Team Alstare Suzuki news 2011 Superbike World Championship Preview: Round 10, Nurburgring, Germany 2-4th September MICHEL POSITIVE ABOUT NURBURGRING IMPROVEMENT Team Alstare Suzuki rider Michel Fabrizio has not fared well in the past three years at the Nurburgring, so is looking for a change of fortune this year. In the past three outings, Michel’s best result has been a sixth, in 2008, but he is positive that he can do better this time out. The 5.137 kilometre circuit is full of changes in altitude, but is generally fast and flowing apart from a couple of areas – principally turn one at the end of the start finish straight. The approach to it is blind and it’s very easy to get caught out on the exit, due to the change in camber. Michel It’s true that my recent results at the Nurburgring have not been so good, so this is a great opportunity for a big improvement. The track is quite technical and although it is not so hard to learn it is quite hard to shave off those last fractions of a second. Turn one is very slow and the track seems to narrow right down on the approach and it’s easy to get tangled up with another rider or two! The exit is also a bit tricky and it’s a turn where there’s always a lot going on – especially if you are in a group. The first day of practice is going to feel a bit strange because it will be the best part of five weeks since I have been on the bike and I’m sure we’ll have a lot to do – especially as it will be my first time here on the Suzuki after three years on a twin. As always, may aim is to get a good race set-up as soon as I can and then try and really attack in Superpole. I am still haven’t been on the front row grid this season and that’s something I would dearly like to change this weekend. The series is so competitive and small fractions of a second sometimes separate the top fifteen, so it’s important to do well in Superpole and than make good starts in the races. I’m hoping for my first front row of the grid and two good results on raceday. 2010 results Race 1: 1 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda), 2 Carlos Checa (ESP-Ducati), 3 Cal Crutchlow (GBR-Yamaha), 4 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia), 5 Tom Sykes (GBR-Kawasaki), 6 Leon Haslam (GBR-Alstare Suzuki), Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) DNF, Race 2: 1 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati), 2 Rea, 3 Haslam (Alstare Suzuki), 4 Crutchlow, 5 Biaggi, 6 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Alstare Suzuki), 19 Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: WSBK title rush under way with Nurburgring round Nurburgring (Germany), Tuesday 30 August 2011 Just one month after the last round, held at Silverstone, the 2011 Superbike World Championship gets down to the usual hectic action once again with the first of four rounds in a month and a half that will lead to the crowning of this year’s champion. The first of these rounds will be held on Sunday at the 5.137 km Nurburgring, a famous name for all two and four wheeled motorsports fans and a worthy modern heir to the legendary and historic Nordschleife track. In the last three editions of the German Round since the circuit returned to the WSBK calendar the points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) has never been able to take a win, although last year he did finish runner-up to race 1 winner Rea. The same can be said for Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team), another rider still to open his scorecard in Germany: in his victorious 2010 season, the Italian started from pole, but could only finish fourth and fifth. These two are the two main contenders for the 2011 title, with the Spaniard currently holding a 62 point lead. Still in with a slim chance of final honours is Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team), but the Italian will maybe also now have to focus even harder following the announcement of the retirement of the Japanese manufacturer’s official team from the series. Two hundred points are still up for grabs in this year’s championship, but it is clear that none of the top contenders can afford to miss out at the Nurburgring. Should Checa increase his lead in Germany, the title race can virtually be considered as cut and dried. But further elements to be added to the end-of-season mix will surely include contract renewal, the search for a competitive ride for the following season as well as a desire to finish this year on a high. Riders amidst in the latter category undoubtedly include Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), a two-times winner at the Nurburgring in the last couple of years, who returns to the pack after his Misano crash and injury and an appraisal of his physical condition in two days of testing at Assen last week. Alongside Rea will be an old hand of the Superbike