FIM Superbike World Championship Portimao, Portugal October 16 Race Two Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Marco MELANDRI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R1), 22 laps, 38:11.326 2. Eugene LAVERTY, Ireland (Yamaha YZF-R1), -1.075 seconds 3. Jonathan REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR1000RR), -1.363 4. Carlos CHECA, Spain (Ducati 1098R), -2.648 5. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Ducati 1098R), -3.355 6. Leon CAMIER, Great Britain (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -4.709 7. Max BIAGGI, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -6.514 8. Joan LASCORZ, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -14.441 9. Ayrton BADOVINI, Italy (BMW S1000RR), -19.128 10. Maxime BERGER, France (Ducati 1098R), -25.527 11. Noriyuki HAGA, Japan (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -26.400 12. Davide GIUGLIANO, Italy (Ducati 1098R), -26.646 13. Jakub SMRZ, Czech Republic (Ducati 1098R), -26.963 14. Michel FABRIZIO, Italy (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -30.209 15. Leon HASLAM, Great Britain (BMW S1000RR), -30.951 16. Troy CORSER, Australia (BMW S1000RR), -31.057 17. Karl MUGGERIDGE, Australia (Honda CBR1000RR), -57.941 18. Josh WATERS, Australia (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -58.577 19. Javier FORES, Spain (BMW S1000RR), -64.011 20. Mark AITCHISON, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -64.397 21. Tom SYKES, Great Britain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -5 laps, DNF, retired 22. Santiago BARRAGAN, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -13 laps, DNF, retired World Championship Point Standings (after 26 of 26 races): 1. Checa, 505 points 2. Melandri, 305 3. Biaggi, 303 4. Laverty, 303 5. Haslam, 224 6. Guintoli, 210 7. Camier, 208 8. Haga, 176 9. Rea, 170 10. Badovini, 165 11. Lascorz, 161 12. Fabrizio, 152 13. Sykes, 141 14. Smrz, 127 15. Corser, 87 16. Berger, 64 17. Ruben Xaus, 49 18. Rolfo, 42 19. Aitchison, 36 20. John Hopkins, 20 21. Chris Vermeulen, 14 22. James Toseland, 13 23. Fores, 12 24. Lorenzo Lanzi, 10 25. Waters, 8 26. Federico Sandi, 7 27. Alessandro Polita, 5 28. TIE, Giugliano/Baiocco, 4 30. TIE, Barry Veneman/Jon Kirkham, 3 32. TIE, Viktor Kispataki/Alex Lowes/Fabrizio Lai/Bryan Staring, 1 More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki: Team Alstare Suzuki news 2011 World Superbike Championship Round 13, Portimao, Portugal Circuit: 4.592 kms Crowd: 86.000 (weekend) Conditions: Dry, mostly sunny, 26-30C (air), 32-39C (track) Sunday 16th October PROBLEMS HINDER MICHEL Team Alstare Suzuki rider Michel Fabrizio suffered problems with his right wrist and also a lack of rear grip, causing him to finish 11th and 14th today. He was hoping to end the final round of the World Superbike Championship with a pair of strong top ten finishes, but it was not to be. The problems that began in practice and qualifying were a bit less today, though not enough to allow him to be as aggressive as he would have liked. Carlos Checa (Ducati) won the first race, with Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati) second and Jonathan Rea (Honda) third. The second race – the final one of the season- saw Yamaha take a one-two, with Marco Melandri taking the win ahead of Eugene Laverty. Once again, third place went to Jonathan Rea. Michel – Race 1: 11th, Race 2: 14th I am disappointed to end the season like this, because today could’ve been so much better. I didn’t feel confident with the bike this weekend and although there was an improvement today, it was not enough. Between the warm-up and race one, we changed the bike back to the set-up we used in the second free practice, because that was the one that worked the best for me. In race one, my right wrist started getting sore and I was having difficulty on the brakes and getting the bike to turn quickly enough. It was very hard controlling the bike, so I suppose 11th wasn’t so bad. We changed the front and rear a bit for race two – just a few clicks – so that I didn’t have to exert so much pressure on the bars and it felt better. However, the whole set-up was still not as good as it could’ve been and the grip was not so great. It has been a bit of a frustrating weekend for us, but racing is like that sometimes. I just wished I didn’t have to end the last race weekend of the season like this. More, from a press release issued by PATA Racing Team: The Superbike World Championship 2011 comes to an end after this last round in Portimao. Haga couldn’t fully express himself due to particular track conditions that led him to some lack of grip. He’s been protagonist of two great starts but he had to defend himself until the chequered flag closing the races with a 15th and an 11th place. The japanese rider leaves the Championship hitting a 8th place on general ranking, after 2 seconds and 2 third placings. Noriyuki Haga – Aprilia RSV4R #41 – “I wasn’t expecting such a closure. I suffered lack of grip all weekend long and that led me to lots of tyre’s wearing. I want to thank the whole team for the hard work done along this season”. Marco Borciani – team manager – “It’s been a difficult Championship along which we struggled with some unexpected issues but where we also experienced quite a few exciting moments. We were hoping for a better end of season but we really suffered lack of grip.” More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Weather conditions: Sunny with light clouds in the afternoon. Temperature: Air: 26 30 °C, Track: 32 39 °C Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams Fastest lap Race 1: Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) 1:43.453 min Fastest lap Race 2: Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) 1:43.553 min It was a historic Sunday at Portimão (POR): After being part of the FIM Superbike World Championship for nearly 20 years, BMW Motorrad factory rider, Troy Corser (AUS), rode the last races of his long and successful career in this series. To mark this occasion, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport surprised Troy with a special green “crocodile”-livery on his RR. Starting the final round of the 2011 season from 18th on the grid, Troy faced a big challenge at his farewell performance. But the double world champion was committed until the final chequered flag, despite knowing that the bumpy and undulating nature of the track would cause some difficulties for him and team mate, Leon Haslam (GBR). Troy put in two solid races and finished 14th and 16th. Leon came home in ninth and 15th. Ayrton Badovini (ITA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team was 13th and ninth. His team mate, Xavier Fores (ESP), retired in race one and finished 19th in the second one. The races were won by Carlos Checa (ESP) and Marco Melandri (ITA). In the riders’ championship, Leon finished the season in fifth with 224 points. Troy is 15th with 84 points. In the manufacturers’ standings BMW is fourth with 275 points. