WORLDSBK.COM - bis 20.06.2011

[WORLDSBK.COM]

After making good progress with his regular WSBK machine set-up at the previous Silverstone round, Max Neukirchner jumped at the chance to race in the IDM German Superbike championship round at Assen in the Netherlands last weekend.

He was even happier he had opted to try something different, after he won the first race on a Honda CBR1000RR prepared by Ten Kate Racing Products - the customer racing division of the Superbike World Championship's Hannspree Ten Kate Honda.

After qualifying third Neukirchner rode assuredly in the first leg to record his win, then he finished third in a red-flagged race two, which had started out wet.

Said Max, "The first race was brilliant and I felt so happy to be back on the podium - especially on the top step."

He continued, "In race one I was able to pass Veneman quite early and just kept pushing throughout the race. In the end it was a comfortable victory. It felt fantastic to beat the other guys who have been racing with their teams and against each other all season."

Neukirchner had to settle for third in race two, but is already thinking of how his Assen escapade can help in his next test session, and also his next WSBK race - his home race at the Nürburgring.

"Race two was a little chaotic but third place and another podium was good for me," said Max. "The weekend was a great personal motivation for my home race in Germany in two weeks, and we have another test at Assen before we go. I hope we can continue the good progress we made at Silverstone in the last SBK race and I'm sure that we can start at Nürburgring with a good feeling."

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The Superbike World Championship is currently enjoying a long summer break between the previous round of the championship at Silverstone on August 1st and the next at the Nürburgring on September 5th.

After such a long break some teams like to get some testing in before the action starts again for real, and thus the official Ducati Xerox squad, including factory riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, are scheduled to make a test at Mugello immediately before the Nürburgring round. The planned test dates are Tuesday 31 August and Wednesday 1 September.

"We test at Mugello quite regularly, sometimes with a private rider sometimes with the official riders," said Ducati Superbike Director Ernesto Marinelli. "In the case of Mugello, it is not a racetrack for World Superbike, so there is no restriction. We will test with our riders for a day. We are doing it to get the ‘rust' out of them after some time away from the track, like we did last year. It will help us when we arrive in Nürburgring."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The championship fight in the big Superstock class is already over, in terms of crowning the champion at least, but behind the so-far perfect Ayrton Badovini and his BMW Motorrad Italia machine there is a civilised war going on for the final top five rankings.

Maxime Berger has 86 points for Ten Kate Junior Honda, Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Honda) has 84 (photo), Andrea Antonelli 73 (Team Lorini Honda) and Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) has 62, leaving only 24 points - less than a whole race win - between the four riders vying for second place come season end.

The next round at the Nürburgring will be another opportunity for the chasing pack to beat Badovini and his BMW, a feat none has managed in 2010 so far.

For next year, Superstock riders can continue to race until 26 years of age, and teams will be limited to a single machine, and one single spare engine, per rider. Designed to allow riders to continue if they do not find the support to go Supersport or Superbike racing, the new age limit will be two years more than at present.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The season long fight for supremacy between Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) and Florian Marino (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) has seen them pull clear of their chasing competitors, but with three rounds left to run, for these two there is still everything to play for.

A DNF for Federico D'Annunzio (Yamaha Martini Corse) at the previous round saw him forced out of his slim chance of becoming champion. With 75 points left should he win all the final three races, the current margin of 78 points between him and Guarnoni is insurmountable. Team-mate Berardino Lombardi, on the same 70 point total as Lombardi, is in an identical situation.

Until the last round at Silverstone, where local rider Luke Mossey took the win, either Guarnoni or Marino had won the six races so far.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Ian Lowry will line up alongside Kawasaki Racing Team rider, Tom Sykes at Round 11 of the Hannspree World Superbike Championship at the Nurburgring, in Germany early next month, replacing the injured Chris Vermeulen. Lowry also replaces Akira Yanagawa, who stood in for Vermeulen at Silverstone.

The Northern Irishman was offered a last-minute stand-in ride at Brands Hatch, when the Kawasaki Racing Team competed in the British Superbike Championship during the August WSB break. The team enjoyed great success when Sykes topped the podium in both of Sunday's races and Lowry impressed with two top ten rides. The Kawasaki Racing Team has now given the 23-year-old another opportunity to race the Ninja ZX-10R where he adapted to the machine with ease at the British event.

