UAE SPORTBIKE FESTIVAL REPORT: ARUSHEN MOODLEY MAKES IT TEN OUT OF TEN AT THE SPORTBIKE FESTIVAL

South African Superbike champion Arushen Moodley made it ten out of ten wins in the UAE Sportbike Championship by powering to victory in the two races of the Sportbike Festival at Dubai Autodrome on Friday, 26 February.



Moodley, riding the Duseja Aprilia RSV4, started the day as the man to beat on the shorter Club Circuit configuration of the Dubai circuit. Once again the Championship leader did not disappoint his team and fans, winning race one comfortably by 2.6 seconds from Kawasaki mounted Scott Smart who finished second.

In race two Moodley was made to work hard by Smart but still managed to win albeit by less than a motorcycle length and thus notch up two victories on a windy day in Dubai. Smart was second in both races and had the consolation of setting the fastest lap of the day in the final race.

Moodley said after his 10 wins, "The Aprilia RSV4 is an awesome bike to ride, making my job of winning 10 races straight a whole lot easier, even though the temperature today is soaring at above 36 degrees. My chief technician Dean Bosch with the help of Eddie, from Duseja Aprilia, has been fine tuning my bike on their Dynojet dyno, sqeezing out a few more extra horse power. A big thanks to my sponsors Aprilia UAE, IPONE, Dynojet and Von Zipper for all their support."

Saudi ace Abdulaziz Binladin (Aprilia) was third in race one and race two, with Rod Scott (Yamaha) best of the locally based riders in fourth. His team mate Hussein Al Kooheji was fifth in both races.

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WSBK 2010, THE KYALAMI GP

A NICE PODIUM FOR MAX BIAGGI, THIRD IN RACE 2, THE SOUTH AFRICAN WEEKEND ENDS ON A POSITIVE NOTE FOR THE APRILIA ALITALIA RACING TEAM. TWO POSITIVE RESULTS KEEP MAX IN CONTACT WITH THE TOP OF THE STANDINGS, AFTER THE SIXTH PLACE IN RACE 1 LEON CAMIER FALLS INTO AN UNFORTUNATE RACE 2.

The weekend on the Kyalami track ends on a positive note for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team with Biaggi on the podium in race 2. Max battled for the entire race in the front positions and made things exciting with continuous duels against Haslam (Suzuki) and Rea (Honda). In the end Max came in third behind Haslam and Rea. A result the team reads as positive considering the many uncertainties of the eve before made the South African transfer one of the most feared because of the characteristics of this track.

Now max is second in the world rankings with 207 points, 15 lengths behind Haslam at the front and 66 points ahead of Rea and Checa who are tied in third place.

Leon Camier, who in race 1 had raced on the attack earning a nice sixth place, instead had an unlucky race. Delayed by technical problems (probably tyres which are now being checked) and little by little made him lose ground and fall back to the rear until he threw in the towel on the eighteenth lap.

Max Biaggi had positive comments both about race 2 and the entire South African round:"It was a great race in the places that counted. Haslam, Rea and I overtook each other which I think made for a great show. Both from second and third place I tried several times to overtake but it is really very difficult here - there is practically one line which everyone has to follow. Haslam was very fast and raced well, keeping to his lines.
But for me a podium is really a good result, this third place on a circuit which is really very very complicated for us is to be accepted with satisfaction.
In light of the two races, considering the fourth place in race 1, I'd say that one of the transfers we feared the most came out well. The gap from the top moves a bit back and forth, but the championship is still very long. I think we can be satisfied with this weekend in Africa and now I can't wait to arrive at the next races to show our true potential. The guys on the team have done a great job, but tracks like this one bring out the best experience in our competitors. In particular we still need to work on acceleration which makes things a bit difficult for us coming out of the mid-slow turns".


ON A TROUBLESOM TRACK FOR THE RSV4 MAX BIAGGI FIGHTS AMONG THE TOP POSITIONS AND STAYS ATTACHED TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD RANKINGS WITH A NICE FOURTH PLACE. SIXTH PLACE FOR CAMIER AFTER GREAT DUELS.

On a track which is certainly not favourable for the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team RSV4, Max Biaggi and Leon Camier raced on the forefront of the first race in the South African World Superbike round.

Max ended with a fourth place which allows him to contain the gap behind the world lead ranking Leon Haslam who crossed the finish line third. The Suzuki colours bearer now has a 6 point advantage (197 vs 191).

Max Biaggi, initially delayed by having to overtake his team-mate Leon Camier, launching well out of the eighth block of the grid, then had a long battle with James Toseland (Yamaha). When he was able to overtake the English rider - with a spectacular pass on the outside of the turn and then stubbornly holding the trajectory - there were nine laps to go, not enough to chase down the podium.

