The Pedercini Kawasaki team has just carried out two days of testing at the Spanish circuit of Almeria, where the Italian squad continued the development of the ZX-10R that will take part in the 2013 World Superbike Championship with riders Federico Sandi and Alexander Lundh. The latter did not show up in Almeria (he will join the team later on in Australia) but for 23 year old Sandi this was the very first time he jumped on his new Ninja 1000.

Sandi isn’t actually new to the WSBK Championship as he had the chance to wild card in several races in the past three years, more precisely with the Gabrielli Racing Aprilia RSV4, the Althea Racing Ducati 1098R and the Grillini Progea BMW S1000RR. Over the two sunny days in Spain the young Italian rider completed over one hundred laps in an attempt to get familiar with his new ride as soon as possible. Here’s what he said after the shakedown:

“These tests went very well. It was important to work with my new team and I’m happy because I immediately felt at ease with all the guys. I worked a lot on my Ninja here in Almeria and I think the bike can still improve a lot. There is still a lot of work to do, but the beginning was definitely positive. I cannot wait for the next test at Phillip Island, and I hope to enjoy a great start of the season”.

The World Superbike grid has just increased to a slightly healthier 18 riders as Pedercini has finally gotten around to announcing both their 2013 World Superbike and Superstock riders line-up.

The Italian based team will take part in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup with three riders: Federico Dittadi, Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado and Lorenzo Savadori (already confirmed last December) while in the World Superbike Championship they will be fielding Alexander Lundh and Federico Sandi.

The team has confirmed Lundh after his participation in the last four rounds of the past World Superbike season after he parted ways with MZ Racing following a right hand injury and then replacing injured upersport rider Pawel Szkopek in Bogdanka Honda PTR’s team for the Silverstone round. Federico Sandi will be the second rider and despite being only 23, his career includes entries in the 125cc and 250cc World Championships, the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup and CIV Superbike and World Superbikes.

Federico Dittadi (in the photo) made his racing debut in 2007 and after some years spent in the Italian Championship, first in the Stock 600 and afterwards in the Stock 1000 class, he decided to step into the international racing scene with the Pedercini Team.

After the jump you can check out what boss Luca Pedericini and three of the five riders had to say:

Continue reading: Pedercini announces World Superbike and Superstock riders line-up

A little less than five months ago World Superbike rider David Salom turned down Guim Roda’s offer to replace injured Joan Lascorz and ride a factory Kawasaki preferring to remain with Donato Pedercini’s satellite squad, now the Mallorcan rider will be joining MotoGP for the rest of the season - starting from Misano - and will be riding Avintia Blusens CRT machine.

According to a press release from the team, Salom will replace Ivan Silva who will still remain tied the team and will perform the functions of test rider and will travel to the Grand Prix as a reserve rider. Salom was 21st in the WSBK standings and has suffered several shoulder injuries this season.

Ivan Silva isn’t the only CRT rider to be replaced, according to Italian website SPone.com SpeedMaster’s Mattia Pasini could also be joining Silva on the sidelines at his home race at Misano, his ART ride could be going to Federico Sandi.

Federico Sandi may be riding in this weekend’s World Superbike round at Misano for Grillini Progea Superbike Team.

Sandi has had trouble keeping a ride this 2012 season. He was to contest alongside Brett McCormick in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup riding for the Effenbert Liberty team who was to debut a team, but they pulled out and decided to concentrate their efforts solely in World Superbikes and expand to four bikes giving McCormick the fourth Ducati.

He was then picked up by Althea Racing who then proceeded to drop their Superstock effort after just two rounds (Imola and Assen), now it looks like the unlucky Italian will be riding Grillini’s BMW after the team parted company with Mark Aitchison and then fielded American Jake Holden in the last round at Motorsports Park round.

Sandi knows the Grillini team as he tested their wannabe CRT bike at Valencia in the MotoGP post season test.

Stay tuned for official confirmation.

The rumors regarding Althea Racing would be pulling out of the Superstock champion after just two races have now been officially confirmed and we didn’t even have to wait for Friday morning.

Here’s the laconic press release from the team that cites Federico Sandi’s bad luck on the Ducati 1199 Panigale and a challenging workload that forced Genesio Bevilacqua to make this decision.

With the conclusion of the recent Assen event, Team Althea Racing and rider Federico Sandi end their brief Superstock experience. Unfortunately bad luck conditioned the first two races, foreseen as a trial period, preventing Federico from fulfilling his potential and the potential of Borgo Panigale’s new bike. The fact that there was such a short time available to prepare at the start of the season, combined with the challenges and workload that an important and complex programme such as Superstock involves, means that the Civita Castellana-based team will be unable to continue with the project for the rest of the season.

Continue reading: Althea Racing confirms World Superstock pullout

Rumors from Italy are reporting that Genesio Bevilacqua’s World Superstock 1000 squad is withdrawing from the championship and will not be at Monza this weekend.