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will now stay at Portimão and on Tuesday will test there with the 2012 RR. In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup race Sylvain Barrier (FRA) of the BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team celebrated another podium, crossing the finish line in second. His team mate, Lorenzo Zanetti (ITA), was fifth. In all five BMW S 1000 RRs were classified in the top 11. Fabio Massei (ITA) from Team Piellemoto finished eighth. The two riders from the Garnier Alpha Racing Team, Brett McCormick (CAN) and Markus Reiterberger (GER), were tenth and 11th respectively. Troy Corser: Result Race 1: 14th / Gap to 1st: 00:31.822 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:44.063 min Result Race 2: 16th / Gap to 1st: 00:31.057 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:44.064 min “I am a little disappointed with the results. That was not really how I wanted to finish my racing career. We struggled the whole weekend. We were able to improve the bike by changing some settings, but we still did not have enough grip. I just rode as hard as I could with what I had and gave my best. It was a shame because we have made very good steps throughout the year and I was hoping to transfer that here to a good result. The boys and I tried everything, but that was not enough. But I was not the only one to struggle with grip, as a lot of guys were sliding around. So it was just a matter of bringing it home without a crash. All in all I have to say that I enjoyed every bit of my time with BMW so far. It was frustrating at times, but there have been a lot of great moments as well.” Leon Haslam: Result Race 1: 9th / Gap to 1st: 00:26.695 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:43.967 min Result Race 2: 15th / Gap to 1st: 00:30.951 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:44.535 min “We knew that it was going to be a tough weekend and, as we had expected, we were struggling with the bike already in race one. From the first lap on we had to fight and it was a long, hard race. It was just about bringing it home and trying to get as many points as possible. We were in the top ten, so we improved from where we qualified. At the start of the second race I was struggling so much that I ran off the track. That put me way back. Throughout the race the consistency was a little bit better, but I lost the front quite often and the rear tyre had blistered. There were too many issues to get a good result. Now I am looking forward to the future and to the 2012 season, which starts on Tuesday with our test here.” Bernhard Gobmeier (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director): “Due to it being Troy’s last start in the Superbike World Championship, this was an historic day. Of course we would have hoped for a better result for him, but this weekend was difficult from the beginning on. In the early stages of race one it went quite well for us, but then we experienced severe issues with grip and tyres. I want thank our riders and the entire team for their commitment and efforts during the whole season. Now we are looking forward to the new 2012 season and getting our preparations into full swing, starting with our test on Tuesday.” More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda: Rea rounds out season with double podium in Portugal Jonathan Rea converted his pole position start into two hard-earned podium finishes in today’s final two races of the 2011 World Superbike championship season at Portimao in Portugal. The 24-year-old Castrol Honda rider was in confident mood heading into today’s two 22-lap races around the undulating 4.592km Portimao circuit and duly took the lead into the first turn in both outings. In race one, Rea opted for a medium compound tyre which did not allow him to put in faster laps earlier in the race. He was passed initially by Sylvain Guintoli and then Carlos Checa, who went on to take the race one win. For the second race, Rea opted for a harder compound Pirelli and again took the lead but was passed by Eugene Laverty and Marco Melandri, leaving Rea in third place as Melandri took the victory. Karl Muggeridge, who replaced the injured Ruben Xaus for the final round at Portimao, continued to improve his feeling for the unfamiliar bike, tyres and circuit in today’s two races, eventually finishing in 18th and 17th places. The Castrol Honda team would like to thank Karl for his hard work this weekend and Ruben for his own contribution to the 2011 season. Rea’s two podiums today marked a strong end to a troublesome season in which he missed three months through injury. However, his Castrol Honda team continued development of the current CBR1000RR Fireblade, including particular elements that can be transferred to a new model which will be available for the 2012 season. Jonathan Rea 3rd and 3rd I felt I rode race one just about as well as I could have, but Sylvain showed massive pace at the start before Carlos came by too, so well done to them for their results. It was nice to be able to challenge for victory in both races, although I think in race two it was pretty clear where we were losing out to the others. I felt I rode well and the bike was working great in some sectors, but not in