THE FIRST OFFICIAL OUTING FOR NAKANO ATOP THE RSV4

It was the first official outing for Japanese Shinya Nakano atop the Aprilia RSV4 in preparation for the 2009 World Superbike season. Yesterday and today, on the Spanish circuit in Valencia, Nakano underwent two intense days of testing for a total of 141 laps; 72 on Monday when he clocked in a best time of 1:36.4 and 69 today when he stopped the clock at 1:35.3. Also on the track today was Marco Simoncelli, the newly-crowned 250 world champion from Gilera (which, like Aprilia, is a Piaggio Group brand) who was allowed to try out the RSV4 as a reward for his splendid season. Marco raced a total of 37 laps this afternoon with the best time of 1:36.3. Also returning to the track was Aprilia test rider Alex Hofmann after his nasty accident in July. The German rider, still not in perfect physical condition, raced a total of 90 laps with a best time of 1:37.3 (clocked in today).

“My intent here was to gain a good feeling with the motorcycle – declared Nakano – and it was tough at first since the RSV4 is very different from a MotoGP bike. After many laps we were able to correctly adjust the mechanics and today I felt at ease and had a lot of fun riding it. For now we just wanted to find a good starting point and we were successful. There is still a lot of work to do, especially regarding the electronics and engine brake management, but we have all the time we need to find the right solutions. I am very satisfied with these two days of work; the level of the technicians is very high and I already have a good feeling with my team. I am sure we will work very well together”.

“It went really well and I had a lot of fun – said Marco Simoncelli – I really wanted to try out this highly-awaited motorcycle and, thanks to the Aprilia Racing Division, I got to do it. I found the RSV4 to be very easy to ride; the engine is strong and pulls even in high gears, I was surprised by the power and acceleration in the straight-aways. I also raced pretty well and am happy with my performance. However, for now I'm having more fun with the 250 even if it's more nervewracking and thus harder to ride”.

FIRST OFFICIAL OUTING FOR BIAGGI ON THE RSV4

The first official outing for Max Biaggi and the Aprilia RSV4 ahead of the 2009 World Superbike championship. Everything happened yesterday and today on the splendid Portuguese track of Portimao, where the final race of 2008 was held last Sunday. Max underwent two intense days of testing that totaled 110 laps; fifty on Tuesday with a best time of 1:45.48 and sixty today as he stopped the clock at 1:44.12.

“This race at Portimao was my first real test atop an Aprilia – declared Biaggi – after my initial contact with the bike last month in Valencia. We worked hard to find a good starting point that will help us to adapt the motorcycle to the various circuits of the upcoming tests and future races. There are still a few problems to sort out but we are only beginning and the motorcycle remains in the development phase. I am therefore fairly satisfied with our work; we collected a lot of data that will allow the technicians to produce new components to further advance the RSV4. We need to define how and where we can improve and slowly, the complete package will fall into place and the bike will be competitive from the start. However, we obviously need to get busy. I am very happy to be working with this team; we already have a great feeling and are working well together. I feel like I've returned home after many years.”

FIRST DAY OF PIRELLI TESTING AT KYALAMI

The first official engagement of the 2009 Superbike season, the Pirelli Tests, took place on the Kyalami circuit in South Africa. On the track were Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano with the brand new Aprilia RSV4s that faced off directly with the competition from the other official teams.
Max Biaggi, who won his first 250cc race on September 6, 1992, only took part in the afternoon session of the first day of testing after his flight to Johannesburg was cancelled due to poor weather in France. Max nevertheless completed 25 laps with a best time of 1:42.446, seventh on the day.
It was a full day instead for Shinya Nakano, who completed 56 laps and finished sixth with his 1:41.846, focusing on the mechanical and gear shift settings.

“It's the first time for me here in Kyalami; before this I had only raced in Welkom – declared Nakano – and I passed this first part of the test by studying this track that is hard to get used to since it's so fast. I focused on the motorcycle's behaviour since it's only the second time I'm here. The situation continued to improve, lap after lap, and we found the right foundation for development for these next two days of testing. Now we are concentrating on improving the set-up and researching the best tyres.”

“Unfortunately, I was only able to race the final three hours of the day – said Max Biaggi – for 25 laps. We worked without rushing the times too much and itdidn't end badly. I studied the track and how the motorcycle behaved on it and then we turned our attention to the electronics and trajectory. Right now we need to make the most of the materials at our disposition. Only then will we think about incorporating any necessary mechanical modifications; otherwise we risk creating utterly unnecessary confusion with this project that is already competitive”.

SBK: THE FINAL DAY OF PIRELLI TESTING IN KYALAMI

It was the final day of Pirelli Testing on the track in Kyalami. The sun and heat (an air temperature of 30 degrees while the asphalt measured 60 degrees) were king and the various teams took different approaches to their work: some opted to simulate race conditions, others the so-called “long run”, and others still continued to test out the line of tyres brought in by Pirelli.
Biaggi and Nakano dedicated themselves to the development of the RSV4's engine, trying out different configurations and many new components. Max Biaggi totalled 49 laps with a top time of 1:40.768, the 8th best on the day. Shinya Nakano completed 32 laps on the South African circuit and clocked in a 1:41.331, allowing him to finish 12th on the day.

“These three days were very useful – declared Biaggi – we worked hard and collected a lot of information. The vibration problem we encounter upon entering into curves still persists, so we'll have to work hard over the break to find a solution. These are typical problems of a new, 4-time motorcycle like this one, nothing too dramatic about but nevertheless enough to force us roll up our sleeves and get busy. I am, however, very confident in Aprilia's technical capacity”.

“I am very happy about how these three days of testing have gone – said Nakano – especially the second day when we clocked in a good time. These tests were very useful; we really studied the track, worked well, and my comfort level with the RSV4 really improved. It is just too bad that we had a few small technical problems today that held us up in the box for a while”.

SBK: SECOND DAY OF PIRELLI TESTING AT KYALAMI

It was a splendid second day of Pirelli Testing in Kyalami, South Africa. Typical of the southern summer, air temperatures were roughly 30°C which allowed the pavement to reach 60°C in the early afternoon.
Biaggi, Nakano, and their RSV4s underwent a lot of developmental work as they continue their search for the best possible balance by testing out the various tyre surfaces supplied by Pirelli, while making sure to not neglect the electronics and engine.
Max Biaggi totaled 60 laps with a best time of 1:41.041, good enough for 8th place on the day. Shinya Nakano completed 47 on the South African circuit and placed 7th with a best time of 1:40.980.

“Today we worked a lot on both motorcycles – declared Nakano – and experimented with different engine components, which provided us with a lot of data. In the last part of testing we also tried out the softest tyres and were able to clock in good times. We improved a lot in respect to yesterday and my feeling with the RSV4 keeps getting better. We nevertheless have a lot of work to do to catch up with the leaders, even though I'm happy with my 7th place; just 0.7 seconds behind Fabrizio (the leader) and 0.3 seconds behind Haga (in second)”.

“Today went a bit better – said Max Biaggi – we made a lot of modifications to the motorcycle and are headed in a well-defined direction. Yet we still weren't able to completely smooth out the problem of entering into curves, the biggest issue we have encountered thus far. We are trying to pinpoint the exact origin of this problem and the only way to do it is trial by elimination with different solutions. However, we have improved a lot and are much closer to the competition. Without this issue I am sure we would not only have the fastest single lap but also be the fastest overall, something that makes me really hopeful for the time when we are able to correct it. I am sure that given the great experience and competency of the Aprilia technicians, it won't take long to fix”

RSV4: THE FIRST COMMENTS OF BIAGGI AND NAKANO

From the many questions sent by the members of the MyAprilia community, we selected the most common inquiries surrounding the development of the RSV4 and sent them to the riders who will represent Aprilia in this year's World Superbike Championship.

Here are Max Biaggi and Shinya Nakano, currently busy in testing on the South African track of Kyalami.

HANDLING
Aprilia has always been famous for its refined handling, knowing no equal. Does this new RSV4 follow suite? How does it behave when entering into and coming out of curves, during directional changes, and with its weight balance? Could you also give us your thoughts about the improvements made in respect to the already solid RSV 1000?

BIAGGI: “It's not an easy question to answer since I've only taken the RSV4 out twice and am still working hard to find the perfect feeling. It is certainly more manageable and very precise upon entering into curves. Nonetheless, we still have a lot of work to do in order to bring it to the top level. We are trying to do the most to optimize the handling in respect to the electronics and the engine. It does well coming out of curves (even if the movement is a bit skittish) and I am amazed at how it changes direction. I am also happy about its extreme reactivity”.

NAKANO: “Up until this point of my career, I've always competed with prototypes so I initially thought I would have difficulty during this experience with Aprilia. Yet the RSV4 is really a “racing” motorcycle and I immediately found a great feeling. It has an optimal limber that we worked on a lot during the first test since I think it is of utmost importance; I immediately achieved the sensation I had been seeking. It is still a bit skittish when coming out of curves although that doesn't depend on the mechanics but instead the power supplying and engine mapping.”