World Championship, the expert Japanese rider Makoto Tamada, who has been called in as a replacement for the still convalescent Ruben Xaus following the Spanish rider’s own crash and injury at Brno. Also aiming to cut a fine figure in Germany at their home race will be the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team, which is still searching for the big breakthrough. Leon Haslam and Troy Corser, who won race 2 back in 1999, will try and turn BMW’s season around this weekend. And still with BMW, this time in the Motorrad Italia team, expectations are high for the performance of Ayrton Badovini, and above all James Toseland, who celebrates his 200th World Superbike race in Germany. A surprise could also come from Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia), who has won three of the six races held in the last few years at the Nurburgring and who last year was the protagonist of a superb race 2, which he won from Jonathan Rea. All eyes will be on Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team), Supersport winner here in 2010 and also on the lookout for a new team next year. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) on the other hand will be aiming for a couple of good results following his disappointment last year. Points (after 9 of 13 rounds): 1. Checa 343; 2. Biaggi 281; 3. Melandri 272; 4. Laverty 208; 5. Haslam 158; 6. Camier 146; 7: Fabrizio 141; 8. Badovini 118; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 355; 2. Yamaha 320; 3. Aprilia 320; 4. BMW 194; 5. Suzuki 158; 6. Kawasaki 137; 7. Honda. 113. World Supersport After his win at Silverstone the fourth this year – Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) will be going for a fifth triumph this weekend, strong in the knowledge that he has a 42 point lead over David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and 45 over Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). Australian Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) is not that far behind either, 51 points down, but early season frontrunner Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) now appears to be out of contention in the title battle. The German Round might end up by being decisive for the title, given the Welshman’s lead, but both Kawasaki and Honda the former with Parkes and Salom, and the latter with Foret, Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) and Gino Rea (Step Racing Team) will be trying to put a spanner into the works and the outcome, as so often happens in Supersport, is anything but certain. Two more contenders for the top placements are likely to be Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha) and Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki). Points (after 8 of 12 rounds): 1. Davies 146; 2. Salom 104; 3. Foret 101; 4. Parkes 95; 5. Scassa 83; 6. Lowes 73; 7. Rea 62; 8. Harms 59; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 176; 2. Honda 149; 3. Kawasaki 134; 4. Triumph 23. Superstock 1000 The 17-year-old German Markus Reiterberger (Garnier Alpha Racing Team BMW) could be the surprise of the weekend at his home round, given his rapidly improving form, but the favourites for the win will surely be the Italians, who occupy seven of the top 10 positions in the FIM Cup. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) has put behind him his memories of Silverstone, when he crashed out, thus allowing Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) and winner Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) to move closer in the points. Other candidates for the top slot include Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) and Niccolò Canepa (Lazio MotorSport Ducati) with Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda), third here last year, another man to watch. Points (after 6 of 10 rounds): 1. Giugliano 115; 2. Zanetti 104: 3. Petrucci 94; 4. Barrier 65; 5. Canepa 64; 6. Baroni 46; 7. Antonelli 44; 8. Reiterberger 42; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 140; 2. BMW 122; 3. Kawasaki 58; 4. Honda 52; 5. Yamaha 15. Superstock 600 The sixth round of the European Superstock 600 Championship promises to be another cracker, as points leader Romain Lanusse (MRS Yamaha Racing France) attempts to hold off a swathe of determined young men, all anxious to make their mark on the championship. These include Brno winner, and last year’s runner-up, Dino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha), but the other contenders will undoubtedly be Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Motorsports Team) and Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki). Points (after 6 of 10 rounds): 1. Lanusse 94; 2. Metcher 81; 3. Day 76; 4. Lombardi 74; 5. Russo 54; 6. Vd Mark 51; 7. Duwelz 51; 8. Gregorini 35; etc. More, from a press release issued by Castrol Honda: Jonathan Rea