Leon Camier battled for the entire second half of the race with Toseland, Crutchlow and Rea. Spectacular duels which confirmed the battle skills of Aprilia Team's young Englishman. With this placing Leon moves up to 82 points which take him into ninth place in the world rankings.

MAX BIAGGI E LEON CAMIER PARTIRANNO DALLA SECONDA FILA DOPO UNA SUPERPOLE GIOCATA SUL FILO DEI DECIMI DI SECONDO

Si chiude con una prestazione positiva l’ultima giornata di prove sul circuito di Kyalami per l’Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team. In una pista poco favorevole alla RSV4, Max Biaggi e Leon Camier hanno lottato fino all’ultimo giro in una Superpole contraddistinta da grande equilibrio e quindi distacchi davvero contenuti.

Max Biaggi chiude in settima posizione (1’37.613) dopo aver superato agilmente lo scoglio delle prime due sessioni di pole. Il distacco nei confronti di Crutchlow, detentore della prima piazza, è di soli 370 millesimi.

Altrettanto soddisfatto Leon Camier che, alla sua “prima” sudafricana, si piazza alle spalle del compagno Max in ottava posizione. Il risultato poteva essere migliore, ma Leon è incappato in un leggero errore all’ultima curva dell’ultimo giro utile.

“La seconda fila è dove, onestamente parlando, potevamo anche immaginare di trovarci –ha commentato Max Biaggi - Certo, si va in pista per il massimo ma oggi questa è la nostra posizione. Di certo in questa pista di vantaggi non ne abbiamo, anzi! Per questo partire dalla seconda fila non è poi male. Per la gara vediamo, di certo non sarà facile. Partire bene sarà essenziale, più che in altre situazioni. Abbiamo ancora un po’ di scelte da fare, e tra queste quella relativa alle gomme, e in questa decisione giocheranno un ruolo fondamentale le condizioni meteo: qui a Kyalami la temperatura influenza molto le prestazioni delle gomme e questa è una pista dove il grip può variare molto. Vediamo di mettere tutte le caselle a posto e poi farò la mia gara, cercando il miglior risultato possibile”.

“Abbiamo trovato un buon feeling con la gomma morbida – ha confermato Leon Camier – decisamente migliore rispetto al passo di gara. Sono contento di essere entrato tra i primi otto, non sempre mi riesce, soprattutto perché da inizio weekend sto faticando a trovare il ritmo giusto. Il mio ultimo giro era buono, potevo guadagnare qualche posizione, ma ho fatto un errore all’ultimo tornantino. In configurazione gara rimangono le note difficoltà su un asfalto davvero sconnesso, per questo spero di partire bene e poi mettercela tutta, ma so già che dovrò lottare. Il warm-up di domattina potrebbe aiutarci, anche se non mi faccio illusioni”.

L’idolo di casa, la wild card Sheridan Morais che porta in pista la terza Aprilia RSV4, ha ottenuto un promettente 14esimo tempo. Nelle gare di domani potrebbe far valere la sua esperienza su questo circuito con la RSV4 curata dal Test Team Aprilia.

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Test Motorland Aragon

The first tests on the brand new Aragon track are held in view of the 2011 Superbike season. Best time goes to Champion, Max Biaggi. Leon Camier strong after coming back from wrist injury.

In view of the 2011 season, which will see the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team defending two world championships, the first test session on the Aragon Motorland track was held yesterday. The Spanish track will be a new stop on the 2011 schedule: it was therefore quite important to "take measurements" of what will certainly be a demanding round.

Max Biaggi, reigning World Champion, worked with consistency alongside the Aprilia technicians, perfecting his performance thus far to stop the clock with the best time of the session at 1'58".0.

For Leon Camier this was a return to the saddle after his wrist injury, which kept him off the tracks in the last races of the season which just ended.

So the English rider had to re-familiarise himself with the RSV4, but this didn't stop him from landing the fifth best time at 1'59".2.

Max Biaggi stated: "After a splendid and tiring 2010 season, it's time to sharpen our claws for the next championship. Considering the results, it looks like we are the team to beat and that puts a double responsibility on our shoulders. Precisely for this reason we must continue to work non-stop, as we have during these three days of tests on a track which we'll face for the first time next year. The track is very nice, modern but not monotonous, and it has some sections which will really be able to make a difference. I'm happy to be back on the track after the last race in France, we made the best time, it seems like we’re off to a good start for now."