RIDE BY WIRE
The RSV4 uses Ride-by-Wire technology (a solution also used in a few of Aprilia's road models) for the electronic management of the engine throttle: how does this power allocation system impact the riding?

BIAGGI: “Ride-by-Wire was adopted from the MotoGP and brought to the Superbike last year by Yamaha. It allows for a much improved management of the motorcycle (especially at an electronic level) and can be a great help to the rider since it is well calibrated to make the most of its potential”.

NAKANO: “The functioning of this system didn't alter my riding style but instead gives more advantages. The most important thing is to find the right connection between the handle control and the rear wheel reaction. Finding the right setting can be tough but that wasn't the case with the RSV4; we've already established a great feeling”.

PERFORMANCE COMPARED TO ITS RIVALS
It is certainly too early to make any judgements, but do you mind summarizing the differences between riding the RSV4 and other motorcycles with which you've previously competed, particularly the twin and 4-cylinder Japanese bikes? What is the approximate maximum speed of the RSV4?

BIAGGI: “The differences are substantial. The 4-cylinders are much more agile and on paper, they should be more powerful while the twins have a flatter allocation, are “softer” to the touch, more powerful in low rev changes, and push harder out of the curves”.

SBK VS MOTOGP
Regulations, performance, riding style, and development of the motorcycle: how much changes between the Superbike and MotoGP championships?

BIAGGI: “They are two separate worlds that are hard to compare. In MotoGP, you race with different tyres, prototype motorcycles, and their performances are incomparable. There are so many extra electronics and the regulations allow you to indefinitely modify the motorcycle. The Superbikes are much heavier and I had to alter my riding style since the bikes are much more similar to those that are produced. But it has to be like that since that is exactly what makes this category so fascinating.”

NAKANO: “There are so many differences since there are two completely different sets of regulations. The weight is much different and you notice it when you ride a Superbike, but the power and acceleration are also incomparable. The MotoGP, for example, skids back a lot more when you hit the gas. They are completely different even when braking since carbon discs aren't allowed in the Superbike class. Yet regarding the starting velocity they are quite similar, something that really surprised me initially”.

AUSTRALIA: FIRST QUALIFYING SESSION AT PHILLIP ISLAND

After a long wait, it is finally time to take to the track in Australia at the Phillip Island circuit for the first round of the Superbike 2009 season. The first qualifying session was held today, a veritable trial by fire after the practicing over the past week, in which the riders were finally all given the chance to measure up against one another face to face. The best lap was set by Smrz on the team Guandalini Ducati, but the field proved to be very evenly matched, with the top fifteen riders all within a second. The sixth fastest time of 1 min 32.928 sec set by Shynja Nakano was just 0.616 seconds behind the quickest lap by the Czech rider. The Japanese rider concentrated on finding a race rhythm with worn tyres, and continued to seem more at ease with the bike – a class that is completely new territory for him. Eleventh place went to Biaggi who stopped the clock at 1 min 32.995 sec, 0.683 seconds behind Smrz. Max is continuing to develop the relatively new RSV4, which still has a few teething problems concerning vibration, especially when entering curves.

"These two sessions were very exciting for me – said Nakano – it is my first real debut in the class and the first time that I’ve ridden together with all the other riders. In the practice session this morning we didn’t do too badly, while in the qualifying session we focused on finding a race rhythm with worn tyres and were getting good results. Then we fitted new rubber and set the sixth fastest time straight away. We are all very close and sixth place proves that we are pretty competitive. The bike still isn't completely sorted and the situation hasn’t changed much since practicing, but we know that we’ll be getting new material over the next races.”

“Looking at the time alone, things didn’t go badly – said Biaggi – but compared with the practice sessions the situation obviously hasn’t radically changed, but we knew that that would have been impossible. We still have the same big problem when setting up for curves, vibration at the back of the bike makes the wheel skip, which makes braking very difficult. We still have lots of work to do, although there have been some improvements – for example, the bike’s power delivery is becoming much smoother and more manageable.”

BIAGGI AND NAKANO ON RSV4 FACTORY'S SADDLE

Max and Shinya get in touch with the RSV4 Factory, the replica bike of the RSV4 that will compete in the 2009 SBK World Championship.

- Click for the videos in the Aprilia official YouTube channel

- Find out Aprilia RSV4 Factory

AUSTRALIA, RACE 2: BIAGGI FIGHTS FOR THE PODIUM TO THE END, NAKANO FINISHES IN TWELFTH PLACE

Race 2 of the first round of the SBK on the Australian circuit of Phillip Island took place under more stable weather conditions and with a grey sky still looming above, but the probability of rain unlikely, race officials declared it a dry race and therefore, in the event that it would begin to rain, the new flag-to-flag rule would have been enforced.
The passionate Australian public was able to watch an exciting Race 2, which saw drivers battling it out up until the very last metre. Vince Spies who also won yesterday’s Superpole, was the top finisher, 1:286 ahead of Haga’s Ducati and 4:312 ahead of Haslam’s Honda.
Biaggi finished in fifteenth place with a star’s race. Max, who started off well from second position, immediately took the lead and after a few curves he was in the lead along with Spies and Haga. The three drivers tried to break away, with the American and the Japanese drivers vying for first place, and they managed to place a fair amount of distance between the other drivers. The race went on this way up until the fourteenth lap with the two leaders battling it out for first place and Max glued right behind them; in the following lap Fabrizio managed to catch up to the lead group and began to battle it out with Biaggi, who he passed three laps later. The race became even more intense during the final three laps with the arrival of Haslam and Laconi. Just a few curves from the end, however, in order to avoid hitting two of his competitors after they made contact, Biaggi ended up in the gravel, re-entered the race and finished in fifteenth place.
Instead, it was a twelfth place finish for Nakano who began well this time, unlike during the first rounds, and immediately set off to take over the leading positions, continuing to battle Neukirchner, Rea, Smrz and Kagayama for sixth place. Halfway through the race, Shinya began to lose ground because of irregular wear and tear on his rear tire, and he was passed by Sykes and Xaus during the last lap.

"I’m quite satisfied,” declared Biaggi. “We had a good race, using a different, softer tire, risking a lot and knowing that it would only last for half of the race. In fact, during the last ten laps, the tires were worn out and I did everything I could to fight for a place atop the podium up until the very end. During the last lap, at the Siberia curve, the two who were in front of me made contact and they took some strange trajectories. I sped up so I wouldn’t hit them, but I had to brake and I ended up in the gravel. There’s not much space there and I stopped on the tire barrier. Fortunately I managed to keep the motorcycle running, re-enter and finish the race, taking home at least one point, even though I certainly deserved more. We still have some problems to resolve, but I don’t exclude the possibility that it may occur quickly. I would like to see how the bike handles when it will be 100%, considering its potential, but I have a lot of faith in Aprilia technicians, and it was also for this reason that I decided to return here after so many years.”

“I started off well, arriving in sixth position,” said Nakano. “We mounted another tire and the chattering diminished significantly. Halfway through the race, the tires were worn down and I couldn’t push as much as at the beginning, so I slipped back into twelfth place. We must improve the engine set because when the grip decreases, it becomes difficult to handle the motorcycle’s power. The positive aspect is that when the feeling is good, I can say in the lead to battle it out for first place.”

AUSTRALIA, SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI IN SECOND PLACE; NAKANO FINISHES NINTH

The first Superpole of the 2009 season has arrived and the rules have changed completely compared to past editions. Rather than a single round, now there is a formula which is much like the one used in F1 races. The top twenty finishers from the official trials participate in the Superpole 1 and the sixteen best times move on to the Superpole 2. Finally, the top eight drivers compete in the first two battle lines of the Superpole 3. Each of the three rounds lasts twelve minutes and the drivers are only allowed to use two tires for the qualifying round and two for the competition round. Ben Spies, on a Yamaha Factory, won the first Superpole of the season with a time of 1:31:069. Max Biaggi conquered the second-place position, stopping the clock at 1:31:402, just 0:333 behind the Texan. Max closed out the Superpole 1 in seventh position with a time of 1:32:345, using competition tires and then placed fifth in the Superpole 2 with a time of 1:31:617, with the first set of available qualifying tires. Shinya Nakano will start off from ninth position in tomorrow’s first race, thanks to his time of 1:31:843, which he achieved on competition tires. The Japanese driver missed out on qualifying for the Superpole 3 by just 68 thousandths of a second, and he placed sixth in the first round with a finishing time of 1:32:264, using qualifying tires.

