Here are some rider quotes from today’s exciting 8th round of the WSBK Championship at Misano World Circuit:Ben Spies – (1st, 9th)“Race one was definitely better than race two! It was good for us, we did what we had to do.
I stayed as close as I could to Fabrizio, I couldn’t run Byrne’s pace but wanted to stay with Michel as he was the one who mattered to me in the championship.
I picked the right moment to come in and get out on dry tyres and switch bikes and put in good pace and we managed to win the race.
Race two wasn’t so great, I had an issue with the clutch on the start, for the first few laps I was short shifting and trying to ride round it.
It finally came better but when I got behind Corser and Kagayama and those guys I couldn’t get round them easily.
The last seven or eight laps it came good and I tried to run everyone down and started picking them off.
I got up to Sykes and Haslam and they were having their little battle, we were definitely faster but I needed another lap to get round them which I didn’t have.
It’s frustrating as we’ve lost good points this year and we’d be leading the championship with them.
We’ll go to Donington and try to start over again and see what happens.
” Jonathan Rea – (7th, 1st)“I just want to thank the whole crew and the Andreani group for working so hard to help make this happen.
It really bodes well for us all for the rest of the season.
We knew we had the pace this weekend but race one was a pretty bad situation.
I needed to start with scrubbed tyres in the wet but the problem on the sighting lap finished that plan.
With the penalties and brand new tyres and having destroyed my footrest and rear brake in the crash with Kiyo, it was difficult, so seventh was about as good as we could have hope for.
Race two was great and, as soon as I knew I had the pace to match the two Ducatis I was comfortable.
I tried a few different lines in the closing laps to probe and find the best way through.
When I got past Fabrizio, it was pretty straightforward.
It’s really nice to win here in Italy, in Ducati’s back yard, where we thought it would be quite hard.
But we’ve come leaps and bounds recently and hopefully we can fight at the front in every race.
” Shane Byrne – (2nd, 6th)“I’m very happy with my first podium position with Sterilgarda.
After a difficult season start, I improved progressively and today I managed to score a great result on my team’s home ground.
I had a good feeling with the track when it was still wet and built a pretty good advantage.
Once I changed tyres it took me a few laps to get back in rhythm and Spies overtook me.
Getting back on the podium gives you a great feeling and boosts your confidence.
I also did pretty well in race 2 when the track had completely dried out.
I maintained position at the start and was just behind the front runners.
Unfortunately, I made a small mistake and lost contact but I’m still happy with my performance because I set the fastest time in the last lap.
I’m really in good form and the Donington round couldn’t have come in a better moment”.
Michel Fabrizio – (3rd, 2nd)“I did my best to stick with Ben in Race 1 but I think the fact that he changed from wet to dry set-up one or two laps before me made the difference, because I took a few laps to get feeling in the dry and then it was too late to catch him or Shane.
In the last lap Smrz was right there on my tail and I went wide at one point but luckily he didn’t get past me and I finished third.
In the second race I struggled a little with the front tyre and it seemed that today Rea’s Honda had a little something over us in its acceleration.
It’s a shame it couldn’t be another win but, with two podiums today, I’m very happy, it’s my best ever result at this track and I know I did all I could so you can’t ask for more than that.
I’ve just a few points behind Ben again now so, yes, I can’t help thinking about the title but in order to be a serious contender I know I need to remain consistent and clock up some race wins from here on in.
”Noriyuki Haga – (5th, 3rd)“I am a bit disappointed with how Race 1 turned out.
While on the wet set-up I was having all kinds of problems with the rear tyre that was sliding all over the place compared to other riders out there so I lost some positions before I came in to change bikes.
Then I went back out on an intermediate/slick tyre combination that was perhaps not so suitable because in the final laps I was finding it difficult to maintain my pace and couldn’t push as I wanted to.
Race 2 went much better, I got a great start but once Johnny, and then Michel, came past me it was hard to keep pace; maybe because they are so much younger than I am! Joking aside, I made good points all things considered, especially seeing as this has never been my favourite track, and now I’m looking forward to the next round at Donington where I’ve done well over the years.
”Tom Sykes – (8th, 7th)“From where we qualified we’ve made a bit better day of things than I expected.
For race 1 in the wet I had some difficulty with too much traction in the first heat.
I pulled in a bit sooner than I would have done if I’d had a perfect wet set up.
In the second half we were fast and consistent, I really enjoyed it, the 14 laps felt like two it was over so quickly.