"Finally riding again! – was Leon Camier's comment – After my injury and too many days off the bike, this is just what I needed. The wrist is OK, and that's good news, even if it started to hurt a bit at the end of the session. I was also able to be quite quick on this really fun and demanding track, above all thanks to some promising progress with the electronics. Now all that's left is to pick up our work where we left off, continuing to improve each time we take to the track: I'm convinced that we won't have to wait long to see positive results."

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11 Pata Aprilia WSBK Team Launched

Ken Hutchison

Editorial Director |

The ulcers keep piling on for the warden of the MotoUSA asylum. With the inmates running rampant around the globe, Hutch has opted to get in on the madness more these days than in years past and is back in the saddle again.

Monday, January 24, 2011

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Haga and the Pata Aprilia Team pose for their first official team photo during the Motorbike Expo in Verona, Italy.

The Pata racing Team revealed this weekend that ‘Nitro’ Noriyuki Haga will be their lone rider during the 2011 World Superbike Championship season. The grizzled veteran is coming off a lackluster year aboard the Xerox Ducati after finishing runner-up to Ben Spies just two years ago. The Japanese ace is always a threat to win races when he is on but the question we all want to know is how much does he have left in the tank.

Aprilia will provide as much support as can be expected for a non-factory team. Both Haga and his new motorcycle are proven winners and both Noriyuki and the Pata team hope that they will be a formidable combination. Over the past decade the Japanese star has finished runner-up in the championship three times, including the ill-fated 2000 season when he lost 25-points for failing a drug test for Ephedra weight loss supplements which handed the title to the Texas Tornado, Colin Edwards. That may have stung worse than crashing out of contention in the season finale of the 2009 season which handed the title to another American from Texas, Ben Spies.

The Pata Team will be competing with the very same 2010-spec Aprilia RSV4R that Max Biaggi rode to the SBK title just last season. Between Biaggi and camier the RSV4R was the dominant machine, winning 10 races and a combined 17 podiums. This is not the first time Haga has ridden for Aprilia. He first raced SBK for them during the 2002 season aboard the RSV1000R V-Twin powered Mille where his battles with 2-time SBK champion Troy Corser were legendary. He moved on to ride the Cube in MotoGP before returning to Superbikes after a year of near death experiences on the failed Triple. Now, in the twilight if his career he will have as good a shot as anyone to win the 2011 championship. The bike is there and the playing field is leveled even further with Ducati pulling its factory support in lieu of backing privateer teams.

"I immediately accepted Daniele Carli and Marco Borciani's offer,” explains the 39-year old Haga. “I will be provided with a highly competitive motorbike, the one that belonged to the world champion 2010. With this I think I will be able to aim for the first places at every race. Throughout my career I achieved a lot, but I'm still not satisfied. I dream of winning the world title and isn't written that I can't do it on this motorcycle. For sure, on paper, officials teams have an advantage, but Aprilia has already shown its willingness to give the greatest support to a racer fighting for a big goal."

Noriyuki Haga Career:
2010: 6th - World Superbike Championship
2009: 2nd – World Superbike Championship
2008: 3rd - World Superbike Championship
2007: 2nd place - World Superbike Championship
2006: 3rd place - World Superbike Championship
2005: 3rd place - World Superbike Championship
2004: 3rd place - World Superbike Championship
2003: 14th place - MotoGP World Championship
2002: 4th place - World Superbike Championship
2001: 14th place - 500cc Grand Prix Championship
2000: 2nd place - World Superbike Championship
1999: 7th place - World Superbike Championship
1998: 6th place - World Superbike Championship
1997: 1st place - All Japan Superbike Championship

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Australia GP, Saturday. Max Biaggi will start from the first row: only 13 thousandths kept him from is first superpole of the season.

Phillip Island (Australia), 26 February 2011 – The number 1 on his fairing was honoured by World Champion Max Biaggi, riding among the top players on the Australian track at Phillip Island in Superpole. In the first two races for the 2011 WSBK season the Corsair will start from the second spot on the grid after ending just 13 thousandths of a second behind Carlos Checa's fastest time.
The Superpole clock saw Max come through the first two sessions easily, with determination and without any uncertainty.
In the third session the battle of the top eight was conducted in the best way possible by the Team Aprilia Alitalia rider. After ten tense and fascinating minutes the clock stopped for Max at 1'30.895, second best lap at only 13 thousandths behind Checa (Ducati) and in front of Guintoli (Ducati) and Haslam (BMW).