others where we needed it to. This year’s been such a journey for me, with a lot of ups and downs, so it’s just great to go into the off season with no injuries and the bike on the podium here. I’d like to thank everyone who has made the journey with me this season and to the team and all its partners for their support. I can’t wait for 2012 to start now. Karl Muggeridge 18th and 17th It’s been very tough for me this weekend. On Friday I was just trying to remember which way the track went and we had a couple of technical issues on the first two days which restricted our track time as well. In warm-up this morning I was still struggling to find some harmony out there so in the first race I just kind of sat there and did the laps. It paid off because I had a better feeling for the second race after we made some suspension changes so the bike worked a little better on grip and turning. We also adjusted the electronics slightly to soften the throttle response off a bit. It all helped and I was a lot more comfortable in race two I was still too slow though. I also lacked a bit of confidence in the tyres but that’s only going to come with time. It was fun to be back working with the guys though, and to be in this paddock where I still have a lot of friends. Ronald ten Kate team-manager After a roller coaster season, in which we’ve had some good highs but also hit rock bottom at times, we’ve managed to get to the last three rounds fighting for podiums and race wins. I want to give credit to all the riders who have been involved this season, especially those who have worked on the development of the bike in recent weeks, also to the staff who have done a tremendous job. It may be the most revolutionary comeback ever, so well done to everyone. The end of the season means a big winter testing programme, and our development work in areas other than electronics has already started and we intend to bring those parts to the track soon. So the work doesn’t stop and we’re planning a private test at Qatar in the next few weeks. We’re looking forward to 2012, to welcoming Hiroshi Aoyama to the team and to working with Jonathan for the fifth consecutive year. More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: WORLD CHAMPION CARLOS CHECA (ALTHEA RACING) CLOSES THE 2011 SBK SEASON WITH HIS 15TH VICTORY, TODAY AT PORTIMAO Portimao (Portugal), Sunday 16th October 2011: Carlos Checa and the Althea Racing team, World Superbike Champions 2011, closed the season in the best possible way today with a spectacular win in Race 1, Carlos’ 15th victory of this more than impressive year. Carlos, second on the grid, was in fifth position at the end of the first lap, while his team-mate Davide Giugliano lay in eighteenth place. On lap three Davide had already made up a couple of positions and was in fifteenth and Carlos was up into fourth, chasing down Melandri for third. Unfortunately a small mistake by Giugliano caused him to lose several positions on the seventh lap and he had to recommence battle from twentieth position. Checa meanwhile closed the gap on Rea, passing him on lap twelve and moving into second place. It didn’t end there, as lap after lap the newly crowned World Champion gained on race leader Guintoli. Three laps from the end he got past the Frenchman, to cross the line in first place, 2.8 seconds ahead of Sylvain. The second race got off to a similar start for Carlos who was fourth at the end of lap one. Despite his best efforts, a change of tyre between the two races didn’t allow him to push as he had done in race one. He held fourth position for the entire race, getting close to Rea, Melandri and Laverty but unable to pass them. He closed the final race of the 2011 season in fourth position. Davide made a better start in this race, and was thirteenth after the opening lap. He made a small mistake which cost him a couple of positions but he then fought back, passing first Fabrizio and then Haslam to take fourteenth place on the seventeenth lap. In the final phase, and thanks to some fast laps, he was also able to pass Corser and Smrz to close his second ever SBK race in twelfth position, and earning three championship points in the process. Carlos Checa closes the 2011 Superbike season as World Champion, with a total of 505 points. During the season he has accumulated 15 race victories and a total of 21 podium finishes. He will stay with Althea Racing and Ducati for the 2012 season, an agreement having been reached just this afternoon at the Portimao track. Carlos Checa, 2011 World Superbike Champion: “Race 1 wasn’t at all easy because at the start I was having trouble with the tyre but we knew that it would perform better in the final stages and our decision turned out to be the right one. I was able to reach first Marco and Johnny and then Sylvain to win the race with a small advantage. This victory is for the team that has truly deserved it this weekend I dedicate this win to all of them. In race 2 I was pushing hard but we’d changed tyre and with the softer solution I couldn’t do more than I did. This weekend has been very special; before Race 1 it looked like there was no way that I could stay with Althea Racing in 2012 and I was very upset about this but now it seems that Althea Racing and Ducati have come to an agreement and I am over the moon to hear that I can stay with my team and with my bike again next year. We have built something very special here and to leave would have been heartbreaking. More than a win, today has been a moral victory in the space of two days I have lost, and thankfully regained my team.” Davide Giugliano: Race 2 went very well apart from a small mistake on my part; if it hadn’t been for that I could have done even better, Anyway I kept a good pace and was able to lap as fast as many of those ahead of me and I am pleased about that. The first race was very difficult but I realize that I need to gain experience as this category is certainly of a much higher level than the Stock 1000! I wasn’t able to make the best start in race 2 but I’ll work on this over the winter. We also changed tyre between the two races and this helped me a lot in the second. I thank my whole team of course, Genesio, and my engineer this weekend, Ernesto Marinelli, for all their hard work.” Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing: “Many things have changed between yesterday and today and I have waited before talking simply because of these uncertainties. We remained hopeful but it was a complicated issue especially on an economic level. In the end we were able to convince everyone to find an agreement that would keep the team together and this was of course the greatest news for me. Carlos stated a while ago that he wanted to stay with us and we of course wanted the same outcome so this positive agreement has been reached with Ducati and he’ll be with us again next year, faster than before.” Ernesto Marinelli, Superbike Project Director – Ducati: “I am extremely happy that this agreement, which we never stopped working towards, has led to the confirmation of Carlos in the Althea team for 2012. Ducati has had to make a big effort in order for this to happen, a sign of the affection we have for Carlos, for Genesio and for the whole Althea Team, that has given us this truly incredible result, one that we hope can be replicated in future years.” More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Carlos and Marco bring the curtain down in style Portimao (Portugal), Sunday 16 October 2011 Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) traded wins at the final round of the championship in Portugal in a day that promised and delivered close racing in hot weather conditions in front of an 86,000 crowd. Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati rider Sylvain Guintoli almost gave the new-for-2011 team its first race win in race one, but Checa prevailed at the end. Checa’s championship season win tally now ends on 15, part of a total of 21 podiums in 26 races, with six pole positions and 11 fastest laps. His points total reached over the 500 mark today, with his final tally 505 the second highest ever in a single WSBK season. Behind Carlos, the fight for second had already been already decided in Melandri’s favour but his determination to succeed in race two underlined how much his presence has brought to the series this year. He has now scored four race wins in his rookie WSBK season, as part of a total of 15 podium places. The fight for third place looked set to swing in favour of Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) when Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) qualified only 17th, but after Laverty no scored in race one the 2010 champion did just enough today to secure third, on the same 303 points as Laverty, but with better results in the count back of podium places. They had tied on race wins, having scored two each, but Biaggi had far more second places than Laverty nine to Laverty’s three. Tissot-Superpole winner Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) continued his remarkable turnaround of late season form with two third places today and ninth overall. Leon Haslam had a tough final day for the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team, scoring ninth and 15th places, but still ending up fifth in the championship, the top S1000RR rider of the year. Leon’s team-mate, WSBK legend Troy Corser signed off his career today, riding a specially painted racebike to signify this momentous day for the former double champion. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) was on good form and equalled his season best finish of fifth in race one, then scored eighth place to finish top Kawasaki finisher, 11th overall. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) went 11th and 14th in Portugal, and was 12th in the championship standings. Race 1 It took Checa some time to get on terms with the long time leader Guintoli but he made a final pass with only a couple of laps go, and took a final advantage of 2.860 seconds at the flag. Third went to early leader Rea while a remarkable comeback from 17th on the grid meant that Biaggi overhauled the ever-improving Lascorz to take fourth place after 22-laps of pure effort. Melandri faded in the later stages to go sixth, while a brilliant ride from privateer Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati) put him seventh, his best single result of the year. Carlos Checa: “It was not easy at all, at the beginning I was struggling because we made a difficult choice about the hard tyre. We knew we would be more consistent at the end, but it was also difficult to overtake Marco and then Johnny, and to catch Guintoli was not easy at all. The win is because we made the right choice, and a good job. I want to dedicate this victory and the championship to Genesio and all the team because they deserve the victory.” Results: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 38’13.293 (158,587 kph); 2. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2.860; 3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 8.481; 4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 11.963; 5. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13.333; 6. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 18.960; 7. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 20.489; 8. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 25.320; 9. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 26.695; 10. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 26.801; 11. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 27.115; 12. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 28.563; 13. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 31.765; 14. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 31.822; 15. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 31.866; 16. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 47.694; etc. Race 2 Melandri and Laverty gave their official Yamaha squad a 1-2 finish in the final race of the 2011 season, with Rea posting third place after his late attack on Laverty was rebuffed. The top three were separated by only 1.363 seconds. Checa held off the resurgent charge of Guintoli to take fourth place in the 22-lap race. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) and his team-mate Biaggi went sixth and seventh, Lascorz eighth. Marco Melandri: “After race 1 I was a little bit disappointed because we had a tyre problem, so in race 2 I was stronger at the beginning when I saw Eugene in front I tried to catch him and wait a bit because I wasn’t fast at the beginning. It’s been a great season for me, and to give Yamaha a win in the last race is awesome. I just want to say a big thanks to Maio Meregalli, Marco Riva, all my team and all the Yamaha guys, they did a great job, especially when they knew we were pulling out at the end of the season.” Results: 1. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 38’11.326 (158,723 kph); 2. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1.075; 3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1.363; 4. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 2.648; 5. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 3.355; 6. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 4.709; 7. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 6.514; 8. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 14.441; 9. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 19.128; 10. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 25.527; 11. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 26.400; 12. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.646; 13. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 26.963; 14. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 30.209; 15. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 30.951; 16. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 31.057; etc. Final points: 1. Checa 505; 2. Melandri 395; 3. Biaggi 303; 4. Laverty 303; 5. Haslam 224; 6. Guintoli 210; 7. Camier 208; 8. Haga 176; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 529; 2. Yamaha 450; 3. Aprilia 422; 4. BMW 275; 5. Kawasaki 228; 6. Honda 194; 7. Suzuki 169. World Supersport Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) scored his sixth win of the year, from the closing David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and one-time second place rider James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda). The top three were within 1.415 seconds of each other. Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) slotted his R6 into fourth place, 5.522 seconds from his team-mate and the 2011 champion Davies. Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) and Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) no scored after a crash for Lowes and a collision with Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda) for Parkes. Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) finished 12th, and thus Salom finishes second in the championship on the day he celebrated his 27th birthday. The final points read Davies 206, Salom 156, Foret 148 and Parkes 136. Results: 1. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 35’31.062 (155,145 kph); 2. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1.253; 3. Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1.415; 4. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 5.522; 5. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 21.658; 6. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 24.490; 7. Roccoli M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 25.506; 8. Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 32.271; etc. Final points: 1. Davies 206; 2. Salom 156; 3. Foret 148; 4. Parkes 136; 5. Scassa 134; 6. Lowes 129; 7. Ellison 99; 8. Marino 89; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 251; 2. Honda 230; 3. Kawasaki 197; 4. Triumph 36. Superstock 1000 Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Ducati) secured the final win of the year in a race shortened to 11 laps after a technical issue with the starting lights. A distant second place went to Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) after a close fight with Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Lorenzini by Leoni) and fourth placed Bryan Staring (Kawasaki Pedercini Team). The absence of champion Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) – who stepped up to the Superbike class today – means that Giugliano finishes his stellar year with an unchanged 171 points, Petrucci now has 169, Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) 148 and Barrier 132. Results: 1. Petrucci D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 19’31.819 (155,18 kph); 2. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 8.019; 3. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 8.115; 4. Staring B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 8.364; 5. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 9.354; 6. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 9.466; 7. Baz L. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 9.664; 8. Massei F. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 16.030; etc. Final Points: 1. Giugliano 171; 2. Petrucci 169; 3. Zanetti 148; 4. Barrier 132; 5. Canepa 109; 6. Antonelli 77; 7. Baroni 74; 8. Reiterberger 69; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 240; 2. BMW 193; 3. Kawasaki 99; 4. Honda 85; 5. Yamaha 16. Superstock 600 Dutchman Michael vd Mark (Ten Kate Honda Junior Team) did all he could to win the championship at the final round, but despite his race victory Australian Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Motorsports Yamaha) secured his first title in this division, finishing fourth in today’s contest. Second in the race and the championship was American rider Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki), with van der Mark finishing third in the final points, with only one less than Day. Tomas Krajci (TK Racing Slovakia Yamaha) was a fighting third taking the final podium place and Riccardo Russo (Trasimeno Yamaha) was fifth. The final points scores are Metcher 150, Day 138 and van Der Mark 137. Results: 1. Vd Mark M. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 18’11.759 (151,418 kph); 2. Day J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 3.787; 3. Krajci T. (SVK) Yamaha YZF R6 9.180; 4. Metcher J. (AUS) Yamaha YZF R6 11.700; 5. Russo R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.919; 6. Lombardi D. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 15.560; 7. Morbidelli F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 18.821; 8. Vitali L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 20.194 Final Points: 1. Metcher 150; 2. Day 138; 3. Vd Mark 137; 4. Lanusse 101; 5. Lombardi 96; 6. Russo 94; 7. Duwelz 67; 8. Covena 50; etc. “With the appointment here at Portimão we conclude a truly rewarding season and I renew my congratulations to the new champions in each class, but especially to Carlos Checa and Fabien Foret who in the SSP and SBK classes were awarded the 2011 Pirelli Best Lap Awards as Fastest Riders of the Year and the respective financial contributions included in this initiative. In 2011, our commitment has always been clear and consistent in WSBK from the point of view of development and logistics: we took an average total of 5,000 tyres to each round with around 20,000 being consumed by riders in the 5 categories throughout the year. This massive allotment consisted of nearly 80 different compounds of which more than 35 new developments were dedicated to SBK. A team of 8 operators worked simultaneously at every race to mount/dismount and balance an average of 210 tyres per hour, loading and unloading the 7 to 9 trucks of the service area used to transport the tyres and equipment. Also for the first time this year, Pirelli sponsored an initiative to further the future of the sport by encouraging talented young riders of National Superstock 600 championships: thus is born the Pirelli Superstock 600 Series, an initiative providing an opportunity for the most talented riders of the various European STK600 series to take part as wild-cards in the last round of the European Superstock 600 race here in Portimao. The top 3 ranked riders from these wild-card positions were then awarded a plaque and additionally a financial award to help them to continue their growth as riders. To conclude this year for us, the Superbike World Championship has been an excellent laboratory for developing more advanced technological solutions that we will soon offer our customers, thus remaining always true to our philosophy: We sell what we race, we race what we sell.” Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto Pirelli BEST LAP Awards: SBK Race 1 Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert -Liberty Racing) 1’43.453 (Lap 3) SBK Race 2 Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team), 1’43.553 (Lap 2) Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) with 10 best lap awards is the 2011 Pirelli Best Lap Winner for Superbike class: FASTEST RIDER OF THE YEAR WSS James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda), 1’45.638 (Lap 3) Fabien Foret (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) with 3 best lap awards is the 2011 Pirelli Best Lap Winner for Supersport class: FASTEST RIDER OF THE YEAR Stk1000 Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team), 1’45.066 (Lap 2) Stk600 Romain Lanusse (MRS Yamaha Racing France), 1’48.126 (Lap 2) More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Spectacular One Two for the Yamaha WSB Team at the Season Finale in Portimao Yamaha World Superbike riders completed yet another spectacular race day today in Portimao, the final two races of the 2011 WSB season, with an outstanding one two finish on the Portuguese podium. Both Melandri and Laverty completed their WSB rookie seasons in style, closing the championship with Marco Melandri in second place in the 2011 WSB Championship standings and Eugene Laverty in fourth, the latter tying on points with 2010 Champion – Max Biaggi who takes the third place. The Yamaha World Superbike Team proved to be the top team in the standings by completing the second race of the day with a spectacular one two race finish. Skillful race craft and determination was on display throughout the 22 laps. Laverty claimed the lead on lap one, following a perfect start off the front row on the grid, while Melandri tucked in behind him in second place by lap three. Holding off advances from Rea and Checa, Melandri closely tailed him team-mate to eventually take the lead with just four laps to go and snatch the chequered flag, claiming his fourth victory of the year. His Northern Irish team-mate and fellow rookie crossed the line just one second behind, to take the second step on the last podium of the season. Both Yamaha riders faced a difficult race one after getting off to a perfect start from the grid. After just two laps Eugene Laverty had an issue with the rear of the machine, skillfully managed to avoid crashing but was forced to come in and have the steering damper repaired. The determined Northern Irish rider went back out, with a two lap gap and impressively made up four places setting fast lap times to complete the race in 19th position but missed out on important points for third place in the championship. Team-mate Marco Melandri struggled with rear tyre issues but pushed hard to cross the line in sixth place. In this stellar season the Yamaha World Superbike team has claimed an amazing 19 podiums of which six race victories with two WSB rookie riders, Yamaha taking the second place in the 2011 World Superbike Manufacturer’s standings with a total of 450 points and the top team in the Team standings Earlier this season, Yamaha Motor Europe took the difficult decision to withdraw the official Yamaha World Superbike Team from the FIM Superbike World Championship at the end of the 2011 season, so today’s race day in Portimao sadly marked the final race for the Yamaha WSB team. Marco Melandri Yamaha World Superbike Team – 6th, 1st “It was a fantastic race win and end to the championship. The bike was working well and I really wanted one more win before finishing up the season. I would have liked a double but race one didn’t go so well. I got a good start and was planning on waiting a few laps before pushing harder and fighting for a win but unfortunately the rear tyre was gone by mid race I had very little grip and just couldn’t keep