WSBK News
Kyalami, 13th May 2010 – the sixth round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship takes place this weekend at the South African track of Kyalami.
Genesio Bevilacqua’s Althea Racing team come to the Johannesburg motorcycle racing circuit with one precise objective: to get back in a position to fight against the best after a difficult last round at Monza.
Fit and ready, and determined to be a protagonist in the two races is Spanish rider Carlos Checa.
Riding the Italian team’s privateer Ducati 1998, the 37 year old from Sant Fruitos will attempt to hold pace with his main rivals, championship leaders Leon Haslam and Max Biaggi.
Last year at Kyalami Carlos missed out on the top five, finishing both races in sixth position, and so his main goal this season is to significantly improve on those results.
Having taken the best result possible at Monza, with a ninth place finish in Race 2, Englishman Shane Byrne also hopes to improve on last year’s performance.
The former British SBK champion finished Race 2 in ninth position after having retired from Race 1.
This weekend the Ducati rider, originally from Lambeth, will do all he can to take good points, to improve on his position in the general standings, currently twelfth.
"The Monza round was very difficult for all the Ducatis", declared Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing.
"The layout of the track here at Kyalami on the other hand shouldn’t create any particular problems and we’ll be aiming for the best possible result. Carlos is third in the standings and at this track he’ll try to earn important points so as to stick with the two riders currently ahead of him."
"Shakey has the same goal as he aims to get into the top ten in the general classification. I am confident, we have everything in place to be able to perform at our expected level."
Kyalami’s motorcycle racing program kicks off tomorrow morning with first practice at 12.45, followed by first qualifying at 15.00.
On Saturday, second qualifying starts at 10.45 with Superpole getting under way later in the day at 15.00. On Sunday the two Superbike races commence at 12.00 and 15.30.
CLASSIFICATION: 1) HASLAM p. 181; 2) BIAGGI p. 178: 3) REA p. 110; 4) CHECA p. 110… 12) BYRNE p. 58;
