all came together in a fantastic way. I finally had the bike and the support of a team which equalled the effort I’ve put in for so many years so to win the championship and top the year off with this is unbelievable.”

“I’m honestly shocked, just to get a nomination in the first place. Motorcycling is not the biggest sport and we’re going up against a lot of talented sports people in Wales in this current era so to win is something I definitely didn’t think would happen. I want to thank BBC Wales and everybody for voting and with it being a people’s vote, it’s pretty overwhelming.”

Davies won the 2011 World Supersport Championship with victories at Assen, Monza, Aragon, Silverstone, the Nurburgring and Portimao along the way, eventually clinching the title with a race to spare.

His success earned him a World Superbike ride for the 2012 season where he will compete for the ParkinGO Ducati squad and Davies is looking forward to the challenge.

“It’s a big step up and it’s going to be a big challenge so I’ve got a lot to learn but at the end of the day, it’s got a set of handlebars and two wheels so we sort of know what we’re doing! We’ll keep going, keep learning and see what we come up with at the end of next year.”

Photo Credit: World SBK

Tati Mercado is closing in on a World Superbike ride for the 2012 season after a successful test with Team Pedercini at the Ricardo Tormo circuit this week.

The Argentinian rider competed with the Italian outfit in the Superstock 1000 class this year, finishing 16^th overall with fifth place at Silverstone a highlight, and was given the opportunity to test the Kawasaki ZX-10R in Valencia as Pedercini look to finalise their plans for the upcoming season.

Mercado was happy with the progress he made in such a short space of time and hopes it will lead to a SBK ride in the new year.

“These two days of testing for me were very positive and as a first test, I think it went very well.  I  really  enjoyed  riding  the  bike  as this  was  my  first  real experience  of a superbike. My Kawasaki is powerful and fantastic to ride. Every time I entered into the circuit I improved my riding style to better suit the bike.  Of course we have now a lot of areas to improve with the overall bike set up and with my riding style, but I think these two days here in Valencia have taught me a lot. I enjoy working with my team and I look forward to test again next year, before the beginning of the Championship”.

The 2012 Superbike World Championship is set to get underway at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia on February 26^th.

Leon-Camier - Photo Credit: Silverstone UK

Leon Camier will test with the Crescent Suzuki team for the first time at Portimao on Monday as the team kick off their preparations for the 2012 World Superbike Championship. The Briton has joined the WSBK newcomers from Aprilia Alitalia and will partner John Hopkins, who raced for Crescent in this year’s British Championship.

Among the challenges facing Camier are the jobs of familiarising himself with the Suzuki as well as trying out different chassis set-ups while also fine-tuning the Motec electronics package. The 25 year old can’t wait to begin working with his new employers and has stressed that lap times are not important early on.

“I’m very excited to get out on the bike. There is a lot to test on the Crescent Suzuki and I’ll be getting to know the team. My focus will initially not be solely on lap times; at the minute it’s more about getting comfortable with the bike and having a good platform for the next test.”

With Hopkins injured, Alastair Seeley will take his place in testing the second GSX-R1000 and the new British Supersport Champion is looking forward to the opportunity.

“I’m really excited about testing with Crescent Suzuki. It’s always interesting to see how things work with another team, plus it will be great to be back on a Superbike after a year in a different class.”

Team Manager Jack Valentine is excited ahead of their first get-together as a World Superbike team and hopes to head into the new year with reason for optimism.

“I’m really looking forward to getting Leon on the bike. We’ll be aiming to get a good chassis set-up for him, and if he clicks with the bike early on – then we’ll be looking at lap times. But my primary aim is to get Leon comfortable on the bike so he can head into the winter testing break with a good feeling.”

“We will also be testing engines and electronic packages with the help of Alastair Seeley, who is standing-in for the injured John Hopkins. Alastair proved this season in British Supersport what a good rider he is, so we believe he’ll give us some useful input towards the development of the bike.”

“And last but not least, the team itself has had some new additions to it, making this trip somewhat of a team bonding exercise. So far the lads have gelled really well in the workshop, so I expect this will be the case in Portugal.  The main thing is to come away happy, focussed, and with some positive feedback that will allow us to step up again before the next test in the New Year.”

John Hopkins - Photo Credit: Suzuki Racing

John Hopkins will reunite with the Crescent Suzuki team for an assault on the World Superbike Championship in 2012. The American rode for Crescent in this year’s BSB season and came within 0.006s of winning the championship, losing out to Tommy Hill.

Despite the heart-breaking end to the year, Hopkins is delighted to be re-joining Crescent Suzuki, where he will partner Leon Camier, and is hoping to do as well on the world stage as he did in the British Championship.

“I am really happy to be joining up with the Crescent guys again. We had a great year in British Superbike and I’m sure we can continue that in WSB. I wanted to get back into world championship racing and this is a natural progression from last year. The difference this time is that I will be going to tracks that I already know and have some reference from, so that should make some things a bit easier.”

“I know it’s going to be a big step, but with some big technical advances and Yoshimura on board, I’m sure the bike will be fully competitive. It will be great to work with Lez Pearson again, as we built up a strong relationship and his understanding of the way the bike works will be invaluable next year. I’m also looking forward to riding with Leon. I’m sure he’ll be strong next year and will be a difficult team-mate to beat and also one who will push me to the limit.”

“I want to say thanks to Paul, Martyn, Jack and everyone at Crescent Suzuki for believing in me and giving me this opportunity. I can’t wait to get on the bike and see what we can do. I know it’s not going to be an easy task by any means, but I have every intention of going out and trying to earn my first ever world championship for myself and the team. I’ll be doing everything in my power to make it happen.”

After showing his class on the unknown British circuits, Team Manager Jack Valentine is certain that Hopkins will excel on the WSBK tracks which he will be familiar with.

“It’s great to have John back onboard for next year and a real boost for the whole team that he has chosen to ride for us. He is a class act, not only for Crescent Suzuki, but for the whole Superbike series as well. The crowds will love him.”

“I enjoyed working with him this year and, although he rode in the last three events with a severely injured finger, he only just missed out on the championship. That is history now and I look forward to continuing the relationship and building on what we achieved this year. I’m sure with what he learnt in BSB, and his experience on the tracks we will visit next year, that he will be able to get some spectacular results.”

“I know he’s really fired up for this and I’m looking forward to some exciting times. I cannot wait to see him and Leon out there next year.”

The race two podium at Portimao - Photo Credit: WSBK

SBK Superbike World Championship (Round 13: Portimao)

Race Two Result (22 Laps):

Lap Leaders: Rea (1), Laverty (2-18), Melandri (19-22)

Fastest Lap: Joan Lascorz (1:43.553 – Lap 2)

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: WSBK

SBK Superbike World Championship (Round 13: Portimao)

Race Two Result (22 Laps):

Lap Leaders: Rea (1-2), Guintoli (3-19), Checa (20-22)

Fastest Lap: Sylvain Guintoli (1:43.453 – Lap 3)

Marco Melandri - Photo Credit: WSBK

Yamaha bowed out of World Superbikes in the grand manner with a 1-2 finish in the final race of the season at Portimao. The Japanese manufacturer announced in August that they were withdrawing their factory support of the championship but Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty, both secure of their 2012 rides elsewhere, gave them the perfect farewell gift.

Jonathan Rea led away from pole position but Laverty stormed past him when they returned to the start/finish straight, outbraking him into turn one. Third placed Melandri repeated the move at the start of lap six before shadowing his teammate, waiting for the moment to pass.

The moment came on lap 19 as the Italian dived up the inside of Laverty into turn five before pulling out a one second lead before the chequered flag. Laverty had his work cut out in the closing stages as Rea set his sights on second but the Irishman held on to give Yamaha their 1-2.

Rea finished third while the new world champion Carlos Checa ended his triumphant season with fourth ahead of Sylvain Guintoli and the Alitalia Aprilias of Leon Camier and outgoing champion Max Biaggi.

Checa wouldn’t end the year without at least one victory though and the Spaniard duly took his 2011 winning tally to 15 after a late overtaking move on long-time leader Guintoli. The Effenbert-Liberty Ducati rider took over from Jonathan Rea at the start of lap three but succumbed to the pressure from Checa on lap 19.

Having taken third in the second race, Rea ended the day with a brace of podium finishes and finished comfortably clear of Max Biaggi, Joan Lascorz and Marco Melandri in race one. While he wasn’t at his best, Biaggi will have been glad to be back after missing three events with the injury picked up in practice at the Nurburgring.