Ian Lowry: "I am really grateful for this opportunity to ride for the Factory Kawasaki squad. It was always a dream of mine to compete in the World Superbike Championship and now this is becoming a reality. I enjoyed my outing at Brands Hatch and working with such a professional team, and was surprised at how comfortable I felt on the Kawasaki. I know how competitive the World Superbike Championship is and I intend to make the most of this opportunity and repay the team with two strong finishes. I'm really looking forward to getting a full spin out in the bike again and am really excited about the race. "

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

With most of the WSB world on well-earned vacation immediately after the Silverstone round, it was work all the way in early August for Tom Sykes and the Kawasaki Racing Team. Sykes left Silverstone for Japan shortly after the end of the British Superbike World Championship round, to test the exciting 2011 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R at Autopolis in Japan.

Immediately after that, he came back to the UK to ride in the British Superbike Championship round at Brands Hatch, one weekend after Silverstone WSBK. He was glad he did, as he won both races on Sunday, giving his entire Kawasaki Racing Team - based in the UK and run by Paul Bird Motorsport - a real boost.

Said Sykes of his Brands Hatch wins, "It's been great to race at Brands Hatch again as it's a circuit I really love. There was quite a bit of pressure from myself to perform this weekend but we used this as a bit of a test. Up until last night things weren't really going that well, then we went back to basics and made a few changes, which obviously seemed to work in today's races. Hats off to the team and Paul Bird for pushing hard for us to come here as the results paid off and it just goes to show we're not doing a bad job in where we are in the World Championship. It's a nice pat on the back to the guys for all their hard work this year and really good for me to get the double. It has certainly put a smile on my face."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Australian rider Broc Parkes and the ECHO CRS Honda team have reached a mutual agreement to dissolve their partnership in the 2010 Superbike World Championship.

Broc was released from his contract on Tuesday 24th August, and is now looking for opportunities to continue his racing involvement, for this season and the future.

Still only 28 years old, Broc has been a fixture in the Superbike World Championship paddock since 2001, alternating between the World Superbike and World Supersport series. He has 23 World Supersport podiums to his credit, including five race wins, and was runner-up in the WSS series in 2004 and 2007.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Spanish rider Joan Lascorz has admitted that his 2010 World Supersport championship season is all but over, at least according to what the doctors who are looking after him have declared.

The 25-year-old from Barcelona was involved in a nasty crash at turn 1 of lap 1 in the last round of the series at Silverstone when he was tagged from behind by another rider. The Kawasaki Motocard.com man took the full brunt of a heavy impact as he was run over by another competitor while sliding along the tarmac.

Lascorz was diagnosed with four broken ribs, an injury to his shoulder, a finger injury and some blood inside his lung, and with his recovery still expected to last some time, the talented youngster wished to reassure fans of his current situation through his social network page with a mid-August update.

"Hello to all my friends," wrote Lascorz. "It's a great surprise to see the number of people who have been giving me such encouragement in this period. There's nothing much to say except that I've been in a ward for a couple of days and in intensive care. I've tried to write with the only finger that I can move. I'd like to thank everyone for their support, which has given me a lot of hope. My situation for the moment is not so good, and the doctors are already saying to me that my season is over. Thanks to everyone and all my best wishes! On the gas!!!!"

Lascorz will remain in hospital in Barcelona until September 3rd and then will begin rehabilitation a couple of days later.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

From 2011 onwards, Ducati will no longer compete with a factory team in the Superbike World Championship, and has decided to limit its participation to the supply of machines and support to private teams. The Italian manufacturer has participated with a factory team in every edition of the World Superbike Championship since it began in 1988, winning 16 Manufacturers' world titles and 13 Riders' world titles along the way.

"This decision is part of a specific strategy made by Ducati, the aim being to further increase technological content in production models that will arrive on the market in the coming years. In order to achieve this objective, the company's technical resources, until now engaged with the management of the factory Superbike team, will instead be dedicated to the development of the new generation of hypersport bikes, in both their homologated and Superbike race versions," declared Gabriele Del Torchio, President and CEO of Ducati.

