The first round of the 2024 Italian Speed Championship was held on the Romagna Riviera, precisely at the Misano World Circuit, with the presence in the premier class, the Superbike, of Kevin Manfredi from La Spezia, the only rider riding the Suzuki GSX-R 1000 of Team Penta Motorsports.
The weekend was marked by bad luck, which significantly affected the final result and the expectations of the team and the driver, eager to achieve better results.
Already during the first tests on Friday, Kevin was forced to abandon the session early due to a mechanical problem with the engine, preventing him from completing the work planned on the track. This led the team to replace the engine and have to find a new set-up for qualifying.
In the second qualifying session on Saturday, the Spezzino was fast, finishing in ninth position and setting an ideal time 0.5 tenths faster than last year, a time that would have allowed him to qualify fifth.
But bad luck once again struck the Team Penta Motorsport garage in race 1, where due to an electronic problem on the alignment lap, Kevin was unable to take part in the competition. Also on Sunday morning, during the warm-up, a contact with another rider caused the crash of Kevin and his Suzuki number 34. The team once again worked exceptionally to restart the rider and allow him to participate in race 2 , which was successful.
However, in the second race, luck was not on Manfredi's side. After a promising start on the first lap, in which he gained two positions, he then encountered difficulty maintaining the pace due to a rear tire problem which compromised his performance, forcing him to finish the race in a less favorable position.
Kevin: “It was a difficult weekend, especially on a mental level, due to the many misfortunes we encountered. Despite this, we were fast even if always slowed down by some small problems. In race two, I would have hoped to do more but the rear tire lost some pieces and I didn't have the grip to push. I tried to maintain my position and bring home as many points as possible, avoiding retirement. I am satisfied with our performance in qualifying, even without a new tyre. I'm sure that from the next match we will be in the game too, we don't miss anything."
Kevin Manfredi is now 12th in the drivers' standings, a few points away from sixth position. In the meantime, he will prepare for his participation in the first stage of the World Endurance Championship in Le Mans, for the famous 24 Hours race.
Kevin thanks all the sponsors and technical partners of the 2024 season.
