Challenging new circuit for championship leader van der Mark

[totalmotorcycle]

Challenging new circuit for championship leader van der Mark



@Pata @Honda rider Michael van der Mark will visit a new circuit this weekend (6-8 June) at Sepang in Malaysia for round six of the 2014 World #Supersport championship.

The Dutch ace is leading the series after winning last time out at Donington Park in the UK and, after crashing out of the opening round in Australia, the 21-year-old from Rotterdam has finished the last four races in either first or second place.

Although the 5.548km Sepang International Circuit 60km to the south of Kuala Lumpur is an unfamiliar layout for van der Mark, it’s a new challenge that he’s looking forward to meeting on his Honda CBR600RR.

His Pata Honda team-mate Lorenzo Zanetti was unfortunate to score no points at Donington Park after a technical problem just five laps from the end halted a promising race in which he was fighting once more for a podium position.

The 26-year-old currently lies in fifth place in the championship standings with a win at Imola in Italy to his credit and he is hoping that, along with his CBR, GP experience from five years ago at Sepang will stand him in good stead this weekend.



Michael van der Mark

This will be my first visit to Sepang but I enjoy the challenge of learning a new circuit and it went OK at Suzuka last year. I’ve done a lot of laps on the PlayStation and watched a few more on YouTube and it looks really beautiful. It seems like the layout will suit the CBR quite well, so I’m excited to start on Friday. I expect the weather conditions will be difficult, too, but I have been training with many layers of clothing at the same time of day as our sessions, so I’m feeling prepared and really looking forward to the weekend when I hope to continue the recent good results.





Lorenzo Zanetti

I stopped in Thailand for five days on my way to Malaysia so I have had time to relax and adjust to the conditions. I raced here in 125 GP in 2009, so I know the track and I think it will be good for the bike which has been working really well at other races. It was a shame to finish the way I did at Donington but I had a very good feeling with the bike there, like Imola before, so I am confident that we can get this feeling again quickly at Sepang. We need to find a good setting so the bike is not too difficult to ride in the conditions, but I’m really looking forward to riding again.





Pieter Breddels - technical co-ordinator

Lorenzo has some experience of this new circuit on the calendar and he’s looking forward to getting back there. He and his team will be working hard to make up for the disappointment he suffered at Donington. Although Michael has not been to this track, the CBR has a very good base setting now and I don’t think he will take long to learn the layout. He is in good form at the moment and we’ll be looking to continue that this weekend.



Championship Standings

1 Michael van der Mark 90 pts NED HONDA Pata Honda World Supersport Team
2 Florian Marino 76 pts FRA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres
3 Jules Cluzel 62 pts FRA MV MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport
4 Kev Coghlan 60 pts GBR YAMAHA DMC Panavto-Yamaha
5 Lorenzo Zanetti 49 pts ITA HONDA Pata Honda World Supersport Team
6 Raffaele De Rosa 45 pts ITA HONDA Core PTR Honda
7 Kenan Sofuoglu 38 pts TUR KAWASAKI MAHI Racing Team India
8 Roberto Tamburini 37 pts ITA KAWASAKI San Carlo Puccetti Racing
9 Roberto Rolfo 36 pts ITA KAWASAKI Team GO Eleven
10 Patrick Jacobson 32 pts USA KAWASAKI Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres