.jpg)
2011 World Superbike Prep
The Effenbert-Liberty Racing team’s 2011 Superbike campaign has been getting underway at the Guadix circuit in Spain, where riders Sylvain Guintoli and Jakub Smrz got to grips with their Ducati 1198F10 machines last week in two days of testing.
On day 1 the Frenchman and his Czech Superbike teammate only lapped in the afternoon because of cold and foggy weather in the morning.
Despite this they were both able to test some new electronic components aboard their Ducati Superbikes, notching up around 700 kms of track distance each.
Sylvain Guintoli (Liberty Ducati) says: "I had a very good impression of the bike and the team. The first day we ran a very basic setting for me to understand the Ducati. I enjoyed getting back on 2 wheels after my leg surgery and riding the Ducati was a great feeling. The second day we tried different settings to better understand my toy and I enjoyed it even more than the first."
Jakub Smrz, back on a Ducati superbike again after last year’s Aprilia interlude, also established a good feeling.
Jakub Smrz (Liberty Ducati) says: "Slowly I began to get acquainted with the new bike and the Guadix circuit, which measures only 3.5 km. We focused on different settings and especially electronics, where is the biggest difference between the bike I had available last year and this.
"I got quite used to this slow circuit and surely it will be an added value for the next season, because in the slow corners I was never very comfortable. The team and the bike work brilliantly, we have done a lot of work and we have improved a lot, now I am really looking forward to the official tests in Portimao."
After Portimao, the team will now move on to Aragon for another two days of private superbike testing on the circuit that this year has become one of the appointments on the World Superbike Championship calendar.
Natale Egi (Liberty Ducati Team Manager) says: "The tests in Guadix were important for us to blend the team and I was very happy to see riders and mechanics working methodically. Now we are going to the Infront official tests in Portimao full of confidence and aware of the strength of the team."
