Moscow (Russia), Friday 19 July 2013: Today saw the first day of Superbike action at Moscow Raceway, with Team SBK Ducati Alstare participating in the first practice and qualifying sessions of the weekend with riders Carlos Checa and Ayrton Badovini.
In morning practice, in dry conditions (air temperature 24˚C), Checa and Badovini wasted no time in getting down to work. Carlos immediately positioned himself inside the top five and was able to register a series of fast laps, concluding the session in fourth position with a best time of 1’36.5. Ayrton progressed steadily throughout the session, taking the opportunity to make some refinements to the set-up of his 1199. He closed the session in fourteenth position and with a time of 1’37.7.
Later in the day, in first qualifying, the Spanish rider was able to further improve on what was already a solid performance in practice. Having found a good rhythm, he closed with a best lap time of 1’35.9 with which he confirmed overall fourth position. Ayrton lowered his best time set this morning by a second to close the first qualifying session in thirteenth position.
Carlos Checa: “Today has been our best Friday of the season so far, with the exception of Phillip Island perhaps, and so I’m happy. We started with the base setting identified during the Misano tests and it’s worked well, we’ve changed very little, just making a few normal refinements. The aim is to improve through the mixed sections of the track and I’ve been able to do that today. We of course still lose out along the straight but I’m pleased with today’s results and with the fact that I’ve been able to lap with consistently fast times. I hope this base allows us to make two good races on Sunday.”
Ayrton Badovini: “I’m not satisfied with how today went, the tyres in the harder range that are available to us here in Moscow gave me a lot of problems with rear grip. Also in braking I had a few issues because when I push, the front tends to close. We’re working hard, we’ve looked at the data and tomorrow we’ll try to do something to balance the bike a bit better and find more grip.”
TIMES (Qualifying): 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’35.5; 2. Giugliano (Aprilia) 1’35.6; 3. Melandri (BMW) 1’35.8; 4. Checa (Ducati Alstare) 1’35.9; 5. Laverty (Aprilia) 1’35.9; 6. Camier (Suzuki) 1’36.0; 7.Rea (Honda) 1’36.0; 8. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 1’36.1… 13. Badovini (Ducati Alstare) 1’36.7
