It was a mixed weekend for the IodaRacing Team at the Gaerne Qatar Round with Lorenzo Savadori finishing 10^th in Race 1 and 12^th in Race 2, whilst Angelis De Angelis was 13^th in Saturday’s race, but was forced to retire in Sunday’s season finale under the lights at Losail.

On his last ride for the team before he moves to the new Milwaukee-Aprilia outfit for 2017, Savadori commented, “For us this was not such a good weekend. In Race 2 I was quite far back due to a contact with another rider early on in the first start and then I started again from 18th in the second race. I managed to get a good start, I took some risks, but I couldn’t stay with the front group. We are unsatisfied with 12th, but this race still allowed us to gain experience.”

He added, “I want to thank everyone. The team who helped me a lot this year and gave me the opportunity for my first season in Superbikes. Also Aprilia and Romano Albesiano, who with Giampiero Sacchi and Iodaracing found a way for me to ride in 2016. It was a great season and very constructive but I still have to improve a lot. I owe a lot to the people who have supported me this year, from the guys at Iodaracing to those at Aprilia, who have been alongside me over this long season.”

For De Angelis there was frustration in the final outing of the year as a problem with his Aprilia RSV4RF meant he was unable to complete the race.

“In my opinion what happened in Race 2 wasn’t a true reflection of the potential of what we could have achieved and what we had already done in the first start. I really want to thank the Iodaracing guys who never gave up until the last second, making one last small change to help me even in the warm-up, which we saw made a difference. The full confidence of the team in me is the same from me to them because we have worked so hard this weekend.”

“I also want to thank Iodaracing Team and all the sponsors, who after what happened last year have allowed me not only to continue to get on and do what I like most in the world, but also get a podium result in a new series for me. I don’t know if I’ll still be here next year. I would like to carry on with this group, to continue to work and to achieve even more next season.”

After a first full season in WorldSBK, the Iodaracing Team end the year with Savadori in tenth in the final standings on 150 points and with De Angelis in 13^th on 96 points. Between them the two riders have notched up 20 top ten results, with a second place for De Angelis at the Lausitzring in Race 2 being the standout performance of the year for the team.