Troy Bayliss will be bidding to maintain his stunning start to the 2008 World Superbike Championship when the series arrives in Italy for round five at Monza this weekend.
The Ducati Xerox rider has built up a 70-point advantage at the top of the riders' standings after claiming five wins in eight races, his latest successes coming with a double triumph last time out at Assen.
The 39-year-old Australian is well on course to claim a third World Superbikes title, but so long as second-placed man Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) can keep scoring well, Bayliss will be unable to rest easy.
Bayliss' record at Monza is formidable, the veteran having claimed double wins in 2001, 2002 and 2006, and he is confident of more of the same come Sunday.
"Monza is one of my favourite circuits," Bayliss said.
"This weekend I will take it as it comes really. I'm quietly confident about the races.
"Monza is a very special track for me and the fans are amazing here too and always want to see me do well, so I'd love to come away with another couple of great results."
Bayliss' compatriot Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) is third in the standings after three podium visits, but the emerging force in the title race is surely the Australian's team-mate, Noriyuki Haga.
The Japanese rider, title runner-up to James Toseland last season, made a miserable start to his 2008 campaign after a pair of retirements at the opening two rounds, but a win at Valencia and a second place in Assen have catapulted him back into the chasing pack.
Elsewhere, Hannspree Honda Althea rider Roberto Rolfo will miss the races in Italy after breaking his collarbone in a mountain-bike crash on Sunday.
The Italian's place will be taken by Jake Zemke, although Rolfo should be fit to return for the next round in the United States on June 1.
Bayliss' team-mate Michel Fabrizio will race this weekend despite undergoing surgery for muscle compartment syndrome in his right forearm.
The Italian went under the knife after suffering pain in both races at Assen.
"My arm is feeling much better," Fabrizio said.
"I have no problems regarding movement and I can straighten my hand out completely, something I was unable to do before the surgery. It all went as planned."
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