Benelli score points on their Superbike return.

The Benelli Sport team enjoyed a successful return to World Superbike racing at Monza. Rider Peter Goddard took the revitalised Tornado to 14th in race one and then 17th in race, two scoring two championship points in their first race of the season.

"Our first hope this weekend was for reliability," commented team owner Andrea Merloni, "and we are happy to see that we have achieved that aim. Now we have to make the next step forward. There is a lot of work to do and it will be hard to find the time to do this work as we have races almost every other weekend for the rest of the season."

In wet qualifying Goddard proved the bike's potential by going eighth fastest in the rain, mixing with the best riders on the top bikes. But in the dry the team struggled with chatter, which plagued them for most of the weekend in dry sessions.

"Our dry set up wasn't right," said Goddard. "We managed to make some improvements as the weekend progressed, but we need to do some more work at the Silverstone test just prior to the race there in a fortnight's time."

The team travel to England soon for the next race. Meanwhile the road going Tornado is being delivered to Benelli dealers world-wide. Advanced orders for the Tornado seem to suggest the road bike will be a sales success. Now the Benelli Sport team must work hard to find their way forward with the race version of the beautiful Benelli Tornado superbike.

They know that their task isn't an easy one, after all they are taking on the might of some of the richest and most powerful motorcycle racing teams in the world, teams that have had many years to develop their machines. But one thing is for sure; Benelli Sport will put 100% of their energy and commitment into fulfilling Sig. Merloni's dream of seeing the Benelli marque re-established as a real force in motorcycle racing.