Rules of big game
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MOSCOW, RUSSIA
8th ROUND, 19-21st July 2013
Sunday, July 21
Races of the 8th round of World Superbike Championship (Supersport and 2nd stage of Superbike) were officially stopped and then cancelled due to the tragic incident that happened at the very beginning of WSS race, resulting in interrupted life of Italian motorsport rising star Andrea Antonelli.
This kind of incidents happens. But they are always a shock for those who involved in motorsport, as a global social phenomenon that has no limits. There no words to express the bitterness of this moment.
Claudio Corsetti, director of Yakhnich Motorsport team: “We are, the racers, when we sitting on the bike and going out of the garage, we accept the rules of a big game – incredible, impressive game that captivates us from the first minute. Road or race track – doesn’t matter – we know, that on the bike our body and mind goes to another dimension. This feeling is available for those who inside and unknown for outsiders.
To be a motoracer means that we know the rules we play. We know the game can be dangerous; it can give us unforgettable moments and can bring sad experience. Those who can’t accept this they choose their own way of life, and they just not going to be motoracers. That’s it”.
Claudio Corsetti made his comment about the races that already happened, including the first race of the senior class – World Superbike, when for the first time in 25-years history of the Championship has been tested the rule of non-stop race in case there are changing weather conditions. Russian round of WSBK, started (and officially announced) as “Dry”, just 10 minutes later became “Wet”. But many of racers, who were battle for wins and title, were not about to return to pit-lane, where were mechanics awaiting to make a quick change of the tires (with new warmed rain compounds).
Only after 20 laps Chaz Davies (GoldBet BMW Motorrad) and his teammate Marco Melandri, who won the race, made a quick pit stop and continued the race on slicks, increasing their lead. The same as their rival Ayrton Badovini (Ducati Alstare), who brought first podium for the team on Ducati 1199 Panigale R. Loris Baz from Kawasaki team on the same tires tried to stay with leaders. All of them successfully finished.
Then wet start of Supersport was announced, which started normally and even “easily” by the comments of racers. There were no sings of the tragedy.
“Usually things are going right. Today, everything went wrong. We can not say anything critical about technical aspects of the bikes, nor the track. More of that, conditions of the track were impressive! – said the manager of Russian team, who spent many years of his life racing in a national racing series, now the head instructor of Federal Motoschool of FMI (Italian Motorcyclists Federation), - We all saw how the first race of Superbike went. It was a dream race: racers fought for the results on slicks, when conditions started to change from 100% dry to 100% wet, but they continued to push, feeling that circuit gives them this opportunity even in wet conditions – Moscow Raceway provides perfect grip! And after Supersport warm-up, when everybody started on wet tires, nobody complained. Visibility was good as well. But racers, going to the start, know, what can happen in these conditions, when speeds are high and battles are very tight. At any circuit. Everyone knows that when you are going on such a high speed and your rival is only few centimeters behind, no one can stop at once, suddenly. And there is always something that can not be predicted. We sympathize with all whose who knew Andrea. He was one of us”.
Yakhnich Motorsport team presents its deepest condolences to the family and friends of Andrea Antonelli and to the Italian Motorcyclist Federation due to this great loss.