A tough start to proceedings for Team SBK Ducati Alstare today at the Ring

Nurburgring (Germany): A difficult start to the weekend for Team SBK Ducati Alstare, on track today at the Nurburgring for round 10 of the 2013 World Superbike season; while Ayrton Badovini concluded first qualifying in fourteenth place, Carlos Checa suffered a crash which meant he failed to set a qualifying time.

Ayrton Badovini

Photo by: Daniel James Smith

Unfortunately Checa crashed in the first minutes of afternoon qualifying, without having completed even one timed lap. Although it was a small crash the bike and rider were unable to return immediately to the garage due to the point of the track at which the crash took place.

The bike returned to the garage with twelve minutes left on the clock but the technicians were unfortunately unable to fix it in time. Badovini meanwhile improved on lap times set in the morning. Finding a good rhythm, he dropped his times a little further in the final stages, recording a best of 1’56.3. Thanks to this time he closed first qualifying in fourteenth position.

Ayrton Badovini: “We’ve made a start today, not a great one but not bad either. In the afternoon I improved slightly on lap times but we still have a few issues to resolve. I’m still lacking some grip and in certain points the bike goes wide and I can’t turn as I want to. I hope we can make a step tomorrow because the gaps between us and those ahead are too great right now. With any luck it’ll stay dry tomorrow so we can continue with the work started today.”

Carlos Checa: “I’m angry and disappointed about the crash, I just lost the front. As a result we lost the entire session because they only brought the bike back to the garage a few minutes before the end. We needed today’s session, it was important, also because it might rain tomorrow. I didn’t even record one lap time. I hope it stays dry tomorrow morning so that I have a chance to enter the Superpole.”

Team SBK Ducati Alstare