Arezzo/Borgo Panigale (Italy), Tuesday 29 September 2015 – The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team, rider Chaz Davies and test rider Luca Scassa, substituting for Davide Giugliano, are all set for the penultimate round of the 2015 Superbike World Championship taking place this coming weekend at the French circuit of Magny-Cours.
Chaz Davies was last on track just over a week ago at the Spanish circuit of Jerez where he celebrated scoring his fifth win of the season in Race 2, having finished Race 1 in second position. The Welshman therefore continues to hold second place in the overall standings, with an advantage of 22 points over Sykes.
Davies has not had the best run of results at the Magny-Cours track in recent years, with his best SBK result thus far a fifth place finish, scored in 2013. Considering the Welshman’s recent level of performance, he and the team are confident that they will be in a position to battle for the podium come Sunday.
Luca Scassa will aim to make up for the unlucky Misano weekend. On that occasion Luca, taking part as a wildcard entry, unfortunately crashed in Friday’s timed practice, fracturing his right collarbone. Now fit once more, and having regained confidence during last week’s post-race Jerez test, Scassa hopes to be able to do well this weekend at Magny-Cours, a track at which he has won in the past, when racing in Supersport in 2011.
Comments ahead of the event:
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team #7)
“I’ve never had a smooth weekend at Magny-Cours with various problems affecting results in recent years. But this is a different year, I have great feeling with my bike and, coming off the back of some strong results, I would hope we can do well in France too. The weather is always a question mark of course, but I’m looking forward to the races and am planning to keep this season’s momentum going right to the end…”
Luca Scassa (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team #99)
“I’ve got good memories of Magny-Cours and won the Supersport race there in 2011. I enjoy the track but hope that the weather conditions are favorable! My aim is to continue to improve throughout the weekend. I will do my best despite having not ridden a great deal this year due to the Misano injury. Anyway I know the track and I’m starting to know the Panigale R, so I’m feeling quite confident ahead of the weekend.”
Circuit Information:
Country: France
Name: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours
Length: 4.411 km
Pole position: right
Race distance: 21 laps/92.631 km
RECORDS: Best lap – Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’37.932 (2013). Superpole – Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’36.366 (2014).
2014 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Guintoli (Aprilia); 2. Melandri (Aprilia); 3. Rea (Honda). Race 2 – 1. Melandri (Aprilia); 2. Guintoli (Aprilia); 3. Haslam (Honda)
Rider Information:
Chaz Davies
Bike: Ducati Panigale R
Race number: 7
Age: 28 (Born 10/02/1987 in Knighton, Wales)
Number of SBK races: 97
Number of wins: 9
Number of podiums: 30
Davies’ SBK track record at Magny-Cours
2014: Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 9th
2013: Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 5th
2012: Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 8th
Luca Scassa
Bike: Ducati 1199 Panigale
Race number: 99
Age: 32 (Born 23/08/1983 in Arezzo, Italy)
Number of SBK races: 57
Number of wins: 0
Number of podiums: 0
Scassa’s SBK track record at Magny-Cours
2010: Race 1 – 10th, Race 2 – 7th
2009: Race 1 – 13th, Race 2 – DNF
Weekend schedule (CET):
Friday
11.15 – 12.00 – SBK Timed Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Timed Practice 2
Saturday
09.45 – 10.30 – SBK Timed Practice 3
12.30 – 13.00 – SBK Free Practice
15.00 – 15.15 – Superpole 1
15.25 – 15.40 – Superpole 2
Sunday
8.40 – 8.55 – SBK Warm-up
10.30 – SBK Race 1
13.10 – SBK Race 2
