Haga claims winning is the only option
Added on Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009 by Carole Nash Editor
Haga claims winning is the only option
Only a win will do for Noriyuki Haga this weekend as he looks to take back the lead in the World Superbike Championship at Imola.
Haga saw his lead in the championship wiped out at the Nurburgring two weeks ago after crashing out of race two in Germany, allowing Yamaha rookie Ben Spies to open up an 18-point lead in the championship with three rounds remaining.
Haga launched a scaving attack on Ten Kate Honda rider, and eventual race two winner, Jonathan Rea following his crash after claiming that the Brit collided with his Ducati and that incident clearly still grates with the Japanese rider ahead of this weekend’s trip to Imola.
“We came away from Nürburgring disappointed, because we know we should have, and could have, taken at least one race win,” claimed Haga.
But the 34-year-old is turning his attention to San Marino and reducing the gap on Spies at one of Ducati’s home circuits.
“Now I am in second place in the championship which means that at Imola it is even more important to finish first,” he added.
“There are 50 points on offer at Imola and the gap between Ben and I is only eighteen… It is of course Ducati’s home track and we haven’t been here for a few years, so, as well as needing the points for the championship, it would be great to do well in front of all the Ducatisti.”
