The FIM has released the Superbike World Championship finalized calendar and after confirming last week, the return of Donington Park at the end of March , has also confirmed Imola (hopefully they’ve got assurances that the circuit will be resurfaced) as the the third Italian round, September 25th.

The World Supersport and Superstock classes have been dropped from the Memorial Day round at Miller Motorsports Park as the fly away rounds are too expensive and will be substituted by the American Superbike e Daytona SportBike AMA rounds, while Superstock 1000 will skip Donington Park.

2011 World Superbike Calendar after the jump.

Continue reading: Imola confirmed in 2011 WSBK calendar

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In the final day of testing at the Imola circuit, it was Jonathan Rea who pipped Michel Fabrizio out of the top spot with a best lap of 1:48.670 at the end of the session. Michel Fabrizio was second, the only other rider to break the 1.48 mark.

Lorenzo Lanzi, riding on his home turf with a private Ducati, was third fastest, leaving Ben Spies in fourth and Yamaha team mate Tom Sykes was fifth.

John Hopkins ended up sixth overall with his time in the morning session, but did not to ride in the afternoon session because his injuries are still not fully healed.

WSBK riders will return to Imola, September 25-27th for the 12th round of the Championship.

After the jump, overall test times:

Continue reading: WSBK Imola Test Day 2 - Jonathan Rea tops at Imola

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Max Neukirchner from Alstare Suzuki returned to track yesterday for the official Imola tests after being sidelined for 10 weeks with injuries picked up during the horror pile-up in Race 1 at Monza.

Ninety minutes into this morning’s session, Neukirchner crashed out at the Tamburello turn, the session was red flagged while he stretchered to the Clinica Mobile for a check up. The initial diagnosis was that Neukirchner had suffered only abrasions and bruises to his back, but further X-rays in a Bologna hospital have revealed that he has a fractured vertebra, but it remains unclear, as in Noriyuki Haga’s case, if the fracture is a result of this morning’s crash or is from a previous injury.

Doctors have advised the German rider to wear a body cast for 20 days and then re-evaluate the situation, but Neukirchner seems to have decided to return to Germany and be operated on. Later this afternoon further tests will be carried out.

UPDATED:
According to the official SBK website Max Neukircher has been diagnosed with four fractures to his vertebrae. A D12 dorsal vertebra fracture in his lower back as well as minor cracks in the L1, L2 and L3 lumbar vertebrae. Neukirchner will return to Germany and remain in a plaster cast for 30 days.

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