SBK, Melandri: we can be protagonists at Imola

Everything's ready for the home round. The Aruba Ducati team prepares for a weekend on the banks of the Santerno, just a short hop from the Borgo Panigale HQ, on the back of a positive test at Brno in late April. In the Czech Republic, both Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri tested some chassis and electronic updates for the Panigale R. As well as preparing for the Czech round, the aim was to ready themselves for the important round that is the Italian GP, coming as it does at a crucial moment.

An event that has always proved positive for Chaz Davies, currently 30 points behind Jonathan Rea and more than ready to get back in the mix. "Imola is a special place. We've been particularly competitive there in the past two years, even going above our expectations, and it's just been one of those circuits where we've been able to get into a good rhythm quite fast. The track itself has some hard-braking areas that suit my style, and I've always been very motivated since we've been surrounded by all the Ducati people and fans, who have so much passion. But nothing stands still in racing, so we need to keep our head down and be prepared for a battle, as always."

The fifth round of the season might allow Marco Melandri, who scored his first podium at the track last year, to get back in the running as far as the standings are concerned. He's currently third, 44 points from Rea, but after last month's test things are looking up and so he hopes to be able to do more than in recent races, in which he looked to be struggling with the Panigale:"I think we're heading to Imola at the right time, I'm very excited but also focused and full of energy. I still haven't won at Imola in WorldSBK, but each year is a different story and I'm confident we can be protagonists. The last test has given me a lot of confidence, we made a big step forward and we understood our limitations better. I'm as determined as ever to fight for the win again. Anything is still possible, but we must not waste any opportunities. It'll be a memorable round."