Aprilia Looks to Donnington

At the sixth of 13 rounds in 2001, the World Superbike Championship isalmost at its midway point. Ideal for many manufacturers taking part inthe championship, the English circuit could well give a clue as to theway the 2001 season is heading...

Top-of-the-charts Bayliss on his Ducati has a 28-pointlead over his official antagonist, Troy Corser of Aprilia, who failed tonotch up any points in the Monza races and lost the lead he had built upin the first races of the season. It's going to be a close match betweenthe two Australian riders on Italian bikes: Aprilia and Ducati.

TheHondas are also all set to make their mark in England: Edwards came firstin one of the two races last year, crowning his success in the previous'99 season.

Troy Corser won a memorable double victory here at Donington back in1996 - setting a yet unbeaten race lap record. With his in-depthknowledge of the Derbyshire track, you can bet the Australian ace isgoing to do all in his power to reduce that gap between him and firstplace.

Also, watch out for the English wild cards: there are five of them,including Reynold, Emmett and Hislop who know the track backwards andare all potential claimants to victory, together with Hodgson who stolethe show in Race 2 last year.

Regis Laconi is racing on this track for the first timeon a Superbike, although the track has no secrets for him as a 500 GPrider. The official Aprilia rider, hot on the heels of his goodperformance at Monza - which enabled him to notch up a couple of rungsin the world rider's championship - has all it takes to make a finerating in the Donington races.