Imola ready to host the Acerbis Italian Round

Great anticipation ahead event number five of the 2015 WorldSBK season.

The fifth event of the WorldSBK season takes the series to Imola for the Acerbis Italian Round. In the Province of Bologna and the Emilia-Romagna region, the circuit named in honour of Enzo and Dino Ferrari has been on the World Superbike calendar since 2001, with the exceptions of 2007 and 2008 when the series raced at Vallelunga. The current 4.936km layout features 22 corners of which 13 are left-handers. The flowing nature of the layout, the many elevation changes and the lack of long straights make Imola one of the most demanding and technical tracks in the world.

Imola has hosted a total of 23 races to date, with only the second encounter of 2005 having been called off due to adverse conditions. Furthermore, since 2002, no less than seven events out of 11 have thrown up double victories; Colin Edwards did it first on the historic day when he beat Troy Bayliss to a second world title, whereas the latest was taken by current series leader Jonathan Rea in 2014.

Surely facts like this generate only further confidence for the Kawasaki Racing Team rider, who has already picked up two doubles since the start of 2015: Buriram and Assen. Having collected a massive 95% of the maximum championship points on offer so far this season, few would bet against the Northern Irish Kawasaki rider.

There could be a lot for the Italians to shout about this weekend. Aprilia has achieved no less than 11 podiums at the track and at least one of the marque’s bikes has always finished in the top five of every Imola race since the start of 2009. The manufacturer’s leading representative in the current standings is Leon Haslam, who is the closest challenger to Rea and took a victory in Australia, while rookie team-mate Jordi Torres is yet to finish lower than in sixth position every time he sees the chequered flag.

Perhaps the biggest stories will be the World Superbike comebacks of two famous names. Davide Giugliano finally returns, having been ruled out of action when he injured his back in a pre-season testing crash at Phillip Island. Since then, his Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team has returned to winning ways with Chaz Davies, who is third in the championship standings. Last year, Giugliano started on the front row at Imola, having finished on the podium after leading Race 1 in 2013. Elsewhere, Michel Fabrizio is also likely to boost attendance figures as he reappears on the grid, subbing for Nico Terol at the Althea Racing Team. The 30-year-old from Rome has been a regular on the grid since 2006 and will ride alongside fellow countryman Matteo Baiocco ahead of Terol’s suspected return at Donington Park. The grid’s other Italian is Ayrton Badovini, who believes his season ‘will begin’ at Imola, where in the Superstock 1000 class he won in 2010; this was his ninth victory out of ten races in what proved to be a truly dominant title-winning campaign.

Behind the championship top three of Rea, Haslam and Davies, 2013 title winner Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) is looking to get his championship fight back on track, having struggled with a major lack of rear-end traction last time out at Assen. Such struggles were not a problem for Pata Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark, who made history by becoming the first Dutchman to clinch a World Superbike podium finish; he immediately doubled the tally by clinching another podium in Race 2. He now sits just five points in arrears of World Champion team-mate Sylvain Guintoli, while the championship top ten is completed by Barni Racing Team’s Leandro Mercado. At Voltcom Crescent Suzuki, Alex Lowes and Randy de Puniet move into their third round since switching to a Magneti Marelli electronics package. They will continue to juggle their race setup work with bike development, with the ongoing testing ban meaning the British-based team is having to use practice sessions to continue expanding its bike capabilities. Although it may be a steep mountain to climb, signs of progress were visible in The Netherlands two weekends ago, not least as Lowes qualified on the second row of the grid and went on to finish Race 2 in ninth place.

Several riders will reach landmark race start numbers in Italy. Ayrton Badovini will make his 130th World Superbike start in Race 2 and Davide Giugliano’s return will begin with his 80th race in the opening encounter. As for championship leader Jonathan Rea, Imola’s second race will see him become the 24th rider to start 150 races in WorldSBK’s premier class. He debuted on the Algarve in 2008; since then, Rea has amassed 21 race wins, 50 podium finishes, 13 Superpoles and 13 fastest laps. He also carries the sixth-largest lead after the opening eight races of a season in the series’ history, with a 50-point cushion over Haslam.

