Second Round shaping up to be another classic

Wednesday, 24 March 2010 15:30, from worldsbk.com

After the first round of the championship delivered thrills and excitement all the way at Phillip Island last month the eyes of the world will be focused on Portimao this coming weekend, as WSBK reconvenes at another highly rated and very popular venue.

The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve is a remarkably feat of modern engineering and design, with the undulating track layout and circuit facilities both coming in for high praise. The track was completed in time for the WSBK weekend in 2008, making this the third competitive visit to the 4.592 km circuit for some of the riders and teams. An official test in January of this year saw virtually all Superbike and Supersport World Championship teams set laps in changeable conditions, meaning the one universal wish from a strong 2010 entry is for sunshine on the Algarve coast for the next few days.

ALL TO PLAY FOR AND ALL IN PLAY: A total of 17 regular SBK riders have already scored points of some kind in 2010, and all of the seven competing manufacturers - Aprilia, BMW, Ducati, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha - have also scored points in the Manufacturers' Championship at the first attempt. Leading the Riders' Championship now is Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) who won the first race in Australia, and in doing so took his first WSB win, in his first full factory ride. He is followed in the early rankings by Michael Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and PI second race winner, privateer Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati). As events in Australia showed very clearly, there will be any number of official or supported private teams who should be capable of podium finishes at some stage in 2010. The combination of experience and relative youth, and the closely regulated technical rules mean that opportunities will be available for all. This coming weekend should be no exception.

PACK OF ACES: The line-up of riders at Portimao features no fewer than 15 who have won at least one SBK race in their careers, plus two former champions in this category, and four other riders with a major world title to their name. Joining the fray for the first time in 2010 will be Makoto Tamada, riding as a stand-in for the injured Roland Resch in the Reitwagen BMW Team, teaming-up with Andrew Pitt for this weekend only. If we look to last year as a guide to form in 2010, Fabrizio won the second race in Portugal, while still active SBK riders Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) all scored podium finishes on the weekend.

An even better gauge of how this weekend should turn out is possibly the results of the official test at Portimao, between 22 and 24 January this year. Rea topped the rankings then, followed by Haslam, Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati), Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team), Fabrizio and James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda team).

ON THE UP: BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus will be out for an overall improvement on their PI results, with Xaus in particular keen to turn around his recent fortunes, having not started either race in Australia. Joining Biaggi in Portugal is Leon Camier, the least experienced of the seven British riders in WSB, but a British-based French rider has already made a real mark in his rookie season. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) finished a close fourth in one race last time out, sixth in the other, and is therefore an impressive fifth overall.

FIGHT FOR FITNESS AND FORM: Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing Team) suffered some knee tissue injuries in a crash at Phillip Island but the tough Aussie is determined to ride in Portugal, alongside his team-mate Tom Sykes. Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is expecting better results for his new team this weekend, while Pedercini Kawasaki duo Matteo Baiocco and Roger Lee Hayden are determined to move into points scoring places this time out, as is Vittorio Iannuzzo (SCI Honda Garvie Image). Promising opening weekends for Jakub Smrz (PATA B&G Ducati) and Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Ducati) in Australia didn't bear too much fruit so each will be ready for bigger helpings now. Joining the championship at this round is Luca Scassa, on his Supersonic Racing Team Ducati.

Points (after 1 of 13 rounds): 1. Haslam 45; 2. Fabrizio 36; 3. Checa 34; 4. Haga 27; 5. Guintoli 23; 6. Rea 23; 7. Biaggi 19; 8. Corser 16; 9. Camier 10; 10. Lanzi 9. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 45; 2. Suzuki 45; 3. Honda 23; 4. Aprilia 19; 5. BMW 16; 6. Yamaha 7; 7. Kawasaki 3