Fifth was a standout result for Lascorz who set the fastest lap on the way to matching his best result all season. Teammate Tom Sykes had a mixed day as he finished a strong eighth in race one before failing to complete race two. Leon Haslam had a disappointing end to the year though with ninth in race one and a solitary point in race two.

Although he didn’t make the final podium of the year, the 2011 season belongs to Carlos Checa who ended the season with an astonishing victory margin of 110 points, with Melandri second and Biaggi taking third by virtue of nine second place finishes to Eugene Laverty’s three.

Riders Championship (Final Standings)

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Pirelli

At the age of 38, Carlos Checa has become the new Superbike World Champion after scoring his fifth double victory of an incredible season. The Spaniard entered the weekend needing just three points to secure the title but proceeded to take his 13^th and 14^th race wins.

Eugene Laverty made the early running in race one, taking advantage from a nightmare start from polesitter Jonathan Rea, but once Checa had battled his way past second-placed Leon Camier on lap three, the Irishman was living on borrowed time.

Checa relentlessly chased down the Yamaha before finally diving up the inside into Chateaux d’Eau on lap ten, giving him a lead he would never relinquish. Marco Melandri, the only man with a mathematical chance of delaying the title celebrations, did his bit by storming through to second, overtaking Laverty and Leon Haslam with three laps to go.

Haslam took the final place on the podium while Camier beat Laverty to fourth after passing him on the penultimate lap. Sylvain Guintoli took sixth while Tom Sykes had a lonely ride to tenth. Jonathan Rea’s race never recovered from the poor start but it eventually came to an end with a crash at the final chicane four laps in.

The Castrol Honda rider made a better start to race two and led the early stages from Laverty, Camier and Checa. Laverty grabbed the lead on lap seven after outdragging Rea on the exit of the Adelaide hairpin, making slight contact on the way past but he soon had Checa giving chase again after Rea’s CBR1000RR hit mechanical problems.

Laverty held on until lap 14 before Checa repeated his race one move to take the lead. Melandri would follow him home in second again but left it until the final lap before forcing his way past his teammate. In doing so, the Italian also made sure of the runner-up spot in the championship.

Haslam finished just off the podium in fourth ahead of Guintoli and Haslam but Tom Sykes didn’t make it into the points this time after retiring without completing a lap.

Riders Championship (After Round 12: Magny Cours)

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

SBK Superbike World Championship (Round 12: Magny Cours)

Race Two Result (23 Laps):

Lap Leaders: Rea (1-6), Laverty (7-13), Checa (14-23)

Fastest Lap: Carlos Checa (1:39.136 – Lap 2)

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

SBK Superbike World Championship (Round 12: Magny Cours)

Race One Result (23 Laps):

Lap Leaders: Laverty (1-9), Checa (10-23)

Fastest Lap: Carlos Checa (1:38.643 – Lap 4)

Jonathan Rea - Photo Credit: Castrol Honda

SBK Superbike World Championship (Round 12: Magny Cours)

Superpole Result:

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

Superbike World Championship: Imola (Race Two Result – 21 Laps):

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

After a season full of outstanding victories, Carlos Checa was forced to rely on the mechanical misfortune of others to win the second race of the day at Imola. The Spaniard was lying a distant second before Jonathan Rea’s Castrol Honda broke down, wiping out his 3.5s deficit.

Rea had looked poised to take his first double-victory since Assen 2010 after a cracking start got him into Tamburello ahead of Eugene Laverty, Leon Camier, Tom Sykes and Checa. Initially the front two looked to be breaking away but Laverty soon fell back into the chasing pack before succumbing to Camier at Tosa on lap four.

Despite dropping to seventh after a poor start, Noriyuki Haga roared back into contention and brought Checa along with him. On lap five, the Japanese rider moved from fourth to second in the space of a few corners while Checa capitalised on Laverty’s loss of momentum to take fourth at the Variante Bassa. Try as he might, Camier couldn’t hold back Checa’s Althea Ducati and the inevitable happened on lap eight as Checa dived through at Tamburello.

With Checa catching Haga for second, attentions turned to title rival Melandri, currently lying sixth, who was likely to need a finish of 14^th or better to keep the championship alive. That suddenly became a tough challenge as the Italian slid off the track at Acqua Minerale. Thankfully for Yamaha, he made it back onto the track in 12^th allowing them to breathe again.