Federico Sandi debuted at Imola qualifying 11th, but he DNF’d in the race after coming into contact with Jeremy Guarnoni at the first turn of lap one and at Assen he suffered anengine failure sparking the rumor that the Ducati 1199 Panigale has teething issues,which is sort of strange, as Barni Racing Team Italia’s Eddi La Marra seems to be doing okay for the moment.

Sandi got his last minute ride with Althea Ducati after Effenbert Liberty decided to drop out of the STK 1000 championship prefering to field a fourth Ducati in their Superbike effort and promoting the now injured Brett McCormick.

To find out if the rumor is true, we will just have to wait until Friday morning’s practice session at Monza.

Source | motociclisti.myblog.it

http://motociclisti.myblog.it/archive/2012/04/30/stk1000-ducati-panigale-non-competitiva-si-ritira-ducati-alt.html

When Effenbert Liberty decided to expand their World Superbike team to four riders by adding Brett McCormick to their already three rider strong line-up and shut down their Superstock effort, Federico Sandi (son of legendary crewchief Giovanni) was left without a ride.

With just a few days before the Imola round, the Italian will be returning to action having found a ride with Genesio Bevilacqua’s World Superstock team and will be riding a Ducati 1199 Panigale under the banner of Althea Racing.

For Sandi it will be a welcome return to Althea Racing team after having competed for the squad during the 2011 CIV season.

Source | motociclisti.it

A little more than 24 hours after confirming that Brett McCormick would be riding for their Superbike team, and that “Federico Sandi remains the Effenbert Liberty Racing Team’s ace in Superstock and I am sure he will give us very good results riding the competitive Panigale 1199. Our active engagement in this direction remains intact,” Effenbert Liberty has just announced that they will be no longer be taking part in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup.

“It’s a company decision and should be interpreted as to enhance the energies of Effenbert Liberty Racing Team to better support our four World Superbike riders, Sylvain Guintoli, Jakub Smrz, Maxime Berger and Brett McCormick, “said Team Owner Mario Bertuccio. “Therefore we are releasing young Federico Sandi, but to which we will give our support as we strongly believe in his promising talent. “

So there goes the Raffaele de Rosa rumor to Effenbert Liberty team… and we have to add another unemployed rider before the Imola round and Ducati will have two less 1199 Panigale’s on the Superstock grid.

This week’s private testing at Phillip Island wasn’t only for World Superbikes, but it also included Effenbert Liberty’s Superstock team with Federico Sandi and Brett McCormick.

The two riders shared the debuting Ducati 1199 Panigale in Superstock trim under the watchful eyes of Ducati engineers. The Panigale suffered some teething problems on the first day - the engine stopped and started billowing smoke - but testing went well, despite McCormick having come down with an intestinal virus that wiped him out on the first day.

“After four months of inactivity I’m back on track and as you can guess it wasn’t easy getting back to the top, but I am happy about the lap times and the work we carried out. Despite McCormick and I having to share the only bike available, were able to take turns over the two test days,” said Sandi. “Here in Australia it was all new for me, from the Panigale which proved to be very different from the Superbike I rode last year, and the same goes for the type of tires that are very different than what I’m used to. The first impression however was positive, the bike was very fast in direction changing and precise in corner entry and with a very performing engine. I focused most of my attention in finding the right set-up that will allows us to be as fast as our our rivals. ”

Unofficially Sandi’s best lap was 1.37.8 while McCormick set a 1.38.2.

Three teams will be using the 1199 Panigale this season in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup: Effenbert Liberty Racing, DMC Racing with Kev Coghlan and Alexey Ivanov, Barni Racing Team with Lorenzo Savadori and Eddi La Marra at the helm.

Source | motoblog.it

Effenbert Liberty has decided to add another rider to their Superstock line-up. Team owner Dr. Mario Bertuccio and Superstock Team Manager Natale Egi have decided on CIV rider Federico Sandi.

If the last name sounds familiar it’s because Sandi is Max Biaggi’s former crew chief Giovanni Sandi’s son, and according to gossip the reason why Sandi left Aprilia in a huff after the Italian manufacturer refused to give his kid an RSV4. Sandi also tested Grillini’s Gapam CRT bike at Valencia.

Sandi spent a season riding in the Italian CIV championship with Althea Ducati Team, where he finished third overall and won a race in Vallelunga. He also has experience from participation in the World SBK Championship in Superstock FIM Cup in 2009 on an Aprilia and has taken up the challenge to race as a wild card rider on several occasions in Superbike Championship in 2010 and 2011. Last, but not the least, the eager youngster has raced in 125cc and 250cc classes in Moto GP world championship from 2005 until 2008.

Continue reading: Federico Sandi joins Effenbert Liberty's Superstock team