Troy Bayliss admits he will be looking to go out on a high at Phillip Island as the Xerox Ducati man prepares for his final World Superbike Championship outing on home soil.
Bayliss, who will retire from racing at the end of the current season, heads to his home event on top of the riders' classification following a win and a fourth place finish in the season-opener at Losail but will hope to avoid a repeat of the incident he suffered during pre-season testing at the Australian venue – which left him nursing a broken collarbone.
"This year, being my last year, I'm out to enjoy myself and, of course, to win races," he reflected. "The team's goal is to win the championship and so I'll be taking any opportunity I'm given for a win here. It should be a great weekend, many of my family members and friends are coming down to cheer me on so I hope I can do well for them too.
"Phillip Island is a pretty special track for me and I've had some good and bad experiences during that time and so of course I'd love to go out on a high here. I'm feeling really comfortable on the new 1098 F08 and with the atmosphere in the team so I'm looking forward to what is ahead - it will be a competitive weekend and the same can be said for the rest of the year."
Team-mate
Michel Fabrizio meanwhile was also quick during the pre-season Phillip Island test and has been buoyed somewhat by a fifth place finish in the second race of the campaign at Losail last weekend, leaving him also confident going into the event.
"I have had some good experiences here at Phillip Island in the past few years and I have to say I like the track," he said. "I was pretty happy with how I went in Qatar but I hope this weekend gives me the chance to improve on how I did last weekend.
"I would really like to be up at the front with the Australian riders but we will see how we go - I'm feeling happy with the bike and so it should be a great weekend."
