Most of the WorldSSP teams had chance to test at the track in May, with riders Kaito Toba and Khairul Idham Pawi both working hard to learn the layout by making as many as laps as possible over the two days available to them. Both riders appreciated the technical layout and, considering the circuit is a new entry to the calendar this season, there is a level playing field as the event gets underway, with nobody having any extensive track knowledge beyond what was learned during testing. 

This ninth world championship round comes three weeks after round eight at Magny-Cours in France, where Toba and Pawi battled the elements as well as their rivals on track, with both able to score points despite the challenges. The PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team hopes for slightly more stable weather in Italy this weekend as it continues to focus on improving its results aboard the CBR600RR. 

Located in the Lombardy region of Italy and inaugurated in 2011, this is the first time that Cremona Circuit will stage an international motorcycle racing event. It has therefore undergone renovations, with modifications made to both track and grandstands, in preparation for the upcoming WorldSBK round. The technical track is relatively short, measuring 3.768 km in length, and incorporates six right-hand turns and seven left-handers.  

Kaito Toba 

“We're headed to Cremona this week. Although this is the first time I’ll be racing at the track, we did test there earlier this year. That will help us to start out with a solid base already on Friday, as we already have a rough idea of what works and what doesn't work. I'm looking forward to keeping up the progression we've shown over the last couple of rounds. Hopefully the weather won't be too changeable, and we can continue doing our best out on track.” 

Khairul Idham Pawi 

“I’m glad we had a test in Cremona earlier this year, so we do have some data, but we’ll still have our work cut out this weekend. First, we’ll need to see what the weather brings, and then prepare accordingly. Hopefully things run a little more smoothly than they did at Magny-Cours, where the rain had a real impact. Let’s see what we can do at what is a new track for everybody of course.”  

Track Information: 

Country: Italy
Name: Cremona Circuit
Length: 3.768 km
Start/finish: 400 m 

Turns: 7 left, 6 right
 
SSP RECORDS: new circuit 

SSP RESULTS: new circuit