Round 9 of the World Superbike championship sees the Ducati Xerox Team move on to the Czech Republic and the Automotodrom of Brno. The Brno track has been a permanent fixture on the World Superbike calendar since 2005, with the championship visiting the circuit on just two previous occasions during the 1990's.

The two Ducati Xerox riders Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio have mixed opinions about the track, having achieved varied results here over the last three seasons. They are joined in the Czech Republic by test rider Niccolo' Canepa who will participate as a wildcard with the Ducati Xerox Team for the first time in Sunday's Superbike races, as well as at the forthcoming rounds of Vallelunga and Magny-Cours.

Brno has not been the luckiest of places for Troy until now, with his best Superbike result being a sixth place finish last year. Hopes are high for a better outcome this weekend. Michel has had a successful recent past at this track with visits to the Superbike podium in 2007 and 2006 and a second place finish in the Supersport category in 2005. Niccolo' took part in last week's official Superbike test session at Vallelunga, the first time he has ridden the Ducati 1098 this year, and the results were immediately impressive. He now lines up for his first race weekend in the World Superbike category as a wildcard rider on board the Ducati 1098 F09.

Troy Bayliss
I haven't had much luck at Brno the last couple of years to be honest, I've had mixed results here in both Superbike and GP and have been involved in a couple of crashes. The last couple of years we were missing some acceleration with the 999, and this was noticeable at Brno, so now with the 1098 we should see some improvement in that respect. I hope that the extra track time that we had last week at Vallelunga will prove to have been beneficial, we got going well in the heat there and so I feel better prepared now in case conditions are similar here this week. My main aim is obviously to get a better result than I've ever had here before!

Michel Fabrizio
I really like the Brno circuit. I have had a few podium place finishes here, in Superbike and Supersport, and it seems to be a track that suits my riding style pretty well. Although I haven't been here on the F08 of course, I know I am capable of riding well here in both the wet and the dry which is useful as you never can predict the weather! After a couple of positive days of testing at Vallelunga last week I can say that we're feeling quietly confident for the next rounds.

Niccolo Canepa
I know the Brno circuit well and although I have to admit that it is not one of my favourite tracks, the fact that I get the chance to race the F09 here is just fantastic. Having been involved in a lot of the testing in recent months, both GP and Superbike, the thing I've been missing is the competition so I'm excited that I will finally get back to racing this week and alongside such an amazing line-up of riders.

The Track
Brno is a masterpiece of a motorcycle racing circuit. Constructed in the mid-1980s it eschews the modern fashion of tight turns and hairpins for a mighty mix of fast sweepers and undulating corners that test rider talent and machine performance to the limit. Most riders love the place because it's challenging and also because it's pretty fast. But Brno's most significant characteristic is its constant changes of elevation - the circuit weaves its way across forested hillsides outside the Czech Republic's second city - which means that many of the turns are steeply cambered. Dealing with negative-camber corners requires a perfectly set-up machine, deft riding skills and especially crucial input from tyre engineers.

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