"This Superpole is very exciting,” declared Biaggi. “You’re never sure of the outcome until the very end. You’re always on the razor’s edge. We were all very fast, with Spies and Laconi we managed to beat the record from the Bayliss circuit and it is really satisfying to start off so far ahead. This Superpole was a bit turbulent, the motorcycle I had chosen gave me some problems during the last minutes of the warm-up laps, and I had to use another bike that I didn’t really like, so we created a combination, adapting the frame from the first to the second, and fortunately the result was good. Perhaps in tomorrow’s race we will have more problems than the others because the RSV4 is still in is development and growth phase and it won’t be easy to choose the most suitable tires for the race. I’ll give it my all, 100%, and try to find a good rhythm starting from the very first laps. I would like to thank my team for the excellent job they are doing as well as everyone who has believed in this project and who pushed for my return to Aprilia. I will try to pay them back with the best possible results.”

“This new Superpole formula is a real adrenaline rush,” said Nakano. “It’s new for all of us. You always need to be on high alert and have a good strategy. There was a lot of traffic in the Superpole 1 and I was at the back of the qualifying line, so we decided to use qualifying tires. Then we only used the competition tires and in the last seconds, the qualification slipped away by a few thousandths of a second. I’m satisfied because this weekend we managed to continue to grow and we are also quite competitive. The important thing for tomorrow’s race will be to start off well and set a good pace. For the first time, I’ll be competing in two races on the same day. They’re shorter with respect to the MotoGP, but much more difficult to manage and you begin to push the limit right from the start.”

SBK: FIRST ROUND OF OFFICIAL TRIALS AT LOSAIL

It’s back to the track in Qatar for the second round of the SBK 2009 season. Unlike the other GP cousins, the production-derived bikes will race on the Losail circuit by day. In fact, the races will be held on Saturday at 12:00 p.m. and 3:30 p.m. local time (Qatar is two hours ahead of Central Europe). The track, which is covered in dust and sand, created some difficulties for the drivers, especially during the free practice, but later the grip gradually improved resulting in more interesting race times. During the first round of the official trials, Ben Spies achieved the best time with 1:58:886 on his Yamaha Factory.
Max Biaggi held on to fourth position with a time of 1:59:826, just 0:940 behind the American driver. The Roman put a great deal of effort into collecting as much data as possible about this completely new track for the RSV4, concentrating mainly on the suspension.
Instead, Nakano came in tenth, stopping the clock at 2:00:238, finishing 1:352 behind Spies. Shinya is continuing his apprenticeship in this new category with his RSV4.

"These practices were not easy,” declared Biaggi. “We started off without any data or parameters from previous years with which to work and this put us at a disadvantage with respect to the others since we debuted in this category with the RSV4. There was some improvement in the official afternoon trials and the bike became more manageable, but we’re still losing a few tenths of a second per lap with respect to the others because we’re missing stability, especially in the fast curves. Now, with help from the technicians, we’re trying to find some solutions to become more efficient, but there’s not much time to work with and so we’re mostly concentrating on the suspension.”

“It’s not easy to arrange the work we have to do here because we don’t have any data to analyse,” said Nakano, “but it didn’t go too badly today, in any case. Compared to Phillip Island, we managed to resolve a few problems. We have less chattering and this has allowed me to concentrate more on my driving. The track was quite slippery this morning, but the grip improved during the afternoon and we were able to work much better on the suspension. The engine is fine but the erogation is still far too aggressive.”

AUSTRALIA, RACE 1: BIAGGI FINISHES IN ELEVENTH PLACE, ONE POINT FOR NAKANO

Everyone was concerned about the weather at Philip Island for Race 1 of the Australian round of the SBK. The sky was as grey as lead with rain falling intermittently and the unpredictable weather forced the race officials to declare Race 1 a Wet Race at the end of the warm-up laps, despite the fact that the track was still dry. Fortunately it didn’t rain and the Japanese driver, Haga, on the Xerox team’s Factory Ducati, sprinted to the lead with a 32 thousandths of a second advantage over Neukichner, Suzuki Alstare, and Kagayama’s other Suzuki at 5:347.
Max Biaggi finished in eleventh place at 12:609. After a good start the Roman driver fell behind the leaders because of contact during the third lap that forced him into ninth position. He then fell back one more spot when Checa managed to pass him. Max began to find a good pace and recover during the ninth lap, along with Skykes, moving up from the rear against his competitors who were in the lead up until the last lap, when four drivers battled it out for eighth place in a sprint that saw Corser manage to maintain position against Smrz, Skyes and Biaggi himself.
Instead, after a rough start Nakano came in at number fifteen, never managing to find the right pace, conducting the entire race on the edge of the points zone.

“We can confirm the same feeling we had during the test runs,” declared Biaggi. “In fact, with the hard racing tyres, where you need a very stable bike when you enter the curves, we suffer from strong vibrations at the back end of the bike; therefore I have a hard time going into the curve and consequently opening up the gas when I need it. The motorcycle is still very nervous and I have to work hard to maintain the rhythm of the first ones and in any case, I face a lot more risks than the others. Eleventh place is a bit disappointing for us and we’re going to make some changes to the bike now. I’m not certain that we’ll do any better in the second round.”

“I didn’t start off well,” said Nakano. “And I fell back quite a few spots. I tried to recover, but the bike had a lot of chattering at the back and this prevented me from pushing the limit. Moreover, during the final laps it became very difficult to manage to control the motorcycle, so I was forced to lose a point. The colder weather with respect to the last few days penalized me a bit because I couldn’t choose the tire I wanted. I hope the track has warmed up a bit now and that the changes we’ll make to the bike will improve the situation, at least in part.”

SBK, DOHA: BIAGGI ATOP THE PODIUM AGAIN, NAKANO IN SEVENTH PLACE

SBK, RACE 2: BIAGGI ATOP THE PODIUM AGAIN, NAKANO IN SEVENTH PLACE

Race 2 at Losail for the Qatar SBK round was extremely fast, with Haga and Spies beating the track race record and the American taking the victory with a time of 1:59:041. The drivers on the podium were the same as in Race 1 with Spies, followed by Haga and Biaggi once again.

Biaggi’s second start was like a rocket being launched, allowing him to take control, followed by Ducati’s Japanese driver, the American on his Yamaha and Nakano himself who, after making contact with one of his competitors, however, fell back a few positions. Haga passed to the lead at the end of the first lap and the three drivers distanced themselves, with only Kiyonari attempting to catch up to them. Spies took the lead during the fifth lap and began to set a maniacal pace, separating himself from the others. Biaggi tried to stay with him, along with Haga and Kiyonari, but there was nothing that could be done. A hard fought battle began for second place between the Italian and the Ducati driver with Max giving it his all during the final lap, but in the end he was forced to settle once again for the third step on the podium.

In the meantime, after making contact in the initial laps, Nakano recovered and moved up to sixth position. Towards mid-race, Neukirchner on his Suzuki caught up with him and they began passing each other up until the last few metres of the race when the German managed to take the lead by just a few centimetres in the final sprint.

"It was a great race,” declared Biaggi. “I climbed onto the podium once again, thereby confirming our potential on this track, which is a bit special for me. Haga and Spies were extremely fast, they are the best right now and I am happy to always be there battling it out with them. The race was difficult. Towards the end I had lost a bit of grip and I could feel the pressure of Kiyonari. Now we’re looking ahead to Valencia and we are confident that we will do well. I would like to thank my team once again, I feel at home with them, it is like a big family, we do everything with a lot of enthusiasm, putting all our effort into it and everyone always does their best.”

“I started off well, but after a few laps, I made contact with another driver and lost ground,” said Nakano. “So I had to push it to the maximum to try ad recover. I managed to get back up to sixth position, but I was alone and I couldn’t keep a steady pace. Five laps from the end of the race, Neukirchner caught up to me and passed me and it was there that we began to battle it out up to the finish line, where I was left in his slipstream, by just a few centimetres though. In any case, it was an excellent weekend. We improved a great deal with respect to Phillip Island and Biaggi showed everyone the RSV4’s potential. Valencia is next, and it’s a track that I am familiar with. It’s also where I rode an Aprilia for the first time, even though that won’t put me at an advantage since the bike is a lot different now.”

Doha, 14 March, 2009

SBK, RACE 1: BIAGGI CLIMBS THE PODIUM IN THIRD PLACE, NAKANO IN FOURTH

Race 1 of the SBK Qatar round was blessed by excellent weather conditions, even though it was hotter than previous days when practice rounds were held, and fortunately the threat of sandstorms was averted.

