The SBK has given a great show today, here in Imola, in front of 76.317 people, a beautiful cheer, sporty, without whistles or insults against the protagonists! The hospitality of the Team Go Eleven was full of guests and managers from COMI that came to enjoy the races weekend directly from the reserved stands and from the paddock. They could also enjoy lunch with the riders and the whole team. Started well the friday of Roman Ramos, finishing the first session in eighth position, then focusing on the race pace. He bet on the third and final qualifying session to make a time that allowed him to get into q2, but unfortunately a technical failure does not allow him. On Saturday he says he is satisfied with his bike and in the race one makes us have fun, fighting all the time with Baz and Mercado in the small group that was fighting for the ninth final position, but bad luck stops him … a fuel pump forces him to return into the box . In the race two he start convinced to be able to make a good result, but immediately he is forced to fight with an excessive lack of grip, the bike slips and can not be as fast as it was in the practice, the twelfth place is a nice result, the maximum he could do. It was not an easy weekend for Michael Canducci, he worked on the bike and on himself to get back into shape. After a bad start he done a good race, at the end he had to give up a little because of the decay of the tires. Iturrioz went very well on Friday, after a long time away from the speed nobody no one expected such good laps times. On Saturday he makes a small mistake and falls. In the race he was forced to retire due to a clutch problem. Kenan Sofuoglu, a great man as well as a great rider, today retires from racing after twenty years of races, forty-three victories, eighty-four podiums and five World Titles won. Thanks as much as given to our sport.
Roman Ramos 40 (WSBK race 1; rt):” This year I can not start well, I can not understand why! In the race anyway I had a good rhythm and I was climbing well, Haslam was not so far, I thought I could take it but then I had to stop because of a technical failure. Thanks to all the team who worked the night to give me the maximum.”
Roman Ramos 40 (WSBK race 1; 12th):” I do not understand what happened, the bike was the same as in the first race, but it slipped a lot and I could not be fast. For us this is a good result today!”
Michael Canducci (WSS; 18th): “I worked all weekend to improve the feeling in braking and corner entry, I’m quite satisfied with the work done and I was well in the race, at least until half racce, then when the grip has decreased I struggled to keep the same pace and I lost some position.”
Iturrioz Ezequiel 34 (WSS; rt ): “For me it was a great emotion to return to the world championship after so much time, this bike is fantastic, it’s really good! Now I have to improve myself, I was hoping for a race where I could gather experience and information, but unfortunately it was not possible.”
Denis Sacchetti (team manager): ” The engine sbk 2018 is certainly more powerful than of 2017, this is putting us in trouble the chassis and consequently the electronics. We have more potential than last year, but we use much less. In supersport Iturrioz behaved very well, here did not count the result, but it was important to get back on the bike and resume the automatisms, while Michael is going through a difficult period, but we are all sure that soon will be back in front. In many you came to greet us on the track, thanks to everyone, you have excited us with your warmth”.
