VOL. 51 ISSUE 36 SEPTEMBER 9, 2014 P47
Briefly...
The MV Agusta World Supersport
team is already at a high level of
performance, but the development
of the F4RR Superbike – almost an
Evo bike in its engine tune for most
of the year – is progressing at pace,
especially now it has an internal MV
effort. For example, the team is now
using its sixth design of the swing-
arm - made by MV themselves. The
job is complicated because it is a
single-sided swingarm with a unique
bell-crank rear suspension for a four-
cylinder World Superbike machine.
Carlos Checa, the 2011 World Su-
perbike Champion, was in town for
Ducati at Jerez. Retired at Jerez last
year, he is learning to fly airplanes
and doing all the things he did not
have time to do when he was a full-
time racer. "I am doing a normal life,
trekking, cycling a lot," Checa said.
"I am not bored, not missing the
competition, because I am taking
my airplane license. I have time and
good relations in many places and
that is why in this moment I am doing
things that before I could not. When I
finished it was a quite clear decision.
For sure the injury 'helped' but in my
mind it was quite clear decision."
Checa also claimed not to miss the
buzz of race day as the first time he
flew a plane solo he said it was the
same level of excitement as lining up
to race.
Contrasts in track temperatures
were evident from the morning to
afternoon session at Jerez, with
Friday's morning World Supersport
asphalt at 86 degrees and the after-
noon version at 131 degrees – almost
double. This caused problems, also
for the World Superbike riders, but
according to a theory from Eugene
continued on next page
Marco Melandri (33) won the
two World Superbike races in
Jerez, beating his teammate
Sylvain Guintoli (50) in both
and showing that Aprilia has
absolutely no team orders at
this point in the season.