The picture would change dramatically on lap 16 though as Checa passed Haga at the Variante Bassa and moments later, Rea’s Honda slowed to a crawl with a CBR1000RR that continued to cut out. Checa was now in the lead, and Melandri now needed to finish ninth to deny the Ducati rider the title, and he had only made it up to tenth.

Thankfully for Melandri, Rea’s problem hindered him so much that he was forced to retire, and after overtaking Alessandro Polita, he was back into eighth. On the penultimate lap, Melandri also disposed of Sylvain Guintoli and Joan Lascorz to finish sixth, forcing Checa to wait another week for his crowning moment.

Checa left Haga behind to win by 4.631s while Camier’s strong start was rewarded with a podium. For the second time today, Laverty was forced to hold off Leon Haslam who kept his BMW upright this time. The Irishman clung on to fifth with Haslam sixth ahead of Melandri, Guintoli and Lascorz.

Lap Leaders:

Rea (1-16), Checa (17-21)

Riders Championship (After Round 11: Imola)

Jonanthan Rea - Photo Credit: Castrol Honda

Jonathan Rea completed his comeback from injury with a superb victory in race one at Imola after resisting a determined challenge from Noriyuki Haga. The Castrol Honda rider missed three events after fracturing his arm and collarbone at Misano but there were no questions over his fitness this morning.

Rea was first into Tamburello after a lightning start but the Northern Irishman outbraked himself when he got there. As he swept back onto the racing line, Carlos Checa was forced slightly wide allowing Tom Sykes to sneak through into the lead.

Checa slotted in behind in second while Rea held third ahead of Eugene Laverty and Noriyuki Haga, with the top five stretching a lead over the rest of the field. Rea continued to look racy and dived past Checa into Rivazza but while he moved forwards, the championship leader fell back with Laverty and Haga demoting him to fifth.

Five laps in, Rea hit the front as he slipped past the Kawasaki of Sykes into Variante Bassa and Haga had clearly been watching him, as he produced a carbon copy of his move to take second on lap nine. Rea had opened up a 1.4s lead by this point though and the Japanese rider was forced to ride on the ragged edge just to catch the Castrol Honda.

Despite shadowing him for the second half of the race, Haga couldn’t find a way past as Rea refused to give way. The Briton didn’t put a wheel wrong under intense pressure and took the chequered flag just 0.111s ahead of Haga.

The battle for third became a straight fight between Sykes and Checa and the Yorkshireman cam agonizingly close, losing the position to the Spaniard on the final run through Acqua Minerale. Laverty couldn’t keep in touch with the leading group but still held on to fifth, keeping the Effenbert-Liberty Ducati of Sylvain Guintoli behind him. Leon Haslam was putting Laverty under pressure early in the race but the BMW man crashed out at Tosa.

Jakub Smrz won a six-man battle for seventh which also included Marco Melandri. The Italian faces an uphill task to keep the title race alive in race two after finishing eighth in a mistake-filled opener.

Leon Camier only made one error but it was a pretty serious one, outbraking himself into Variante Bassa on lap one and running through the pitlane. The Briton made it back out on track but could only recover to 15^th.

Race One Result (21 Laps):

Carlos Checa - Photo Credit: Althea Racing

Carlos Checa saw off the challenge of Jonathan Rea to take his sixth pole position of the 2011 season, moving him another step closer to the World Superbike title. The Spaniard can clinch the championship this weekend if results go his way on Sunday and with closest rival Marco Melandri back in the third row, Checa is closing in on his first title.

The Althea Ducati rider clocked a 1:47.196 to pip Rea by less than a tenth of a second while Noriyuki Haga and Tom Sykes will complete the front row for tomorrow’s races. Both showed impressive pace at earlier stages in the weekend with Haga quickest in SP2 and Sykes topping the combined qualifying times.

Eugene Laverty, linked with a MotoGP ride in 2012, will head up the second row on the factory Yamaha. The Irishman was the fastest man in SP1 but set his slowest time of the afternoon in SP3, leaving him back in fifth.

Leon Haslam continued an excellent session for the Brits with sixth ahead of fellow BMW rider Ayrton Badovini and Effenbert-Liberty Ducati’s Sylvain Guintoli.

Melandri will line-up next after missing out on SP3 by 0.007s and the Italian faces an uphill task to keep the title race alive. To clinch the title, Checa must outscore the Yamaha man by 26 points and should the grid positions be replicated in the races, that target will be reached.

