The team recently spent six days at Misano when they carried out official testing sessions during the sixth edition of World Ducati Week. On track alongside Troy Bayliss and other private Ducati SBK teams, factory riders Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga worked hard together with their technicians and the positive results of the test sessions bode well for the upcoming race weekend.
Although the Ducati Superbikes have traditionally performed well at this track, it is strange that until now neither rider has obtained a race win at the circuit, despite podium finishes in their favour.
This will be Haga‰Ûªs eleventh SBK event at this track and Fabrizio‰Ûªs fifth visit. Michel‰Ûªs best Misano weekend to date was just last season, when he scored a double podium, while Noriyuki finished the two races in fifth and third position, registering a new lap record in Race 2.
At the most recent round in Salt Lake City, three weeks ago, Japanese rider Haga returned to the podium with a third place finish in Race 1, backed up with fourth in the second race, while Fabrizio had a tougher time of it, crashing out of Race 1 before battling to ninth position in Race 2. With the third place achieved in America, Noriyuki can now boast 109 podium finishes over his Superbike career, equalling Carl Fogarty‰Ûªs impressive score. Only Troy Corser has experienced more rostrums, with 129 podium finishes to date.
Haga has never finished higher than second at this Italian track, something he would like to rectify this year.
‰ÛÏI‰Ûªm hopeful that after the podium at Salt Lake, things are getting back on track for us," Haga said.
"We had a tiring but productive time at WDW and I‰Ûªm now looking forward to the Misano race with confidence. Last year didn‰Ûªt go to plan as Race 1 was surprisingly wet and this caused me some problems. I‰Ûªve had highs and lows at Misano over the years and it‰Ûªs a track I‰Ûªve never won at; I don‰Ûªt know if that will be possible this time around with the level of competition that we are seeing this year, but I will try my best as always," the Japanese rider concluded.
Michel Fabrizio feels prepared and ready for the coming weekend.
‰ÛÏWe‰Ûªve just tested at Misano, during World Ducati Week, and the sessions went well," Fabrizio said.
"It was very hot, as I‰Ûªm sure it will be for the race too, and so I feel that we are now better prepared for the coming weekend. I‰Ûªd like to improve on last year‰Ûªs performance of course and am very aware that although I have taken wins at Monza and Imola I‰Ûªve not yet managed it at Misano ‰ÛÒ rest assured that I‰Ûªll be doing everything in my power to change that this season," Fabrizio concluded.
Main Photo: Noriyuki Haga
