Phillip Island. Carlos Checa concludes his perfect weekend, after winning the Superpole, with a fantastic double in the first round of the Superbike Championship 2011. The Spaniard, riding his Ducati customers (remember that this year the parent does not take place directly with Bolognese bikes but the league will provide assistance to private teams) had dominated the early season test and was confirmed with incredible ease the beautiful Australian circuit, winning the race and race-1-2.
both tests English preceded the reigning World Champion Max Biaggi , happy to have won a good result at a circuit where his Aprilia had historically always had trouble (last season only one-eighth and one fifth place) . Third step of the podium in race-1 occupied by Leon Haslam, passed by Suzuki, with which last year had been an awkward one to our Max, the BMW . The Englishman completed his weekend with a fifth place in the second test. Try to mirror that of the British Marco Melandri fifth in his debut World Superbike riding a Yamaha and then third in race two. The Ravenna disposed il flop in Moto Gp e soprattutto una delicata operazione alla malconcia spalla risalente al dicembre scorso, ha dato vita nella seconda prova ad un duello spettacolare con Max Biaggi: i due si sono sfidati a suon di sorpassi e contro sorpassi fino al traguardo, con il romano a spuntarla di poco sul connazionale. Buoni risultati anche per altri due italiani, Michel Fabrizio (sesto ed ottavo posto per lui su Suzuki) e Roberto Rolfo (11° e 12° su Kawasaki).
Al settimo cielo dunque Checa , anche se " Non è stato affatto facile - analizza davanti ai microfoni - Sono andato al comando appena ho potuto e con Haslam non è stato facile. Da lì ho cercato di fare la mia gara, ma sapevo che stavano lottando dietro di me e due secondi di vantaggio non erano molti. Questo è il miglior inizio per me, 50 punti qui in Australia ".
Biaggi non è da meno: " Due podi al secondo posto in Australia rappresentano un ottimo risultato. Grazie al mio team e ai tecnici, abbiamo lavorato molto bene in questi giorni. E' stato bello lottare con Marco, Yamaha has a good potential and I think they can do well in the race, as Haslam. And this makes the league much more competitive .
She is moved to rebirth Melandri : E ' was an incredible day for me after a race is not good. I had not had a good feeling with the bike, but with the team we did a great job for Game 2, where I could run much stronger. I started more aggressively, and it's nice to be on the podium again after so long. I'm just a little 'disappointed not I beat Max for second place. "
short, the league promises as always ... too bad the show only have to wait a month to enjoy them again, it resumes Only on March 25 at Donington Park , England.
MDZ