"Wow! Thirteen thousandths are nothing – commented a smiling Max Biaggi - It means that even on this track which has never favoured us we have improved a lot compared to the last two years, coming close to the best. I am truly happy with this result which is to the merit of the team's hard work coming here and testing during the off season. Those tests allowed us to better understand our problems, so we worked hard on the details, small adjustments which can make the difference. The engineers were very good. We are not the fastest, but one thing for sure is that for the races we're competitive. Tomorrow the weather conditions will be important, the temperature and the tyres we choose as a consequence. Then, as always, we'll be ready to give it our all."

At the moment it's a difficult weekend for Leon Camier: his poor health continued to keep him out of Superpole. Then, in the last session of free practice, the English rider showed encouraging improvements in times, but tomorrow will be a tough start from the fifth row (17th time). But if Leon's physical condition improves, hopes for a comeback would not be unfounded. Leon Camier is understandably dissatisfied: "It's frustrating not being able to ride, especially for the first race. Quite simply my cough and general weariness hinder my concentration and consequently from focusing on what I'm doing. At the moment the fever is not the biggest problem, but I feel very tired and even just walking I'm not able to breathe properly, so just imagine after 3-4 laps. At this point I just hope I'm feeling better. Unfortunately tomorrow I'll start from way back and it will be truly difficult".

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Superbike World Championship 2011

	Rider	Nr.	Team	Bike	Points
01	Checa Carlos	7	Althea Racing	Ducati 1098R	132
02	Biaggi Max	3	Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team	Aprilia RSV4 Factory	89
03	Melandri Marco	33	Yamaha World SBK Team	Yamaha YZF R1	85
04	Rea Jonathan	65	Castrol Honda	Honda CBR1000RR	79
05	Haslam Leon	91	BMW Motorrad Motorsport	BMW S1000 RR	68
06	Camier Leon	2	Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team	Aprilia RSV4 Factory	50
07	Smrz Jakub	96	Team Effenbert-Liberty	Ducati 1098R	49
08	Fabrizio Michel	84	Team Suzuki Alstare	Suzuki GSX-R1000	47
09	Laverty Eugene	58	Yamaha World SBK Team	Yamaha YZF R1	35
10	Haga Noriyuki	41	Pata Racing Team Aprilia	Aprilia RSV4 Factory	34
11	Corser Troy	11	BMW Motorrad Motorsport	BMW S1000 RR	26
12	Sykes Tom	66	Kawasaki Racing Team	Kawasaki ZX-10R	26
13	Lascorz Joan	17	Kawasaki Racing Team	Kawasaki ZX-10R	26
14	Xaus Ruben	111	Castrol Honda	Honda CBR 1000RR	26
15	Badovini Ayrton	86	BMW Motorrad Italia SBK	BMW S1000 RR	20
16	Guintoli Sylvain	50	Team Effenbert-Liberty	Ducati 1098R	16
17	Rolfo Roberto	44	Team Pedercini	Kawasaki ZX-10R	12
18	Aitchinson Mark	8	Team Pedercini	Kawasaki ZX-10R	7
19	Waters Joshua	25	ECHO CRS Honda	Honda CBR1000RR	3
20	James Toseland	52	BMW Motorrad Italia SBK	BMW S1000 RR	2

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Paris Hilton Motorcycle Racing Team MotoGP SuperMartXé VIP

Paris Hilton announced at a press conference in Madrid, Spain, on Saturday, that she has started her own motorcycle racing team called ‘SuperMartXé VIP by Paris Hilton’ (the name refers to a dance party in Ibiza). Aptly, the primary colors of the bike are pink, white and blue.

Clad in a skintight leather suit with rhinestones and lots of pink details, and a very generous cleavage, Paris hoped on a bike and posed with it to promote her latest endorsement deal, PopEater reports.

Everything, from the bike to Paris’ outfit and even the newly unveiled logo, came in an appropriate shade of pink, proving, once more, that the heiress really does consider herself a human Barbie, or the closest thing to it at the very least.

Hilton’s love of pink aside, she is bound to BQR for the next 5 years, during which time she’ll also have to attend races and look for bikers to run in them.

“The team will compete in the 2011 125cc MotoGP World Championship season. As part of Hilton’s contract with the company, she will be in attendance at races over the next five years,” the same report notes.

“She will also be scouting for drivers in partnership with a Barcelona-based team, By Queroseno Racing (BQR),” PopEater says.

No word yet on how much money Paris got to be part of the initiative, for it’s odd to think she has even the remotest idea about racing, therefore she can’t possibly do it out of passion. Either way, the amount must have been substantial.

Even if she’s lost some of the popularity she enjoyed a few years back – to be replaced by former BFF Kim Kardashian and the likes – reports say Paris can still command a pretty hefty paycheck to put her name on various things: in this case, a motorcycle racing team.

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