pushing. The team has worked really hard all year and I’d like to thank them and everyone at Yamaha for the amazing season together and for all their help and support in the tough time since YME decided to withdraw at the end of this year.” Eugene Laverty Yamaha World Superbike Team – 19th, 2nd “Well it was a great end to the season for Yamaha with a one two race finish in race two. It’s been a fantastic year and I’d like to thank Yamaha and all the team for that. Obviously it would have been great to finish up with one more point to get third in the championship, but unfortunately I lost out on a lot of points in race one. I had an issue with the bike on lap three, coming into the VIP tower corner when the rear of the machine came off the ground and the bike suddenly snapped sideways. I was lucky not have crashed and managed to stay on the bike but the viciousness of the incident broke the steering damper and I had to come back in and have it changed. It’s a pity as the pace was quick and I could have definitely been on the podium.” Andrea Dosoli – Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager “Fantastic! A great finish to an amazing season. Marco and Eugene were really spectacular. In the second race they showed fantastic racing, proving to be very talented and determined riders with great respect for each other. It’s a pity Eugene lost out on important points in the first race and Marco had a problem with the rear tyre and they couldn’t fight for the podium. I’d like to thank the riders, the team and all our partners for the professionalism, passion and motivation evident throughout the 13 races of the season. Second place in the Manufacturer’s championship is an excellent result for Yamaha, considering that both riders are rookies and were battling with Checa, a Champion that deserves his title, flawless all year and making the most of the advantage that the twin cylinder machines are provided by the championship. We are proud that our R1 is the first four cylinder in the standings. Thanks to everyone.” Laurens Klein Koerkamp Racing Manager, Yamaha Motor Europe “Finishing first and second in the last race is an unbelievable way for the Yamaha World Superbike Team to leave the championship. But apart from today, we are extremely proud of the whole season: Marco and Eugene being Superbike rookies and finishing second and fourth, winning six races on the way, is a fantastic achievement and the R1 has proven to be the best four cylinder machine in the superbike field. But of course at the same time it is a sad moment as Yamaha Motor Europe (YME), as announced before, now withdraws the official Yamaha World Superbike Team from the championship. On behalf of YME I want to express the strongest appreciation possible to Marco and Eugene, our engineers in Japan and to all staff of the Yamaha World Superbike Team. They have done a great job this year again and to finish the 2011 season as the number one team in the WSB Team standings is a confirmation of their professionalism and dedication. Also I want to thank again all our team partners. Many of the staff and partners have been with us for many years, giving their best to Yamaha with great passion, and were part of winning the World Title with Ben, the Manufacturers World title, many race victories and podiums and the success of the 2011 season. It also filled us at Yamaha with pride that riders and staff all were prepared to hang on while we were trying to find a solution to remain on the grid with Yamaha factory superbike machinery. Unfortunately it is not meant to be. We will bring the team to a closure in the coming months and I wish Marco, Eugene and all team staff all the best in pursuing the next steps in their careers.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Yoshimura Suzuki completed its third “Wild Card” entry of 2011 at today’s final round of the World Superbike Championship at Portimao in Portugal and came away upbeat after two race finishes and more valuable technical data to take back to Japan. Australian Josh Waters and the aftermarket parts-tuning giant, mixed it with the world’s WSBK regulars on a track unknown to all of them and took home 21st and an 18th position in the hotly-contested 22-lap races on arguably the ‘most-beautifully-prepared and looking machine on the grid,’ according to the media – and at the most-difficult and technically-demanding circuit on the calendar. Riding a modified version of the team’s Suzuka 8-Hour Endurance machine – and on completely different tyres than the bike was set-up for – that Waters, Yukio Kagayama and Nobu Aoki brought home to a close second-placed finish in July, Waters continued a steep learning curve, both for himself and the team; at the cutting-edge of world-level competition. Josh Waters – Race 1: 21st, Race 2: 18th: “To say that today has been hard is an understatement. All weekend, we’ve been working as hard as we can, but we’ve been up against a load of people with a lot more experience than us and that experience told today. We’ve been trying to get our bike set up in just three days, whereas the others here have had all season. Part of the problem is that the last time I rode this bike was in the Suzuka 8 Hour race and then it was on different tyres. The bike was set up for those tyres and so we’ve spent a lot of time trying to get the bike to work on the Pirellis here. That, together with learning the hardest track on the calendar has been a real challenge. “But I am so happy to have been here and so happy that Yoshimura gave me this chance. As I said yesterday, we’ve had to learn a lot in a very short space of time – and that is never easy. The results probably don’t look so good, but the team and I have tried our very best and we can hold our heads up that we have done so. It was good to have a dice with a fellow Aussie in race two and generally great fun competing against all the top guys. Hopefully, we’ll get the chance to do it again soon. “I had a problem with the shifter in the first race and had to pit. The team made some changes to it and I went out again, but the stop meant I had lost a lot of time, so 21st wasn’t a bad result. Race two was a bit better, but these guys don’t give anything away at all. We’ve been up against top riders and top teams who have tested here before and gained lots of information, whereas we were starting from scratch. But, we’ve learnt a lot and can take that with us for the next time.” Yohei Kato – Team Manager: “Josh had problems in race one with the gear shift lever and had to pit, so we could make some adjustments to it. He went out again, but obviously he had lost a lot of time and was way down the field. We’re a bit disappointed with the results today, but we knew it was going to be a hard weekend. It has been a very big learning experience for all of us in the team and we will build on this knowledge for the future.