2011 World Superbike
Things didn’t go too well for the reigning World Superbike Champion at Donington Park in the UK Sunday.
Max Biaggi, who qualified in sixth, struggled in race 1, finishing seventh. Biaggi got a good start, but began running wide various times, and he couldn’t catch up with the leading group.
But it was race 2 that made for a very difficult weekend, as the Alitalia Aprilia rider Biaggi was disqualified due to jumping the start and failing to perform the ride-through penalty.
Due to false start, Biaggi was supposed to ride through pit lane by regulation. But because he was so preoccupied with his attempts to mount a comeback, he didn’t see the pit boards telling him to complete the ride-through, and was disqualified from Round 2 of 13 in the 2011 World Superbike Championship.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Superbike) says: “I realized that I had moved on the grid, so I was well aware that my race had been compromised. I tried to push right away to recover, but I lost my concentration because of that mistake, losing several positions.
“Unfortunately I didn’t see the boards – when you’re in the pack that can happen. I’m extremely sorry for the Team, two results below expectations that must not ruin the good that has been done thus far. To the contrary, this is the time when we need to be united, learning even from these bad days. The season is long, we’ll have the opportunity to make amends.”
Due to his troubled World Superbike weekend at Donington, Biaggi is now in fourth place with 49 points, 42 points behind the leader Althea Ducati’s Carlos Checa (the Spaniard won Race 2; Yamaha’s Marco Melandri won Race 1).
As for Biaggi’s Superbike teammate, Leon Camier, he had better luck at his home track, taking fourth in both races.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Superbike) says: “It was truly a good weekend for me, after the rough start in Australia. It’s hard after doing so much preparation during the winter not be in the best conditions then for the start of the season. Fortunately I was feeling well right from the start here.
“I worked well with my Team to prepare for these two races and the results prove it. It was a shame that in Race 2 a small problem with the brakes kept me from making a play for it with Marco Melandri, but that doesn’t ruin the joy of third place. I’d like to thank my Team, obviously, as well as my good friend Keith Code who helped me out a lot.”
