Team HRC ready to race at new-entry circuit Cremona
The Cremona Circuit in Italy prepares to host the Superbike World Championship for the first time this weekend.
Team HRC and its riders Xavi Vierge and Iker Lecuona are excited to take on the Italian circuit of Cremona, the stage for round nine of the 2024 Superbike World Championship and one that the production-derived series will tackle for the very first time.
The majority of the SBK field, Team HRC included, was able to get a first taste of the technical Italian track during a two-day test session in May, but there will be work still to do when teams hit the track for the first free practice sessions on Friday.
The Team HRC riders enjoyed a positive eighth championship round at Magny-Cours ten days ago and followed that up with one and half day of fruitful testing at Motorland Aragón. Vierge and Lecuona have therefore maximised their track time with the CBR1000RR-R in preparation for this weekend’s event, one that the entire paddock is curious to experience.
The Cremona Circuit is located in the Lombardy region of Italy, close to the town of San Martino del Lago. Inaugurated in 2011, this is the first time the circuit will stage such a high-profile race event and has prepared accordingly, making modifications to the track itself and to the facilities in general. The track currently measures 3.768 km in length and incorporates six right-hand turns and seven left-handers.
Weekend schedule (CET):
Friday
10.20 – 11.05 – SBK Free Practice 1
15.00 – 15.45 – SBK Free Practice 2
Saturday
9.00 – 9.20 – SBK Free Practice 3
11.00 – 11.15 – Superpole
14.00 – SBK Race 1
Sunday
9.00 – 9.10 – SBK Warm-up
11.00 – Superpole race
14.00 – SBK Race 2
Xavi Vierge 97
“We’re really looking forward to the race weekend as we arrive at Cremona, because we’ve made some progress over the last few rounds. We also tried a different bike setup during the recent Aragón test just after Magny-Cours, which gave us a little extra, and we think it can work at Cremona too. We’ve had two test sessions at the track in recent months, which has given us a good base to build on. The track is quite “different” let’s say—smaller compared to other Superbike circuits—and even during testing with not so many riders, overtaking was difficult. So, it will be more important than ever to complete a strong qualifying and secure a good grid position.”
Iker Lecuona 7
“I can’t say Cremona is one of my favorite tracks, because I don’t think it’s ideal for the Superbike World Championship. That said, we have to race there, and we will do our best. We’ve had two test sessions at the track, where things didn’t go too badly to be honest, but a test session never involves the entire field, so it doesn’t really give us a full picture. During a race weekend, everything is different, starting with the track and weather conditions, and also the type of work we are able to do. It’s a new event for everyone though, so let’s see what happens.”
Location Information
*Cremona Circuit: Strada Giuseppina 2, San Martino del Lago – 26040 (Cremona) Italy Tel: +39 0375 350359 E-mail: info@cremonacircuit.it Website: cremonacircuit.it ———————————————————– *Courtesy of DWO
