GoldBet BMW rider Chaz Davies is not a happy rider, after failing to make it inside the top ten fastest times in both World Superbike practice sessions at Imola today.

It is his team’s home round but the Welshman had nothing to celebrate, but team-mate and local hero, Marco Melandri had a better day and finished today’s first qualifying practice in sixth and on the provisional second row. While Davies' best time could only place him eleventh quickest in the qualifying practice session placing him on a provisional fourth row start.

The Powys based rider struggled when turning into corners, and was having issues that caused him to wheelie the bike too much. Overall it is a day Davies would like to forget, and hopes to solve the problems in time for tomorrow.

“I am not very happy with today. Every time I tried to push I was struggling with issues when turning into corners. It is something that I haven’t had to that extent before,” said Davies.

“We have not changed anything dramatic but when I try to push that happens. In addition we also need to try and find a solution for another issue, I am wheely-ing too much and lose quite a bit of time on the straight because of that. So we have to have a good look at the data and we need to make an easier bike to ride because when I don’t push, the lap time is faster.”