"I would like to thank Nori and Michel, and all of the riders that have contributed to the great history of Ducati in Superbike, but above all the Ducati employees; it is their hard work and professionalism that has allowed us to achieve such important results. A big thank you also to all of the partners that have supported us, first and foremost Xerox of course. I would also like to acknowledge the Flammini brothers who have managed the championship for so long, and the FIM, the organization with which we have continuous, constructive relations."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Infront Motor Sports has learnt with disappointment of Ducati's decision not to participate with a factory team in the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship.

The Borgo Panigale manufacturer has built a large part of its history and reputation on the back of its wins in the world championship for production-based bikes, in which it has taken part since the very start and in which it has obtained 16 Manufacturers' and 13 Riders' titles with its strictly twin-cylinder production models. As recently as last year Ducati was fighting for the championship title right down to the final round of the season at Portimao, proving the outright competitiveness of its flagship model, the 1198, and demonstrating the extremely well-balanced nature of the current technical regulations.

"We are disappointed and also a bit surprised at Ducati's decision," declared Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports, "especially since we have been asked numerous times for a change in the regulations to bring about a better balancing of twin-cylinder 1200cc machines towards the four-cylinder 1000cc bikes, but it must be mentioned that last year, without the presence of a phenomenal Ben Spies, the Ducati 1198 would have dominated the championship with Haga and Fabrizio, and it is therefore difficult for us today to comprehend this decision, which of course we must respect.

Moreover the FIM Superbike World Championship can today boast the participation of six manufacturers in addition to Ducati, with Aprilia, BMW, Honda, Kawasaki, Suzuki and Yamaha and is therefore obliged to maintain a total balance in the regulations, without privileging one or other manufacturer in particular.

We are however pleased that Ducati has confirmed its technical support for private teams that will be competing with its models in the 2011 championship and that the development of its new generation of hypersport bikes, in both homologated and Superbike race versions, will continue."

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) headed the qualifying list after setting a 1'58.415 lap, heading off his great championship rival Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in the process.

Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) was third in his return to the WSS class, one place up on his team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara.

Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) fired himself into fifth place, ahead of leading Triumph rider, David Salom.

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  86 Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'59.181 

2  87 Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'59.337 

3  21 Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.676 

4   8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.858 

5  20 Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'59.863 

6 119 Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'00.067 

7  53 Lammert D. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 2'00.257 

8  34 Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 2'00.361 

9  14 Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2'00.660 

10   7 Mähr R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2'00.770 

11  47 La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'00.886 

12  10 Boscoscuro A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'00.948 

13  65 Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 2'00.972 

14  29 Beretta D. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 2'01.355 

15   9 Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2'01.655 

16  30 Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 2'01.714 

17  93 Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 2'01.990 

18  11 Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1190 RC8 R 2'02.665 

19  31 Ten Napel R. (NED) Honda CBR1000RR 2'03.323 

20  12 Vivarelli N. (ITA) KTM 1190 RC8 R 2'03.449 

21  69 Jezek O. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 2'03.529 

22  60 Webb J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2'03.565 

23  89 Salac M. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 2'04.155 

24  99 Leeson C. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2'04.758 

25  55 Svitok T. (SVK) Honda CBR1000RR 2'04.877 

26  45 Sletten K. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 2'05.216 

27  36 Thiriet P. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'05.432 

28  66 Stoklosa M. (POL) BMW S1000 RR 2'06.117 

29  64 Andric D. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'06.411 

NC  58 Vrajitoru B. (ROU) Honda CBR1000RR 2'08.810

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Crowned champion at the previous round in Silverstone, Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took pole in BMW's back yard, with a 1'59.181 lap.

The top five riders were all under the previous record, with Ducati rider Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport) second, and two Honda men, Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior) and Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini), third and fourth respectively.

Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing) was also under the two-minute mark, in fifth place on his BMW.