Race two we made a couple more changes and I was pretty happy with the balance of the bike, I struggled with some rear grip but we’re improving the small bits and it’s onwards and upwards.
It’s been a tough weekend and I’d like to thank the whole of the team, we’ve put our heads together and they put in a lot of hard work and effort to improve the bike.
”Carlos Checa – (11th, 5th)“I am actually quite positive, even though we did not have the perfect set-up and had some problems with movement in the rear of the bike.
With those problems, I was struggling to match the pace of Jonathan and the two Ducatis.
It’s been a very busy weekend with new suspension in the bike and we had a few things that we wanted to test this morning.
However, the wet conditions made that impossible.
Considering the big changes we have been working with this weekend, I think we can take a lot of positives to Donington next weekend.
”Leon Haslam – (12th, 8th) “I had an issue with the front end of my machine in the first race.
I stayed out long on the wet tyres, got into fourth position, and then obviously stayed out for too long.
When I went into the pit I only had four laps remaining, so I should have returned to pit four or five laps earlier.
That was my own mistake.
In the second race there was something wrong when the engine kept pushing me in and I kept losing the front.
When the engine was good and the electronics were good, the lap times were as quick as anyone, but for seventy percent of the race the engine was just pushing me in so I really struggled.
”Ryuichi Kiyonari – (DNF, 14th ) “The first race was difficult with the first lap crash.
I had a big high-side but stayed on the bike and Jonathan hit me, although it was not his fault.
My gearshift was broken and there was some engine damage so I could not continue past the first lap.
In race two, things were OK, but I did not have the same feeling that I had on Saturday and could not keep the lap times.
The setting is definitely coming better though and with small steps we are improving.
I hope at Donington, things will be even better because I like it there.
After that, we have a test in Imola with more improvement I hope.
”Ruben Xaus – (14th, 16th)“It felt really good leading the race , knowing that I was beating all the guys who were exactly on the same tires as me.
I felt confortable in the damp conditions and if the track stayed wet , maybe we could have done something that would’ve suprised everybody.
Unfortunately for me, the track dried and we all had to come in and jump on our spare bikes , with dry tires.
Our pit box is quite close to the pit lane exit , so I didn’t think I had gone faster than the limit, I got a ride through penalty and that was enough for us to lose a top place.
It’s always difficult when to come in and change bikes, but this was a first for all of us and something we’ll have to get used to.
In race two I decided to adapt my riding style to the bike and I learnt a lot in that race and was happy because at the end I was lapping as quickly as the top guys.
”Broc Parkes – (19th, 17th)“It’s been a mixed bag kind of weekend for me.
I was happy with Friday’s fifth place but we struggled in Superpole to get a flying lap in and I missed sector two for the first time this year.
The rain in race one obviously made conditions really difficult and we chose the wrong tyre, so I really struggled with grip as it dried up.
By the time I changed tyres it was too late to make up any major ground.
In race two I got a bad start and I still didn’t feel like we had the right direction on the bike so really struggled in the corners.
We tried so many things over the weekend but with little improvement.
Battling in 17th place is really disappointing for me and the team so I can only hope that we have a better race in Donington.
”Jamie Hacking – (16th, 22th)“In the first race I wasn’t clear on the rules regarding the tyres as in the States the tyres you start on are the one’s you finish on so I didn’t see the board telling me to pit until it was too late.
That was really disappointing as I felt we could finish at least in the top ten.
In race two I got a decent start but I tried to go a bit steady into the corners when it was crowded, so I didn’t make the same mistake as in Miller.
I lost some places so I was pushing hard and unfortunately ran into the back of someone later on and went off track.
I was trailing in last and I could move only a few places forward.
I’m really disappointed for the team and for myself and I just hope that I can make up some ground at the Donington race.
”Troy Corser- (DNS, 19th)“Well there’s not that much to say really, except that I am very disappointed with how today went, especially as the signs had been good on Friday.
The first race was a disaster because I didn’t even get to start it! I do not know why I highsided, but it happened quickly and without any warning and I hadn’t even got on the gas.
It was a good thing I didn’t hurt my shoulder, because that’s the side I fell down on and the last thing I wanted was more injury.
My bike didn’t feel right in race two and I didn’t know what it was doing in the corners or when I got on the gas.
It felt nervous, but I carried on because I knew that the data guys would want me to keep going if I could.
We’re going to have to sit down and work out what’s happening and find some solutions pretty soon, but there is no reason why we will have these problems in Donington.
I am hoping for better things there and getting back to the kind of results we had earlier in the year.
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