Luca Scassa and the Supersonic Team are ready to face the last part of the SBK World Championship that will conclude the 2010 season in less than a month. The Nurburgring, a modern structure and a name that recalls the legendary Nordschleife is a terrible but fascinating track and still in use for private testing and racing. The Nurburgring is 5137 meters long and has seventeen curves of various levels of difficulty. Last year, Luca Scassa has scored points on it in race 2, with his four cylinder Japanese bike. The Nurburgring represents for the team more than the simple return in the World Superbike Championship. The fantastic results from team and rider was unfortunately stopped at Brno during the first race when Scassa,slipped out the race (absolute crono 6th on the grid) and fractured the 3rd and 4th metatarsal of his left foot. Recovery was forced and during the free practise at Silverstone the situation was repeated and not allowed him to take part in the race.

Luca Scassa: “I can’t wait to get back on track! The last few weeks have been really hard for me because of the falls and injuries and I have to spent more time taking care of my wounds. Silverstone has unfortunately aggravated an extreme situation, it was really bad for me and also the bike was completely destroyed. Thanks to a serious rehabilitation program I recovered for 99%.I rode last week with my motocross bike, without force of course, for a couple of hours every day. I am grateful to the team because I know they have done an incredible job with the view to travel to Germany and I hope to repay them with an equally positive result. It would be a double gift for them and for me as I celebrated my birthday a few days ago (08.27.1983). To all my fans I say thank you for the warmth shown in these difficult last few weeks, I can promise a weekend at the best, many thanks to my family because without them I could never perform in this wonderful sport.

Danilo Soncini: “It gives me a great pleasure to return to the World SBK Championship after a very difficult period. But I want to thank everyone who gave us support during the month of August, to find the best technical solutions in view of the German trip. About the latest Ducati news we are grateful for the company from Bologna for all the attention right now and for ensuring a good chance for the future for us. We will be proud to continue to hold high the banner from the most famous twin engine in the world.”

Mugello (Italy), Thursday 2nd September 2010: in preparation for the upcoming Nurburgring round of the World Superbike Championship, the Ducati Xerox Team carried out two days of testing at Italian circuit Mugello. The two factory riders divided the work, Michel Fabrizio on track on Tuesday and Noriyuki Haga taking over the ropes yesterday. The test was a very useful exercise for both riders after the month long summer break.
On Tuesday Michel made more than 65 laps during the day, working hard with his technicians to record a best time of 1m52.0, on a “Q”, in the late afternoon. During the day the Italian rider tried different set-ups and also tested several new tyre solutions provided by Pirelli. On Wednesday morning, in equally hot conditions, Noriyuki took to the track, carrying out a very similar work programme to Michel and clocking up around 60 laps by the close of play. His best time of the day was a 1m52.6 recorded on race rubber.

Noriyuki Haga: “This test has been helpful, allowing us to get feeling back with the bike after the summer holiday. It has been useful preparation for this weekend’s German round, giving us the chance to test settings. I completed a lot of laps, trying different set-ups and making constant improvement throughout the day.”

Michel Fabrizio: “The test will hopefully help us make a good race at the Nurburgring. I’ve tried different settings and the new rear tyres provided by Pirelli gave great results.”

Lorenzo Lanzi (Team DFX): The long summer break from August did not stop my will to fight. I spend much time for my trainings programme to be in the best condition for the German SBK round. I know the Nurburgring a little because I raced there in 2008 and I remember that it is a very technical track. The team will work on it like the best as usual. I hope to have a good qualification to start from a good position on the starting grid and I hope to gain again some extra points in the championship. We are ready for the challenge!

The Ducati Corse Friends are very proud to announce a new website.

All information about Davy Wens, our Belgian friend riding in the Dutch 3D Cup can be found on www.DavyWens.be
It’s his new website under the wings from the Ducati Corse Friends!

Red Fox Import: All racing parts for Ducati Pantah, TT2, TT1, TT F1 and have a look at the Pantah racing cylinder head , 900 cc engine, up to 984.

