WSB’s Defining moment number 4 – Under rated and unlucky riders

Yes, he’s on the best bike in the championship and yes he has unconditional support from Ducati, but Michel Fabrizio was the clear winner of ‘best of the rest’ after finishing a comfortable third overall behind Haga and Spies in 2009.
 
Public opinion of the cocky 24 year old Italian is that he’s nothing special, but if that’s the case how do you explain his three race wins, 15 podiums, six fastest laps and third in the overall standings.
 
During the five rounds from Monza at the start of May and Donington and the end of June, Fabrizio scored more points than anyone thanks to his run of nine podiums from ten starts.
 
Yes he still has work to do on his year long consistency and for some his undisputed pace may be an inconvenient truth, but the stats prove Fabrizio has got what it takes to be a genuine contender in 2010.
 
When it comes to riders that weren’t able to show their true potential then that accolade has to go to Shane Byrne.
 

The double BSB champion arrived in WSB on the promise of a competitive Ducati capable of challenging at the front in WSB – but it never happened. All year long Byrne had to push his privateer Ducati to the limit to make up for the shortfall in overall performance.

 

Despite being disillusioned by his machinery the 32 year old Brit, dug deep upped his training, pushed even harder and rode an impressive second half of the season with a podium, six top fives and a final top eight finish in the standings.