Toseland heads to Monza with a handsome points lead

© HANNspree Ten Kate Honda. One of the true spiritual homes of racing, Monza, is not just a link to racing's past glories; it is a unique challenge on the modern day SBK calendar. No circuit features as many high speed sections, few contain as many tests of hard braking from top absolute speed, and none has the classic last corner layout of the Parabolica - the scene of many a racing drama for all classes of Motorsport.

This year current championship leader by 32 points James Toseland is not just looking to be Master of Monza, he is looking to score his first ever double win in World Superbike. As statistics show, he has been able to win a race per meeting so far, until either pushes by other riders or simple bad luck have stopped him from scoring two in one day.

"We kept the winning streak going at Assen - although the double win escaped me yet again thanks to Troy!" says Toseland. "I hope I can carry it on at Monza and get another double podium. I wasn't happy with my results at Monza last year - I had a high speed crash in race one and finished fifth in race two - so this year I hope to wipe out those memories with two successful races to keep and extend the championship lead." (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda)

© Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra Team. With five of the current top six riders having already taken at least one race win, and with four other race winners from past seasons also in the Monza mix, competition for the podium places will be as intense as ever. But for one rider Monza will take on special significance.

Having been drafted into the SBK paddock this season, current second placed rider Max Biaggi will have the chance to race in front of his home crowd for the first time in two years - and for the very first time on a Superbike. The Monaco-based Roman has lived up to the pre-season hype, scoring the first win of the year at Losail, in Qatar, and resisting the early season pressure of all but the hyper-motivated and consistent Toseland.
Biaggi is by no means the only Italian rider with his eyes on a prize at the parkland circuit this weekend.

Lorenzo Lanzi is desperate to get back to winning ways after a prolonged dry spell, while Roby Rolfo is eyeing up any colour of podium step after the success enjoyed by his team-mate Toseland this year. A dark horse pre-race is Michel Fabrizio who is one of the best privateers, and has already shown he can take podiums in the top class, just not so far in 2007.

© GMB Racing Team. World Champ Troy Bayliss has had a somewhat disturbed start to his latest championship defence, but at Assen he proved to be right back to form; stalking them mugging Toseland on the line in race two to help secure a fourth overall in the championship chase. Last year's champion loves the Monza layout as does his aerodynamically sound Ducati, and of all the riders currently chasing Toseland, he is the one who appears to have the strongest tailwind of motivation at present. Unless, of course, you count the resurgent Ruben Xaus who has taken his 2006 factory spec Ducati to a win already this year. Despite a fall at Assen big Ruben is sixth overall, one slender point ahead of Lanzi's official machine. Xaus came close to winning the championship in 2003, and is keen to get back into a position to challenge for top honours again.

There is more than one impressive rider called Max in Suzuki colours this year, as German Max Neukirchner has been making a more than sound job of keeping a year old privateer Suzuki competitive - not just against the top privateers, but blooding the noses of many riders on even better equipment. Currently in the top eight, he should find his Suzuki fast enough to compete at Monza.

© PSG-1 Corse. With so many fast sections at Monza, and so many areas of hard braking, the official Kawasaki duo of Regis Laconi and Fonsi Nieto will be looking to Monza as a good opportunity to make up the ground they have lost in the early part of the 2007 season. If they can combine their machine's impressive power output with a good set-up for the many chicanes at Monza, then the sky is the limit for riders of their undoubted class and quality. Another rider looking to get back to his usual self is Yukio Kagayama; a rider much injured this year, in terms of confidence as well as physical abilities.

With so many good officially entered machines in SBK this year, it has provided a tough theatre of dreams for the privateers to play upon. Along with Neukirchner and Fabrizio, Jakub Smrz (Caracchi SC Ducati) has been consistently impressive on his 2005 bike, with riders like Josh Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda) and Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda) occasionally shining through the bad luck they have experienced too often for their liking so far. Steve Martin should be reunited with his DFX Honda team at Monza, and is looking for strong points after a tough start to the year.

(FGSport)