Team Suzuki Press Office – May 2. The fourth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the historic Autodromo Nazionale di Monza circuit and will be one of three ‘home’ races for Team Alstare Suzuki rider Michel Fabrizio this year.
The Italian’s recent best performances in Monza were in 2009, when he won the first race and took runner-up spot in the second, so he is no stranger to the podium there. The circuit is one of the quickest on the calendar, even though there are a couple of chicanes where the bike’s brakes get a heavy workout.
Michel Fabrizio:
“Racing in my home country is always fun and I don’t see this as extra pressure because I always want to do well. Monza is one of the most famous circuits in the World and is known to fans everywhere. It is very interesting to have a look at the old part of the circuit and see the steepness of the banking. It’s hard enough to walk up it, so I cannot imagine how they ever raced round it!
“The circuit we use is probably one of the fastest in our series and one where slipstreaming plays such an important part. It is possible to be fourth or fifth exiting the Ascari Chicane and still win the race by clever use of slipstreaming. That is, if you are in a tight group. If you have something like a 200 metre lead, then it’s unlikely that you will be caught, especially as the finish line is now much closer to the exit of the last turn (The Parabolica) than it used to be.
“Of course, I will be riding at Monza for the first time on the Suzuki, so I and the team will be working very hard right from the start of the first free practice to get a good set up. I have spent the last few years racing a twin cylinder bike at Monza and I’m really looking forward to seeing the difference on a four. I’m hoping that it is going to be as much fun as I think it will be and that I qualify well and give myself a chance of being with the leaders right from the start. World Superbikes is so competitive these days that you cannot afford to qualify anywhere but the front two rows of the grid if you want good results. My aim is to qualify well and then enjoy myself in the races on Sunday – hopefully in front of all my fans!”
2010 Results:
Race 1: 1 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia), 2 James Toseland (GBR-Yamaha), 3 Cal Crutchlow (GBR-Yamaha), 4 Leon Haslam (GBR-Alstare Suzuki), 5 Leon Camier (GBR-Aprilia), 6 Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW), 7 Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati).
Race 2: 1 Biaggi, 2 Haslam, 3 Troy Corser (AUS-BMW), 4 Camier, 5 Tom Sykes (GBR-Kawasaki), 6 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati). Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) DNF.
