HOME RACE FOR REA AND HASLAM AT POPULAR DONINGTON PARK

2013-05-21 11:49
Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) has more than just a
home race to look forward to at the fifth round of the FIM Superbike
World Championship at Donington Park on Sunday May 26. Given the many
recent advances he and his team have found in the race specification
and performance of his CBR1000RR he is also out to replicate the kind
of form that put him on the first race podium at the Assen round in late April.

Improvements to his race package should allow him to make a real
difference at Donington, which was the most recent venue Jonathan has
scored a full race victory at, around this time last year. Having
taken part in a bicycle race in the UK shortly after the previous
Monza round Rea is at the peak of his powers again and ready to try
to score his first win of 2013.

Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) is almost literally at
home when he goes to Donington but currently he is in a battle to be
fully fit after breaking his left leg at Assen. His recovery process
is going well but he will have to wait until given the medical all
clear before he can make a start at the fifth round of the year.

The complete Donington circuit may be formed of two truly contrasting
sections but it is a perennial favourite with most competitors who
get to ride a high-speed rollercoaster of asphalt down Craner Curves
before making their gradual climb uphill to McLeans Corner and
Coppice before rushing downhill again to the Melbourne Loop section.
This final part of the 4.023km track comprises a slow chicane, then
two tight hairpins onto the start/finish straight, and provides some
of the hardest braking points of the year.

In the championship standings Jonathan is currently eighth, but only
four points from a top six ranking after four rounds. Leon, who has
had to miss the Assen and Monza races altogether, is 15th.

After Donington Park the championship trail heads south once more, to
the modern classic circuit of Portimao in Portugal for the sixth
round on June 9th.


VAN DER MARK JOINS HASLAM IN A RACE TO BE FIT

In a determined attempt to be fit to race at the fifth round of the
FIM Supersport World championship at Donington Park this weekend
Dutch rider Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team)
has joined his Superbike colleague Leon Haslam in the UK for a period
of intense preparation and healing.

Currently third in the overall rankings after breaking four bones in
his left foot during the previous Monza round, Van der Mark is
determined to get back into action at Donington to help his overall
championship challenge continue at the same high level he has reached
since starting his rookie WSS season.

Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) is a fighting
fifth in the Championship after securing his first WSS podium at the
previous round at Monza in his native Italy. He enters the Donington
Park event, titled the European round of the championship, secure in
the knowledge that more podiums are possible. Lorenzo is 30 points
from the lead of the championship after five rounds, with ten rounds
of the championship still to run, including Donington.

After a great start to his rookie season Irish rider Jack Kennedy
(Rivamoto Honda) dropped to tenth in the championship after his Monza
no score. Now approaching a circuit he has raced at regularly during
his recent British Championship experiences he should start the
weekend at no real disadvantage to most of his more experienced WSS
rivals for the first time in 2013.

Luca Marconi (PTR Honda) is looking for any finish better than tenth
in the Donington race to beat his 2013 best so far, as he sits 14th
in the rankings after four rounds. His PTR Honda team is taking part
in its home round in England this weekend and Luca wants to make a
good showing for them, and to start moving up the championship table
in his own right.

After a very tough start to the season delivered Sheridan Morais no
points in the opening three races the gritty South African rider
showed his true self at Monza by finishing sixth despite carrying a
right shoulder injury. The lingering effects of that may still be
evident but he has healed considerably since the last round.

David Linortner (Team Honda PTR) moved up to 23rd after scoring two
points at Monza. Raffaele De Rosa (Team Lorini Honda) sits in 25th place.

Gabor Talmacsi (PRORACE Honda) will be looking to a track he knows
well from his long experience of racing in the smaller GP classes to
kick start his season after four races with no points. He was tenth
at Donington for his current PRORACE team last season, shortly after
joining the WSS class for the first time. He has upped his own level
of preparation even more for the challenges ahead by racing in a
national event at his own home track in Hungary.

The usual host of regular Honda riders will be out to make their
first big impression of the season once again, including Imre Toth
(Racing Team Toth Honda), Eduard Blokhin (Rivamoto Honda), Nacho
Calero Perez (Honda PTR) and his fellow rookie Matt Davies (Team Honda PTR).

