Wet weather forecast and track changes at Monza

The fifth round of the World Superbike Championship gets underway at a modified Monza circuit today.

The historic Italian circuit features a revised first chicane in an effort to improve safety, especially on the first lap.

Last year Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner had his season wrecked after he was hit by Brendan Roberts, who had been hit himself on the way into the chicane.

Neukirchner suffered a badly broken leg and ankle and didn’t make his return until testing in Imola in July, where he was injured again.

The new chicane is now faster, which should stop it acting like a bottle neck. The track is now 20 metres shorter, which means the current lap record is almost certain to be broken – but only if it stays dry.

At 10.30am local time the conditions are good, but the forecast is a mixture of sunshine and rain over the next three days including the possibility of storms on Sunday.