While we’re starting to rev up for WSBK round at Magny-Cours, France; here’s part 2 of the Imola paddock girls. If your missed part 1 you get it here.

If you’re asking why there’s a Playboy bunny pic, rest assured we didn’t get our photos mixed up. MotoGP LCR Honda rider Randy DePuniet was at Imola taking in the races and hanging on to his arms was a couple of his own paddock babes, all dressed up in their bunny uniforms ready to steal the limelight.

Imola Girls Part 2

Continue reading: Imola Girls - Part 2

Lucky for us the Flamini Brothers and Infront Motor Sports who run the WSBK series are less strict with Superbike footage, so this video probably won’t disappear like the MotoGP ones do.

Here’s Fabrizio Calia from Italian TV La 7 interviewing Max Biaggi after Race 2, the video is in Italian, but you check out Marco Simoncelli’s pass on Max Biaggi at the Variante Bassa chicane at Imola.

Here’s what Simoncelli had to say at about his pass:

“If I finish the race in the first five I would have been very happy. In the first race I was fifth but crashed, while in this race I started better than in the first and after some laps I kept a very good pace. In the chicane with my team-mate, I didn’t want to pass him, but I braked too hard and I thought either I hit him and we crash or I try to pass. I succeeded and I am very happy, a big thanks to Aprilia and my team. Today was a great big experience for me here in Superbike.”

Continue reading: Marco Simoncelli's pass on Max Biaggi

Just five minutes into the first free practice at the Imola circuit, Yamaha’s Tom Sykes crashed out and the session has been red flagged. According to sources at the circuit, Sykes sustained only a contusion to his right foot, while the rest of the riders are complaining of an extremely slippery surface and are having trouble staying upright.

All track activity has been suspended as Claude Denis the FIM Safety Official, the Imola track owners and the Race Direction are deciding how to resolve the problem.

More news as we get it.

UPDATE:

According to the Gazzetta dello Sport, the total lack of grip is due to an aggressive washing after last week’s WTCC round, that removed all the laid down rubber from the surface. Ducati’s Davide Tardozzi has said that the only viable solution is to re-rubber the track, because if they try to-rewash the surface, the same situation will present itself tomorrow.

FURTHER UPDATE:

Latest news has it that Superbike practice will resume at 16:30 CET. The Race Direction has got the cannon fodder, excuse me, the SuperSport riders out on track now, Superbike riders will hit the track at 17:45.

Continue reading: WSBK Imola- First Practice Session Red Flagged

Marco Simoncelli on his first day of testing at the Mugello with the Aprilia RSV4 lapped at 1′54,21, an excellent time considering that this is second outing on the superbike and that Xerox Ducati’s Michel Fabrizio who was present at Mugello, lapped more or less in the same times, while Mattia Pasini testing the Ducati GP09 did a best lap of 1.52.8.

According to Italian sources, Simoncelli used standard racing tires and did a series of ten runs for a total of 49 and was not looking to break records, but to gain confidence with the RSV4, since his debut test at Valencia last November, as the Aprilia that has undergone several development upgrades in these months.

Simoncelli will return to track tomorrow and at the end of tomorrow’s test will decide whether to race or not at Imola on Sunday, if he should refuse the job, Aprilia has their test rider Alex Hofmann already lined up, but Gigi Dall’Igna, Aprilia’s race engineer is certain that Simoncelli will accept the challenge.

The Italian rider wanted to race the Aprilia at the first two rounds of WSBK Championship at Phillip Isalnd and Valencia, but Aprilia was unable to provide a third bike for him.

Continue reading: Marco Simoncelli on the Aprilia RSV4 at Mugello

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.

Continue reading: WSBK Imola Test - Neukirchner crashes, fractured vertebra

Xerox Ducati’s Michel Fabrizio headed the top of chart in today’s first day of testing at the Imola edging out Ben Spies by 0.098 seconds in the final minutes of the test. Spies putting in 62 laps against Fabrizio’s 48 laps.

Third went to Jonathan Rea and today’s surprise was BMW’s Ruben Xaus who was fourth. Evidently last week’s private test at Mugello has paid off for the Spanish rider while Troy Corser was left struggling in 18th.

Carlos Checa who led in this morning’s session, fell back to fifth.

Noriyuki Haga, who is still recovering from his injuries picked during the Donington round, will not be testing, but he did show up at the Imola track yesterday for a quick check up at the Clinica Mobile and confirmed that he will be back for the Brno round on July 26th.

Testing will resume tomorrow morning. Wednesday test times after the jump:

Continue reading: Fabrizio fastest in Day 1 Testing at Imola

After almost two months from his horrific crash during Race 1 at Monza, Max Neukirchner was finally back on track yesterday at the Sachsenring circuit doing some training.

The Alstare Suzuki rider did a dozen laps around the track on board a Suzuki GSX-R-600 prepared by German dealer Motorrad-Kothe.

Neukirchner has confirmed that he will be in Imola next Tuesday to take part in the official test session in preparation for the race there on the weekend of September 27th.

Source | sbkpoint

Continue reading: Max Neukirchner on track at Sachsenring