Shane Byrne (Althea Team): “I showed that I had pace right from the first practice session and hoped for two great races. Unfortunately yesterday’s crash compromised my weekend and I didn’t achieve what I had hoped to. It is difficult to make passes here and the fact that I started from the back didn’t help of course but I gave 100% and in the end I managed to close in the top ten which wasn’t bad. I want to thank the boys for their great work.”

Carlos Checa (Althea Team): “I got away well and, with Rea and Haga, found a good pace which allowed us to get away from the others andI was fighting against Noriyuki for second but when he crashed I tried to attack Jonathan. He had a strong pace though and I wasn’t able to make up that second of time that gave him the win. I’m very satisfied with the result and thank my team for their hard work.”

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox Team):“First of all I want to say how happy I am to be back up here. After the Race 1 crash I went straight back to the garage in the hope that my technicians could adjust the bike so that I could continue but unfortunately there was too much damage to the mufflers and I had to stop there. We made some modifications to the front suspension and the bike behaved a lot better in Race 2. I maintained a strong pace for the entire race and was able to get the job done! I’m sorry for Carlos because it’s always great to battle against him. Now I’d like to repeat this great result at Imola, Ducati’s home track.”

Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team)“A black day. In Race 1 I got straight back on the bike thinking that I could carry on and finish in the points zone. Then I realized that there was a problem with the throttle and, as I couldn’t open or close the gas properly, I had to return to the garage. It’s a pity because I was making up some ground before the crash and had good pace. Race 2 didn’t go any better – I had to come in to change the rear tyre but in doing that I lost too much ground and there wasn’t anything I could do.”

1. Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 38′42.640
2. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 38′43.766
3. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 38′52.646
4. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) 38′53.356
5. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) 39′00.031
6. Leon Haslam (Team Suzuki Alstare) 39′01.941
7. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 39′02.253
8. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Alstare) 39′02.520
9. Shane Byrne (Althea Racing) 39′03.816
10. Luca Scassa (Supersonic Racing Team) 39′12.392
11. Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse) 39′12.796
12. Ian Lowry (Kawasaki Racing Team) 39′36.262
13. Roger Lee Hayden (Team Pedercini) 39′41.460
14. Matteo Baiocco (Team Pedercini) 40′08.546
RT. Fabrizio Lai (ECHO CRS Honda) 38′47.862
RT. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 24′11.947
RT. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox Team) 17′20.006
RT. Jakub Smrz (Team PATA B&G Racing) 11′50.182
RT. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 12′19.435
RT. Max Neukirchner (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 13′11.368
RT. James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 2′02.665

Noriyuki Haga: “I had a better feeling with the bike this morning compared to this afternoon’s session, so tomorrow I think we’ll make some changes that take us back in that direction regarding set-up. I was a bit disappointed with the Superpole result because I did my two laps in the final phase but maybe I should have stayed out there and done one more because the situation changed dramatically in the last two minutes and I dropped from fourth to sixth. Having said that, a place on the second row isn’t bad and after two positive days we’ll be aiming to make two equally positive races tomorrow.”

Michel Fabrizio: “After all the team’s hard work and the positive results so far this weekend, I of course hoped to take part in the third part of the Superpole but unfortunately a couple of mistakes proved costly and I finished ninth, outside of the top eight for just a fraction of a second. Tomorrow will be very difficult because this is one of those tracks where it’s not easy to pass, added to the fact that there are more than a few strong riders…”

(more…)

Have a look at the Ducati Xerox Team Michel Fabrizio crash in 8 pictures.
Nurburgring SBK Qualifying 1
photo Ducati Corse Friends

photo: Luca Scassa (Ducati Corse Friends)

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1′55.232
2. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1′55.447
3. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1′55.753
4. Shane Byrne (Althea Racing) 1′55.998
5. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox Team) 1′56.024
(more…)

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

(more…)

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.”

