Superbike: Everything is ready for the Pirelli Malaysian Round

For the second time in its history, the eni FIM Superbike World Championship will stop this weekend at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, which already hosted the races of the three classes of the MotoGP.

The 5548m track, which is located just south of the capital Kuala Lumpur, made its debut on the WorldSBK calendar last year and was a great success among the Malaysian public, who have always been great fans of the world of two wheels.
The 2014 edition of the round was dominated by Aprilia with Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli: the rider from Ravenna achieved a double in the race which was good for reviving him after a difficult start to the season, while for the Frenchman who later became World Champion the two second places were very important eventually making up ground on then leader Tom Sykes.
Last year's round is best remembered for theaccident between the two Kawasaki riders, Tom Sykes and Loris Baz, which caused so much discussion and which probably cost the Englishman the World Championship.
In fact, the young Frenchman slipped at turn 2, also involving his teammate: there were numerous polemical aftermaths from which an already tense situation between the two definitively emerged.
Totally different situation for Sykes this year given that, despite second place in the standings, he is 125 points behind his new teammate, Jonathan Rea.
In the last round at Laguna Seca the two had a close battle, with the 2013 world champion holding his own against his teammate, forcing him to 'settle' for two third places.
With 200 points still to be awarded, Sykes will have to work overtime to remain attached to the faint title hopes that remain while Rea, thanks to the 19 consecutive podiums achieved between the end of last season and this one, will aim to definitively close the title discussion, which on paper he could already win in race 2 in Sepang.

The most awaited protagonist, however, will be Max Biaggi, who we will see again on the track for the second time this year, as an Aprilia Racing Red Devils wildcard: after the two sixth places in Misano, the two-time World Champion took to the track last week here in Sepang, to complete the preparation work ahead of the round.
Biaggi has always been a fan of this track on which he boasts incredible results: 4 victories in 250cc (1994-1997), a third place in 500cc (1998), a success (2002), a second place (2004) and a third place (2003) in MotoGP.

However, the main players will not be the only ones: Chaz Davies arrives in Malaysia on the strength of his double at Laguna Seca, the first of the Panigale era.
No longer affected by top speed problems, the twin-cylinder super sports bike now has all it takes to do well even on a track like Sepang, characterized by two long straights that test the speed qualities of the bikes.
Unfortunately, we will not see Davide Giugliano in action, whose season ended prematurely after the bad fall in race 2 at Laguna Seca due to a fractured D3 vertebra.
Michele Pirro, his replacement, will be on track however only for the Jerez round, so Davies will have the whole team at his disposal.

Sepang will not be a new track for the Spanish rookies Torres and Roman Ramos who have already raced here in the past in the Moto2 World Championship.
A new track instead for Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), fresh from a good performance, despite the injury on Friday, at Laguna Seca.
Santiago Barragan, who has ended his professional relationship with Team Grillini Racing Kawasaki, will not be present.