For more information:
Red Fox Import
Eegene 112, 9200 Schoonaarde
Belgium
émail: info@redfoximport.be
website: www.redfoximport.be

Héctor Barberá (Aspar Team): “Misano is a circuit I like a lot. I tend to go fast there quite easily. Two years ago I I could have won the race but I finished third even though I ran off track a couple of times and lost a lot of time, and then last year I won. My results at Misano say a lot, I get a good feeling there and I’m going to go for it. I think I am in my best form of the season so far. Even though the result was quite positive at Indianapolis I didn’t manage to ride how I like. At Misano I’ll be giving my maximum from the first session. My objective as at every Grand Prix is to close the gap to the top riders in the class
in practice and in the race.”

Aleix Espargarò (Pramac Racing Team): “The last laps in Indianapolis were very difficult for me, between the air heat and the heat produced by my bike was difficult to keep on pushing. Too bad because I could have fought with Simoncelli and Bautista for the seventh and eighth position, however the important thing is to have finished the race in the better way as possible. I’m in perfect shape now and is good for me to get in these physical conditions to the Misano’s appointment that is one of my favorite tracks. Here I have got my best starting position on the starting grid, the third position in 2008 when I was racing in the 250cc. Last year was not so bad despite the fifteenth starting position, it was my second Grand Prix in the MotoGP category and I was aiming to conquer a good position. The eleventh final position has partially repaid the work done by my technicians throughout the weekend. This year’s goal is to significantly improve my starting position and then my final race position.”

Mika Kallio (Pramac Racing Team): “I hope that the bad luck that has conditioned some of my races of this season is over with the fall of Indianapolis Grand Prix. I was trying to maintain the contact with the riders ahead of me but I could not avoid the hole in the asphalt. Too bad because I could finish the race among the top ten of the ranking. My attention is now moving to Misano, which is one of my favorite tracks. Here I have got a good seventh place last year as Stoner substitute. I started the race in eleventh position and lap after lap I managed to overtake my rivals and obtain the seventh position that was for me the best result of my rookie year of MotoGP races. With a little bit of luck this year I’ll point to improve my last year position.”

The Ducati Marlboro Team return home this weekend looking to put on a good show for the local crowd at Misano and make up for a disappointing race last year, which Casey Stoner missed through illness whilst Nicky Hayden was taken out by another rider in the first turn.
Both riders have shown their pace around the Italian circuit previously, however, Stoner having won in 2007 and leading the 2008 race before crashing, and Hayden finding a good set-up and pace for his Ducati in practice last year. As always the Ducatisti will be out in force to support them from the Ducati grandstand, which is located in the “Variante Parco”, the first turn after the start-finish straight.

CASEY STONER, Ducati Marlboro Team: “Indy was obviously a big disappointment for us but we’re looking ahead. I am happy to be going to one of Ducati’s home circuits and a place where we have gone fast in the past. It is the third of the races I missed in 2009 so we’ll see what we can do this weekend. We’ll have to work hard on the front again because we don’t want to take a backward step on the progress we’ve made recently. The whole team is working really hard, the guys are giving everything like always so hopefully we can have a good result to celebrate on Sunday.”

NICKY HAYDEN, Ducati Marlboro Team: “We have travelled straight from Indianapolis to Italy so it feels like a short week! We had a really good pace in race trim during practice and warm-up at Misano last year but I got hit from behind in the race on the Sunday. It is always special to race a Ducati in Italy and I can’t wait for it. Last year went like I said and in 2008 I didn’t race because of a foot injury so we’ll try to make up for it on Sunday, when I’m sure we’ll have the support of a lot of fans and a lot of people from Ducati.”

The Nürburgring (Germany), Tuesday 31st August: after a month’s break, the World Superbikes are ready to restart their engines and return to the racetrack; the next stop for the Ducati Xerox Team is Germany, and the historic Nürburgring.
Noriyuki celebrated podium success last season in Race 1 at the Ring but it was the previous year, 2008, that brought the most satisfaction, with a double win for the Japanese rider at the German track, in spite of his riding with a broken collarbone! Michel on the other hand is yet to step up to the Ring’s rostrum, his best result thus far a sixth place finish in 2008. Having returned to the SBK calendar in 2008, after an eight year break, the circuit has been characterised by some very unpredictable weather conditions that have delayed and cut short races in the last two seasons. The historic Ring, located in the heart of Germany’s Black Forest, has played host to motorsport events for more than eighty years; this will be the fifth time that the World Superbike circus visits the track.
As the 2010 edition of the championship charges rapidly towards the home straight, with only two rounds left to run after the coming weekend’s German round, Nitro-Nori lies in 7th position while Uragano Mich is 9th in the overall standings. Ducati holds third position in the constructors championship.

