- Offizieller Beitrag
HONDA RACING INFORMATION
Portuguese World Superbike at Autodromo Internacional Algarve Tuesday 23 March 2010 World Superbike and World Supersport preview
REA AND LAVERTY GOING FOR GOLD ON THE ALGARVE
The Algarve coast is the location for the Portimao circuit, the host venue for the second round of the 2010 Superbike and Supersport World Championships, making it the first round of the year in Europe.
Already a popular venue for racing and testing, the relatively new Portimao circuit packs in a huge variety of rider challenges along its 4.592km length, with frequent changes of elevation and blind corner entries. An official winter test session has taken place at Portimao, in late January, meaning that for most riders the track will not be an unknown quantity on their 2010 machines.
For Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
CBR1000RR) Portimao was a happy hunting ground in 2009, having secured a second and third place on his Honda. The recent January tests saw Rea top the Superbike times, while in the Supersport division Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda
CBR600RR) set the fastest time in his chosen category.Laverty is the Supersport championship leader after his convincing victory at Phillip Island last month and he will be hoping for a repeat of his 2009 WSS victory in Portugal this weekend.
Another Supersport championship hopeful for Honda, Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR), is another proven winner at Portimao back in 2008, although he could not test in January because of an ankle injury picked up in winter training. Currently Sofuoglu is third in the championship, on 16 points to Laverty’s 25 and Kawasaki rider Joan Lascorz’s 20.
Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
CBR1000RR) was unable to compete the way he wanted to in Australia, but with more track time at a circuit he has tested at on his Fireblade he feels able to get back to his very best.Portuguese WSS rider Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) is out to have the best race of his career at home this weekend, having scored a top ten last time out in Australia.
Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image CBR1000RR) is chasing his first points of 2010 in Portugal, after finishing just outside the top 15 twice in Australia. South African rider Sheridan Morais (ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR) has been called on to replace regular rider Broc Parkes, as the Aussie continues his recovery from a pre-season training injury.
Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) was disappointed to have had bad luck in Australia but is now completely ready to make his mark in round two. The talented Italian rider was fast in pre-season testing at Portimao and should be well ahead with his machine set-up even before the first practice session starts.
Massimo Roccoli (Czech Intermoto Honda CBR600RR) has his focus on a top six finish, while his new team-mate Gino Rea (Czech Intermoto Honda
CBR600RR) is particularly keen to race at a circuit he knows well for this first time in his rookie season.After Portimao the next round takes the entire paddock to Valencia in Spain, with raceday falling on 11 April.
WSB RIDER COMMENTS
Jonathan Rea: “Australia was tough, but still
satisfying. It was important to come away from
there with some solid points, so a fourth and a
sixth wasn’t too bad. I feel like we’ve blown the
dust off the season now and it’s really got
started, especially now we’re heading back to
Europe. I’ve been working hard away from the
track on my fitness and conditioning and I know
that the guys have been working equally hard back
at the workshop, getting a bike together that we
know can work at European tracks. I like
Portimao, and we had a good test there in
January, so we’ll be looking for podium finishes
as that’s what we need to be doing now. I’m not
naïve enough to think anything’s going to be
easy, but I’m optimistic for the weekend.Max Neukirchner: “I’m now really ready for
another race weekend in Portimao – it’s a track
that I like very much and we have tested there
twice. We found something in the very last hour
of the last test that we think will work there,
but there are some new electronics to try as
well. Of course, I am looking for an improvement
on the results in Australia, a very big
improvement. But nevertheless I'm happy having
being able to do two races. Physically I have
never felt that fit after a race weekend like after that race.”Vittorio Iannuzzo: “The Australian race was
difficult because we are arrived in Phillip
Island without testing many of our parts. But the
race was useful to understand the way to increase
our competitiveness. After three weeks of work
since Australia my team is ready to improve the
settings of the electronics, which is our main
area of focus now. I am sure that there will be
the good chance for a positive race in Portimao
because of the effort put in by the technicians.”Sheridan Morais: “I will be riding for the team
at Portimao and Valencia because Broc is still
recovering from his injury. Broc is getting
better at a good pace but the team just wants him
to heal properly before he comes back into
action. I am looking forward to the weekend in
Portugal and being back in SBK racing.”
WSS Rider Comments
Eugene Laverty: “We know from last year’s race
and the January test, as well as our performance
at Phillip Island, that we are in good shape. We
will continue to work hard on set-up. You never
get bored at Portimao; it is that sort of a
circuit and there is always something to improve.
I think Joan and Kenan will be strong. In
Portugal if you can do one fast lap you can
probably do them for the whole race. It is great
to get the support of the local fans in Portugal;
they really get behind the whole team. I have
been training hard in the nice spring weather and
I am refreshed and ready for the race.”Kenan Sofuoglu: “After Australia I was very
disappointed with the result. But, after a few
days, I was happy, because if we can achieve a
solid podium finish with the problems we had
there, then we can do even better at other
circuits. So we will go to Portimao to at least
get another podium but, of course, our plan is to
win the race. Unfortunately, I couldn’t test
there in January because of my broken ankle, but
I have been working hard on my fitness and feel
good now. We have some new electronics to use at
Portimao, so I am looking forward to the weekend.”Michele Pirro: “In Australia we worked hard
through the practice and qualifying sessions to
get a front row starting position, but then the
race was two different stories. I am really
looking forward to a weekend in Portimao without
these misadventures and, if everything is OK, I
think we could be fighting for the leading
positions again and get a good result. I have
continued my training and now I feel really fit.
I will face up to the race weekend with the
maximum concentration, because in this category
the first step to achieving victory is not to make mistakes.”Massimo Roccoli: “We had a few things to overcome
in Australia and I had to ride my second bike in
the re-started race, but we were still inside the
top six. Back in Europe we have had time to
prepare so I feel we can do well in Portimao.”Miguel Praia: “Racing at home for Parkalgar is a
big responsibility as I am the only Portuguese
rider in the World Championship. But this is my
third time racing here and I am experienced with
this. I am also more relaxed after showing in a
normal race situation in Australia I can compete
for a finish in the top 10, equalling my best
result ever. I want to make a better race and
fight for a similar performance as our test here,
when I finished fourth. I need to make baby
steps, as I have never finished in the top five
before. It is a realistic target because I have a
fantastic bike and team but I will need the race of my life to achieve it.”Gino Rea: “At the previous round in Australia I
didn’t know the track, but I have ridden in
Portimao a few times and always gone well there.
We should go well and be a step ahead of where we
were going into PI. The track was new to me and
it was my first race in Supersport, but at least
I have been round Portugal before and always done
well. That has given my confidence a boost. Our
aim is to find good chassis setting right away
and run closer to the front than we did in Australia.”
Das wird ja immer schlechter mit den Blades in der Superbike.
