Troy Bayliss is the new World Champion 2008 Superbike and all media attention went to the new champion at Magny Cours which was a good moment for Twowheelsblog to have a talk with Troy’s teammate Michel Fabrizio, Ducati Xerox rider and Italian.

-I received some rumours about you, is it true that you are becoming the most friendly Italian rider after Frankie Chili?
I don’t know if I am more friendly than the other Italians but I try to be as friendly as possible to the fans and to the press. When I am not in the garage or preparing for sessions, I try to relax and spend time with my family and friends around the paddock. Frankie is also a good friend of mine.

-All the media is following Troy, is it not hard for you, don’t you lost your motivation? When Haga will ride next year beside you, will it be different?
Troy is a legend in world superbikes and much earlier in the year he announced his retirement from the sport, so it was obvious that he would get a lot of media attention. I don’t mind at all, I think it is normal, and it means I have been able to put my head down without too much pressure. This year was my first year with Ducati and so after a year of experience with the team, I hope to be able to improve on this year’s results next year and with results comes media attention.

Continue reading: Interview with Michel Fabrizio, WSB Ducati Xerox Rider

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Not only Superbike at Magny Cours, also all the teams and riders from the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup arrived and fought for points. For the Ducati Xerox Junior Team it was a difficult weekend. Some technical problems came up with the gearbox of both riders and prevented them competing for a win.

Brendan Roberts said after the race: “It’s a very difficult moment because I am so disappointed. I understood immediately that something was wrong but I just gritted my teeth and did everything to stay with the front-runners for the first half of the race. After that it became really difficult as the gears were slipping which nearly caused me to fall more than once. I still tried to finish in the points zone but it wasn’t possible, in fact I had to stop the second I crossed the finish line. We still have a chance at the title and I have definitely not lost any of my determination or motivation. We will win in Portugal!”

Also for Brendan’s teammate Domenico Colucci things didn’t go well: “This morning in the warm-up everything was fine but as soon as we started the race I could tell there was a problem with the gears. It wasn’t easy to finish the race in those conditions but I did it, and at least brought home a few points. I am sorry for Brendan but in Portugal we’ll both be back.”

Continue reading: Disappointing weekend for the Ducati Junior Team

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The Italian Guandalini Team is riding for the first time in World Superbike this year after some successful years in the Italian CIV. Challenge for the team was winning some World Championship points with their rider Jacub Smrz. Jacub is riding the Ducati 1098 very well and came into the picture a few times because of his battles with official Xerox Ducati rider Fabrizio and Sterilgarda rider Max Biaggi. Today Jacub holds 12th position in the general standings with 113 points.

Jacub Smrz said at Magny Cours for Twowheelsblog: “Generally I need some more time to set a good and fast laptime, but we are working on it” and about the power of the twin: “We improved the bike and things are going very well for the moment. For next year we will have a complete new Ducati ready.”

Following some rumours the Guandalini Team will ride next year together with American Boulder Sport. Jacub will stay for one more year at the team and an American rider will join the team.

Photo | Koen

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In this nice youtube movie, you will see the last round from King Troy Bayliss at Magny Cours, the new World Superbike 2008 taking the finish, the crowd, his team and his interview. I am sure so many people will get emotional over this moment. If you ever had the chance to talk with him you would understand why this guy is more than just three times World Champion, he also likes to talk to you and takes his time for it, every day a smile, a legend in Superbike and for Ducati!

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Frenchman Régis Laconi took a strong 11th place at his home round at the French Magny Cours racing track. The changeable weather conditions at Magny Cours during the practise was making it the team difficult with rain and a cold temperature on Friday when the team was looking for a good bike set-up. But the technical staff found a good set-up for Régis.

Régis Laconi said: “In the first race to get 11th was crazy, because I did not think I could have done that before the race started. We had some technical problems in the front and the guys in the team helped me to sort that out so to get where we did from a qualifying place of 21st was good. In race two I was run off track by a crashing rider and I lost so much. I gave it more than 100% but I could not get back into it.”

Teammate Makoto Tamada was 18th in each race and out of the points.

The team PSG1 Corse was founded in 2003 by Pierguido Pagani’s passion and he is a genius, a great bike lover. It is a small team but it shows big ambitions and skills. Frankie Chili was the rider and the bike was a Ducati 998. The first satisfactions came immediately, with victories and podiums from the first season. The 2004 Team didn’t change but 2005 was the crossroad year, when the PSG1 Team entered the Kawasaki world. In 2006 the team became the “official team from Kawasaki” and is today one of the top teams in World Superbike.

source | Kawasaki

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“The RG Team will ride next year also in the Superstock 1000 series and in World Superbike. If things develop in a good way the RG Team will have also a second rider in World Superbike,” said RG Teammanager Rossela Tosetti Gianfardoni to Twowheelsblog on Saturday in Magny Cours.

About Lorenzo Lanzi she also: “We don’t know yet if Lorenzo will stay with the team, we still have to talk about it with him. He did good things this year, he rode very well and he is a very nice person.” To my question if they will keep on riding Ducati she answered:” Yes, we will. We have a good relationship with Ducati and we really like to ride Ducati.”

The main sponsor for the RG team is the europe painting group and according to Rosella some new sponsors will come for the 2009 season. Lorenzo Lanzi is 14th in the general standings and holds 104 points today.

Photo | Koen

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Many riders and teams in World Superbike are about one point all in one line, though it’s so cold in Magny Cours in October that more than just the bikes needed heating up. Next year’s calendar has been confirmed already. This weekend saw rain on Friday and Saturday morning was only 3°C, the Italians were freezing from cold, as you can see from our own picture gallery taken in the pitlane.

the riders gallery

Continue reading: SBK Magny Cours 2008 pitlane gallery

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The next round of World Superbike is bringing us to French shores, to the Magny-Cours race track. The track is 4.411 Km long and 23 laps are to be completed.

Home rider from the PSG1 Kawasaki Superbike Team Régis Laconi hopes for consistent weather conditions to allow him to compete a top grid position in qualifying. In Vallelunga Régis scored good points in the second race and hopes with the support from the local crowed to score again some good points. Régis is 19th in the general standings today with 44 points.

Régis Laconi said: “At the previous race in Italy we found something good on the bike set-up, by making the rear suspension a bit softer. It seemed to work quite well. So we will try something like that again. We were better on the fast parts than the slower parts at Vallelunga, and Magny-Cours has both fast and slow corners. I try my best at every race, but obviously it is special to be racing at my home track this weekend.”

Source | Kawasaki Racing

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