The sixth round of a 14 round championship will take place at another
regular SBK venue, Portimao in Portugal, on June 9th.


HONDA RIDER COMMENTS:

Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team)
"I think Donington could be a very strong track for us. Monza was
going to be one of our weaker circuits but we were still there or
there about. With no long straights at Donington I am quite
optimistic about our chances. I like the track and it is good to be
back in the UK to go racing. Given the championship situation points
are not at the forefront of our minds so now we have to get some
solid race weekends under our belt. It would be great to get a double
podium finish this weekend, or even something better. Our package is
pretty well rounded so we can go to any track now, keep our heads
high and hope for the best possible results. I think Donington will
give us a much more comfortable weekend than having to do two races at Monza."

Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team)
"I had a successful operation after Monza and my aim is to race at
Donington, my home event. I am struggling with knee movement but I
have a few more days of working on that. I know Donington well and
from Assen onwards the team have made big steps with the bike.
Jonathan has been speaking about how much better it is, so I am keen
to get back on it. I had never missed an SBK race before in my life.
I have had two broken legs, a collarbone, broken ankles in previous
seasons and still been able to race, so it has been tough to take not
racing in the past two rounds. If I can race I am definitely going to
give it a go. From a positive side I will not have to learn
Donington, there are not too many left-handers, which is going to be
the issue with my knee. The biggest factors will be bending my knee
enough and changing gears."

Michael van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team)
"As always I am looking forward to the weekend but it will be a
little bit difficult maybe this time. That is partly to do with the
fact that I have never ridden at Donington Park before and also
because I have a foot injury. It is getting better every day and we
have made faster progress than we first expected. It will be a bit
painful this weekend but we are riding for sure!"

Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team)
"Taking a podium at Monza was fantastic at my home race but it was a
strange day with crashes all around and two crashes for me before the
final race start. I have some problems with my back and my right hand
because of this. Nothing is broken but it is quite painful. I like
Donington. It's not a fast track but a good one and a very different
one from Monza. I want to try to push a lot at Donington, the same as
in Monza, and fight for the top five places."

Jack Kennedy (Rivamoto Honda)
"We will have a lot of people there and I suppose you could call it
my home race. A lot of friends, family and sponsors will be coming so
we will have to put on a good show won't we? The weather does not
look on our side through. Donington will be different because I know
I should be quick in the first sessions, no matter what the
conditions are, because I know the track so well. That is obviously a
big confidence-booster as well because when you come towards the
second qualifying session in 20th position or whatever at a new track
you have a big gap to close and lots still to learn. I am hoping to
be up inside the top five in every session at Donington. I'm looking
forward to riding my Rivamoto Honda there as this time around we have
a lot of knowledge of that track layout. This season is a learning
process for me, especially with the electronics and the longer races
that I am not so used to doing, but we are getting better at it every round."

Luca Marconi (PTR Honda)
"I am not sure how the weather is going to be in England but I hope
it is not raining. I like the track and I want to make a good result
for the team, as it is their home race. I will try my best as always.
Donington Park is very different from Monza and maybe the rider
counts more than the bike. I like the flowing first part at Donington
but I am not so keen on the very last part with the slow corners. It
is difficult to pass other riders in most places on the first part so
at least the last corners do give you some places to overtake."

Sheridan Morais (PTR Honda)
"Last year I was also injured for the Donington round, after a big
crash at Monza, but this time around my shoulder has improved and I
hope I can ride my bike to its full potential. Sixth at Monza was not
so bad considering I was not really fully fit. I came back to South
Africa for a short period of time after Monza and that is always a
bit hectic, but it is always good for me and it gets me ready to go
racing again."

Gabor Talmacsi (PRORACE Honda)
"I rode a stock 600 bike at a national race at the Hungaroring after
Monza and I made my best lap time ever, so I think my form is good. I
think the last three races we lost the race in the pit box more than
with my performance so I will be recommending a new bike set-up and
balance to my team. They are really looking to help me. At Donington
I believe I can be where I have to be, even though I cannot say it is
my favourite track because it is usually cold and raining! All the
same, I feel confident going there."

Source: Honda Pro Image

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