With victory in Race 1 of the French round of the World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours, Carlos Checa celebrated his first World Championship title and brought Ducati’s list of Riders’ titles to an incredible 14. Completing the historic day for Ducati, the Italian brand also secured their 17th Manufacturers’ World Superbike Championship in addition to the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Rider’s and Manufacturers’ titles.
Spaniard, Carlos Checa, secured his title aboard the Team Althea Racing Ducati 1198 at the penultimate round of the 2011 World Superbike season, his convincing and championship-winning victory in Race 1 being followed by an equally spectacular win in Race 2. His world-beating form this year has produced 6 pole positions, 14 race wins and 20 podium places and he now moves on to the final race of the year in Portimao, Portugal on 16 October with 107 points advantage in the standings and the title won.
Meanwhile, in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, talented 22-year-old Italian rider, Davide Giugliano, rode to a safe 5th to clinch his title. The promising rider took his Team Althea Racing Ducati 1198 to a total of 4 race wins in 2011, fighting a close race to the title with today’s race winner, Danilo Petrucci, also competing onboard a Ducati 1198. Ducati’s victory in the highly competitive category further highlights the Italian manufacturer’s no-compromise approach to its road-going Superbike models and underlines the value of the torque-rich L-Twin configuration that Ducati have remained loyal to.
Having written his name into the history of World Superbike, Checa also reconfirms the competiveness of the L-Twin Ducati 1198 by taking the model to World Superbike title number 2. The victory enables the Borgo Panigale-based factory in Bologna to celebrate their 17th Manufacturers’ title, underlining the continued passion they have for the production-based World Superbike series.
Starting Sunday’s race from the front of the grid, Carlos Checa needed only to extend his championship lead by 3 points to mathematically secure the title, but soon controlled the race from the front, took the win by 2.2 seconds and won his World Championship in style. With the pressure off for Race 2, Checa maintained his cool, staying with leaders in the early part of the race before stretching a 1.2 second lead and winning the double.
”I’m so happy to win my first world title and so happy that I did it aboard a Ducati,” said Carlos Checa as the newly crowned 2011 World Superbike Champion. “My sincere thanks go to Team Althea Racing and everyone at Ducati who has worked hard to help me get these results. Together we’ve done a great job this year, immediately starting the season well against fast riders on very competitive bikes. >From mid-season we started to think about the title, but when the pressure increased we never lost our concentration and now we’re here. It’s a great feeling! We’re still looking forward, though, and now we’re concentrating on a big finish to the season at the final race in Portimao.”
President and CEO of Ducati Motor Holding, Gabriele Del Torchio, said: “I am very happy for the Riders’ title and extremely proud of the Manufacturers’ title. This significant achievement has now proved for the 17th time, Ducati’s supremacy in the production-based series and confirmed the success of the 1198, not only on the track, but also commercially and as an example of our Italian design and creativity. Carlos has been fantastic. He is an exceptional rider, always professional and always a true “Ducatista” by displaying the same determination and spirit as our company and our motorcycles. Thanks again Carlos and particular thanks to everyone at Team Althea Racing and Ducati Corse and all the staff at Ducati who have contributed to this fantastic result. Winning the Riders’ and Manufacturers’ titles also in Superstock today have truly made this a fantastic Sunday and a memorable event that is very important for our company and our twin-cylinder heritage.”
“A big thank you to Carlos who sincerely deserves this victory, both as a rider and as a person,” said Filippo Preziosi, Ducati Corse General Director. “A big thanks also to Team Althea principle, Genesio Bevilaqua, for the passion with which he entered this adventure with us, for believing in Carlos and believing in Ducati. Thanks also to everyone in Ducati Corse working on the Superbike project, Ernesto Marinelli, Marco Lozej and the whole development team for the professionalism and passion needed to win this new world title. Our achievements today are even more enhanced by the victories also in Superstock, making this a day that will live forever in our list of achievements and one that we’ll always remember.”
