Brendan Roberts

DUCATI XEROX JUNIOR TEAM

Autodromo Internacional do Algarve (Portugal), Sunday 2nd November 2008 – with Brendan Roberts’ win in the tenth and final round of the Superstock 1000 World Cup, the Ducati Xerox Junior Team has taken the 2008 title. Unfortunately Domenico Colucci came off during the ninth lap due to an incorrect tyre choice.

Brendan Roberts’ race was faultless and he made the right tyre choice on a track that was still wet in parts. The Australian talent took a risk, taking the decision to race with a slick tyre while on the grid. He rode a careful first few laps, sticking with Seaton who led for the first half of the race, and gradually increasing his pace to take the lead four laps from the finish. Once Simeon, Roberts’ main adversary, came off, Roberts built up a fair lead ahead of the chasing pack to win his third race of the season. After the team’s victory last year with Niccolò Canepa,
Ducati consolidates its position this season as winners of the 2008 riders and constructors titles.

BRENDAN ROBERTS – “This morning when I saw the clear sky I knew it would be a good day. In the warm-up the track was still wet but as time passed it started to dry out quite a bit. On the grid, on my team’s advice, we changed to slick tyres knowing that in the first laps my rivals would have the advantage. It was a difficult race because Seaton was very fast and Simeon, even though he was in intermediates, never slowed for a second. When they told me that Simeon had fallen, I continued to push, not losing concentration, and in doing so I won the race and the title. I am extremely happy and want to thank Ducati, Serafino Foti and the whole team. They have been fantastic and I am grateful to everyone for having faith in me.”

Domenico Colucci did not trust the track conditions and so made a conservative tyre choice. The Italian, riding with an intermediate front tyre, was fast in the initial phases while the track was still wet but then lost ground during the latter stages. With the front totally destroyed, Domenico came off during the ninth lap without causing himself injury.

DOMENICO COLUCCI – “In the warm-up the track was wet and I could see there were still puddles. I didn’t follow the advice of my team and made a conservative tyre choice, with an intermediate front and slick rear. Once the track dried out that was it for me, end of the race. I am very happy for Brendan, he is a great rider and deserved the title.”

SERAFINO FOTI – Team Manager Ducati Xerox Junior Team “I am very happy with this second consecutive title, a great result for Ducati, the team and for Brendan, a really talented rider. We have always believed that the win was possible and our work throughout this long and difficult season has paid off. I am sorry for Domenico because he too could have had a great race today. Thanks also go to everyone who contributed to the construction of this fantastic new facility.”

Race result
1.Brendan Roberts (Ducati 1098R Xerox Junior Team) in 22m23.040s in an average of  147,706 km/h; 2.C.Seaton (Suzuki) 2.995s; 3.M.Berger (Honda) a 3.938s……

Rider classification
1.Brendan Roberts 147 points; 2.M.Berger 140; 3.A.Polita 137; 4.X.Simeon 136; 5.M.Pirro 102….15.Domenico Colucci 26……

Manufacturers classification
1. Ducati 195 points; 2.Honda 182; 3.Suzuki 175; 4.Yamaha 135; 5.Kawasaki 50; 6.KTM 3

This entry was posted on Sunday, November 2nd, 2008 at 9:01 pm and is filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.