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  11 Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 18'47.113 (147,668 kph) 

2  99 Covena T. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 0.877 

3   6 Lanusse R. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 2.512 

4  13 Lombardi B. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 7.595 

5  32 Moser M. (GER) Triumph Daytona 675 10.297 

6  72 Karlsen F. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R6 10.404 

7 343 D'Annunzio F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.180 

8  21 Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 11.453 

9  27 Fanelli D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 11.968 

10  45 Bühn J. (GER) Yamaha YZF R6 17.672 

11  66 De Tournay R. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 17.749 

12  52 Duwelz G. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 17.956 

13  81 Valk K. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 18.858 

14  69 Major N. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 18.919 

15  75 Cocco F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 21.246 

16  19 Krajci T. (SVK) Yamaha YZF R6 21.838 

17  34 Van Leuven K. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 26.990 

18   9 Elliott J. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 36.274 

19  26 Vrajitoru M. (ROU) Yamaha YZF R6 41.388 

RET  28 Le Coquen S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6  

RET  14 Puffe D. (GER) Yamaha YZF R6  

RET  33 Gregorini G. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing) took a further step forward towards the championship title today in Germany after he earned yet another victory, his fifth of the year. The Frenchman now sits on 177 points compared to his countryman Florian Marino's 134, a gap of 43 points.

Tony Covena (Econocom) was second, Romain Lanusse (MRS Racing) was third and Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) fourth. Lombardi sits third in the championship on 83 points. Pole winner Marc Moser (Sport-Evolution Triumph) was fifth in the race at his home circuit. Marino (Ten Kate Junior Honda) was only eighth today, while front-row youngster Josh Elliott (Racedays Kawasaki) was penalized with a ride-through.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  21 Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.723 

2  20 Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 2'00.116 

3  86 Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 2'00.214 

4   8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'00.531 

5  47 La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'00.676 

6  14 Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2'00.777 

7  87 Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2'00.957 

8  53 Lammert D. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 2'01.155 

9  65 Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 2'01.255 

10  34 Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 2'01.855 

11  10 Boscoscuro A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'02.074 

12  30 Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 2'02.137 

13   7 Mähr R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2'02.203 

14   9 Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2'02.792 

15  29 Beretta D. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 2'03.388 

16  31 Ten Napel R. (NED) Honda CBR1000RR 2'03.433 

17  93 Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 2'03.579 

18  11 Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1190 RC8 R 2'03.846 

19  60 Webb J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 2'03.939 

20  12 Vivarelli N. (ITA) KTM 1190 RC8 R 2'04.108 

21  69 Jezek O. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 2'04.273 

22  36 Thiriet P. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'05.030 

23  45 Sletten K. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 2'05.163 

24  64 Andric D. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'05.505 

25  99 Leeson C. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 2'05.639 

26  89 Salac M. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 2'05.758 

27  55 Svitok T. (SVK) Honda CBR1000RR 2'05.952 

28  66 Stoklosa M. (POL) BMW S1000 RR 2'06.928 

29 119 Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2'31.217

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'55.084 

2  84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'55.255 

3  41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'55.263 

4   7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'55.391 

5  91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'55.467 

6  35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'55.483 

7  52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'55.673 

8  66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'55.686 

9  50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'55.707 

10  96 Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'55.964 

11 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'56.196 

12  11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'56.228 

13   3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'56.307 

14  57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'56.501 

15  99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'56.811 

16  76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'56.848 

17  67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'57.120 

18  95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'57.672 

19   5 Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'57.961 

20  15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'59.312 

21  33 Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'59.812

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'59.308 

2   4 Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'59.429 

3  50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'59.694 

4  37 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'59.739 

5  14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'59.748 

6  23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2'00.039 

7 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 2'00.125 

8 117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 2'00.333 

9  99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2'00.452 

10   7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 2'00.548 

11  51 Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 2'00.595 

12  55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 2'00.605 

13  25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 2'01.223 

14  18 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 2'01.266 

15  31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 2'01.834 

16  44 Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 2'02.063 

17   9 Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 2'02.122 

18  21 Iddon C. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 2'02.253 

19  34 Quarmby R. (RSA) Honda CBR600RR 2'02.556 

20   8 Chesaux B. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 2'03.742 

21  10 Toth I. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 2'05.309 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  86 Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 22'02.582 (153,809 kph) 

