Rinaldi hopeful of top results at home in Misano!
The Italian rider took his best WorldSBK result last time at Jerez, and is seeking to build on it at Misano!
After a career-best fourth position at Jerez in Race 2, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team) is eager to put on a good show in front of his home fans at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli on the Adriatic Coast. The circuit, which is just a short distance from his birth-place, is a true home round for the 23-year-old, who currently sits in 12th in the championship.
Just two points behind fellow-Independent team rider Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing), Rinaldi is now just 17 behind the top ten, currently completed by 2013 WorldSBK Champion, Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
Speaking ahead of the round, Rinaldi stated: “Misano means Italy, which means Romagna and this is my home. The track is only few kilometres from my house. We did a couple of days of testing there and this is positive to approach the weekend.
“Race days are forecasted very hot and - as happened in Jerez - this could be a key factor. With high temperatures, normally, the track is very tricky, but I know what to expect in that condition. I’ll be focused and determined, working with the team to get best possible results in front of my fans.”
Rinaldi’s results at Misano in 2018 consisted of a 17th in Race 1 and an 11th, meaning he will be eager to vastly improve in 2019, with good current form and more experience. Can the home-hero complete the perfect home-coming?
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