Cycle News - Archive Issues - 2000's

FL Doyrono lnr'l Doyrono Bso. continued lrodt pcge 33 Brands Hatch World Superbike round in August 2005. 'iAnd they also saw it, and they wanted a meeting to confirm everythinS, just what I was sayint. There was no alternative.'lt's all true what we've heard. Yeah, it is. The team was working in two comPletet seParate tearns, we need to pull toSether and try to tet Ducatiwinning. lt's definitely a step in the right direction." On the technical side, the AMA Ducata F06 is n€arly identical to the World SuPer- bike model. "The only actual diflerence bewveen these bikes and the world Superbike machihes are the crankshaft and the starter en8ine," Ciabbatti said. "We have to use a standard crankshatt which is slightly heavier, and because we have to use it, then we use also the staner enSine because it gives the opportunit,, to have a small crash, to start up the bike again and finish. And it's very important for the points system in AMA to finish the races." Ciabbatti said the team would be usint the same electronics as the World Superbike team. Race engineer Faccio said it Sives the rider b€tter enSine control in allpans ofthe The test ended with HodSson fourth fastest, two spots down from teammate Ben Bostrom. "lt's obviously frustrating when your teammate's faster than you by a bit, but it's ,ust one of those things," Hodgson said before rushing to Orlando to calch a fli8ht home to the lsle of Man. 'lust a funny old place - this place - slowly chippint away with it at the end, starting to feel more comfortable. It's not been a disastrous test. I didn't panic. ln this situation you could quite easily panic, you know what I mean. I didn't panic. lt's okay." Ben Bostrom was a surprise chorce for Ducati. A number of riders had been consid- ered. including former World SuPerbike Champion lames Toseland, Rub€n Xaus, Regis La.oni, and Kurtis Roberts Jr But CiaF batti was impressed that Bostrom never Save uP this year, even thou8h he \ras on an uncomp€titive te:Im. when he arrived in Florida. Bostrom was faced with a new bike, new tiFes. a new track. and a new team. Plus, he missed Sat_ urday morninS - the fi6t of three days - because his leathers were delayed. When the day ended, Bortrom was seaond fastest. 'A good beginninS. we're very pleased," Ciabbatti said after replacing Eric Bostrom with 8en. "The last time he was on a Du.ati was three years a8o. So many peoPle had bi8 question marks when we decided to sign Ben lBostrom]. lt's too early to say, but--. I think it's a good combination. He knows he has a bi8 chance of revamPing his career and, in principle, he's ah^/ays been feeling Sood with Ducati because the atmosphere around him has always been tood, and he Sets along very well with Neil lHodgson]. And we think he is still veq/ fast, he should be very fast. Naturally, we'd like to see Ben when we 80 more on conventional ltracks]. lt's not toinS to be easy on all tracks. We knew that B€n was really hun8ry to 8e( a good ride and show what he can do." Bostrom probably shouldn't be ridinS. He should probably be recovering from sur8ery to repair his spinal column. But he's a racer first and {oremost, so waking up in the mornint in pain and feeling sore at the end of the day are all part of the iob. The worst highside of his career came in a griti5h Superbike race at Silverstone. ln the first oftwo races he had "the biS8ett hiSh- side I ever had on rny life," he said at the time. "Fourth 8ear, wide open, on the 8a5. As I was flying (hrou8h the ai( I swear I did- n't hit the ground for l0 seconds. Seemed like forever Team Yamaha: Eoing Xtreme "l think that's what's made this proie

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