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KAWASAKI SUPERBIKE RIDERS READY TO RACE |
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Thursday, 22 February 2007 |
KAWASAKI SUPERBIKE RIDERS READY TO RACE
The start of the 2007 World Superbike racing season cannot come along
fast enough for PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse riders Fonsi Nieto and Regis
Laconi. After an intensive winter testing programme, which has taken
the team from Valencia to Doha, Phillip Island and back to Valencia
again, each rider is more than ready to swap testing for real racing.
Each will get his chance on Saturday 24th February, at the 5.4km long
Losail Circuit in Qatar, during round one of the 13-round World
Superbike Championship.
Scene of the opening race for the third year in succession, Losail is a
fast and flowing track, and thanks to the recent test for the team at
this very venue, it holds no fears for Kawasaki's officially supported
World Superbike team. The ZX-10R is outwardly the same model as in
2006, but a series of improvements and altered suspension components
have delivered measurable improvements in both single lap times and
long distance runs.
Fonsi Nieto:
“We have done a lot of
testing this winter and now I just want to start racing. The bike has
been improving throughout our tests and I think we can race in a good
position. You never really know until the racing starts for real but I
feel confident that we can score good results at this track, and make a
good start. I have a little head cold at the moment but I am sure it
should not affect my weekend too much.”
Regis Laconi:
“I
can't wait to start. Testing has gone well and we have made some
important improvements to the bike but the only thing that matter about
racing is racing. That is when you know where you really are. The team
has changed a bit and I have a good feeling with my crew chief and
everyone, so we have worked well over the winter. The new suspension is
the main thing we have changed from last year and that has not only
helped with the suspension itself, but my understanding of the whole
machine. Other improvements the team has made to the bike should help
us in the early laps of each race, so I am confident that we can start
his new season in a good way.”
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