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Lascorz Equals Season Best At Final Round WSBK, Portimao, Portugal, 16 October 2011 Joan Lascorz posted an impressive fifth in race one at Portimao to equal his season best race result as Tom Sykes had a les pleasing end to his raceday at the final round of the year. Lascorz had qualified well and started each race from the second row but had two less than perfect launches and was made to fight hard to take the third top five finish of his rookie season. Finishing eighth in race two he ended up top Kawasaki rider in the final points table, 11th, after showing some great consistency as he learned the secrets of the Ninja ZX-10R along the way. For Sykes race one was difficult as an optimum setting for his riding style was not forthcoming at this tricky and undulating circuit, and he finished eighth in the opener. He had made a stirring recovery to that final position after being run wide and losing some places he had to claw back. A technical issue put him out of race two, first causing him to lose places as he lost power and then be forced into pitlane to retire. Tom has experienced the highs of Superpole wins and even a race victory on the Ninja ZX-10R in Germany this year and he finishes the season 13th in the championship. Mark Aitchison (Kawasaki Pedercini Team) had a tough weekend after a fall in practice, and finished 17th then 20th in the races. He rounded out his season in 19th place, one place behind his team-mate Roberto Rolfo, who missed this event through injury. His replacement, Santiago Barragan, was 20th and then a retiree today. Joan Lascorz: “In race one I lost a lot of rear grip and it was difficult at times. In the last lap Biaggi came past me on the gas. But a top five like in Donington and in Aragon, which is good. In race two we had the same tyre choice but made a little change in suspension set-up. Another not so good start and I think on the first lap I was 12th. Near the end of the race I was a little faster but just not enough to finish any higher.” Tom Sykes: “Race one was a big learning session and we struggled a bit all weekend with front end feel. We are definitely not where I need to be with the feeling of the bike. Badovini passed me in turn one and put me wide and onto the dirty bit of the track, so I lost places. It was unfortunate but we had a great start and got up to fifth position at one time. I was consistent at the end of the race and every lap gives us information. We all know where we need to be and the team has a very good understanding of what I need from the bike. I finished eighth when I was back in 11th and it is quite promising. Race two was unlucky for us but that’s racing sometimes.” More, from a press release issued by Alitalia Aprilia: APRILIA ALITALIA RACING TEAM’S 2011 SUPERBIKE SEASON ENDS WITH TWO GOOD PERFORMANCES BY MAX BIAGGI AND LEON CAMIER. MAX FOURTH IN RACE 1 AND SEVENTH IN RACE 2, LEON TWELFTH AND SIXTH. Portimao, October 16th, 2011 The last two races of the 2011 Superbike season were full of comebacks and overtaking for the Team Aprilia Alitalia riders. Max Biaggi, who started from the fifth row, made his ambitions clear immediately: as soon as the red lights went out in Race 1, the Corsair rocketed from the seventeenth spot on the grid to eighth place with a lightning fast start. His comeback led him to recover ground on the riders in front of him lap after lap with consistent progress right up to the final passes (overtaking Melandri and Lascorz) which earned him a fourth place finish. His team mate, Leon Camier, got off to a good start, but was penalised when he overshot a turn in the first laps of the race. From twentieth position he fought his way back to a final twelfth place. The script for Race 2 could have read similarly for Max had it not been for an imperfect start. The comeback staged by the five time world champion stopped at seventh place this time, right behind Leon Camier who rode a flawless race. Max’s less than perfect physical conditions due to the fractured metatarsus which kept him from competing in three rounds, certainly played an important role. In any case the Corsair is satisfied with his performance today: “It’s a shame about the start in the second race, decidedly worse than the first. During both comebacks I obviously stressed the tyres quite a bit, but in any case I was able to bring a fourth and seventh place home after starting from the seventeenth block on the grid. Lap times were good, but unfortunately in Race 2 I began to feel my lack of physical preparation. It was a positive weekend because, having taken third place in the overall standings, I’ll be able to keep the number 3 on my fairing for the 2012 season”. Leon Camier bids the Aprilia Alitalia Team farewell with two excellent performances, marred only slightly by his start from a less than optimum position on the grid. “Two odd races for me said Leon because for long sections of the race I was among the fastest on the track. Unfortunately, starting from behind it’s always difficult to recover positions, especially in Race 1 because in the first stages I lost time going wide. I would have liked to end this experience on the podium. Unfortunately we weren’t able to demonstrate our true potential this year. I’d like to thank everybody anyway: my team for their constant support and Aprilia Racing for giving me the opportunity to race in World Superbike”.