2  21 Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 0.906 

3   8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 3.058 

4  20 Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 12.078 

5  65 Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 12.328 

6 119 Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 12.849 

7  34 Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 14.395 

8  47 La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 15.560 

9   7 Mähr R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 16.011 

10  10 Boscoscuro A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 17.900 

11  53 Lammert D. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 18.956 

12  29 Beretta D. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 20.422 

13   9 Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 25.728 

14  30 Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 28.273 

15  93 Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 36.106 

16  60 Webb J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 36.432 

17  31 Ten Napel R. (NED) Honda CBR1000RR 36.852 

18  11 Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1190 RC8 R 37.086 

19  12 Vivarelli N. (ITA) KTM 1190 RC8 R 47.775 

20  69 Jezek O. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 48.080 

21  45 Sletten K. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 49.878 

22  99 Leeson C. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 57.876 

23  89 Salac M. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 1'01.599 

24  55 Svitok T. (SVK) Honda CBR1000RR 1'02.130 

25  36 Thiriet P. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'03.184 

26  64 Andric D. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'13.602 

RET  14 Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R  

RET  87 Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R  

RET  66 Stoklosa M. (POL) BMW S1000 RR

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took his eighth successive win of the season at a sunny Nürburgring, posting a perfect 200 points total so far.

Winning on BMW's home ground, Badovini was almost a second up on Maxime Berger (Honda Ten Kate Race Junior), who led until lap 9, with Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini) in contact and in the final podium place.

Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing BMW) won a close fight with Loris Baz (MRS Racing Yamaha) and Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Honda).

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

SUPERBIKE

• second career pole for Max Biaggi, Aprilia's tenth;

• second time on the front row this season for James Toseland after his second place at Kyalami;

• for the first time in his career, Sylvain Guintoli got onto the front row. Before the Nurburgring his best result was a fifth at Phillip Island and Brno;

• Tom Sykes equalled his best season result in grid, eighth, obtained at Monza;

• worst career starting position for Cal Crutchlow, tenth;

• best career starting position for Roger Lee Hayden, eighteenth, for the first time in the top-20;

• sixth career win and sixth straight podium for Jonathan Rea, who for the first time in his career scored a double fastest race lap. In race two Rea wasn't able to lead at all: he had led the previous five races for at least one lap;

• with his win in race two, Noriyuki Haga reached his 110th podium placement;

• Max Biaggi finished in the points for the 32nd straight time and now he is only one race shy of the all-time scoring sequence of John Kocinski (Sentul 1996-1997). Relevant figures also for Sylvain Guintoli, at his 23rd straight race in the points.

SUPERSPORT

• first career hat trick for Eugene Laverty, with pole, win and fastest race lap;

• Kenan Sofuoglu recorded his fourteenth straight podium, setting the new class record;

• the Nurburgring race was the 90th straight with a Honda on the front row of the grid.

SUPERSTOCK 1000

Ayrton Badovini's domination continues: at the moment the Italian rider is the record holder of wins (10), poles (12) and fastest laps (8); he also holds the record for the longest sequence of wins (8, double the previous record of Xavier Simeon) and poles (5).

SUPERSTOCK 600

• maiden podium for Tony Covena;

• Marc Moser scored his maiden pole and the first one for Triumph, the sixth manufacturer to post a pole behind Yamaha (32), Honda (12), Ducati (6), Suzuki (5) and Kawasaki (3);

• Jeremy Guarnoni won his fifth race and now he is only one win shy of becoming the most successful rider of the series: the record belongs to Maxime Berger, with six wins, obtained in 2005 and 2007;

• Jeremy's win at the Nurburgring allowed France to reach Italy at the top of the most successful countries, with 21 wins each. The last win by an Italian rider came in last year's Portimao race (Marco Bussolotti), while French riders have won seven times this season;

• for the fourth time in history, Yamaha was able to record a sequence of five wins in Superstock 600: only the Japanese manufacturer has been able to record such a feat.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

A new team is gearing up to enter the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship. The team is called Liberty Racing, and is owned by the Liberty CZ Group which is based in the Czech Republic. It will take part in the championship with Ducati 1198 machines.

The rider chosen to spearhead the team's attack will be 27-year-old Jakub Smrz from the Czech Republic, who has been on several team's shopping lists this year and who has considerable experience on Ducati machinery.

The Liberty Group is involved in the sectors of foodstuffs and office supplies and also owns Effenbert beer, which has been present in the championship as a sponsor for a few years. After a couple of seasons spent learning ‘ the ropes', the Liberty Group has now decided to invest in new team premises, based in Prague, the company headquarters.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The Yoshimura Suzuki team have decided to abandon plans to take part in any more World Superbike races this season, as a result cutting short their exploratory mission into the production-based series.