to return at Nurburgring Jonathan Rea will make his long-awaited comeback to the Castrol Honda team in this weekend’s (2-4 September) tenth round World Superbike championship event at Nurburgring in Germany. The Northern Irishman has been out of action since a raceday warm-up crash at Misano in Italy on 12 June. In addition to fractures to his arm and collarbone, Rea required complex surgery to repair ligament damage to his right wrist following the crash. After completing a successful two-day test at Assen in the Netherlands last week, Rea, 24, has chosen a favoured circuit to make his return. In the last two visits, he has taken his Honda CBR1000RR to two wins, a second and a fourth place at the 5.137km Nurburgring, which sits 70km south of Cologne, adjacent to the famous Nordschleife road circuit. Rea will be joined for the weekend in the Castrol Honda World Superbike Team by Japanese rider, Makoto Tamada, who returns to the series for the f irst time since riding as a replacement in the final round of last season’s championship. Tamada will replace Ruben Xaus, who is still suffering the after effects of his race one crash at Brno in the Czech Republic in July. Despite testing on the first day at Assen last week, Xaus’s back injury prevented him from completing more than a handful of laps and the Spaniard has opted to miss Nurburgring. Hailing from Ehime in Japan, Tamada, 34, completed two full World Superbike seasons on Kawasaki machinery in 2008 and 2009 following five years with Honda in MotoGP, which resulted in two Grand Prix victories. Earlier in his career, he also scored three wildcard World Superbike victories at Sugo in Japan in 2001 and 2002 and is a regular podium visitor in Japan’s famous Suzuka 8 Hour race. Jonathan Rea I can’t wait to get back on the bike in a race weekend situation at Nurburgring. The test at Assen last week was great for me to ride and work with the team again, but I’m really looking forward to doing it for real again this weekend. Assen was also good from a confidence point of view, because the lap time was pretty good and I was able to complete a lot of laps without any pain from the wrist. Unfortunately, I’ve missed a few races because of the injury, but I’ve got a new target for the end of the season and I know what I need to do to achieve that. The good thing is that the guys have been working really hard back at base since I’ve been away, and there were some good new things to test last week. I’m really looking forward to using them this weekend. Makoto Tamada It’s great to be back racing in the World Superbike series. I want to thank Castrol Honda for giving me this opportunity. I am looking forward to working with the team and Jonathan, and I’m also looking forward to meeting my Euro pean fans. Ronald ten Kate team manager Everyone is really happy that Jonathan is back for this weekend. He did a race simulation at Assen, which showed that he’s quite fit again. It’s certainly been a troublesome mid-season with injuries, but we’ve had good results with Jonathan at Nurburgring in the last two years, so we’re all thrilled to have him back for this one. We’re also looking forward to welcoming Makoto Tamada back to the championship. His level of experience will provide good feedback on the bike since we are already looking ahead to 2012. We are working on the development of new parts for next season so it will be good to hear his opinion, too. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Yamaha World Superbike Team Gear up for the Nurburgring Yamaha World Superbike riders Marco Melandri and Eugene laverty are heading back on track this coming weekend after a long five week summer break. The coming weekend’s racing action will take place at the famous Nurburgring circuit situated amidst the Eifel Mountains in the West of Germany, marking round 10 of the 2011 World Superbike Championship.After the lengthy rest from racing, both Yamaha World Superbike riders are eager to get on board their YZF R1s and take up where they left off, with the success of the last round in Silverstone where Melandri and Laverty claimed an impressive double podium a head and gained valuable championship points. With just four rounds remaining to fight for the championship title, both riders will be looking to impress and continue to battle for the championship lead. Melandri sets out for the Nurburgring for the first time in his career but he has proved in previous rounds that new tracks are not an issue for him. The Italian will take on the German circuit with the intention of pushing up to second place in the standings ahead of fellow Italian, Max Biaggi. Team-mate Laverty aims to capitalize on progress made at his home track in Silverstone and fight for another extraordinary double podium. The challenging 5.137 km German track has brought him success in the past, just last