WSBK video highlights from Misano and rider quotes

If you missed any of the exciting World Superbike action from round six at Misano, we’ve got video highlights of the two races and what all the riders had to say after both races.
Carlos Checa is still the leader in the championship standings with 245 points against Max Biaggi’s 173 and Marco Melandri’s 150.

The next round is at the Motorland Aragon circuit in Spain this upcoming weekend.
Carlos Checa (1st and 1st):“What a great result today! In the first race, I didn’t make a great start, losing some ground through the first corners.

Max was strong at the start and it wasn’t easy to pass him but once in front, I was able to find good rhythm and build a small advantage.
I’m extremely satisfied also because the tyre began to slide in the final laps and it was very hot today.
We changed tyre for race 2 and it seems we made the right decision.
Max was strong again in race 2 and both he and I had a strong pace, stronger than the other riders, but I perhaps had an extra couple of tenths over him.

When I took the lead I managed the race well and took the second win of the day.
We knew that Misano could be favourable to us, after results during testing here in May, but I didn’t expect the double win.
Fantastic, and perhaps even more important that the Miller wins because we knew we could do well there while here it was far from easy and so even more special.
” Max Biaggi (2nd and 2nd):“There is a large gap, but I mustn’t think about that too much.
That can’t keep me from continuing to battle.
At this moment this is the most we can obtain but I am certain that I can come back to victory, for me and for the team.
We’re always working hard and it would be a great impulse of enthusiasm”.
Marco Melandri (3rd and DNS):“It was a very difficult day, one to be forgotten.
Not due to the crash, but mainly for the inability to compete.
Even in Race two I was too slow to be as competitive as I should be.
This morning I had difficulty riding the bike and struggled to get the podium.
We made some changes prior to race two but that didn’t improve anything.
The bike seemed to be completely lacking in grip from the beginning and I just suddenly lost the front.
”Noriyuki Haga (DNF and 3rd)I’m really happy about the final result on this familiar track.
Is a boost of enthusiasm for me and the team.
I was able to take advantage of the gap left by Badovini although the tyre was worn out.
We still have to grow trying to fight constantly for the podium, but this is a good first step.
Hopefully I’ll repeat my performance next week in Aragon.
”Tom Sykes (4th and 14th): “We have come away from one of our least favoured circuits with a pole position and a fourth.
In race one I was feeling good.
In race two, part one, I dropped a couple of positions but I felt I had the pace to get them back easily.
Then the race was stopped, I do not know why because as it turned out there was no oil or anything down, certainly nothing to stop the race.
We were looking strong there, and there was just Haslam between me and the podium.
We were gapping the guys behind.
In the ‘real’ race two, I got batting with a couple of guys and that put me out of my rhythm.
It was a sprint race so some had gambled on soft tyres.
I tried turning just a little bit tighter to got inside Xaus at turn three and unfortunately ran over the white line inside the track and that took the front away.
I remounted and got two points.
We were a lot stronger in race one for fourth and we have to be happy with the way things went this weekend, with a Superpole win and a good top four finish.
”Leon Camier (6th and DNS):“A weekend to forget.
I never had a good feeling, not even in Race 1, despite a result that is nothing to scoff at.
I’ve never like this track.
The only positive thing is that, at least for this year, we won’t be back here”.
Eugene Laverty (15th and 13th):“We took a gamble with the rear tyre in race one and it was ok until about four laps to go.
The left side of the tyre was completely worn which is very strange considering it’s a right handling track.
I was very disappointed to lose fourth position just at the end.
In race two once the red flag came out, I changed tyre choice and used the same tyre as in race one and immediately had better feeling with the bike.
I thought I could fight with Checa and Biaggi in the lead but most importantly I wanted to pull away from the bunch behind and get a clear third.
Unfortunately I lost the front and crashed out.
We just have to forget what happened and look forward to Aragon.
It’s a track we tested just recently and we should be strong.
”Michel Fabrizio (DNF and 6th):Actually I feel a bit disappointed this weekend – and not because of my injury really.
The wet weather ruined my Superpole and any chances of a good grid position.