Leon Camier completed the top ten on the solitary Alitalia Aprilia as Max Biaggi sits this event out following the injury sustained at the Nurburgring, effectively ending his title defence.

Superpole Result:

It brings to an end a memorable career which saw him compete at the highest level of two-wheeled motorsport. The Briton won his first World Superbike crown in 2004 by seeing off Fila Ducati teammate Regis Laconi at the final round in Magny Cours before regaining the title in another last race showdown in 2007, beating Noriyuki Haga by two points.

Speaking on his official website, Toseland admitted that there was always a fear that the injury could be career threatening but had hoped to continue as long as possible.

“Having struggled through a couple of races and then crashing out in the terrible conditions at Nurburgring in Germany, I went back to see the Consultant, Mike Hayton, this week and the diagnosis was the worst I could have prepared myself for.”

“The easiest way to explain it is that I don’t have enough range of movement in my wrist to race professionally and no amount of physiotherapy is going to improve that. This all led to the verdict was that it’s no longer safe for me to continue a career in motorcycle racing.”

“I have to put the safety of the other riders on track first, as well as thinking about my own safety. Knowing that I will never again be fully fit to race at the highest level, it’s also unfair for me to occupy a great seat in WSBK that a young, talented rider who is fully fit could take better advantage of.”

“Obviously, the decision has been a difficult one and it’s been really hard to take the advice of my Consultant and admit defeat on this occasion but I really have no other option left at this stage. I’ve tried everything possible for the last few months but the sad truth is that none of it has worked and my wrist will never fully heal enough for me to operate the throttle properly and navigate right hand turns.”

Toseland also had a final message for his supporters who have stuck with him since his debut in World Supersport in 1998.

“You have been amazing in the best and worst times of my career and it’s been almost like having a second family to support me through my career. So, thank you for everything and I hope that I have done you proud.”

Toseland Career Stats:

Biaggi was already facing an uphill task to hold on to his title, beginning this weekend 62 points in arrears, but an accident on Friday saw his chances of overhauling Checa virtually disappear. The Italian suffered a badly bruised foot after being struck by debris on Friday and although he managed to qualify on the front row, the pain proved strong enough to keep him out of both races.

Starting from pole position, Checa was expected to take his 11^th win of the season and he duly did, although he was forced to fend off the charging Noriyuki Haga in the early stages before surging clear.

The two factory Yamahas enjoyed an entertaining battle for third after a mistake from Marco Melandri had brought Eugene Laverty onto his tail. Melandri managed to pull away from his younger teammate before snatching second from Haga five laps from home. Laverty finished a distant fourth while Leon Haslam recovered from an early trip through the gravel to take fifth from Sylvain Guintoli.

The conditions transformed completely for race two with sunshine replaced by heavy rain, making conditions nigh on impossible for the riders. Victory should have been Haga’s with the PATA Aprilia man leading throughout, but just a lap before race direction called a halt to proceedings, Haga crashed out of the lead, promoting Sykes who had just made it past the Effenbert-Liberty Ducati of Guintoli.

As it turned out, Sykes only led a single lap but crucially, it was the last one. Guintoli was classified in second while teammate Jakub Smrz claimed the final place on the podium after Jonathan Rea slid off the track at turn one.

The Castrol Honda rider remounted to take fourth while Eugene Laverty was furious despite finishing fifth, feeling the organisers shouldn’t have allowed the race to go ahead in such conditions. With Marco Melandri only sixth, eighth was more than good enough for Checa whose cautious approach paid dividends again.

With just three meetings, and six races remaining, Checa could mathematically clinch the championship in two weeks time at Imola. The Spaniard has to outscore Melandri by 24 points and Biaggi by five in order to seal the title with four races to spare.

Riders Championship (After Round 10: Germany)

“My ankle is getting stronger all the time, so I will be ready for Germany. The Nürburgring is definitely one of my favourite circuits – one of two or three I particularly like on the current calendar. It is quite unique in some ways. It goes up and down a lot, it is quite flowing and I like those sections where the corners roll into each other. When you get the ‘Schumacher S’ right-hander nailed it is very rewarding as a rider. Also, in the fifth gear right kink you can make up quite a bit of time. That part takes quite a bit of courage in some ways and the circuit in general lends itself to my style of riding a bit more than some. I hope I can pick up where we left off before my injury at Silverstone.”

