The last time Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) went more than eight races without a win in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was three years ago. Back in 2015, the Welshman had just five total wins to his name when he arrived at Laguna Seca, on a ten-race streak without stepping up to the highest echelon of the rostrum – fast-forward to the Sunday afternoon, and Davies had achieved his first Ducati double.

The Aruba.it team and Davies himself will be hoping for a similar reaction this time around, as the second part of the season kicks off in California. Davies’ last triumph came in Race 2 at MotorLand Aragon. Since then, he has only led 10 laps (all at Imola, Race 2) and racked up three podium finishes in four rounds, nowhere nearly enough to satisfy a rider who, despite this, is still second in the standings.

A visit Stateside might be the best way to kickstart Davies’ championship aspirations. After all, few riders – even this weekend’s three local men – can boast as much experience at Laguna Seca as the Ducati rider, who spent three full seasons in several AMA competitions. He is also the most successful rider here with three victories, a WorldSBK record (tied with several men, including Tom Sykes).

The Welshman knows the Californian circuit to perfection: “It's a tough track, with a lot of technical parts to it. Camber and elevation change quite a lot, there are fast corners and hairpins, and obviously the 'Corkscrew' itself. It's hard to set the bike up right, because you want stability but also agility, so you need to find a good compromise”.

Whether that knowledge will translate to results is another thing. His bike hasn’t performed at its usual level in the last two rounds, but Davies thinks progress can be made at Laguna: “I think it suits my style, I really enjoy riding there and I'm looking forward to getting back on the Panigale R to build on what we found at Brno and aim for even better results”.

Can Davies bounce back in central California? Find out this weekend live and OnDemand thanks to the WorldSBK VideoPass.