The Ducati Alstar Team is getting ready for the ninth round of season, but the squad led by Francois Batta is well-aware they might need some tricky weather conditions if they are to repeat the unexpected podium finish that Ayrton Badovini scored in the only race of the Russian GP.
The team couldn’t enjoy in full the first podium ever for the 1199 Panigale because of the tragic events that followed in the World Supersport race, but the Ducati riders are confident they will be able to keep the momentum and get some positive results on the Northamptonshire track.
In 2011, when he eventually became World Champion, Carlos Checa was able to win twice in Silverstone with the Ducati 1098R, but nowadays the spaniard is just 14th in the standings.
Here is what he said about the imminent Silverstone round:“Silverstone is a very different track to Moscow Raceway – the English circuit has fast sections where you’re riding full throttle, and that will mean a disadvantage for us.
Having said that, I’ve always felt happy riding there and I hope to be able to continue the positive work carried out during the Misano tests and at Moscow during the practices.
The aim is to continue to grow, build and carry this project forward.
”Last year, when he still was a rider for the BMW Goldbet team, Italy’s Ayrton Badovini scored a cool thrid place in Race-1 despite a contact with Jonathan Rea’s Honda CBR1000RR.
In Moscow he was able to get his first podium of the year, but his happiness didn’t last much because of the death of fellow countryman and longtime friend Andrea Antonelli.
However, he’s now fully focused on the upcoming races:“My main objective this weekend is to get back the good sensation that I had in dry conditions before the Moscow round, during both the Imola practices and tests at Misano.
Of course, being a British track, the weather is always an unknown but if conditions were to be strange or wet let’s just say that I wouldn’t be too upset, considering how it went for me in the wet last year at Silverstone!”