The final World Supersport championship race of the season was one of mixed emotions for Italian Alex Baldolini who claimed a 3rd row starting position before crashing out of a front running position early in the race.
Baldolini, who switched machines before the Donington Park event, has been steadily improving with a machine that most people said was unable of running regularly in the top 15 at World Championship level.
The results that both he and the Suriano squad have achieved give hope that the Suzuki could be a surprise package of the 2014 season.
Since returning to the team he calls ‘his family’, Alex has scored points in all but one race, and with a best result of 9th at Imola can be satisfied with the development work that he and the Suriano Suzuki team have accomplished this season.
Alex Baldolini: “I had a very good qualifying position and started from 7th on the grid. I made a great start and was running 5th. I was enjoying the race and when Van Der Mark passed me I was pushing really hard to stay at the front. I was pushing too hard and I crashed. I am sure I could have finished in the top 5. Despite the crash, I am very happy because when I joined re-joined Suriano, the Suzuki was not so competitive. We have worked hard and we made a lot of improvements until we arrived closed to the front. I enjoyed being at the front again and I want to thank Ninetto who always trusted in me. Like last year, we showed that together we can achieve good things.”
Alex Baldolini finished 17th overall in the World Championship standings but after a top 6 finish overall in 2012, he is optimistic of a return to winning ways when the World Supersport championship resumes in Phillip Island in February.
