planetearth
There Can Be Only One
Number of posts : 3271
Registration date : 2007-02-03
 |  Subject: Bayliss: It's as good as last year.  Fri Mar 30, 2007 12:38 am | |
| - Quote :
- One win from four races isn't the start to the season most expected from reigning double World Superbike champion Troy Bayliss but, as the Australian points out, it's still as good as last year.
The Ducati Xerox rider heads to this weekend's third round at Donington Park third in the standings, 26 points behind Honda's James Toseland and 10 point behind Suzuki's Max Biaggi.
WSBK last visited the challenging British race track in 2001, the year Bayliss clinched his first crown, but on that occasion Troy claimed only 13th and ninth placed finishes after struggling with tyre problems - while his most recent appearance, on a MotoGP bike, was even less successful.
"The last time I rode [at Donington] was in MotoGP in 2005 and it was a new surface but I crashed out in the rain [pictured]," said Bayliss. "I've got fond memories of Donington and I do like racing there, especially the Old Hairpin part of the circuit, but I've never had the results I'd like to have had - like a double win!
"We're going to go there and give it a shot and all we can hope for is we get a lucky break with the weather in England. This time of year we could have anything, there was even snow a few years back!
"Last year at this point in the championship, I only had one win, so I'm pretty much on track," he insisted. "It's a tough schedule ahead with five rounds in Europe in the next two months, but I'm in good shape, everyone's working well in the team and we're looking forward to kicking on."
Team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi has less Donington experience, with only one prior experience, but is confident that he can continue his positive start to the season this weekend.
"I have already raced at Donington once, in 2001 with 250 GP but I haven't been there for six years," he explained. "That's a long time and the conditions will undoubtedly be difficult at this time of year. I quite like the circuit, it's very technical, very quick the first part and just plain slow the second so for sure we will give the brakes a good workout at Donington.
"As for the championship, it's a pity about the electrical problem I had in Superpole at Phillip Island because we could have had another good race. However as a start to the season goes, it hasn't been bad, now we're going to Donington to try and make up for points we lost in the race in Australia," added the Italian, currently sixth in the points. Crash | |
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