We are however pleased that Ducati has confirmed its technical support for private teams that will be competing with its models in the 2011 championship and that the development of its new generation of hypersport bikes, in both homologated and Superbike race versions, will continue.”

We are disappointed and also a bit surprised at Ducati’s decision,” declared Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports, “especially since we have been asked numerous times for a change in the regulations to bring about a better balancing of twin-cylinder 1200cc machines towards the four-cylinder 1000cc bikes, but it must be mentioned that last year, without the presence of a phenomenal Ben Spies, the Ducati 1198 would have dominated the championship with Haga and Fabrizio, and it is therefore difficult for us today to comprehend this decision, which of course we must respect.

The Borgo Panigale manufacturer has built a large part of its history and reputation on the back of its wins in the world championship for production-based bikes, in which it has taken part since the very start and in which it has obtained 16 Manufacturers’ and 13 Riders’ titles with its strictly twin-cylinder production models. As recently as last year Ducati was fighting for the championship title right down to the final round of the season at Portimao, proving the outright competitiveness of its flagship model, the 1198, and demonstrating the extremely well-balanced nature of the current technical regulations.

From 2011 onwards, Ducati will no longer compete with a factory team in the Superbike World Championship, and has decided to limit its participation to the supply of machines and support to private teams. The Italian manufacturer has participated with a factory team in every edition of the World Superbike Championship since it began in 1988, winning 16 Manufacturers’ world titles and 13 Riders’ world titles along the way.

source: Worldsbk

Ducati will focus its technical resources on product development and will not participate in the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship with a factory team.

Ducati, having participated with a factory team in every edition of the FIM Superbike World Championship since it began in 1988, winning 16 Manufacturers’ world titles and 13 Riders’ world titles along the way, has decided to limit its participation to the supply of machines and support to private teams.

“This decision is part of a specific strategy made by Ducati, the aim being to further increase technological content in production models that will arrive on the market in the coming years. In order to achieve this objective, the company’s technical resources, until now engaged with the management of the factory Superbike team, will instead be dedicated to the development of the new generation of hypersport bikes, in both their homologated and Superbike race versions,” declared Gabriele Del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati.

“I would like to thank Nori and Michel, and all of the riders that have contributed to the great history of Ducati in Superbike, but above all the Ducati employees; it is their hard work and professionalism that has allowed us to achieve such important results. A big thank you also to all of the partners that have supported us, first and foremost Xerox of course. I would also like to acknowledge the Flammini brothers who have managed the championship for so long, and the FIM, the organization with which we have continuous, constructive relations.”

By making this important decision Ducati aims to increase the speed and efficiency with which it transfers advanced technological solutions, currently tested in the prototype championship, to the production series. The task of testing innovative technical solutions in Superbike racing will therefore be entrusted to external teams in the coming years, teams that will have the chance to receive technical support from Ducati personnel. This choice will allow the teams to benefit from even more competitive machines and parts.

Despite the decision to interrupt its official participation in the FIM Superbike World Championship, Ducati will continue to work, in collaboration with the championship organizers, other manufacturers and the FIM, to define a technical regulation aimed at containing costs.

Strong in the sporting spirit that has always allowed this manufacturer to compete, line-up against its rivals, and win, it is fundamental for Ducati to identify, together with the other interested parties, solutions that can guarantee the future of the championship in the medium-long term.

Recently the FIM Superbike World Championship, according to the current regulations, has been interpreted as moving more towards competition between prototypes rather than for bikes derived from production machines. This has led to an increase in costs, both for the manufacturers and the teams participating in the championship. This picture does not correlate with the current worldwide economic situation, which has made the securing of sponsorship even more difficult. Ducati trusts that the work carried out by all parties will lead to improvement also in this area.

source: FIM

“Are you looking for a Ducati SBK rider as instructor on your track day, or to promote your Ducati event?
The Ducati Corse Friends can help you with your project in collaboration with the Italian SG Agency.

Troy Bayliss, Luca Scassa or Niccolò Canepa can be present at your exclusive event!

Contact us for more information.”