I had been third in regular qualifying and then 13th in Superpole and that meant I was way down the grid and needed binoculars to see the lights! In race one, I charged off the line as hard as I could because I didn’t want the leaders to open a big gap straightaway, but I pushed a bit too hard and highsided in turn three, hurting my right arm in the process.
I went to the Clinica Mobile and was told that I had probably broken my right scaphoid, but that it would take a day or two to confirm it.
I thought that I might as well try and start race two and that’s what I did.
I fought my way up and passed quite a few riders and was in about seventh place, I think, when the race was stopped.
Race two then became a 14-lap race and although I tried my best, I just didn’t have the strength to keep the throttle at full gas when I wanted to .
I lost out a lot on acceleration as a result and that’s what prevented me from progressing further up the field – that and the fact that I ran out of laps.
I would have preferred a straight 24-lap race because that would’ve given me time to do lots of overtaking.
Without the injury I think I could’ve mounted a podium challenge – even with my grid position.
But really, yesterday’s rain ruined everything and toady’s crash in race one didn’t help.
I will go and see a specialist on Tuesday and further X-rays will be taken.
For me, it doesn’t really matter if I have broken my scaphoid or not, because I will be racing at Aragon next weekend for sure.
If I have to have some sort of protective cast on my arm to race, then that’s what I’ll do.
But one thing is for sure, I will be on track again next weekend.
Sylvain Guintoli (7th and 7th): “We could do more, we had a clear chance to go on the podium in both races, instead we’re commenting a race that can not fully satisfy us.
In Race 1 we had a problem with the choice of the tyre compound, the heat and our analysis has made us opt for the more durable one and with hindsight we could probably do a better result by opting for the softer.
In race 2 we seemed to go better than in the first, but other little problems did not have allow us to optimize the performance of the bikew.
A pity we worked well during the week and now we go home with less than we expected.
”Joan Lascorz (9th and 9th):“A strange raceday, because we were fourth in combined qualifying, but ninth in race one and race two.
It gave me some points, and two top tens, so there are some positive things to take away from here.
I fitted a soft tyre for the ‘second’ race two, and I had a better feeling and I could push more and more.
In race one it was difficult with the rear grip and in the last laps I did not have good lap times.
Overall, some positives and in qualifying we were fourth, so we know what is possible.
”Ayrton Badovini (8th and 4th): “I am satisfied, and this time, happy.
Because of timescale we were weak at the start of the season and fighting for a podium now is fantastic.
It would almost have been better to finish fifth because failing to make the podium by one metre is so frustrating! Making this progress, so quickly at World Superbike level is hugely satisfying for me personally and for the team.
Before the race 2 restart my team were phenomenal.
They worked very hard on the bike and in the second part of race 2 was even better than before.
I must confess that I did not expect to improve (me and my team) so quickly.
I actually thought I could not be at this level until the last three races.
”Maxime Berger (10th and DNF):“The first race went very well.
I found very fast a good feeling with my bike and I brought home a tenth place and six points on my list.
A good result is important for me and for my team, because they worked so hard here at Misano.
The good start allowed me to be part of a group of very fast riders, only at the end I dropped the pace a little when the tires were worn and I hade a risk of falling.
Unfortunately, the second race was not at all positive.
The choice of our tires was not completely right, and while I struggled to recover some positions we had a technical problem that forced me to return to the box.
Overall, it has been a positive weekend because we were able to improve the suspension and I also participated in the Superpole, a great experience for me.
Now, we go to Aragon and try again to do better.
”Leon Haslam (DNF and 5th): “I was quite disappointed that the race was red flagged and ultimately restarted.
We went out on the harder tyre so we could go the full distance and it felt stable and I was feeling comfortable.
Sadly the race was stopped and the number of laps reduced so we went for the softer tyre so get more grip and it really affected the characteristics of the bike.
We couldn’t seem to improve despite the increase in grip.
I was having a lot of issues with the front tyre and came so close to crashing on a number of occasions.
With the issues we were having I was happy to see out the race to the end.
The crash in race one was my fault, I was pushing too hard trying to ride around a few issues and I had a huge high-side.
