Troy Bayliss is in danger of running away with the championship but he can expect tough opposition at Monza.
The historic Monza Autodrome, set in the Parco Di Villa Reale near Milan, is the venue for the next instalment of the 2008 World Superbikes Championship. Monza is a very fast circuit, broken up by chicanes, and top speed will be essential. Slipstreaming is a feature of races at the Italian track so a close battle can be expected.
So far in 2008 there have been four different winners with Troy Bayliss, Fonsi Nieto, Lorenzo Lanzi and Noriyuki Haga all standing on the top step of the podium. Despite this, Bayliss has a healthy lead at the top of the championship standings, leading Carlos Checa by 70 points. Last time out in Assen the Australian scored a double victory.
Any riders hoping to compete with Bayliss for the championship will have to start outscoring him soon. Noriyuki Haga has had an indifferent start to the season. Despite a race win in Valencia the Japanese rider finds himself sixth in the points table, a sign of his inconsistency. Monza, however, has fond memories for Haga, as he scored wins in both races last year.
Carlos Checa has made an impressive transition from MotoGP to World Superbikes and is currently Bayliss’s closest challenger. Four podiums from the first eight races is an excellent start but he will be hungry to score his first win.
Troy Corser lies in third in the points table, just ahead of Fonsi Nieto. The latter won a race at the opening round in Qatar but has visited the podium only once since. Ruben Xaus is only four points behind Nieto and will doubtless be his usual entertaining self. Local hero Max Biaggi has been struggling with injury recently but, performing in front of his adoring fans, will be keen to make an impression.
Max Neukirchner will be another rider keen to record a maiden victory in the category after coming so close in Valencia. Meanwhile, Lorenzo Lanzi will be looking for an improved performance on home soil. Apart from a win in the first Valencia race the Italian has only managed one other top six finish.
Perhaps the most exciting talent to emerge this season is Jakub Smrz, riding a privately entered Ducati. The rider from the Czech Republic has shown impressive turns of speed and the fast Monza circuit may well suit the combination.
Bayliss enters the Monza weekend as favourite but he has several potential challengers. Spectators and viewers can expect two fiercely competitive races as the rest of the field strive to close the points gap on the Australian.
Championship Standings
- Troy Bayliss (178)
- Carlos Checa (108)
- Troy Corser (89)
- Fonsi Nieto (85)
- Ruben Xaus (81)
- Noriyuki Haga (67)
- Max Neukirchner (66)
- Max Biaggi (54)
- Gregorio Lavilla (48)
- Lorenzo Lanzi (42)