Sykes was also forced to miss the BSB meeting at Brands Hatch, leaving Joan Lascorz to uphold Kawasaki honours alongside Broc Parkes. The Spaniard achieved a best finish of seventh and feels the experience has made him well prepared for the challenge of the Nurburgring.

“It was interesting to race at Brands Hatch in the BSB series recently but finding the right bike set-up was a little more difficult compared to some other circuits. It was not so easy to control on the gas but steering and going in the corners was very good. It was just a very intense circuit and I think it was good preparation for the Nürburgring race, which we come to this weekend. It gave me the chance to practice more on the bike and feel good for the German race. We will see how things go in Germany as this will be my first time there on a Superbike, but I think if we can have a good period of practice we can make good results.”

Australian rider Aitchison went into the summer break in excellent form, having qualified for Superpole in each of the last three events, but the 27 year old now wants to concentrate on improving the Kawasaki ZX-10R over a race distance.

“I am very much looking forward to getting started in Germany and embarking on this final stage of the 2011 season. After some time off during the summer break I know I am feeling refreshed and motivated and want to turn my hard work during the beginning of the season into positive results. I think my team needed some rest during this period as well, so I think we will be ready to take advantage of the upcoming races. The Nurburgring circuit is actually one that I enjoy a lot, and I believe it lends itself to my riding style, so let’s hope the weather is favourable as well. My aim is to build on our momentum that we have developed in the last few races and then improve mine and the bike’s consistency over race distance”.

While Aitchison is feeling positive, Roberto Rolfo isn’t relishing the weekend ahead on a circuit that he isn’t a huge fan of. The Italian feels the changes in recent years have made it too suitable to four wheels and don’t favour the Superbikes.

“The Nurburgring is a track that I don’t know very well. I have only raced here in 2008 in Superbike and I was not in a good physical condition as I had a broken collarbone. To tell the truth I do not really like it because I find it a little old and updates made recently have made it more suitable for the cars. Having said that, I would add that the ups and downs, particularly in the second section of the track, are very exciting. There will be some grip issues I think as the asphalt is not so good. We hope at least that temperature will be good because we’re in the north of Europe, in a forest area where cold winds are common. During the holidays I have trained a lot and I feel fit, I can’t wait to rev my Kawasaki and do some slides”.

The circuit, located 70km south of Cologne, is among Rea’s favourites having won there on two occasions. While he isn’t promising a repeat of that this time, the 24 year old is glad to be back.

“I can’t wait to get back on the bike in a race weekend situation at Nurburgring. The test at Assen last week was great for me to ride and work with the team again, but I’m really looking forward to doing it for real again this weekend. Assen was also good from a confidence point of view, because the lap time was pretty good and I was able to complete a lot of laps without any pain from the wrist.”

“Unfortunately, I’ve missed a few races because of the injury, but I’ve got a new target for the end of the season and I know what I need to do to achieve that. The good thing is that the guys have been working really hard back at base since I’ve been away, and there were some good new things to test last week. I’m really looking forward to using them this weekend.”

With regular teammate Ruben Xaus recovering from his own injury, Rea will be joined by Makoto Tamada who makes his first appearance since the end of last year. The Japanese rider has victories in MotoGP and World Superbikes to his name and is looking forward to his return to the series.

“It’s great to be back racing in the World Superbike series. I want to thank Castrol Honda for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to working with the team and Jonathan, and I’m also looking forward to meeting my European fans.”

Team Manager Ronald ten Kate is delighted to welcome back his number one rider and with Tamada also riding the CBR1000RR, he is hopeful that the team can gather extensive data on the developments they plan to race next year.

“Everyone is really happy that Jonathan is back for this weekend. He did a race simulation at Assen, which showed that he’s quite fit again. It’s certainly been a troublesome mid-season with injuries, but we’ve had good results with Jonathan at Nurburgring in the last two years, so we’re all thrilled to have him back for this one. We’re also looking forward to welcoming Makoto Tamada back to the championship. His level of experience will provide good feedback on the bike since we are already looking ahead to 2012. We are working on the development of new parts for next season so it will be good to hear his opinion, too.”

The four-time World Superbike champion will be joined on a special parade lap by stars from the British Superbike Championship including Michael Rutter and Martin Jessopp of Rapid Solicitors Bathams Ducati and Scott Smart of Moto Rapido Ducati.

