News

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship bikes roar around the Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, the two testing chicanes around the circuit are once again catching riders out – with penalties put into action.

Throughout free practise and qualifying, if they make a mistake in the Variante Alta chicane, riders must rejoin the track in a safe manner in order to prevent the interference of other riders laps, and their lap time will be deleted. In the interests of safety, once a rider has gone off the track at the same chicane, they must pass through the runoff area and go through to the end.

However this format gets slightly more complicated and important once the racing action gets underway in the Motul Italian Round. Once the rider goes onto the run off area of the same chicane he must then rejoin the track in the same manner but also ensure he has not gained any advantage in doing so.

In a similar procedure at the Variante Bassa chicane, the rider must also pass through the runoff area; however he should also slow down in speed as he continues forward. Once a rider reaches the second white line on the tarmac, he will meet a marshal holding a red flag and will have to wait for five seconds before the rider is allowed to rejoin the race.

However, if this happens in the last lap of the race the decision will be reviewed by race direction. Meaning the chicanes could throw up some surprises over the weekend.