Noriyuki Haga (7th in championship, 177 points): “I had a great time here in 2008, taking a double win despite some terrible conditions that messed up the smooth running of race day, but then last season didn’t go to plan as I started in pole but crashed out of race 2 in a race I was sure I could have won. The problem at the Nürburgring is that no-one can predict the conditions – we’ve seen the sun come out just minutes after a hail shower so mixed conditions like those make it hard to prepare for race day.”

Michel Fabrizio (9th in championship, 160 points): “I was disappointed to miss out on the podium at Silverstone so I’ll be trying my best to get there at the Nurburgring. I really like the track but haven’t managed to reach the podium before. The weather is so mixed of course and that can really mess up a weekend if conditions change dramatically each day. Anyway, we’ll be looking to take as many points as possible, and I’ll have my eyes on a top three finish.”

After the wet races at the Belgian Spa-Francorchamps, the Dutch 3D Cup went to Germany at the Dahlemer Benz track for the 7th round from this year.

Next race and last race for 2010 will be again at the great Assen, during the SMA Race of the Champions on September, 26th.
The 3D Cup is a very successfully formula, with more than 100 Ducati riders it’s an event that every Ducati rider must see and enjoy!

On the pictures you will see the start, Pleun Bakker and Geert Schepens.
Click here  to see the official press release in Dutch. (pdf)

Nicky Hayden, Ducati Team – 6th: “I still can’t believe what happened – I am so disappointed. I was being careful over the first few laps because in that heat the track was very greasy. I lost the front slightly on the third lap and caught my left knee on a drain cover on one of the kerbs, right where the knee slider attaches to the velcro. There are so many left-hand corners here… from that point on I had to take it really steady, I couldn’t push anywhere and finished up with a huge hole in my leathers. I am incredibly disappointed because we had to the pace to put in a performance today.”

Casey Stoner, Ducati Team – DNF: “I am very disappointed – it was a nothing crash but obviously it was enough to leave me out of the race. I know a lot of people have had front end crashes but apparently here at Indianapolis we have gone back to the situation we were in at the start of the season and we’ve struggled to find front-end feel in the corners. It is a real shame because we had good pace and I think we could have been on the podium.”

Aleix Espargarò – Pramac Racing Team – 9th: “It’s so hot here, I did a sauna inside my leather suit, I had never run with a similar wheatear condition. I’m really exhausted after this race but very happy to have finished my race in the better way. I was able to start very well and to not lose positions, in the early laps I tried to get my rhythm and overtake the other riders. On the fifth lap, I both overtake Capirossi and Edwards and I sewed up the gap with Mika. Unfortunately I could not have a lap pace that would allow me to be with the others. With the heat the track had became very slippery, during the last laps I tried to complete my race without taking unnecessary further risks. After the summer break I came back in a perfect shape, I cannot wait to race on Misano’s, which is one of my favorites.

Mika Kallio – Pramac Racing Team – DNF: “What a bad luck, this is not the right way. I had start a lot better than usual, at the end of the first lap I had conquer three positions. Then thanks to the drop of some riders and to the overtake that I had made on Bautista, I was riding in eighth position with almost four seconds behind Simoncelli. During the eighth lap I was passed again by Bautista, who was faster than me at that time. Together we started to run with a very fast pace and in seven laps we sew up the gap we had from Simoncelli. I was fighting with Simoncelli and Bautista for the seventh position, but in a curve due to a hole in the asphalt I have instantly lost the front tyre and found myself with my face on the asphalt. I could easily fight with the others for the seventh position or at least I could gain a top ten position. I am very disappointed with how things went, but as so often is happening during this season for one reason or another I cannot get the results I deserve.”