Top 5 at Cremona with a time under 1.30

After a long wait, the WorldSBK riders finally took to the track at Cremona, a completely new experience for everyone. Andrea Iannone immediately found a good feeling on the Panigale, which led him to finish in the top 5 of the day, about three tenths of a second behind the first position. Today’s times refer to FP 2, as in the first session the track was still wet from the rain of the night, forcing many riders to skip the session.

Free Practice 1: No time set

In the first laps of the afternoon session, #29 immediately felt good aboard the Ducati Panigale V4-R prepared by the Go Eleven team. Constant pace in the low 30s, rode for several laps, and small set-up adjustments to meet the rider’s requests. The second and last sectors still need to be slightly fixed, but the gap is really small. Qualifying will be of fundamental importance tomorrow, as the track here is very narrow and overtaking is not easy; there is only one good line and to attack, you will need to risk a little more than usual.

Free Practice 2:
P 1   A. Lowes   1.29.685
P 2   D. Petrucci   + 0.081
P 3   N. Bulega   + 0.151
…
P 5   A. Iannone   + 0.331

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“It’s an important weekend and we are working to achieve the goals we set ourselves. We started quite well, but we need to improve some aspects to try to increase our performance. It’s a fun track to ride on, but it’s quite difficult in terms of overtaking.”

P2 in Superpole Qualifying, but a crash while racing for the victory in Race 1

Positive morning, the afternoon left a bitter taste in the mouth. Unfortunately, the fight for the victory vanished in turn seven, with a long line on entry. Team Go Eleven and Andrea Iannone, up to that point, were in the game for a good place, almost certainly in the podium positions. However, the extraordinary front row in qualifying is still there, one tenth from Pole, and the fastest lap in Race 1, too.

The morning starts in the best possible way, with #29 achieving the fastest time in FP 3, with a gap of 0.3 to his opponents. A few laps on the SCX to find the last details in view of the race, then an attempt at a time attack to test the qualifying. 1.28.729, the first rider to go below 29 on the Cremona track.

Free Practice 3: 
P 1   A. Iannone   1.28.779
P 2    G. Gerloff   + 0.291
P 3    I. Lecuona   + 0.321

In Superpole Andrea Iannone proves confident with the SCQ, hitting a very fast time on his first attempt, 1.28.2, detaching second place by about five tenths. Second tyre, second time attack. Andrea improves two tenths, but Bulega manages to lower a few more hundredths, taking Pole in the fourth and final sector. It’s a pity, first place narrowly missed, but being back to the front row in the home race has a special taste.

Superpole:
P 1   N. Bulega  1.27.953
P 2   A. Iannone   + 0.115
P 3   D. Petrucci   + 0.332

Perfect Race 1 for Andrea Iannone and Team Go Eleven until lap eight, on turn seven. Until the crash, the rider from Vasto fought without ever going out the top three positions; first a breathtaking overtaking on Bulega in the change of direction, then a few laps in management with Danilo Petrucci. The two were copening a slight gap from third/fourth place, just when Andrea lost the front, entering slightly wide. A podium at home would have been unique, but there is the awareness of having a great opportunity in our hands. Two races tomorrow, starting from the front row.

Race 1: 
P 1    D. Petrucci   26’49.788
P 2    N. Bulega    + 2.590
P 3    A. Bautista   + 6.383

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“Today we were racing among the top riders and that’s an important aspect, the pace was there. It’s a shame about the crash in Race 1, I was a little wide at that point. At the moment I have a little pain in my collarbone, I hope it doesn’t cause me problems tomorrow. We still have to work but there’s room for improvement, we’ll try again in the Sunday events.”

Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager): 
“Today Andrea entertained us, at least until halfway through the race, then the prize vanished in turn 7! We were quite close, we had the speed and we can improve the bike a little more to make it easier for tomorrow. Today Andrea wanted the win, the podium wasn’t enough for him… it can happen. Tomorrow we have two chances more!”

A podium in the Superpole Race but a DNF in Race 2 due to a collision 

Another day of ups and downs for Team Go Eleven at the Cremona Circuit. Splendid podium in the Superpole Race, in third place, then in Race 2 Andrea Iannone was forced to retire due to contact with another rider, which broke the right footrest and the foot brake. Home weekend in which the points collected were much less than hoped for.

In the Warm Up Andrea tested the SCX development solution on the rear, to be evaluated in view of Race 2. Many constant laps, on the low 29, and the Best Lap on the last lap available. The small changes made seem to bring some improvements. The exit from turns nine to ten still needs to be slightly fixed.

Warm Up: 
P 1   D. Petrucci   1.29.004
P 2   A. Lowes   + 0.323
P 3   A. Iannone   + 0.354 

In the Superpole Race, the #29 rider starts well, defending the second position on the grid and starts chasing Petrucci. The Terni native from Barni has a couple of tenths of a margin, creates a slight gap, but Iannone manages to defend the second place until the last lap. Bulega and Lowes get closer, taking advantage of the tyre drop, on the last lap the Kawasaki rider manages to take the second position, but the Go Eleven team conquers the podium and maintains the front row for the main Race.

SP Race: 
P 1   D. Petrucci  14’56.130
P 2   A. Lowes   + 1.797
P 3   A. Iannone   + 2.572

In Race 2 Andrea gets the best start of the weekend, overtaking Lowes and starting the pursuit of Petrucci. Bulega manages to take the position, the first three positions thus becoming Petrucci-Bulega-Iannone. A race of strategy begins, with the Go Eleven rider progressively losing contact with the first two. On the seventh lap he makes a slight mistake and drops to fifth position, chasing Alvaro Bautista. From then on, the difficulties on the front begin, leading the rider to arrive long in all the braking sections and thus to return to the fight in the group with Gerloff, Locatelli, Vierge. The #55 Yamaha, on lap fourteen, comes in contact with Iannone, breaking the right footrest and footbrake. Iannone tries to finish the race, but the rear wheel is almost blocked and he is forced to retire.

Race 2: 
P 1   D. Petrucci   34’33.263
P 2   A. Bautista   + 1.023
P 3   N. Bulega   + 2.910
…
DNF   A. Iannone 

The two long races this weekend did not repay the efforts of the Team and the rider, taking zero points, despite the speed and pace to fight at the front. Superpole and short race show that the team’s work is good and the speed is there. Now the goal is to continue fighting at the top in the last three WorldSBK races, on three circuits that are well suited to the bike-rider package. Next stop, Aragon back to back without a break, next weekend!

Andrea Iannone (Rider): 

“Today we achieved a podium in the Superpole Race, which is always a great result, especially in front of so many Italian fans. Unfortunately, in the long races things didn’t go as we hoped, but we still showed that we can be fast. We hope to be able to make some progress in the next race weekend in Aragon.”

Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):

“The two main races here in Cremona didn’t give us any satisfaction. Today Andrea fought even though he wasn’t 100% physically, but from the seventh/eighth lap onwards, his feeling with the bike got worse. A contact forced him to retire, but we couldn’t keep up the pace for the podium. This morning in the Superpole Race, however, he gave his all and we’re going back home with a podium, a third place that gives us morale. Luckily we’ll be back on track right away, in Aragon, where we’ll have the chance to make up for it.”