I have broken a toe on my right foot and hurt my hand but nothing too serious.
”Ruben Xaus (11th and 8th):It’s been a weekend of progress actually, as the results suggest, even though we still have some things to work on for next weekend.
In race one, my bike jumped out of gear a couple of times on the first lap, which put me back in a group I found very hard to get away from until the last few laps.
The stoppage in race two was good and bad for us – bad because I was in a rhythm and that got broken, but good because we were able to use the softer tyre, which normally wouldn’t last the race, and that made a big difference.
I’m going to take this better feeling and rhythm to Aragon next week and try to keep this progress going.
But what’s more important is that Johnny gets better soon.
It was a big crash that he had this morning and we need him back here as soon as possible.
I send him all my best wishes and hope he will be OK again very fast.
Chris Vermeulen (14th and 10th):“Not too bad.
Obviously it was hard to jump back into the thick of it this weekend and we had three races, not two.
I am a little bit sore now, in my knee and my elbow.
We managed to finish both races, and in the points, and with a little bit of luck got into the top ten in race two.
So, not too bad for my first races back in a long time.
In race one we had a little issue with the set-up because I was struggling to get a good feeling from the front of the bike, and get it to turn.
We were able to improve that in race two.
We are still learning but we are improving all the time.
”Troy Corser (DNF and DNS):“I tried to start and did some laps.
But due to the bruising in my hip I can’t move properly on the bike.
Yesterday it was not so bad, but a bruising really comes through on the second day.
It would not have made sense to continue.
I did not want to cause an accident or have another crash without any need.
But I am pretty confident for the next race weekend in Aragón.
The swelling on my hip is already gone, and I think that I should be okay after nearly a week of resting and recovering.
”Jakub Smrz (DNF and DNF):“It ‘s the worst Sunday of the season.
We had problems with the setting of the bike in the race, we have been helped inthe superpole by the rain allowing me to qualify in front row.
With the heat we had troubles with the rear wheel that lost traction and it made it difficult for me to keep the stability of the bike.
My falls? They have been photocopyies of each other.
Today I raced with three different tire compounds, but the result remained indifferent and we will need to analyze well the reasons of the failure of performance.
We need to work to improve because the Spanish circuit of Aragon could enhance our qualities and for this reason we will start to work from tomorrow.
”Roberto Rolfo (DNF and 12th):“A difficult day for us today.
For race one we made a modification that proved to be a mistake and I was unable to ride the bike as I would have liked.
I was losing too much time through some sections and I chose to stop.
In the second race the changes brought better results and I had much better feeling with my bike.
I maintained my focus and was able to obtain some points.
We’re still a long way from the results we want but I will continue to work with my team until we achieve them”.
Mark Aitchison (DNF and DNF):”Today has been a little bit of a frustrating day in Misano.
I started my first race very well and made some passes in the first few laps and I was feeling comfortable on the bike.
With around three laps remaining whilst I was in eleventh position my bike completely shut down and I was forced to retire out of the race.
We found afterwards that we had a problem with one of the cables connected to our electronic system.
In race two once again I got a good start and I passed a few riders in the first laps.
I was feeling good on the bike and I wanted to push ahead to the group in front of me, but unfortunately I lost grip on the front tyre in the slow corner at the beginning of the lap and I had a small crash.
I was hoping to rejoin but the bike was turned off and I was unable to restart.
I’m sorry for this small mistake to my team as they have done a great job this weekend again”Jonathan Rea – DNSWell, the weekend just went from bad to worse really – I had a crash yesterday which needed some stitches in my arm and then a 230kph crash this morning at one of the fastest corners on the calendar.
Of course, I’m frustrated and I have some injuries that I want to take time to heal properly.
We’ll have to miss Aragon next week, unfortunately, but Brno is a month off and the doctors tell me that the break in my arm would normally keep someone off work for three weeks.
I’ll try to come back for Brno at 100% as it’s a circuit that suits me and the bike.
I got my first world championship win there and we went 1-2 last year.
Thanks to everyone for all the messages of support, it really means a lot and I’m sure it’ll speed up the recovery.