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Red Bull Honda in search of points and podiums at Mondello |
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Friday, 19 May 2006 |
Red Bull Honda in search of points and podiums at Mondello
 Red Bull Honda riders Eugene Laverty and Jonathan Rea make their way to
Mondello Park this weekend (20/21 May) for round five of the British
Supersport and the Bennetts British Superbike Championship respectively.
Laverty
currently heads the Supersport points table with a slim one-point lead
over Cal Crutchlow. The 19-year-old has won the last two Supersport
races and will be looking forward to building on his lead with a third
consecutive win at the tight and twisty Irish track.
Last time
out at Oulton Park, the Ulsterman thrilled the crowds aboard his
Dunlop-shod CBR600RR race bike as he engaged in a 16-lap battle with
Crutchlow before claiming his second win of the season. He will no
doubt be looking to put in a repeat performance as he races at, what is
effectively, his home track and hopefully continues his 100 per cent
rostrum finish record.
Last year, fellow Red Bull Honda rider
Jonathan Rea made superbike history when he became the youngest-ever
rider to qualify on pole. This year, the 19-year-old will certainly be
looking to do the same and convert a front row start into a bona fide
podium finish. Three weeks ago, Rea crossed the line in third and
finished on the podium, albeit momentarily; a Stewards’ enquiry found
that Rea and Shane Byrne missed the chicane on the final lap and both
riders were penalised accordingly. This ultimately demoted Rea to
fourth, a result he will be looking to rectify at the 2.17-mile track.
Eugene Laverty:
“Now I’m at the top of the Championship standings I have every
intention of staying there. I’m really enjoying my riding at the moment
and every weekend there has been a good battle going on and I doubt
this weekend will be any different. The competition is fierce and every
point counts. If I can make it three wins in a row I will be over the
moon.”
Jonathan Rea:
“Last year’s qualifying was excellent here. It was just a shame I had
such rotten luck in the races, but hopefully this weekend it will be
different. At Oulton Park I found out what it was like to get on the
podium but this weekend I want it to be for real and I can’t think of a
better place of doing it than at Mondello Park.”
Havier Beltran:
“Both the guys have been riding really well and obviously we hope that
this continues this weekend. Ultimately it would be good for Eugene to
put a bit of a gap between him and Cal (Crutchlow), and for Johnny to
get his first rostrum. But everyone knows just how competitive these
championships are and that anything can happen on the day.”
 Qualifying
for the British Supersport takes place on Saturday 20 May at 10.40 and
15.40 with racing on Sunday 21 May at 12.45. Qualifying for the British
Superbike Championship takes place on Saturday 20 May at 14.40 with
racing at 13.40 and 16.10 on Sunday 21 May. * these timings are subject
to change
The ITV Broadcast window is on Sunday 21 May between 13.30 and 17.00.
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