The Aussies racing in Misano last weekend had mixed fortunes. Here’s what they had to say…
There were five Aussies racing in various classes in Misano for Round 4 of the 2024 WorldSBK Championship last weekend. This is what they had to say to AMCN’s Gordon Ritchie…
REMY GARDNER – WORLDSBK: 6TH, DNF, 8TH
On form from the off, qualifying third in Superpole, Remy Gardner led Race 1 only to finish sixth, then got tangled with Garret Gerloff and fell in the Superpole Race. He was eighth in Race 2.
“Not the Sunday we were looking for after a strong weekend,” he said. “Unfortunately in the sprint race I had to go wide at the start and I lost some positions. I felt then we could have a good race anyway, but I got involved in an incident and that was the end. That finale compromised Race 2 as well as it’s tough to have a good run starting from behind, but I still managed to score some points.”
OLI BAYLISS – WORLDSSP: 8TH, 13TH
Oli Bayliss qualified a strong eighth and repeated that result in Race 1 after a great start. He was 13th in the red-flagged Race 2.
“I finally got a good qualifying,” he said. “If I started from where I usually start and finished where I did, I think I would be a lot more happy. But then I realised we still need to work a lot to try and make me able to fight with some of the guys at the front. We are getting there, for sure.”
LUKE POWER – WORLDSSP: DNF, 20TH
Qualifying 32nd determined Luke Power’s weekend. He crashed at T2 in Race 1 and improved to 20th in Race 2, but was third in the WorldSSP Challenge on Sunday.
“In the first practice session I had an electronics issue,” he said. “In the second Q session I had almost no track time after quite a big highside. In the first race I got taken out in the first lap. I only did about 15 laps before the second race so it was like an FP2 session.”
TOM EDWARDS – WORLDSSP: 12TH, DNF
Sadly a tech issue ruled Tom Edwards out of Race 2 early on after he had qualified 20th in Friday’s Superpole and finished 12th in Race 1.
“We did a test here recently where we made a lot of changes,” he said. “But the pace of the test was not there and when we came back here I picked up a heap of time and felt more comfortable. Unfortunately in qualifying I was only a couple of tenths from being 11 places higher than where I started. I had a good start. I gained positions but I had a couple of people crash into me. I stayed on and I managed to finish P12.”
TAYLA RELPH – WCRWC: DNF, 12TH
A harsh introduction for Tayla Relph to the new Womens’ Circuit Racing World Championship after qualifying 16th from 26 riders. She hurt her left shoulder in a Race 1 crash, but gritted her teeth and return and race in the second to finish 12th.
“I have a grade II AC ligament in my left shoulder – stretched – so I am very lucky,” she said. “I started 16th in Race 1 but I know I am better than that. I made up some positions in a lot of spots and by Turn 2 I was up in eighth position. I had a clear line and a really good run but next thing I knew I was on the ground. The data guy told me someone had hit my rear tyre and caused me crash.”