Max Biaggi started off extremely well from third position and immediately began to lead the race with his commanding pace. During the initial laps, only Haga, Nakano, Spies and Smrz managed to keep up with him, and by the fourth lap both his Japanese teammate and the Czech driver had lost ground. For more than half the race, the pace continued according to the following script: Biaggi setting the pace, Haga, struggling to pass him, even along the straightaways, and Spies in control. Nakano was left behind, alone in fourth place, in part due to Smrz’s fall during the sixth lap. Spies took the lead in the twelfth lap, taking advantage of a small error made by the two drivers that were ahead of him and he began to force the pace, allowing him to claim his second victory of the season. Then the Biaggi-Haga duel for second place began, with the two drivers trying to pass each other, breaking away and taking advantage of the wake on the straightaways. In the end, the Japanese driver won out, while Biaggi had to settle for the third step on the podium. Thanks to the Roman driver, Aprilia once again climbs atop the Superbike podium after more than six years, with the last win secured by Haga with the twin cylinder RSV Mille on 8 September, 2002 in Race 1 at Assen.

During the final three laps, Nakano battled against Checa’s Honda and after a series of passes with the Spaniard, he managed to defend his fourth place position.

"I’m very happy not only to be climbing atop the podium,” stated Biaggi, “but also for the awareness that I am constantly fighting for the top positions. It was a difficult race, my adversaries were glued to me and it wasn’t easy to keep the right pace and the proper concentration with all of that pressure. I am very happy with this package because it is already very competitive, I have established a good feeling with the bike and it is for this reason that I must thank my team for the very hard and important work they are doing. I am happy to be on the podium not only for myself, but also for everyone who is involved with and believes in this project.”

“I’m satisfied.” said Nakano, “This is only my second race and I’ve already managed to achieve a good result. I started off well and stayed with the lead group for half of the race, they broke away from me and I set my pace while trying to stay concentrated on defending my position. It was only during the final laps that Checa caught up with me and passed me, then he made a mistake and I managed to take back my fourth place position.”

Doha, 13 March, 2009

SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI FINISHES THIRD; NAKANO IN SIXTH PLACE

The track conditions at Losail have improved considerably resulting in an extraordinary Superpole, not only for the new formula that has met with much success, but also for the drivers who managed to repeatedly break the track records that were achieved last year at Bayliss. Ben Spies on his Yahama Factory, claimed the Superpole victory once again, with a time of 1:57:280.

Max Biaggi conquered the third place position, stopping the clock at 1:57:694, just 0.414 behind the Texan. Max closed out Superpole 1 in eleventh place with a time of 1:59:272, using competition tires and was the first place finisher in Superpole 2 with a time of 1:57:836, using the first available qualification tires.

Shinya Nakano will start off from the sixth position in tomorrow’s first race, thanks to his time of 1:58:755. This time the Japanese driver managed to qualify for Superpole 3. He finished in sixteenth place during the first round with a time of 1:59:688 with competition tires. In Superpole 2 he finished fifth with a time of 1:58:534, using qualification tires.

"I’m happy,” stated Biaggi, “about the results as well has for having battled once again to conquer the pole position. We didn’t try anything new here compared to the last race and this shows that the package is improving, even though there is still much to do. I must thank my team for the fantastic job they’ve done, they’ve allowed me to compete with the best and they are truly special people. Being in the first row gives us courage, we’re all very fast and this will make tomorrow’s races even more interesting. They are still many unknown factors because we’ve never raced on this track before this round, but we’ll give it our best shot, like we always do.”

“This is my second Superbike race and I’m finishing this Superpole in sixth place, which makes me happy,” said Nakano, “even though I’m behind by more than one second in the final eight and this means that something is still missing. I’ve got to improve this aspect as well. Nevertheless, I’ve managed to set a good pace and the chattering has decreased compared to Phillip Island. Tomorrow’s race will be very difficult, I’ll have to start off well and try to stay with the group of leaders, which I can manage, and then we’ll see what happens.”

SBK IN MONZA: BIAGGI LOSES HIS SPOT ON THE PODIUM AFTER A PENALTY IN RACE 1, THEN FINISHES IN FIFTH PLACE IN RACE 2

Monza is synonymous with excitement, not only on the track, but also in the stands and more than 118,000 people rushed to the historic Autodrome throughout the weekend to witness two amazing races.
Race 1 was almost unbelievable both for how it evolved and its incredible final. Spies took off like a rocket with Fabrizio, Haga, Biaggi and Kagayama right behind him but the Yamaha and the Ducati broke away after five laps at a pace that was just under this little track’s record from last year. The three drivers battled it out for first place up to the very end, and Spies seemed to be in the best position up until the entry to the last curve, the legendary Parabolica, when his R1 ran out of gas and died. So, Fabrizio took the victory, just ahead of this teammate Haga, while Biaggi conquered third place, followed by Kiyonari who had moved up from the rear. However, when he climbed atop the podium, the loudspeaker announced a 20 second penalty for the Roman driver because of a suspected, yet highly debatable cut at the second chicane in the seventh lap. So Kiyonari took Biaggi’s place on the podium and Max dropped down to eleventh position. Nakano finished in thirteenth place after a decent recovery.
Instead, Spies made no mistakes in Race 2. He started off strong and broke away from everyone else, holding on to a five second margin halfway into the race up until he reached the chequered flag. Behind him there was a battle for the podium among Fabrizio, Kiyonari and Rea and Biaggi also got back in to the groove in the fifth lap after a bad start. However, at the tenth lap, the Roman driver made an error at the first chicane and lost contact with the group. He tried to recover, but ended up in fifth position in Rea’s wake. Michel Fabrizio stepped onto the second level of the podium after beating out Kiyonari in a gruelling battle. It was a twelfth place finish for Nakano, who had a good race and drastically improved his time.

"I’m very angry,” said Biaggi. “But I respect who take this decision, also if I not agree whit it. I would have understood it if I had taken the lead at that point, but the times clearly show that I was running a half second slower during that lap. It was exactly in that same point where last year Smrz ran straight ahead, hit me and broke my pinkie finger and the fifth metacarpal in my left hand, and no one did anything about it. I didn’t even want to race in the second heat, but then my good sense took over and I got onto the track anyway, despite all the controversy. Race 2 wasn’t going too badly, I had a good rhythm going and was catching up to the second group, but then I made an error and lost ground.”

“It was a very difficult race,” said Nakano. “The second heat went better, times were decent and I recovered several positions after having lost ground at the start. Instead, I had a bit more difficulty in Race 1. I’m happy that my shoulder didn’t bother me the entire weekend and it should be even better for Kyalami. Honestly, I’m amazed at the decision they made about Max. I saw a lot of drivers that were with me cut the chicane each time, but no one else was penalized.”


SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI SEVENTH, NAKANO SIXTEENTH

The good weather held out at the Autodrome in Monza, where the Superpole of the Italian round of Superbike took place today. The large crowd that was gathered at the circuit in Brianza watched an extremely competitive Superpole, with Ben Spies, who, in addition to capturing his fifth consecutive Superpole victory on his Yamaha with an amazing time of 1:44:073, also set a new track record.
Max Biaggi will start off tomorrow from seventh position, after finishing with a time of 1:45:605. The Roman driver made it through Superpole 1 in seventh position with competition tyres. In Superpole 2, he used the qualifying tyres and was able to complete two rounds: in the first, he finished in seventh place and in the following one, while he was improving his split times, he ran into a ruinous fall at the entry to the Parabolica. Fortunately, he was not injured and he returned to the racing box to take part in the final eight. Despite the fall during the Superpole 2, Max set a new record at the Monza track for the Superbike competition with a speed of 325.8 km/hour.
Shinya Nakano will start off from sixteenth position tomorrow. The Japanese driver successfully finished Superpole 1 in eleventh position with competition tyres, but he was not able to take advantage of the qualifying tyres in Superpole 2.

"It was going pretty well for us,” declared Biaggi, “when all of a sudden, I lost control at the front at the entry to the Parabolica. I’m very sorry because I damaged my favourite bike, and I don’t have a good feeling with the one I used for the final eight. I was trying to make it into the first row. That would have been an excellent result for us since we’re not yet at 100%. Tomorrow we’re expecting two very difficult races; everything will depend on the pace that our adversaries set.”

“In the first qualifying round, it went pretty well for me with the competition tyres,” Nakano said. “I improved my time and made it into the final sixteen. In Superpole 2, I wasn’t able to improve with the qualifying tyres, and I don’t really know why, maybe I didn’t have the right setting. Things certainly went much better with respect to yesterday and we’ll try other solutions in tomorrow’s warm up. Now that I know this track better, it won’t be an easy race at all, but I’ll try to make it to the top ten.”

