The World Superbike Championship moves on to the ultra-fast 5.800km Monza circuit in Italy for round five of the 13 round series this weekend. The long fast straights and chicanes ensure freight-train drafting action and close racing with many races won by less than the length of a motorcycle. In the corresponding event last season both races were decided by the width of a tire. Castrol Honda star Colin Edwards and Carl Fogarty raced across the line side-by-side with Fogarty taking the prize in both races. But Edwards won both races at Monza in 1998, riding a four-cylinder RC45 and is determined to repeat that performance on Sunday, this time aboard the RC51, the first high-speed race test for the V-twin.

"I like the Monza track. It holds good memories - like my first World Superbike win, in 1998. The circuit is a real top-speed track so we're going to find out what the RC51 is really capable of," said Edwards. "I'm ready to bag a couple of wins and I know I can do that at Monza. We seem to have had a strange start to the year but the European season is under way now and it's a stage of the year I really enjoy."

Edwards teammate Aaron Slight made a successful come-back at the last round of the series, in England, just three months after undergoing brain surgery. The popular New Zealander taking ninth and seventh places, respectively, in the two races. 

Monza '99 was not memorable for Slight. Sticking brakes first time out restricted him to a fifth place finish before a jump start penalty put pay to his chances in race two. But Slight has always raced in the top group at Monza claiming several podium places. His one win at the track came in 1993.

Slight said. "Monza's a great track and I'm hoping I can improve on my Donington Park comeback performances with some high finishes in Italy on Sunday. It's been tougher than I expected coming back but I know Monza is not as demanding physically as Donington so I'm banking on that to help me get a couple of good results at the weekend."

The main threat to the Honda riders will again be the in form Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) and Suzuki top man Pierfrancesco Chili.

Haga heads the points standings, 11 clear of Edwards and 35 ahead of Chili in third place. Haga has been consistent at Monza on his two visits to the Italian circuit. He finished ninth and tenth in the two races in 1998 and was twice sixth last year. However, his form this year almost guarantee's him a podium place in both races.

Chili has tasted success at Monza in the past. He has two victories to his credit at the track and three other podium place finishes, including his double third-place finish last season - on both occasions less than a second behind winner Fogarty.

Former world champion Troy Corser (Aprilia) had a day to forget in England, he finished eighth in race one and crashed out of the second to leave himself 53 points adrift of series leader Haga. Corser has raced at Monza four times and never finished lower than fifth. Last season he scored two fourth places but in each race came home eight seconds down on the blanket finish that secured the podium places.

Reigning World Champion, and double Monza winner in '99, Carl Fogarty is still on the sidelines with a broken arm and is not expected to return to racing until August, at the earliest.

The Champion's teammate, American Ben Bostrom, has yet to find the form that carried him to an AMA Championship in 1998 and second last year. He has just 30 points from his eight race starts this season but the characteristics of the Monza circuit suit his factory Ducati and offers him the chance to resurrect his season.

Troy Bayliss will sub for Foggy at Monza. 

ENDS