Up and down weekend ended with a strong comeback for BRT

Stronger than pain and misfortune, Rinaldi rode like an hero in WorldSBK race 2. At Motorland Aragón Circuit, Barni Racing Team rider stunned everyone conquering the ninth position despite an injury suffered in the morning Superpole Race. After being thirteenth in race 1 at Saturday Rinaldi aimed two good results today but he was struck by bad luck. 

Superpole Race 

From the second row conquered in Superopole (best career result in qualifying session) Rinaldi had a very good start but on the first corner disaster struck. Another rider accidentally clipped the back of Rinald’s bike, ending his challenge.The Barni Racing Team rider slipped down and suffered an injury at his left ankle, but he back aboard his Ducati Panigale V4 R in race 2 after being declared fit to race by the Medical Centre. 

Race 2

Rinaldi didn’t not jump very well from the tenth spot and he was quick to slot into thirteenth. He had been struggling up until the lap 5, when he scores his best lap in race 1’50.7 and started his tremendous comeback recovering many positions. Despite feeling pain and facing problems in downshift, he stunned everyone overtaking Melandri, Toprak, Sykes and finally Cortese between laps 10 to 13. Lapping with almost the same pace with the rider at the front Rinaldi tried to catch also Van der Mark and Torres but when he realised he was too far he prefered to secure his ninth position defending from Cortese. 

Thanks to these results Rinaldi put in his pocket 10 points between the three races. A non-expected result for the team, but gritting the teeth Rinaldi demonstrated he was stronger than everything happened. He is now eleventh in the Championship standings with 35 points.

Marco Barnabò - Team Principal

"This weekend everything happened. On friday the rider was sick, on saturday we found a good setup but an abnormal vibration on the the rear tyre messed up the race. We wanted a revenge this morning, but a crash at the first corner happened. In Race 2 Michael found its spine and did a heroic race. Despite his physical condition he managed to fight and beat other good riders. This is a prove that, step by step, we could compete at high level".

Michael Ruben Rinaldi: P9 - Race 2 

"In Race 2 I had to fight the pain, not my opponents. I was able to clench the teeth thanks also to the team which gives me a good bike. In spite of everything I was able to maintain a good pace and I’m sure if we were luckier in Superpole Race we could fight for better positions. Overall this weekend we expected more than we got, but today’s race gives me hope for Assen"