Superbike: The Championship returns to Donington

This weekend one of the most anticipated events of the season will be staged: the riders of the world series derivatives will battle at the legendary Donington Park Circuit, which was inaugurated way back in 1931 and has hosted the Superbike championship since 1988

Unlike the first edition route, the modern one, of 4023m, boasts a slower section at the completion of the lap, with the "Fogarty" S which is followed first by the narrow downhill Melbourne hairpin and then by the challenging "Goddards" curve. which leads back onto the pit straight.
Of the four British riders in the top four positions in the standings, only two have managed to reach the top step of the podium here and both play for the Kawasaki Racing Team.
Tom Sykes is the second most successful British rider on this track, in WorldSBK, after Carl Fogarty and with four wins in as many races he has been unbeaten at Donington Park for two editions now.

The current championship leader, as well as the absolute dominator of this first part of the season, Jonathan Rea, won the second race of the 2012 edition, when he made the most of the "internal struggle" in BMW between Haslam and Melandri.
In what is to all intents and purposes his home race, Leon Haslam will try to reverse the fortunes of a 2015 that began under the best auspices but has now slipped into a difficult situation, further complicated by the crash in race 2 at the "Tamburello" chicane which it caused him to fracture three ribs.
Haslam will undergo tests before the start of activity on the track.
Teammate Jordi Torres will once again try to fight for the podium after his third place in Imola, the first top-3 finish of his young WorldSBK career.
For the Catalan, Donington Park will be another new track to learn.

Home race also for Chaz Davies, fresh from the very unfortunate Italian weekend, in which he retired in both races due to technical problems.
Things went much better for the returning Davide Giugliano, in pole position and on the podium in race 1 despite the lack of training due to the injury suffered at Phillip Island.

Important appointment for both Team Pata Honda and Voltcom Crescent Suzuki, still looking for results that live up to expectations after a difficult start to the season.
For Suzuki, a good result would be of enormous value given the problems in setting up the electronics encountered from Aragon onwards.
Alex Lowes, one of the best performers on this track, took the lowest step of the podium in race 2 last year, while Randy de Puniet raced for the last time at Donington Park in 2009: on that occasion he obtained his second and last podium of his MotoGP career, finishing third.
A trip with great significance also for Sylvain Guintoli, who lives with his family, not far from the track: the reigning champion is still looking for an important placing in this difficult year.

Leon Camier boasts a third place in 2011, when he raced alongside Max Biaggi in Aprilia, at Donington Park and made his WorldSuperbike debut here as a wild card in 2009.

Expected to return to the track is Nico Terol, who will return to join Matteo Baiocco in the Althea Racing Ducati Team, after being replaced by Michel Fabrizio in Imola.
Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven Kawasaki) intend to continue in the wake of the good results of the last round.