STEADY PROGRESS FOR SR OFF-ROAD APRILIA AT FRENCH GP
30 May 2006 - Aprilia

The SR Off-Road Aprilia team continue to make steady progress with their Aprilia SXV in the Supermoto World Championship finishing 12th overall despite more than their fair share of bad luck over the weekend.

Misfortune has plagued the team all season and this continued at the French GP held at Villars Sous-Ecot with a fuse blowing on the Aprilia in first practice putting them on the back-foot right from the outset.

In the second practice session held on the Saturday team rider Sam Warren had a minor fall which was enough to slightly dislocate his shoulder. Nursing his arm as he walked back to the pit area and in considerable discomfort it was up to the SR Off-Road Aprilia team to undertake some first aid in the field and realign Warren’s shoulder.

Further woes for the Derbyshire team and rider came in qualifying with a puncture prematurely ending his session which left him 17th on the grid.

As with the first round of the World Championship in Italy there was more heavy rain in France on race-day. Warren made steady progress in the first race to finish 14th at race end finishing ahead of the Aprilia Germany rider of Heimer and his Italian counterpart Fabrizio.

In the second race Warren had a storming start and once again clawed back race positions to finish 12th. The overall result for Warren was also 12th and he now moves into the top twenty in the World Championship standings.

Warren commented that all the raw ingredients for a top ten finish were there he just need a little luck.

“I came away from the MotoGB round at Cadwell Park really pleased with how things were progressing. I thought it demonstrated what we were capable of if everything went to plan. In the World Championship though, we just can’t seem to get a trouble free run. I’ve got the measure of several riders in the top ten, I’m just looking for an opportunity to prove it – it’s a little frustrating.”

Team boss Mick Spencer went on to say that the second race in particular is one of the best he has seen from his young charge.

“Considering Sam still had a very tender shoulder I thought he rode exceptionally well today, particularly in the second race. I can see that he and the Aprilia are really starting to gel together now and he has produced a very professional performance despite a few incidents which have caused us some headaches.”

As the SR Aprilia Off-Road outfit learn more about the Aprilia SXV at every outing the mood within the team is becoming increasingly buoyant with a top ten overall finish hoped for at the next round of the World Championship which will be at Melk in Austria on the 25th June.

The team are also looking at their schedules with a view to possibly tackling further British rounds or undertaking some testing in the next few weeks.

www.aprilia.com

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