ASSEN, RACE 1: BIAGGI FINISHES IN FIFTH POSITION

Race 1 of the SBK round at Assen has arrived. It’s hot and the sky is cloudy, but the weather forecast ruled out rain. The thick crowds of spectators in the stands at this historic Dutch track were able to watch an exciting race that proved to be a struggle to the very end, as never before seen. Spies started off well from the pole position with Neukirchner, Haga and Haslam right behind him. After six laps, the German driver of the Suzuki had a fall and three were then left to battle it out for the victory, with none of the drivers managing to break away. During the twelfth lap, Haga attacked Spies and took over the lead, and then during the following lap the U.S. driver was then also passed by Haslam. The three continued to fight it out, but without causing too much trouble to one another. During the final two laps, Spies began to create his masterpiece, first passing Haslam by working his way into what seemed to be an impossible space, almost making contact with his English rival, then during the final “S” he came up with an incredible pass that left Haga behind, allowing Spies to cross the finish line in first place with an advantage of 0:154 over the Japanese driver and 0:799 over Haslam on his Honda. Biaggi started off well from tenth position, but after just a few laps he ended up stuck in the middle of the pack, and finished the first lap in ninth position. Max began to push forward by battling it out with Smrz, Fabrizio and Rea. By the sixth lap, he had managed to free himself from the Czech driver who was slower, but difficult to pass and during the tenth lap he also passed Fabrizio, moving into fifth position and setting off to catch up with Sykes with a pace that was a bit faster than during the first laps. However, the attempt failed and Max ended the race at 2:500 from fourth position. A fall ruined Nakano’s race after the Japanese driver had started off well and kept up at a decent pace in order to not compromise his precarious physical condition, holding steady in fifteenth position. During the fourteenth lap, Shinya ran into a slide that forced him out of the race, but did not result in any physical injuries.

It didn’t go too badly,” declared Biaggi. “It was a very difficult race. I started off a bit late, so I found myself stuck behind the slower drivers and it wasn’t easy to pass them. Then I managed to get a good rhythm going, but fourth position was just too far away.”

SBK, RACE 2: BIAGGI PULLS OUT, NAKANO DECIDES NOT TO RACE

The sun came out and it was hot in Assen for Race 2 of the SBK competition. The crowds in the stands at the Dutch circuit accompanied their favourite drivers with roaring cheers each time they passed by. And it was Haga on his Ducati Factory who won today’s second race with an advantage of 2:678 over Haslam on his Honda and 4:603 over Smrz who drove the Guandalini team’s Ducati.
The race was less exciting than the previous one with regard to the battle for first place. Spies started off ahead of everyone else, followed by Haga who fell during the following lap and gave the Japanese driver the chance to set an impressive pace for the rest of the race; after just a few laps he had gained more than five seconds’ advantage which he managed to hold onto until he reached the chequered flag. The struggle for the other steps on the podium was livelier, with Fabrizio, Haslam, Smrz and Rea fighting it out. In the end, Haslam was able to break away after having moved ahead of his adversaries halfway through the race, improving upon his third place finish in Race 1; the third step on the podium went to Smrz, who got the best of Fabrizio, betrayed by his shifting during the final lap.
Instead, Max Biaggi didn’t last long, he burned out the clutch on his RSV4 and was forced to re-enter the pit and pull out of the race before he even managed to complete the first lap.
Nakano did not show up for the race, preferring not to run any risks, given his precarious physical condition.

"I’m very sorry,” declared Biaggi, “but these technical stops are the kinds of things that are foreseen at the beginning of the season. I wasn’t expecting it, but it can happen, the bike is young and is still in its development stage. We’re working every day to improve more and more. I did well in Race 1 and I managed to recover several positions. This made me hopeful for the second race, which instead ended as soon as it began. Now, we must not be discouraged and immediately look ahead to Monza, where I hope to have a great race.”

“I started off well in Race 1,” said Nakano. “Then after five laps my shoulder started to hurt, it became difficult to control the bike and halfway through the race, at the third curve I lost control at the front and fell. This weekend’s results were not good, but I’m happy because I managed to get back on the bike and put my health to the test. I chose to not take part in Race 2, it was too risky for me and I wanted to avoid doing damage to the bike for no reason. In Monza, I shouldn’t have any more problems; I’m very excited because it’s a historic track and I’ve never raced there before.”

SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI FINISHES IN TENTH PLACE, NINETEETH FOR NAKANO

Assen, 25 April 2009

The good weather continued to hold at the track in Assen, where today’s Superpole in the Dutch round of the Superbike competition took place. The discreet equilibrium found in the practice laps made the new formula even more exciting, in which the strategy of using qualifying tyres is often decisive. This was the fourth consecutive Superpole win for Ben Spies on his Yamaha Factory with a time of 1:37:279, a new record for the circuit. Max Biaggi will start off from tenth position tomorrow as a result of his tenth place finish in today’s race with a time of 1:38:441. The Roman rider battled it out to the end to qualify for the Superpole 3, using qualifying tyres during the first two stages. Shinya Nakano, who is back on the track after sustaining injuries in Valencia, will start off from the nineteenth position. The Japanese rider did not manage to take advantage of the qualifying tyres due to a mistake he made during Superpole 1.

"It was certainly a better day with respect to yesterday,” declared Biaggi. “However, this is still a tough track for us, and we suffer a lot here. We tried to resolve our problems by working on the alignment, but obviously the situation could not be changed radically. The Superpole could have gone slightly better; in the best case scenario I would have managed to qualify for the final eight, but the first row was too far away. Tomorrow will be tough, it will require determination, keeping hope alive and giving it my all, like always.”

“I am very disappointed,” said Nakano, “because during the Superpole 1 I made a lot of mistakes with the qualifying tyres and I didn’t manage to qualify for the following stages. My physical condition is a bit worse with respect to yesterday and I’m in more pain, but its tolerable. A good start will be the key to a good race tomorrow.”

SBK, VALENCIA - RACE 2: BIAGGI FINISHES IN EIGHTH PLACE AGAIN

SBK, RACE 2: BIAGGI FINISHES IN EIGHTH PLACE AGAIN

There was a violent downpour at the Ricardo Tormo racetrack in Valencia immediately following Race 1. Fortunately it didn’t last long and the track was dry and in good racing condition in time for Race 2.
The script was quite similar to that of today’s earlier race. This time Haga started off badly, but managed to take over the first place position after the first lap and the immediately broke away, leaving the other drivers behind. Only Spies made a valiant effort to keep up with him, but had to be content as runner up with a time difference of 5:106. Third place went to Michel Fabrizio, who managed to fight off attacks from a very competitive Laconi.
Biaggi started off well, but just as in Race 1 ended up stuck in the pack at the first curve. This time, however, he managed to avoid contact with his adversaries. The Roman driver threw himself into the race in an attempt to recover as many positions as possible and he was in tenth place by the eighth lap. Then a battle for eighth place ensued with Sykes, Kiyonari and Hopkins, which saw the drivers fighting for impossible breakaways along the backstretch, perhaps the only place where it is possible to pass on this track. During the twentieth lap Max managed to launch a final attack and finished the race in eighth place.
Shinya Nakano is doing well after undergoing surgery yesterday to repair the compound fracture to his left shoulder blade.
The operation, which required the application of a metal plate and eight screws, went off without a hitch and now Shinya and his physicians are deciding if he will undergo physical therapy here in Spain or return to Japan.

"It was a very difficult race,” said Biaggi. “I gave it my all, but it’s very difficult to pass on this track and I also took a lot of risks trying to do even better. These two eighth place finishes may seem disappointing, but after the bad results in the Superpole, it really was impossible to do any better. We did pretty well during the single-lap trials, but we weren’t able to set the pace with the racing tyres. My team-mate and I, to whom I wish a speedy recovery, experienced the same problem with vibrations at the back of the bikes that we had at Philip Island. We tried changing the alignment but the situation didn’t improve and the Superpole reflected the situation we found ourselves to be in. This can be viewed as a success in that it has taught us to better evaluate the problems that we encounter and find solutions as quickly as possible.”

Valencia, 5 April 2009


SBK, RACE 1: BIAGGI FINISHES IN EIGHTH PLACE

The sky was covered by clouds, but it was still very hot and an extremely competitive race was expected to take place to further warm the souls of the 65,000 spectators that were present in the stands of the Ricardo Tormo racetrack for Race 1 of the SBK in Valencia
Haga started off well with his Ducati and immediately set out at a hell-bent pace, managing to detach from his competitors from the outset and after just a few laps he had accumulated a good margin which he maintained up to his arrival at the chequered flag all on his own. It was a duel for the remaining two steps on the podium among Neukirchner, Fabrizio and Laconi, who during the final laps battled it out with the Roman driver, who in the end would claim victory over the German on his Suzuki and the Frenchman on another Ducati. Biaggi also had a good start from the eighteenth position, but got stuck in the pack at the first curve, miraculously remaining upright after a series of contacts with his adversaries. The Roman driver pushed forward, trying to recover as many positions as possible on the track, even though it proved to be extremely challenging to pass the other drivers. After the first lap he was in fifteenth place and by the fifth lap he had moved up to eleventh. Halfway through the race he was in ninth place and during the sixteenth lap he managed to pass Byrne on his Ducati to take over eighth position. Max tried his best to catch up to Sykes and Kagayama, but the attempt failed and in the end he crossed the finish line in eighth place at 16:316 behind Haga.