2015 eni FIM Superbike World Championship (4 of 13 rounds completed)

1 – Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team – 190

2 – Leon Haslam Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils – 140

3 – Chaz Davies Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team – 123

4 – Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team – 88

5 – Jordi Torres Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils – 83

WSS travels to Italy as Sofuoglu tries to consolidate title lead

Opinions were rife following the fascinating Kenan Sofuoglu-Jules Cluzel battle at Assen. The fact of the matter is that the two rivals made contact en route to a Sofuoglu victory. Naturally, each man blamed the other while fans and journalists had their own opinions, although Race Direction decided that no further action should be taken and that the race result should stand. That leaves Puccetti Racing Team rider Sofuoglu with a 25-point championship lead over PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres), while Cluzel has fought back up to third overall and is 35 points in arrears of the overall leader.

Next on the agenda is the historic Imola circuit in Italy, where last year Lorenzo Zanetti – now team-mate to Cluzel at MV Agusta Reparto Corse – clinched an emotional career-first World Supersport victory complete with an Ayrton Senna replica crash helmet, dedicated to the three-time F1 World Champion who lost his life at Imola in a 1994 crash. Current championship leader Sofuoglu has also been able to enjoy a strong run at Imola, having won there both in 2009 and 2013.

Imola debuted on the World Supersport calendar in 2001 for that year’s season finale. Australia’s Andrew Pitt sealed his first title, peculiar due to the fact that he had not clinched a race victory that year, as he finished fourth while closest rival and championship leader heading into the round Paolo Casoli retired on the opening lap. Since then, the circuit has undergone major redevelopment and was off the calendar for two years as Rome’s Vallelunga staged the race for the 2007 and 2008 seasons.

This year Italian fans will be looking to the likes of the aforementioned Zanetti, as well as other regulars Rolfo, Baldolini, Faccani, Gamarino, Menghi and Russo who hope for a first home World Supersport win at Imola. On the other hand, Gino Rea will do something only another four number of British riders have done before him, which is to make his 30th race start in the category.

In terms of the Constructors’ Championship, Kawasaki edges Honda by the slim margin of seven points. The first Japanese marque is aiming for a 25th pole position in the category, while Honda is looking to make it 95 occasions of heading up a grid.

2015 FIM Supersport World Championship (4 of 12 rounds completed)

1 – Kenan Sofuoglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing – 80

2 – PJ Jacobsen Intermoto Ponyexpres Kawasaki – 55

3 – Jules Cluzel MV Agusta Reparto Corse – 45

Savadori leads Superstock 1000 pack coming to Imola

The end of the 2014 Superstock 1000 season was nothing short of disastrous for Lorenzo Savadori, who threw away an almost certain title win on the final lap at Magny-Cours. Since then, the Nuova M2 Racing Aprilia rider has notched up a second place plus a victory to lead the class standings by 12 points from compatriot Raffaele De Rosa (Althea Racing Team Ducati).

It has been four years since an Italian won at Imola in the Superstock 1000 class. On that occasion it was Danilo Petrucci who did the honours en route to the runner-up spot, before heading to Grand Prix racing the following season. Judging by Savadori’s performances so far, there looks to be a fair chance of another home winner this weekend, although a number of potential challengers are queuing up for victories.

Behind de Rosa and third overall is Brno’s Ondrej Jezek (Triple-M by Barni Ducati), who won the Imola race last year, while Kev Coghlan (MRS Yamaha) is fourth and Roberto Tamburini (MotoxRacing BMW) makes it three Italians inside the top five. In Tamburini’s case, he has fallen to 20 points behind Savadori after leading the standings following his Race 1 win in the opening round; at Assen, it all went wrong as he clipped the back of Kevin Valk’s machine and was unable to restart after the red flag.

Incidentally, should Kawasaki see at least one of its bikes finishing inside the top 15 this weekend, this would equal Suzuki’s leading tally as both a manufacturer and engine supplier for 61 straight races inside the points. So far this season, Bryan Staring has been Kawasaki’s leading representative in both races, finishing sixth at MotorLand Aragón and eighth at Assen in the most recent round, two weekends ago.

