VAN DER MARK READY FOR PORTIMAO
Championship leader Michael van der Mark and his Pata Honda team-mate Lorenzo Zanetti are looking forward to a weekend of good results as they head to round eight of the 2014 World Supersport Championship this weekend at the Autodromo Internacional Algarve in Portugal. Championship leader van der Mark, 21, from the Netherlands, will be aiming to continue his remarkable run of podium results that has seen him finish no lower than second – including race wins in the Netherlands, the UK and Malaysia – since crashing out of the opening round in Australia in February.
Michael van der Mark: “I really like the Portimao track and I’m ready to go! I’ve had some good results there in the past, with a couple of podiums in Superstock, and I just missed out in Supersport last year. We found a good setting in the winter test and me and the team are in a really good rhythm right now. It’s just a shame we have to go into such a long summer break after this weekend, but at least I get a chance to continue some racing with the Suzuka 8 Hour. When you’re in this kind of groove you just want to race every weekend. I really want to win again this weekend but we need to think about the championship, as well, so we’ll work hard on getting a good setting for Sunday and see how things go.”
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator: “Michael rode really well at Portimao in his rookie season last year and just missed the podium. In his current form, we expect him to be in a position to fight for the win and to continue his really impressive first half of the season. He will need to use his head this weekend but we’ll work hard to give him what he needs to be in a strong position as we go into the summer break.”