Batta: Not long until Bimota is top EVO bike

Alstare manager Francis Batta believes his team is well on course to become the top EVO outfit in the World Superbike Championship after coming close to its first 'unofficial' win in only its second event at Assen.

Having made an impressive debut last time out at Motorland Aragon, the Bimota BB3 continues to show progress in the hands of Ayrton Badovini and Christian Iddon, the duo performing strongly in both the wet and the dry conditions in Assen.

Though the Bimota outfit is ineligible to score points (and is shown as 'disqualified' on the final results sheet) until it meets its homologation production quota, Batta says Badovini's run to 11th place and second in class across the line in the first race - after Iddon crashed out ahead of him - was indicative that it is closing on the top spot.

"Conditions were very difficult," he said. "We suffered two crashes (Iddon in race one, Badovini in race two), but fortunately neither Ayrton nor Christian were hurt - and that is the main thing. The team did a fantastic job rebuilding Christian's bike in such a short time and he was able to start the second race. Of course, we would've all preferred dry conditions, but this is Assen and rain is no stranger here.

"We've learnt a lot this weekend and our knowledge of this new bike is increasing very steadily and so I don't think it will be too long before we are the top EVO bike. This is our goal and we will do everything we can to achieve it."

Bimota will need to show it has built 125 bikes by the end of July before it will be eligible to score WSBK points.