"We analyzed all of the available data after yesterday’s Superpole,” declared Luigi Dall’Igna, Technical Director of Aprilia Racing, “and we didn’t encounter any specific problems with the bike. We brought a number of novelties with us to try out here in Valencia. Some of them were used during the race, and gave us very positive results. We decided not to use the others because they still need to be developed. We can certainly say that we brought a much more evolved RSV4 here with respect to the round in Qatar.”

Valencia, 4 April 2009


SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI IN THE FIFTH ROW; NAKANO FRACTURES HIS SHOULDER BLADE

Weather conditions were perfect in Valencia for a well-balanced Superpole that saw twenty-one drivers all finish within one second of one another during the morning’s qualifying rounds. This is the third consecutive Superpole victory for Ben Spies, on a Yamaha Factory with a time of 1:33:270.
Max Biaggi will start off from eighteenth position after stopping the clock at 1:35:204. The Roman rider missed out on qualifying for Superpole 2 by 0:101; he failed to use qualifying round tyres and experienced some problems with suspension and grip at the rear of the bike.
After a bad fall caused by a loss of oil from his engine during the morning’s qualifying practice, Shinya Nakano ended up with a compound fracture of his left shoulder blade. The Japanese rider will undergo surgery in Valencia at 7 p.m. today with Drs. Costa and Corbascio. Shinya will have to miss out on this race, but he is sure to return in time for the round at Assen.

"I’m very surprised – declared Biaggi – both in the qualifying practice of this morning and in the free practice before the Superpole, everything was going quite well and we were achieving some interesting times. Instead, during the first laps of the Superpole, I started to notice some disturbing vibrations and a lack of grip at the back of the bike that prevented me from driving the way I wanted to. So I re-entered the box, I changed bikes, but the situation didn’t improve much with respect to earlier. Now a long and difficult job awaits us, we will analyze the data we’ve gathered in order to understand what happened and we’ll try to use tomorrow morning’s warm-up to the best of our ability in order to impose a great recovery.”

KYALAMI, RACE 2: BIAGGI FIFTH AGAIN AND NAKANO SEVENTH

The temperature dropped for Race 2 of the South African Superbike round. The numerous spectators who came to Kyalami participated in a grand show with great warmth. Haga makes it a double win, at his sixth victory of the season, hounded right down to the last turn by his team mate Fabrizio and Rea, third, on the Honda at a gap of 8"936.
Haga started off fast followed by Spies and Biaggi. The Japanese and the American try to begin the chase straight off, but in the third lap Spies breaks his gear shifter and is forced to pull out. From behind the fight for the podium heats up with Fabrizio, starting off badly, recovering positions, together with Rea, Biaggi and Haslam trying to catch up the leader. But the Ducati rider is keeping another pace and at the halfway point he manages to join his team mate and stay with him straight through to the final push. So only three are left to battle for the third step of the podium. Rea leads the pack, managing to fend off Biaggi's attacks with Haslam awaiting the right moment, which arrives in the thirteenth lap when he slips the RSV4 past with an impossible manoeuvre. The situation did not change until four laps from the end when Rea increased his advantage slightly; Haslam isn't able to respond as he tries to hold off Biaggi's continuous attacks, defending fourth position until the finish, while Max is unable to slipstream past him, finishing with the same position as Race 1.
A good race for Nakano who, after having missed the train at the start, is able to find a decent pace until arriving only two seconds behind Biaggi's pack in the final laps, finishing once again in seventh place.

"These two fifth positions are the most we could have gotten - stated Biaggi - The result is good enough, but we suffered quite a bit with the vibrations in the turns and coming out of them we didn't have a lot of grip and that forced us to use softer tyres. Compared to November, the RSV4 has grown quite a bit, but the competition here in Superbike is merciless".

"I did much better in the last two rounds - said Nakano - where I had some bad trials and inconsistent races. This time it went much better, even if I still need to improve my feeling with the bike in the first five laps where I lose quite a lot. Anyway, I'm happy to have come back up front and I hope to improve even more in the race in the USA".

KYALAMI, RACE 1: BIAGGI FINISHES IN FIFTH PLACE, NAKANO IN SEVENTH

The sun shines brightly on the Kyalami racetrack for Race 1 of the South African Superbike round. Haga wins, on the official Ducati, in front of his team mate Fabrizio, Ben Spies third on his Yamaha.
Haga starts off well from fourth position and straight away forms a train of 6 riders which begins a chase including Fabrizio, Spies, Rea, Checa and Biaggi, with Nakano trying to catch up. In the second lap Fabrizio takes the lead and increases the pace, and in the sixth lap the group begins to break up. Halfway through the race, Haga takes command and begins to widen the gap, riding all alone until the chequered flag; behind him, Spies and Fabrizio are locked in a heated fencing match for second place, with the Ducati rider getting the better of the American, pulling away four laps from the end.
Biaggi, starting off well from the third row, stays in the lead group in sixth place until Fabrizio's push. In the eighth lap, Biaggi engages Checa, slower than he, in a duel and manages to overtake him only two laps later. Max throws himself into chasing down Rea, in fourth place, with an impressing pace, equalling that of the three lead riders. In the nineteenth lap, Max catches up the American, who is visibly slower, and tries to attack him any way possible on this stretch where it is extremely difficult to overtake. Rea closes all the doors and Biaggi tries anything and everything in the last turn, but goes too wide and has to settle for fifth place at a disadvantage of only 0"105.
Nakano, starting from the ninth row, recovers two positions straight away at the start and tries to stay with the lead group, but in the second lap he is already more than a second behind. Shinya fends off attacks by Morais and Kagayama with a good pace, pulling away from them halfway through the race and trying to catch Checa and Biaggi. Five laps from the end he is able to catch up the Spaniard, attempting repeatedly to overtake him. Unfortunately, his attempts are in vain and he crosses the finish line in seventh place.

APRILIA CELEBRATES MAX BIAGGI'S FIRST VICTORY WITH THE RSV4

The entire Aprilia organisation joined the men and women of the Reparto Corse motorsports division at the Noale headquarters to celebrate the triumphant victory of Max Biaggi and his Aprilia RSV4 at Brno. In the tenth round of the World Superbike Championship at the Czech racetrack, Biaggi scored his first victory with the Aprilia RSV4 - which made its debut this year - in race 1, and confirmed the outstanding capabilities of the RSV4 with a second place finish in race 2.

Max Biaggi wanted to share his elation with the entire Aprilia staff, recalling his past successes with the Veneto based marque between 1994 and 1996, when he secured three consecutive world championships in the 250 class: "I am thrilled to be celebrating this first ecstatic win together with you all. I am truly proud to be representing you on the track, bringing all of your hard work to fruition. During the final lap at Brno, I relived all of my wins with Aprilia bikes from '92 on, and I think that I must be the rider who owes more of his success to this brand than anyone else. I still remember the elation and enthusiasm of my whole team back then standing behind the pit wall! I truly hope that this is a sign of an excellent 2010 season, and not just on the race track".

Leo Francesco Mercanti, head of product development and motorsports activities for the Piaggio Group, played host for the celebration, welcoming Biaggi on behalf of everyone present and commenting: "The win at Brno is an extraordinary result because, in an incredibly short period of time, it has taken the Aprilia RSV4 onto the highest step on the podium. This is a bike that expresses the state of the art in engine technology and is the result of the extraordinary expertise and passion of the Aprilia brand and the entire Piaggio Group. The win at Brno is an extremely satisfactory result for us as it is a major first, and we hope that - as has happened in the past - this victory marks the beginning of a successful period for the brand in terms of both racing and sales. We believe strongly in the revolutionary RSV4 project and that racing, passion and victory are the greatest contribution that we can make to revitalise the market.

This year, with the launch of the four-cylinder RSV4 Factory, Aprilia - a marque with 40 world championships under its belt, 33 of which in MotoGP - has made a return to the world Superbike championship, the series reserved for production derived bikes. Aprilia had already competed in SBK from 1999 to 2002 with the RSV Mille twin, scoring eight wins - seven with rider Troy Corser and one, the last before Biaggi's recent victory, with Regis Laconi in 2001.

In the beginning of its debut season, Aprilia RSV4 has already demonstrated its impressive potential by securing - in addition to the win at Brno - four podium placings and remaining consistently at the top end of the classification. Aprilia RSV4 Factory is a race machine adopting totally innovative design and constructional solutions. The one litre, narrow V4 engine, state of the art electronics, ultra lightness and compactness and an infinitely adjustable chassis are just some of the characteristics that make it such a unique motorcycle.

