From a Benelli press release, issued yesterday from the World Superbike race at Oschersleben:

Peter Goddard crashed out of qualifying today, moments after the team had fitted their best Dunlop qualifying tyre. Goddard was pushing hard in an attempt to get the beautiful Benelli Tornado Superbike into Superpole for the first time when he lost the front end and crashed, without injury.

“Bad luck always seems to strike us at the wrong moment,” said a disappointed Andrea Merloni, owner of the Benelli Sport racing team. “Usually, the bad luck comes just after we’ve fitted our best qualifying tyre,” he observed. “But I have told the team they have no reason to be downhearted. This is our first year and we are just here to gather information, data and experience, and we are doing just that. I know that our potential is better than our results, and I am sure that both our luck, and our results, can and will improve.”

With the end of the year in sight the racing world enters what is known as the ‘silly season’, when rumours and counter rumours spread faster than a forest fire. Riders are seen talking to team managers and instantly the press is reporting possible deals between them for the next year. Benelli Sport isn’t immune from the ‘silly season’ so Sig. Merloni was keen to outline Benelli’s plans for 2002.

“We want to run two riders next year. Peter Goddard will ride for us again, he is a very talented rider, he tries hard and his development skills are very valuable to us. But I also want to hire another top rider.” Naturally, it will be expected that an Italian team with an Italian bike will want to employ an Italian rider. “This is certainly a possibility,” commented Sig. Merloni. “It would be a very good situation for us, and I think it would be one that would generate much interest and publicity, both in Italy and in the rest of the world. There are many good Italian riders, both in WSB and in GPs, and you don’t know who might be available for us to talk to soon, when some contracts have been signed and other riders find themselves looking for a new ride. But I won’t rule out hiring a rider from another country, even a British rider, A British rider would be good, as I expect Britain to be one of the biggest markets for the road-going Tornado. But the main thing is that we have a rider who is capable of getting onto the podium on the Tornado. Much will depend on budgets, we are speaking to some very big sponsors and once we have finished those talks we will be able to talk seriously to some riders.”

Much of the future development of the Benelli Sport team and the Tornado Superbike will depend on what rule changes, if any, are decided by the governing bodies. “They need to make an announcement soon, for the sake of the teams. We need to know what direction to move in, what we need to do for next year. I would prefer to see more capacity allowed for the Triples and the Fours, to allow them to compete more evenly with the Twins. But, if we have to come here next year with the same rules, we will, and we’ll still do our very best to succeed. I think that a rule change would be very good for the sport, it would increase the publicity that the WSB series receives. People would be talking and writing about the new rules all winter, and next year also.”

Whatever the rules, one thing is certain, Benelli Sport will be in the WSB competition next year fighting for points, and trying to reach the team’s ultimate goal, a World Championship title. “I think the WSB and the new four-stroke GP series can run side-by-side, and maybe, in the future, a four-stroke (Benelli) can even race in the GP World Championship again.”

For now, the team remain upbeat about their future, and Sig. Merloni is very pleased with all the progress made so far, despite the bad luck suffered today. Tomorrow is another day and Benelli Sport will be out there fighting for success.

Final qualifying position:

21. Peter Goddard, Benelli Tornado, 1:29.768