2015 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup (2 of 8 rounds completed)

1 – Lorenzo Savadori Nuova M2 Racing Aprillia – 45

2 – Raffaele De Rosa Althea Racing Ducati – 33

3 – Ondrej Jezek Triple-M by Barni Ducati – 27

Can the Turkish March be stopped at Imola?

In terms of global recognition as a classic race circuit, Imola never comes far from the top of the list. In a previous age, the venue was known for chariot racing. Now horse power of a very different kind is top of the agenda. However, a certain 18-year-old rider from Turkey has prevented anybody else from having a look-in so far in 2015.

The start of the Superstock 600 season has seen domination from one teenager. Hailing from the Mediterranean Turkish resort of Alanya, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) has not only won three races out of three this season, but also maintained his 100% victory record dating back to Magny-Cours at the end of last season. He has already become the first rider to clinch the opening trio of race victories in a single season since the FIM Europe Superstock 600 Championship began back in 2005.

So who could challenge the Turk? Pata Honda Junior Team’s Federico Caricasulo of Italy is his nearest contender, 30 points behind and having finished on the podium in both races at MotorLand Aragón. Next up is another Italian in the form of Michael San Carlo Team Italia’s Ruben Rinaldi (in the top three once at MotorLand and again at Assen), a further five points in arrears, while Finland’s Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing Yamaha) is fourth from Gauthier Duwelz (MVR-Racing Yamaha) of Belgium. The previous eight Imola victors have all moved on to different classes.

Kawasaki also has the advantage when it comes to Imola history. The Japanese marque has won half of the eight Imola Superstock 600 races to have been staged to date, followed by Honda on three and Yamaha on a sole victory. Should Toprak continue his run again this weekend, he will set a new record for five consecutive race wins in the category – an impressive feat should he achieve it, bearing in mind the short length of seasons in the class and his lack of time competing in it.

2015 FIM Europe European Superstock 600 Championship (3 of 8 rounds completed)

1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing – 75

2 – Federico Caricasulo Pata Honda Junior Team – 45

3 – Michael Ruben Rinaldi San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki – 40 

More, from a press release issued by Pirelli:

First Italian round of the season for the eni FIM Superbike World Championship; Pirelli visits Imola with a new rear soft compound

On the occasion of the fifth round of the production derived series, the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari of Imola will also host the fourth instalment of Pirelli SBK® Track Days, the first of two for Italian motorcyclists (on the Monday following the race weekend)

Imola (Italy), May 4, 2015 – After the opening round in Australia, the historic debut in Thailand and two events in Spain and The Netherlands, the eni FIM Superbike World Championship makes a stop in Italy at the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola for the fifth round of the 2015 season.

For this occasion, Pirelli will debut a new rear tire dedicated to the riders of the Superbike class, the development solution T0611. This solution uses a very soft compound which can provide excellent performance with high temperatures of the asphalt and could prove to be a favorite of the riders.

At the moment Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) firmly leads the overall championship standings with 50 points, ahead of closest rival Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and 67 over the Ducati rider Chaz Davies (Aruba.it-Racing Ducati SBK Team). Imola could strengthen the position of the rider of the manufacturer from Akashi but also the bearers of the two Italian motorcycle machines can definitely aspire to win.

As was the case in Thailand, Spain and The Netherlands, on the Monday after the races Pirelli will hold a track day on the Italian track, the fourth round of the initiative Pirelli SBK® Track Day. All motorcyclists using Pirelli tires can participate (after a registration system) and experience the excitement of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship and feel for a day.

The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari of Imola VS the tires: large temperature fluctuations and aggressive asphalt in the case of low temperatures

The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari is a circuit located in the city of Imola and dedicated to Enzo Ferrari, founder of the famous car company, and to his son Dino.

In the layout for motorcycle races, it is 4936 meters long with 9 curves to the right and 13 to the left and it’s one of the few tracks in which you run counterclockwise. The radius of the curve varies from a minimum of 11 meters to a maximum of 94, the finish straight has a length of 350 meters and pole position is on the left.

