Runaway World Superbike Championship leader Troy Bayliss says he is "quietly confident" ahead of this weekend's round at Monza. It's one of three home races for the Xerox Ducati team and a place where the affable Aussie has scored double wins in 2001, 2002 and 2006.
He said: ""Monza is one of my favourite circuits. This weekend I will take it as it comes really. I'm quietly confident about the races and although the 4-cylinders are undoubtedly going to go well, I don't think we'll be at a big disadvantage regarding speed.
"Monza is a very special track for me and the fans are amazing here too and always want to see me do well so I'd love to come away with another couple of great results."
Bayliss needs only one more Superpole win to join Carl Fogarty on a total of 21 career starts from the premier grid slot. Should Bayliss manage it, it would be the first of two Foggy-matching missions Bayliss can complete in 2008.
After an Assen double race win, however, Bayliss now has 20 more chances to score the 14 further race wins that would put him on a new all-time record total of 60, before he hangs up his titanium-capped boots for good at the end of the year.
Yamaha's Noriyuki Haga is also a big fan of the track and he also has an enviable record here. Last year, he won both races and it's the home track for his team Yamaha Motor Italia.
He said: “The Monza race is very special and important for us all. Last year was great. I set a super lap of 1.44'941 in Superpole and won both races. As you probably know by now our Yamaha Motor Italia base is very close to the Monza circuit, so many friends and fans come along to cheer me. My aim for Monza will be to repeat the same fantastic result as last year. The competition is even harder this year so my aim will be not so easy, but I will try to get as many points as possible.”
Team-mate Troy Corser hasn't had the most successful start to the season but it still lying third in the championship and says there is more to come. “We have had some small problems in the past races but as far as the season goes I would say we can mark ourselves as eight out of 10. Although I haven't won a race yet I am still sort of up there in the championship standings, in third right now. My form is good and my motivation is still high and I just try as hard as I can to win races," he said.
Roberto Rolfo will not be taking part in this weekend's fifth round of the FIM Superbike World Championship at Monza after the Hannspree Honda Althea rider crashed on his mountain-bike while training last Sunday. Rolfo broke his left collarbone in the crash and as a result will miss the Italian Round.