With a view to preparing for a full-time entry in 2011, the legendary Japanese tuning firm had initially planned to race at Assen, Imola and Magny-Cours with riders Yukio Kagayama and Daisaku Sakai sharing the duties. But their WSB debut was rescheduled to Monza, where an unconvincing performance by newcomer Sakai, who crashed three times at the high-speed Italian track, has now been followed by a rethink in Yoshimura's plans.

Citing the general economic climate and the need for more testing and preparation before launching any full attack on the championship, team principal Fujio Yoshimura said that it was still their intention to compete in 2011 but for the moment they were keeping their options open for the future.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto, had this to say about last weekend's racing at the Nürburgring: "It was a positive weekend for racing for Pirelli at the Nürburgring with clear skies and air temperatures around 15°C, although track temperatures varied from 25°C in Race 1 and 37°C in Race 2.

"Pirelli made available 4 front and 4 rear tyre solutions for the Superbike grid. Of these, the new SC1 special compound "A" rear was popular with 80% of the grid, with SBK teams opting between the SC1 compound "A" or new SC2 special compound "C" on the front. The Supersport class was given a choice between 3 front and 2 rear tyres, of which the new "A" rear tyre was selected by 100% of the grid.

"From the first qualifying sessions, the SBK lap times proved an excellent performance of the new DIABLO SUPERBIKE solutions, with Checa (Ducati) registering a new best lap, broken on Saturday with Biaggi's (Aprilia) Superpole time of 1'54.595, nearly a second below the time set two years before. Rea (Honda) was the fastest in race scenario, beating his own lap record from 2009 by a second and taking the Pirelli Best Lap award in both races.

"The versatility of the new solutions were evident: 7 manufacturers in the top 7 positions for Race 1 and 5 manufacturers in the first 5 for Race 2, with a strong performance by Kawasaki's Tom Sykes who tied his best finish of the year (5th). Impressive improvements also with respect to overall race time, with Race 1 finishing 22 seconds faster than the previous year and 18 seconds faster in Race 2. Local Pirelli Superstock Series winner from Heidelberg, Jan Bühn (Yamaha), was awarded a wildcard in the Superstock 600 and managed to qualify and finish in tenth position."

Pirelli Performance Awards:

Superbike

Race 1 - Pirelli BEST LAP: Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda), 1'55.392 (Lap 5)

Race 2 - Pirelli BEST LAP: Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda), 1'55.502 (Lap 2)

Total BEST LAP (SBK): Checa (Althea Racing) 6, Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) 6, Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 5, Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) 2, Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) 1, Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) 1, Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1

Supersport

Pirelli BEST LAP: Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), 1'59.027 (Lap 17)

Total BEST LAP: Sofuoglu (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 5, Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) 3, Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) 2, Pirro (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1

 

Superstock 1000

Pirelli BEST JUMP FORWARD: Baz (MRS Yamaha), from 13th to 5th (8 positions)

Superstock 600

Pirelli BEST JUMP FORWARD: De Tournay (ASPI Yamaha), from 17th to 11th (6 positions)

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Britain's Leon Haslam managed to keep alive his championship hopes throughout a difficult weekend, at the end of which he took the final podium place in the second race. Current points leader Max Biaggi was unable to make good his advantage and ended up by having his 60 point lead cut to 58 with four races still remaining, but Leon is confident anything can happen from here until the end of the season.

The next opportunity for Haslam will be the Imola round at the end of September, but for the moment Leon has been taking stock of his up and down run at the Nurburgring.

"My crash in race one was a highside and I am sorry that it caused Troy to crash also," he declared. "Luckily the race was stopped and everybody was able to have another go. I had hurt my right thumb and left knee and they were very sore, but I was determined to get out there and give my all. Once the race started, the adrenaline kicked in and I think I would've been much faster and more competitive if it had not been for the fact that I was on my number two bike. The mechanics weren't able to repair my number one bike in time for the restart. I had only done a few laps on the spare bike and so the set-up wasn't as good and it was that which prevented me challenging the front guys, not my injuries."

For the second race in the afternoon the Alstare team repaired his number one bike in time for race two and Leon felt much better. "They and the Clinica Mobile staff did great jobs and it was thanks to both of them that I was able to get on the bike and take a podium. I'm sure I'm going to be pretty sore tonight and although I would've wanted a couple of wins today, I was happy to get on the podium and with 100 points possible in the next two rounds, anything can happen."

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