For Fogarty, it will mark his return to the track where he set the circuit’s first ever 100mph motorcycle lap on his way to winning the MCA Star Race 22 years ago. It was the circuit’s first national bike meeting for 20 years and ‘Foggy’ averaged over 100mph for all eight laps taking a 3.5 second victory from Steve Chambers with his fastest lap clocked at a stunning 102.22mph.

On Saturday 3^rd September, the Wiltshire track will also put on a day of top class national racing with the Rapid Solicitors Ducati 848 Challenge, British F2 Sidecars and the British Historic Grand Prix Championship among the entertainment on show.

Local Melksham company Avon Tyres will also be putting on a static display showing the 100 years in which they have been making bike tyres, and with the additional support of Motorcycle Direct Insurance and BLD, it is sure to add to an exciting day’s entertainment.

Adult admission costs just £15 with accompanied children under 16 admitted FREE. A paddock transfer costs just £2.50 with practice getting underway at 8.45am and racing from 11.20am. Further information is available at www.castlecombecircuit.co.uk or by ringing 01249 782417.

In an official statement, Yamaha explained that the decision “takes into account the continuing severe and rapidly changing Powered Two Wheeler market conditions throughout the region.”

“Due to this decision more resource and focus will now be used for direct “Customer“ activities to ultimately add more value to Yamaha ownership and increased Customer Satisfaction.”

“YME would like to express their sincere thanks and appreciation for the total commitment, support, and passion shown by the extremely professional and dedicated riders and team members both past and present throughout the many years of participation in the FIM Superbike World Championship. YME would also like to thank all the highly valued business partners and suppliers who have in-turn supported the team and in addition would like to thank Infront Motorsports, the FIM Superbike World Championship promoters. YME has chosen this timing of announcement to ensure that all existing obligations are correctly met, and to not limit any opportunities or future planning for all personnel involved.”

The YZF-R1 has been responsible for five victories so far this year, only bettered by the dominant Ducati 1098R with Marco Melandri taking three wins to go with Eugene Laverty’s spectacular double at Monza.

The pair are third and fourth respectively in the championship standings, with Melandri still in with an outside chance of taking the title, but any success will be the last for Yamaha as an official factory entrant.

The statement continued, saying “YME and the team will continue to give its maximum efforts until the end of the existing season to try and regain the World Superbike title which Yamaha also won in 2009.”

“Yamaha will continue the availability of road racing kit parts, known as YEC Racing kit parts, for its R1 and R6 production models for private teams entering at all racing levels.”

Things didn’t fall into place for Lowes though as he crashed out of the opening race before having to pit in the second after struggling on his spare bike. The 20 year old was grateful for the opportunity to race in front of his home crowd and has wished the team every success upon Rea’s return.

“I can’t really begin to express my disappointment, not just for myself, but for the whole team. After the test last week, I came to Silverstone with high hopes for an improvement over Brno, which was the first time I had seen the bike. It wasn’t to be though and we just weren’t able to find a setting here that gave me enough confidence in the front end of the bike. I’ve had a mega experience and it was great having Jonathan [Rea] around this weekend. He’s hoping to be back on the bike for the next round and I’m sure he can get the results that the team deserves after all the hard work they’ve put in.”

The Dutch-based team were competing with two replacement riders at Silverstone after Ruben Xaus injured his back last time out at Brno. His CBR1000RR was initially supposed to go to Karl Muggeridge but the Australian sprained his wrist in a mountain bike accident in the week before the event.

Instead, Fabrizio Lai stepped in and although he was unable to score any points, the Italian was grateful for the experience to ride with the factory Honda squad.

“In race one I thought I could get two or three points but I crashed. I used the soft tyre in the front but it did not last more than three laps, so I had to fight it for a long time. I had to use the second bike in race two, with the harder front. But the different setting with the other bike used up the rear tyre too fast. So it was not the results that I had hoped for, but I am happy to have this experience. It’s disappointing for the team, because I would like to go faster, but it was not possible.”

Fabrizio Lai fends off Jon Kirkham at Silverstone

Team Manager Ronald ten Kate thanked both riders for their efforts and is already looking forward to testing at Assen during the summer break as the team look to recover lost ground.

“Not the results we wanted from the weekend, of course, but we still look forward. We have a test at Assen before the end of August, with quite some new parts to try on the bike that should allow us to go faster again.”

