Vladimir Leonov is started on the 8th stage in World Superbike

World Supersport Championship

Round 7

Aragon 29 june-1 July 2012

FRIDAY JUNE 29.TH

46 Days after the terrible accident in Donington, Vladimir Leonov is again riding his Yakhnich Motorsport R6. For sure his left ankle is not at the best condition, and you can understand already in the paddock, looking at him walking with difficulties instead of the crutche’s help, how hard it is for Vladimir to came back on the track... 

In any case, even with the help of Clinica Mobile speciaalists, this morning Vladimir jumped (...ok, not exactley jumped... just seated... :-)) on his R6 and went back to his world!

One, two, three laps, just to understand what’s going on, and even to discover his new bike set up (the old one was distroyed in Donington crash). Not bad, really not bad. In the morning free practice Vladimir setted the 24.th position, riding in 2’07”355, quite 5 seconds to the best laptime signed by Parkes (2’02”508). 

In the afternoon qualifying, the hottest conditions slower down the results. The provisional pole position was signed by Lowes, in 2’03”067, but Vladimir was much more faster than the morning: 2’06”065 his best performance, that at the moment give him the 22.th position.

So far from his normal  condition, Our rider finished the qualifying quite distroyed phisically. But happy for the test: 13 laps in the morning, 13 laps in the afternoon.

He rode the Yakhnich R6 in the old techincal engine step. We wanted him to remember the bike exactly as he left it in the donington race. For tomorrow we will put the new engine, already tested in the double winning  race in Mugello CIV stage, last week, by Massimo Roccoli.

VLADIMIR LEONOV

“I’m happy finally to cam back to my bike. I want to ride, after so long time without doing it. It’s very hard, especially because of this really hot conditions, but I will do my best to bring the bike to the checkered flag! I suffer a lot in the very fast changing direction of this circuit, I loose lot of time in the fast corner in the second split, because of  the difficulties to change gear while the bike is leaning. But now, after this first day, I’m curious to test the new engine tomorrow. Maybe it will help me to obtain a better qualifying time for the race”.