After several works of modernization over the years, in August 2011 the circuit has undergone resurfacing of the road surface, which covers about 70% of the track. The circuit has regained a good level of mechanical grip but at the same time significantly increased aggressiveness on the rear tires, especially with low to medium temperatures.

The circuit is recognized all over the world as a rather technical and difficult track with complex turns and braking sections, and it is raced at a fast pace that demands excellent riding skills.

At the very slow Tosa bend, the rear tire traces a narrow line, but manages to provide the traction needed without losing side grip. As the rider comes out of this bend, the rear tire heats up less than on the fast turns. The external temperature of the tire goes from 50°C coming into the turn to 120°C going out on the shoulder, affected with a lean angle of about 56°.

At the Variante Alta you go from one side of the tire to the other from -55° to +55° at an astonishing speed of 100°/s. In the first phase of the curve the tire’s steel belt helps to heat the opposite side of the compound which will be used less than a second later.

After a long downhill section you come to Rivazza, where the front tire suffers heavy stress – in about a half second the load on the tire goes from 125 Kg to 250 Kg.

As for the front tires, the Imola circuit leaves quite a bit of room for the riders’ taste and riding style. With an extremely technical layout made up of straight stretches with decisive, downhill braking sections, chicanes and turns, the front tire selection is always a mixture, without any significant critical issues for soft or more robust front tires.

The Pirelli solutions for Superbike and Supersport classes:

For the first Italian round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship Pirelli brings to the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari in Imola 4552 tires, the amount necessary to meet the needs of the four classes that are part of the World Championship and European Junior Cup.

For the Superbike class in total there will be 1911 tires dedicated to the event. Each rider has a total of 34 front tires and as many at the rear, for Supersport riders the amount is instead 22 front and 21 rear; for a total of 1161 tires brought to this class. As for the other classes, for the Superstock 1000 the quantity of tires is 640, 600 those for the Superstock 600 and 240 those for the European Junior Cup.

In Superbike every rider has 3 dry solutions for the front and as many for the rear plus intermediate and wet tires and the rear qualifier tire that riders can use in the two sessions of Superpole on Saturday.

At the front in addition to the standard SC2 and the development SC1 S1699 Pirelli brings again, after the debut of Assen, the specification T1467, which uses a medium-soft compound as the SC1 but which, unlike the S1699, is more protected from wear and at the same time it should be more stable than a SC2.

To the rear the same two solutions already brought to Spain and Assen: standard SC0 and development SC1 T1392, which differs from the standard SC1 for a different construction system that guarantees a behavior more homogeneous and constant for the duration of the race. To these is added as a third option a new development SC0, the T0611, which uses a very soft compound and can offer a very high level of grip when used with high temperatures.

For Supersport the solutions already seen in action at Aragón and Assen are back to the scene: for the front the standard SC1 and the development SC1 S1485, which made its debut at Misano in 2014 and has also been taken to Portimão and Magny Cours last year. This second option usually provides more support in the approach to bends in favour of a better steering precision (and this year has been brought to Australia, Spain and The Netherlands.)

At the rear the standard SC1 and the soft T0957 which debuted in Aragón and then was taken also to Assen. It differs from the standard SC0 with a different construction system that guarantees a behavior more homogeneous and constant for the duration of the race.

The 2014 Pirelli statistics for Imola:

• Total number of tires Pirelli brought: 4642

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 7 rear

• Number of tires available for each Superbike rider: 36 front and 35 rear

• Number of solutions for the Supersport class (dry, intermediate and wet): 4 front and 5 rear

• Number of tires available for each Supersport rider: 23 front and 26 rear

• Superbike Best Lap Awards won by: Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) 1’47.532 (Race 1, 6th lap) and 1’47.356 (Race 2, 2nd lap)

• Supersport Best Lap Award won by: Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India), 1’51.733 (6th lap)

• Temperature in Race 1: air 22° C, asphalt 30° C

• Temperature in Race 2: air 23° C, asphalt 34° C

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tires: 287.6 kms/h, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) in Race 1 at 7th lap

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa SC tires in Supersport race: 250.7 km/h, Fabien Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) at 5th lap.