“I’d like to thank Alex and Fabrizio for their efforts this weekend. Fabrizio’s was a very last-minute booking for Silverstone and he’s done quite well, considering it’s his first time here and he hadn’t seen the bike before he walked into the garage. It was nice to work with him. It’s been a good weekend with young Alex, too, with a few ups and downs, of course.”

“Race one was quite promising and he was going forward through the field. Unfortunately, the crash damage to his bike meant he had to use his spare in the second race and that had quite a different feeling. We’ve really enjoyed working with him and we wish him good luck in his BSB racing.”

The American stunned everyone by topping the Superpole session and subsequently fighting with the leaders in race one. But any hopes of a podium ended when his rear brake delaminated, dropping him to an eventual fifth.

With the problem fixed for race two, Hopkins battled it out with Sylvain Guintoli and Leon Haslam before finishing in seventh place and was proud of the way the team acquitted themselves on the world stage.

“Boy that was a lot of fun. The first race was a bit of a disappointment with the rear brake pad issues, but I managed to alter my corner entry and keep my focus to bag that fifth place. Race two felt better, but to keep with those factory bikes you really need to make up time on the brakes and on the gas out of the turns. I knew that would kill my tyre, so it was no surprise in the closing stages of race two when we started losing the times.”

“Overall, I’m really pumped about this weekend. It’s been huge fun and we’ve showed the world what the Samsung Crescent Suzuki team are really capable of. I’ve bagged my first ever World SBK pole position, mixed it up at the sharp end and enjoyed the racing immensely. A huge thanks to the whole team.”

Teammate Jon Kirkham had a tough baptism in World Superbikes and was forced to start at the back of the grid after a difficult qualifying session. The Derby man recovered to score points in both races and revealed that a change of approach signalled the improvement.

“Not quite what I hoped for this weekend, but a pair of points finishes in World SBK is definitely something to be pleased with and you still can’t beat the feeling of dicing with your heroes like Troy Corser. Crucially we were a day behind really. After my struggles in practice and qualifying and an attempt to alter my riding style a little after seeing Hopper’s times, I just reverted to my old self today and started to go much better. Anyway, the bonus to take away from this is that we’ve now got a lot of data for the Silverstone BSB round and I can go to Brands Hatch next weekend with plenty of confidence.”

Jon Kirkham scored points on his World SBK debut

All in all, it was a memorable weekend for the BSB outfit and Team Manager Jack Valentine was proud of everyone involved.

“What a weekend. First we’re fastest in practice, then on pole position and then dicing for the lead, before rounding the weekend off with two great results and both riders in the points. This was always going to be a challenge, but thanks to the support from all of our sponsors, including Samsung and Fixi we were able to show the world what we’re capable of and leave Silverstone with our heads held high.”

“Hopper rode two great races, JK demonstrated his ability to bounce back despite set-backs and crucially, we leave here with a great deal of data for the BSB round later in the year. Now we head to Brands Hatch this weekend coming full of confidence. A great team effort and a huge thanks to the entire team.”

The Frenchman is taking part in his rookie season after finishing runner-up in last year’s Superstock 1000 Cup and had just a single top-ten finish at Misano to his name so far. But in race one at Silverstone, Berger claimed the scalps of World Champions James Toseland and Max Biaggi to finish eighth and the 22 year old admitted it took a fierce scrap to get there.

“I really enjoyed the first race. After a good start I found myself in a group of four to five riders and we fought side by side to overcome them. I forced my pace several times, but then I decided not to risk a fall and I finished eighth, my best result ever in World Superbikes.”

The Supersonic Ducati rider couldn’t quite repeat the heroics in race two after a problem with the radiator on his 1098R machine but still brought it home in a solid 12^th.

“In race two, the track temperature was warmer and the bike was sliding a lot from the tyres. I tried to keep a good rhythm and I could’ve been in the top ten, but when I was about to pass Lascorz, his bike started to lose water from the radiator. The water came on the visor of my helmet and my windshield and I had to turn off the gas, losing some positions. The satisfaction remains of having the best results this weekend and I finally brought home a good amount championship points. I have to thank once again my team to give me a real fast bike. Now I will take a few weeks’ vacation and get ready for the remaining four races of the championship.”

The Superbike World Championship will return on the first weekend of September at the Nurburgring in Germany.