There were mixed fortunes for M.P. Racing's Michael Pensaval🌳le at Mondello Park in the fifth round of the Bennetts British Superbike Cup.

This was another new circu꧋it 🅷for him to learn, so Friday practice was important to get in as many laps as possible.

Once again disaster struck as the chain snapped on his number one bike after only seven laps into first practice. He then went out aga💛in on his spare bike, which only has a standard engine, and managed to go faster as the bike was set up differently and handled 𝄹better.

The team changed the number one bike to the same settings and second practice went well. Afterwards he said; "I think the Mondello Circuit is ace!" he claimed. "It has a lot of corners but I still really like it, and it was great to be able to get out on track again afteꦿr my number one bike snapped the chain."

Unfortunately Michael crashed after a few laps in first qualifying when he lost 🍷the front end, but he was unhurt, so once again he was able to go out on his spare bike, but this unfortunately kept cutting out sporadically.

The team repaired his raceꦺ bike and spare bike in time for second qualifying and things went very🅰 well this time, as he qualified in 27th place, his best qualifying position so far.

"I'm really please with my qualifying time and position, especially on a track I've never ridden before," he commented, "and I'm not on the back row of the grid for the first tim♍e, either!"

For the first race the team decided to use hard compound tyres. The race started well with Michael making one of his 'demon' starts, but by lap ඣeleven the tyres lost grip and he crashed out of the race.

Wi𝕴th the bike repaired again, and with softer compound tyres fitted, Michael was determined to do better in the second race.

Once again he made an excellent start𒐪 and he rode really well throughout the race to finish in 21st place overall, his best so far, and fourth in the privateer's Cup.

"For the first race we took a gamble on hard tyres which didn't work out and I lost the front end, crashing into the gravel," commented Pensavalle. "I was a bit stiff for the second race after two crashes, but with softer tyres the bike was handling almost perfectly. I enjoyed that race and I'm well pleased with my finishing position. We made some progress this weekend and now I'm really look🀅ing forward to the next round at Croft."

Team Principal Corrado Pensavalle was pleased a diffic🍎ult weekend ended with good progress.

"This has been a bit of an up and down weekend, but at least it ended on a high with Michael doing so well in the second race," he said. "The♌ progress we made this weekend with the set up of the bike we can carry forward to the next round and then hopefully progressꦍ some more in the races."