Doha: The final round of the 2014 eni FIM World Superbike Championship began with yesterday’s traditional Media event.
Tom Sykes, Sylvain Guintoli, Jonathan Rea, Davide Giugliano, Alex Lowes, Sylvain Barrier, Claudio Corti, Aaron Yates and 2014 WSS Champion Michael van der Mark were joined by four-time Qatari Superbike champion Alex Cudlin for a boat ride on a typical Dhow vessel that began on Corniche, taking in some of the impressive landmarks of Qatar, before ending with a photoshoot in front of the Islamic Museum.
The event began in style with Corti trying to throw one of the championship contenders, Guintoli, overboard which would have made Sykes’ weekend slightly easier.
With everybody watching the comedy moment, nobody realised how close to the sand bank the vessel was and moments later, the boat which was now in the middle of the Dhow Corniche, sailing alongside the impressive Doha skyline, lost the front end, and ran aground sending all the passengers off balance.
Title rivals Sykes and Guintoli had a ‘minor collision’ on the starboard side, but were soon all smiles again after some swift intervention by the coastguard who came to the rescue.
The riders were then returned to the track for a night time familiarisation session ahead of tomorrow’s opening practice sessions for both World Superbike and World Supersport categories.
This weekend’s event at the Losail International Circuit will see history being made, as the stars of Superbike do battle for the first time under floodlights at the circuit that last hosted the series in 2009.
With only 12 points separating reigning champion Sykes and his only title rival Guintoli anticipation is building - there are just two races and a total of 34 laps to decide the 2014 victor.
Sykes is looking forward tot he race day.
“It’s come down to that after a long season of hard racing and you known on Sunday evening we will do the best we can. I think there are a couple of changes we need to make to the bike and looking forward to it.
“This is my third year in a row that I am fighting for the championship. I will just try and use best of that experience to make an advantage on Sunday.”
Guintoli, who is not new to the Losail track said: “It feels good to be so close, especially because we were a long way behind a couple of races ago. So I would say that we definitely have a chance here. It is going to be exciting. Night race in Qatar makes it a special event, being away from Europe and finishing the championship like this. I have raced here many times and the last time I came here was in 2010. It is a track I really like and know very well obviously.
Cudlin, who will ride for Team Pedercini Kawasaki is excited ahead of the race.
“I am looking forward to my world Superbike debut. Qatar is something very special as I have spent a lot of my career racing here. But it will be difficult because I have to concentrate on two different championships. I am leading in the Qatar Superbike Championship and I have to try and continue winning. In Qatar, I am with the QMMF team and in WSBK, I have the Team Pedercini Kawasaki, which is also sponsored by the QMMF.
Meanwhile, Losail International Circuit, the organisers of the race said Grandstand is free for the public from today for the three-day event.
The Peninsula