MILLER PARK, RACE 2: BIAGGI FOURTH, SEVENTH PLACE FOR NAKANO

The sky was cloudy over Miller Park for Race 2 of the U.S. round of the SBK. Fortunately the rain held off and the 48,000 people in attendance witnessed the dual victory of their own Ben Spies. The U.S. driver and his Yamaha motorcycle repeated the success of this morning, ahead of Fabrizio on his Ducati and Rea in third place.
Spies started off well and, just as in Race 1, immediately broke away with only Fabrizio and Checo able to keep up with his pace. The Spaniard fell during the fourth lap, however and just behind them Rea, Biaggi, Haslam and Kiyonari contended for second place, joined by Smrz and Nakano, who valiantly battled it out for the third step on the podium about halfway through the race. Rea, managed to stay ahead and initially fight of Biaggi’s attacks. The Roman driver, who had a perfect start from sixteenth position, ended the first lap in fifth place, followed by Haslam. The young Englishman managed to pass him just four laps before the end of the race though, but Rea reacted quickly along the Miller Park track’s long straightaway. During the last two laps, it was a three-way battle for third place among Rea, Haslam and Biaggi while the others barely managed to keep up with their pace. About halfway through the final lap, Haslam fell, blocking Biaggi and handing over third place to Rea, while the Roman driver once again brought his RSV4 to the foot of the podium, confirming the excellent potential Noale’s four-cylinder motorcycle, despite its youthful problems. During the final laps, Nakano fell behind the group that was fighting it out for third place and finished seventh, 19:659 behind Spies.

“I’m happy with this fourth place finish,” declared Biaggi. “I had a good race and I thank the team from the bottom of my heart for the great work they did today. Yesterday we encountered some new problems that significantly influenced our qualifying rounds and this made everything more difficult. I believe I have finally understood the route to solving our biggest problem; the bike isn’t stable during entries and through the curves. Now we will work with our technicians to try to find some solutions as soon as possible, even if we won’t be able to perform any tests until July. Currently, we aren’t able to continuously battle it out for the podium, but I’m certain that once this problem is solved, the situation will change radically. We hope to improve for Misano. I really want to have a good race in front of my fans.”

“Earlier, in Race 1, I knew that I could keep up with the leaders, I just needed a good start and I tried not to lose my concentration and so it went well. I battled it out for second place with Kiyonari for quite a while, then Checa cut me off to pass me and I had to brake so I wouldn’t hit him, I lost control of the steering and fell. Instead, in Race 2 I started off badly and it took a few laps for me to get back my feeling with the bike. Then, I started to race with a good pace and I was catching up to the group that was fighting it out for third place, but during the final laps, I fell behind a bit, also because the cut on my finger from Race 1 was starting to bother me a bit. However, I’m happy to have battled with the best and this means that once everything is in place as it should be, we’ll be able to take over the lead.”

RACE 1: BIAGGI FINISHES IN SIXTH PLACE

A splendid sun provided the backdrop for Race 1 of the U.S. round of Superbike at Miller Park. In front of his home crowd and on his Yamaha Factory, it was Ben Spies who took home the victory, beating out Checa on his Honda and Fabrizio on his Ducati who came in third place.
Spies took of like a lightning bolt from pole position and after just a few curves already had a modest advantage over his two challengers, Nakano and Kiyonari. And just slightly behind was a group formed by Checa, Fabrizio, Haga, Parkes and Biaggi. The Spaniard established a good pace, however, and caught up with Nakano during the fifth lap. In the sixth, the attempt to pass him went on for a while and when he cut in front of Shinya he was forced to brake, his steering froze up, he ended up on the ground and had to quit the race. During the same lap, Muggeridge’s fall forced the judges to stop the race with the red flags. Then a new round of 16 laps continued with Biaggi starting off from eighth position and Nakano, who did not participate in the race, even though he had qualified, because he didn’t return to the pit on his own motorcycle following the red flag, as required.
The second start continued with Spies well ahead of everyone else as before, but this time he was followed by Kiyonari, Checa, Rea, Parkes and Biaggi. The Japanese driver and the Spaniard tried their best to catch up with the American driver, but they were unable to do so and Kiyonari ended up in difficulty halfway through the race, falling back several positions, while Rea, Biaggi and Fabrizio lagged behind. It was from this point that the time differences were calculated with the sum of the times of the two starts. With Spies, who already had the victory sealed and Checa who was sure to take second place, a battle started between Rea and Fabrizio at a distance for the third step on the podium and between Biaggi and Kiyonari for the two remaining positions. Rea finished in third place with slightly more than a two-tenths of a second advantage over Fabrizio, but it would be the Roman driver who would step atop the podium. Biaggi, in fifth place, right behind the Ducati team driver, would have to settle for sixth place in the overall classification behind Kiyonari and Rea, with all three within slightly more than one second of one another.

AN EXTRAORDINARY DEBUT SEASON FOR THE APRILIA RSV4

LED TO VICTORY BY AN ASTOUNDING MAX BIAGGI, NOALE’S V4 WAS AMAZINGLY COMPETITIVE FROM THE VERY FIRST RACE.

The 2009 SBK World Championships came to an end in Portimao and closed out a season that witnessed Aprilia as the protagonist with its brand new, revolutionary RSV4.

The company, which is based in the Region of Veneto and is now a part of the Piaggio Group, debuted its new V4 65° Cylinder RSV4 on the track and returned to the world championships after a seven year absence.

The RSV4 is a motorcycle that has raised a great deal of interest, even in its road version, thanks to the project’s originality at both the technical and aesthetic levels. It immediately demonstrated all of its magnificent equipment out on the track as well in an SBK championship that was unprecedentedly competitive and high level, featuring seven different manufacturers battling it out with one another.

Max Biaggi’s return to Aprilia, after almost fourteen years of victories in 250 races, made the expectations for the all-Italian bike and driver combo even greater. The Japanese driver Shinya Nakano also raced alongside Max for the Aprilia team.

The great expectations were met: the RSV4 astonished everyone from the outset. During the first race, at the Australian track of Phillip Island, Biaggi conquered second place in the Superpole and in Race 2 he battled it out for a spot on the podium up until the final lap. Despite the delusion in Australia, Max was successful in the very next race in Qatar, where he would climb atop the third place position on the podium for both races.

During the first part of the season, the RSV4 certainly paid its dues for its debut. The lack of data to work with and the impossibility of being able to perform tests complicated the team’s work, making it necessary to find the best settings with very little time during the race weekends.

Despite these difficulties Max Biaggi managed to finish in the top 5 in every single race.

At Monza he conquered the third place position in Race 1 but was then penalized after the race for a questionable cut along the chicane.

Then, both Max and the RSV4 took a decisive turn for the season at Donington. Biaggi, after an impassioned duel with Spies, conquered a fabulous second place position but it was during the following race that he completed his masterpiece.

At Brno the Roman driver started off well and after just a few laps there was contact between Fabrizio and Spies, clearing the way for Max. Along with his RSV4, he secured the first victory of the season and – to complete a fantastic weekend – he finished in second place in Race 2.

Biaggi climbed atop the second step of the Podium once again in Race 1 at Imola, while Marco Simoncelli, called in to replace an injured Nakano, took the RSV4 to third place; for the first time both of Aprilia’s drivers were on the podium.

As confirmation of a level of competitiveness that had reached a fever pitch by that time, Biaggi conquered two more podium positions at Magny Cours: a third place position in Race 1 and second place in Race 2. During the final round of Portimao, Max climbed atop the podium again: he came in third in Race 1 and ended the season in fourth place in the overall rankings, the same position held by Aprilia in the manufacturer’s classification.

In the end, the Aprilia RSV4’s list of awards for the 2009 season include one victory (Biaggi at Brno 1) and nine podium positions (Biaggi at Qatar 1 and 2, Donington 1, Brno 2, Imola 1, Magny Cours 1 and 2 and Portimao 1; Simoncelli at Imola 2). The seven first row positions should also be added to these results (six for Biaggi and one for Nakano, with both of the RSV4s in the first row at Donington), the track record at Brno and the record for the fastest speed ever recorded by a Superbike during a race, reaching 329 km/h at Monza.

AFTER PORTIMAO RACE: BIAGGI FOURTH IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP, APRILIA FOURTH AMONG MANUFACTURERS.

RACE 2

The heat became unbearable at the Portimao circuit and for Race 2 drivers and team members were forced to review their choices with respect to the first race. Michel Fabrizio, on his Ducati Factory, won the race with a 1:195 lead over his teammate Haga, and a 1:494 lead with respect to Rea’s Honda.
Byrne started off very well, followed by Spies, Biaggi and Rea while Haga and Fabrizio were slightly slower. The English driver drove the first part of the race with his fellow countryman on the Honda right behind him, as well as Fabrizio, who managed an excellent recovery. Halfway through the race, Biaggi caught up to them, but an error caused him to lose ground which he then regained and then lost once more due to another “overshot” at the fifth curve. During the final laps, Haga passed Byrne and caught up with Rea who he passed, finishing in second place right behind his teammate. Spies’ fifth place finish ruined his recovery for the title by just six points. Max Biaggi finished just behind the new world champion, ending up in fourth place in the overall classification, the same position occupied by Aprilia in the Manufacturer’s Championship during the debut season for the revolutionary RSV4.
Leon Camier finished in seventh place, right behind the best drivers. Starting off well from the thirteenth position, Leon immediately found a good pace that allowed him to recover several positions, making it to seventh place by the eighth lap and managing to keep Corser and then Smrz under control without too much effort.

