2011 World Superbike Prep
Two World Superbike teams will test next week at Phillip Island: Aprilia Alitalia and Yamaha Sterilgarda. Both teams, which include 2010 Word Superbike Champion Max Biaggi and Leon Camier for Aprilia, and Marco Melandri and Eugene Laverty for Yamaha, will continue to develop their 2011 spec superbikes at the test.
The superbike tests will run from Nov. 30 to Dec. 2, and this will be the first time Biaggi has been on the track with his fellow Italian rider since he last competed in MotoGP in 2005.
Biaggi didn’t compete in 2006 due to contract issues in World Superbike, and in 2007 he signed as Troy Corser’s replacement with Corona Alstare Suzuki.
Then Biaggi signed with Sterilgarda Ducati in 2008 before joining Alitalia Aprilia in 2009. As for Melandri, he remained in MotoGP until he signed with Sterilgarda Yamaha for the 2011 season; in the 2010 MotoGP Championship, Melandri finished 10th aboard the San Carlo Honda Gresini RC212V.
Laverty has also already driven the R1 during the post-season tests at Magny-Cours, and then at Valencia.
Biaggi’s teammate, Leon Camier, will be on the other Aprilia RSV4 Superbike for the first time since hurting his wrist in the 2010 WSBK season. Camier missed the last four rounds of World Superbike due to the injury.