SBK – Results: Race 1
1. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 2. Melandri (Yamaha) 3. Haslam (BMW) 4. Camier (Aprilia) 5. Laverty (Yamaha) 6. Guintoli (Ducati) 7. Haga (Aprilia) 8. Lascorz (Kawasaki) 9.Corser (BMW) 10.Sykes (Kawasaki).
SBK – Results: Race 2
1. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 2. Melandri (Yamaha) 3. Laverty (Yamaha) 4. Haslam (BMW) 5. Guintoli (Ducati) 6. Camier (Aprilia) 7. Lascorz (Kawasaki) 8. Badovini (BMW) 9.Corser (BMW) 10.Haga (Aprilia).
SBK Standings: Riders’
1. Carlos Checa (467) 2. Melandri (360) 3. Laverty (283) 4. Biaggi (281) 5. Haslam (216) 6. Camier (194) 7. Guintoli (179) 8. Haga (170) 9.Badovini (155) 10.Fabrizio (145).
SBK – Standings: Manufacturers’
1. Ducati (491) 2. Yamaha (415) 3. Aprilia (399) 4. BMW (261) 5. Kawasaki (209) 6. Honda (162) 7. Suzuki (162)
STK Standings: Riders’
1. Giugliano (171) 2.Petrucci (144) 3. Zanetti (137) 4.Barrier (112) 5. Canepa (109) 6. Baroni (70) 7. Antonelli (67) 8. Reiterberger (64) 9. Massei (61) 10. Morais (49)
STK – Satndings: Manufacturers’
1. Ducati (215) 2. BMW (173) 3. Kawasaki (83) 4. Honda (75) Yamaha (16)
Ducati in World Superbike
157 Ducati pole positions
305 Ducati race victories
761 Ducati podium positions
14 Riders’ World Championship titles:
2011 Carlos Checa Ducati
2008 Troy Bayliss Ducati
2006 Troy Bayliss Ducati
2004 James Toseland Ducati
2003 Neil Hodgson Ducati
2001 Troy Bayliss Ducati
1999 Carl Fogarty Ducati
1998 Carl Fogarty Ducati
1996 Troy Corser Ducati
1995 Carl Fogarty Ducati
1994 Carl Fogarty Ducati
1992 Doug Polen Ducati
1991 Doug Polen Ducati
1990 Raymond Roche Ducati
17 Manufacturers’ World Championship titles:
2011 Ducati 1198
2009 Ducati 1098
2008 Ducati 1098
2006 Ducati 999
2004 Ducati 999
2003 Ducati 999
2002 Ducati 998
2001 Ducati 996
2000 Ducati 996
1999 Ducati 996
1998 Ducati 996
1996 Ducati 916
1995 Ducati 916
1994 Ducati 916
1993 Ducati 888
1992 Ducati 888
1991 Ducati 888
Ducati in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup
4 Riders’ Championship titles:
2011 Davide Giugliano Ducati 1198
2009 Xavier Simeon Ducati 1098 R
2008 Brendan Roberts Ducati 1098 R
2007 Niccolò Canepa Ducati 1098 S
3 Manufacturers’ Championship titles:
2011 Ducati 1198
2009 Ducati 1098 R
2008 Ducati 1098 R
About Ducati:
Founded in 1926, Ducati has been producing sport-inspired motorcycles since 1946. Their motorcycles are characterised by “Desmodromic” performance engines, innovative design and avant-garde technology. Covering several market segments, Ducati’s range of motorcycles are divided into model families which include: Diavel, Hypermotard, Monster, Multistrada, Streetfighter and Superbike. These authentic icons of “made in Italy” are sold in over 80 countries around the world, with concentration on the European, North-American and Asia Pacific markets. Ducati competes in both the World Superbike Championship and, with an official team, the World MotoGP Championship. In Superbike Ducati has won 17 Manufacturers’ titles and 14 Riders’ titles and in 2011 passed the historic milestone of 300 race victories. Ducati have participated in MotoGP since 2003, and took both the Manufacturers’ and Riders’ titles in 2007.
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