“It was a rough race," declared Biaggi. “We made some changes to the bike after Race 1 and they didn't help us so it was really a shame because we could have had a good result. I started off well and I tried to stay in the lead, but it was really difficult, the problems from the first race were accentuated and I made a lot of errors. Then, my physical condition made the situation worse because in order to try to recover, I had to make a lot more effort. In any case, I’m very happy because I managed to hold on to fourth place in the overall rankings, which is an excellent result, both for me and for Aprilia during this debut year. Together we reached a goal that even the most optimistic of fans couldn't have predicted."

“I gave it my all in both races," said Camier, “and we achieved two good placements. In Race 1 I started off well and during the first three laps I was very aggressive while trying to recover positions, I made a few mistakes but they helped me to better understand the bike and to drive it better. In Race 2 I was much less aggressive, I immediately set a good pace and I made fewer errors. I'm happy about how things went also because at the end of the races I was able to hold off competitors that have much more experience than me."

Portimao, 25 October 2009

SBK, RACE 1: BIAGGI CLIMBS ATOP THE THIRD STEP OF THE PODIUM

It was warm and sunny at the Portimao circuit for Race 1 of the last SBK round of the season. Spies, on his Yamaha Factory, seized the victory, 1:697 ahead of Rea and 2:113 ahead of Max Biaggi who finished in third place on his RSV4.
Spies started off well from the pole position, followed by Biaggi and the two drivers immediately broke away from Rea and Byrne who attempted to keep up. The American pushed the pace, trying to get away from Biaggi, but Max wouldn’t give up. During the eleventh lap, Rea managed to catch up to the leaders and during the sixteenth round passed Biaggi who ended up long in the sixth curve. The duel between the Italian driver and the native of Northern Ireland gave Spies an advantage, allowing him to extend his lead and cross the finish line in first place, shooting him to the top of the world classification thanks in part to a fall by Haga. Just two laps from the end of the race, Rea managed to pass Biaggi at the end of the straightaway, holding on to the second position until he passed the chequered flag.
It was an excellent sixth place finish for Leon Camier who started off well from thirteenth position and moved up to ninth place by the fourth lap. Then he began to battle it out with Smrz, Corser and Checa, managing to pass them halfway through the race to take over sixth place. Leon tried to catch up with Fabrizio as well, but his pace wouldn’t allow it and he remained in sixth position until he reached the finish line.

“We had some small problems this weekend,” said Biaggi, “but I drove over them. I’m satisfied because I’m still hurting from yesterday’s fall and at the beginning of the race I didn’t know if I would manage to make it to the end. I was fine at the beginning, but during the final laps, I lost my strength. I managed to hold on to third place just the same, though, which I believe is an excellent result, considering my physical condition. Now we'll make some modifications to the RSV4 to try and do better in Race 2."

Portimao, 24 October 2009

SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI IN THE SECOND ROW, CAMIER FINISHES THIRTEENTH

It was sunny and warm at Portimao for the final Superpole of the 2009 season. Ben Spies, on his Yamaha factory conquered the pole position with a time of 1:42:412, 0:584 ahead of Byrne’s Ducati and 0:603 ahead of Fabrizio’s factory version.
Max Biaggi came in sixth with a time of 1:43:714, just 1:114 from the pole position. The Roman driver was the victim of a bad fall during the warm-ups before the Superpole, suffering several contusions and damaging the motorcycle that he had chosen for the race. In Superpole 1, he used the second bike and managed to secure the second place time by using racing tyres. In Superpole 2 he the first qualifying tyre and he achieved a time of 1:42:956, which qualified him for the last stage in third place.
Leon Camier finished in thirteenth place with a time of 1:43:671, 1:259 behind Spies. During the first stage, the English driver qualified for the last open spot with the first qualifying tyre. In Superpole 2, he used the second one and remained in ninth place for quite a while, dropping back to thirteenth only during the last moments of the qualifying race.

"During the fall that happened in the warm-ups I damaged the bike that I do the best with,” stated Biaggi, “and I had to use the second motorcycle which wasn’t ready. In order to qualify, I couldn’t push it to the maximum with the qualifying tyre because I wasn’t very secure, and I don’t know how to explain the reason why Superpole 3 was slower for everyone. I ended up with some contusions, which hurt a bit and I went to the Mobile clinc. Fortunately nothing is broken and starting this evening I'll begin a therapy with painkillers so I can participate in the two races tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll have to work a lot more during the warm-ups to be able to make up for the time that was lost with the falls.”

“We changed the bike quite a bit with respect to yesterday,” said Camier, “and the situation has improved a great deal, just as my feeling with the RSV4 has also improved. The grid position isn’t the best, but we all have times that are close to each other. We’ve understood which direction we have to work towards and I’m certain that well have a great race tomorrow.”

Portimao, 24 October 2009

SUPERPOLE: BIAGGI IN THE SECOND ROW, CAMIER FINISHES THIRTEENTH

It was sunny and warm at Portimao for the final Superpole of the 2009 season. Ben Spies, on his Yamaha factory conquered the pole position with a time of 1:42:412, 0:584 ahead of Byrne’s Ducati and 0:603 ahead of Fabrizio’s factory version.
Max Biaggi came in sixth with a time of 1:43:714, just 1:114 from the pole position. The Roman driver was the victim of a bad fall during the warm-ups before the Superpole, suffering several contusions and damaging the motorcycle that he had chosen for the race. In Superpole 1, he used the second bike and managed to secure the second place time by using racing tyres. In Superpole 2 he the first qualifying tyre and he achieved a time of 1:42:956, which qualified him for the last stage in third place.
Leon Camier finished in thirteenth place with a time of 1:43:671, 1:259 behind Spies. During the first stage, the English driver qualified for the last open spot with the first qualifying tyre. In Superpole 2, he used the second one and remained in ninth place for quite a while, dropping back to thirteenth only during the last moments of the qualifying race.

"During the fall that happened in the warm-ups I damaged the bike that I do the best with,” stated Biaggi, “and I had to use the second motorcycle which wasn’t ready. In order to qualify, I couldn’t push it to the maximum with the qualifying tyre because I wasn’t very secure, and I don’t know how to explain the reason why Superpole 3 was slower for everyone. I ended up with some contusions, which hurt a bit and I went to the Mobile clinc. Fortunately nothing is broken and starting this evening I'll begin a therapy with painkillers so I can participate in the two races tomorrow. Tomorrow we’ll have to work a lot more during the warm-ups to be able to make up for the time that was lost with the falls.”

“We changed the bike quite a bit with respect to yesterday,” said Camier, “and the situation has improved a great deal, just as my feeling with the RSV4 has also improved. The grid position isn’t the best, but we all have times that are close to each other. We’ve understood which direction we have to work towards and I’m certain that well have a great race tomorrow.”

Portimao, 23 October 2009

SBK: EIGHTH PLACE FOR BIAGGI, NINETEENTH FOR CAMIER

A Spring-like day opened the final round of the 2009 SBK at Portimao. All eyes were on Haga and Spies who were still battling it out for the title, but it was Rea on theTen Kate Honda who achieved the best time of 1:43:786, with a advantage of 80 thousandths over Smrz and 84 thousandths over Spies on his Yamaha.
It was eighth place for Max Biaggi with a time of 1:44:210 just 0:424 behind Rea. A problem with his RSV4 a few minutes after the end of the qualifying round complicated the Roman driver’s quest for the best race settings.
Leon Camier finished in nineteenth place with a time of 1:45:333, replacing Shinya Nakana who is still recovering from his neck injury, here in Portugal once again after Magny Cours. The young English driver experienced an apprentice’s day trying to learn all of the secrets of the track in Lusitana and to improve his feeling with the RSV4.

"Unfortunately, just fifteen minutes before the end of the warm-ups, the bike that I had been using all day had a little problem,” said Biaggi. “So during the last few minutes I had to use the second motorcycle with which I hadn’t even done one lap and it wasn’t ready. With respect to the last two races, we suffered from excessive vibrations going into the curve and this created quite a few problems for me. Now we’re working a lot to try to resolve these difficulties. I’ll have to drive it to try to find the best compromise to be the fastest possible starting tomorrow.”

“We made very few changes today with respect to the last round,” said Camier. “This was to improve my feeling with the RSV4 and to learn the track well, which is quite technical in some parts. We are still a long ways off compared to the others, but tomorrow we have to make some big changes, especially with regard to the curves, where I tend to slip a lot.”