year he delivered an impressive race win in the WSS category. The Nurburgring, also known as the “Green Hell”, is considered to be one of the most demanding purpose built racing tracks in the world. There are many changes in elevation, six left turns, 11 right turns and few opportunities to overtake. Marco Melandri Yamaha World Superbike Team “The Nurburgring is another new track for me this year, but I’m looking forward to experiencing it. I’m glad to be getting going again after the summer holidays and I’m determined to do my best and keep fighting until the end of the championship. I like the look of the track from what I’ve seen on TV. It’s quite technical and I’m sure it will be a lot of fun. The weather forecast doesn’t look so good for Sunday but it changes from day to day so I’m hoping between now and then it’ll improve a little. We’ll soon see.” Eugene Laverty Yamaha World Superbike Team “I’ve been off the bike for a long time now and I can’t wait to get riding my R1 again. Nurburgring is a track I quite like and I’ve good memories there following my win in Supersport last year. I’ve just come from a double podium in Silverstone and that’s what I’m aiming for again at the Nurburgring. It’s not out of the question to complete the season in the top three and that’s what I’d like and what I’ll be aiming for, even though it won’t be easy to reach my team-mate.” The Nurburgring, technically speaking according to Silvano Galbusera Marco Melandri’s Crew Chief “Nurburgring is yet another new track for Marco. It’s technically very difficult, possibly the most difficult track on the 2011 calendar and will prove challenging. We’ll spend the first few sessions getting acquainted with the circuit so we can see where to go with the chassis set up ahead of Sunday’s races. I hope we find a good tyre solution to enable us to perform to our potential. Let’s hope the weather is also good and the rain holds off.” The Nurburgring, technically speaking according to Frankie Carchedi Eugene Laverty’s Crew Chief “After another solid weekend at Silverstone we have worked hard over the summer break to further improve the bike for Eugene. We will start with one bike similar to Silverstone with a new improved rear brake system. With the other bike we will try another step in the geometry to further improve bike turning. Nurburgring is a riders favorite, many elevation changes and technically difficult. It requires very good front end feel and is as hard on brakes as Monza. There are many changes of direction so it is also important to have a good handling bike and keep corner speed up.” Andrea Dosoli – Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager “Nurburgring is a very important race for the Yamaha World Superbike team. Following the earlier announced decision for Yamaha Motor Europe to withdraw the team at the end of this season, I’m confident that the team and riders motivation will be evident and everyone will be pushing even harder for deserved results. After such a long summer break we’re looking forward to getting back to business and have made a few technical modifications to the engine, chassis and electronics of the bike, in order to provide both riders with an even more competitive machine to fight for the race win. We expect Eugene to confirm the excellent performance evident in Silverstone, especially due to the fact that he took a race win at the Nurburgring in WSS just last year. It’s Marco’s first time on this track, but we have seen that he can quickly learn new tracks, so we’re not worried and are confident we’ll be fighting for the podium on Sunday.” More, from another press release issued by Yamaha: Yamaha ParkinGO Team set out for round 9 of the WSS Championship at the Nurburgring Fresh from the traditional August break, the Yamaha ParkinGO team is raring to get back to action at the Nurburgring, Germany this coming weekend for round nine of the 2011 World Supersport Championship. After five long weeks off from racing, Chaz Davies is eager to be back on his powerful R6 and take up where he left off at his home round in Silverstone, where he delivered a fantastic race win for his team. The Welshman is now leading the championship with a 42 point advantage over Salom in second place. With just four races to go, Davies heads to the historic Nurburgring circuit intent on bagging yet another victory and extending his current championship lead. Cal Crutchlow rode the same R6 to victory at the Nurburgring in 2009 and the Yamaha ParkinGo team is confident that the machine will be equally successful this year. Luca Scassa was less fortunate at Silverstone and is now setting out for German race track for a fresh start after the summer holidays. The Italian will be looking to gather more valuable points and climb up the championship standings. Scassa is now in fifth place with 83 points, 12 points short of Parkes in fourth. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Joan And Tom Ready To Breathe Mountain Air WSBK, Nürburgring, Germany The hilltop circuit of The Nürburgring hosts the tenth round of WSBK this season with both Joan Lascorz and Tom Sykes ready and willing to meet the latest points scoring opportunity at full pace. Germany’s most evocative and famous circuit, located in the Eifel Mountains in the north west of the country, was the venue chosen to showcase the first public appearance of the latest Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R last year, before its competitive debut came along at the start of this season in Australia. Both Lascorz and Sykes have had some positive results this year and each has proved to be competitive when set-up and tyre choices are in synch. Lascorz has scored two top fives in his rookie WSBK season and Sykes won the Superpole contest at Misano, then only just missed out on a podium finish by one place at the same venue. Currently Lascorz is an upwardly mobile 11th in the championship standings while Tom is only 15 points from a top ten spot, in 14th place. Third official Kawasaki rider Chris Vermeulen is still working on recovering full strength in his injured left elbow and will miss the German race. The 11th round of the championship takes place at Imola on 25 September, giving Chris more time to get back to fighting fitness. Sykes is returning to action from injury, after a big fall in practice at Silverstone saw him badly beaten and suffering a chipped bone in his right ankle. He rates himself ready to race at the 5.137km long circuit in Germany, having had a month off from race action while working to get back to full fitness. Joan took part in a British Superbike Championship round at former WSBK venue Brands Hatch, shortly after the Silverstone weekend, to keep himself race fit and get more valuable track time during his debut WSBK season. Without the pressure of trying to score championship points he learned more lessons he hopes to put into action at Nürburgring this weekend. Kawasaki Pedercini Team riders Mark Aitchison and Roberto Rolfo will once more be out in race action this weekend as they look for season-best results again on their ever-improving Ninja ZX-10R machines. Joan Lascorz: “It was interesting to race at Brands Hatch in the BSB series recently but finding the right bike set-up was a little more difficult compared to some other circuits. It was not so easy to control on the gas but steering and going in the corners was very good. It was just a very intense circuit and I think it was good preparation for the Nürburgring race, which we come to this weekend. It gave me the chance to practice more on the bike and feel good for the German race. We will see how things go in Germany as this will be my first time there on a Superbike, but I think if we can have a good period of practice we can make good results.” Tom Sykes: “My ankle is getting stronger all the time, so I will be ready for Germany. The Nürburgring is definitely one of my favourite circuits – one of two or three I particularly like on the current calendar. It is quite unique in some ways. It goes up and down a lot, it is quite flowing and I like those sections where the corners roll into each other. When you get the ‘Schumacher S’ right-hander nailed it is very rewarding as a rider. Also, in the fifth gear right kink you can make up quite a bit of time. That part takes quite a bit of courage in some ways and the circuit in general lends itself to my style of riding a bit more than some. I hope I can pick up where we left off before my injury at Silverstone.” More, from another press release issued by Kawasaki: Winning Races The Aim For David And Broc Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com Ninja ZX-6R riders David Salom and Broc Parkes will each be out to fight for the win this coming weekend in Germany to eat into the championship lead held by Chaz Davies. Currently the impressive high-speed consistency of Salom has taken him to second place in the rankings, some 42 points behind Davies with four rounds remaining. David is still looking for his first win but two podium places and the unerring ability of rider and team to score points have lifted him the top of the chasing pack after eight rounds. David has secured two pole positions along the way, his most recent at the previous round in Silverstone. Germany is where Broc’s adventure with the Provec Motocard.com team started last year and he was on the podium straight away. This year he has three podium finishes to his credit so far, including a win at Misano, plus a pole position start at Aragon. Currently fourth in the standings, 51 points behind Davies, Broc is out to take wins all the way to the end of the season, having regained his early season confidence after a fruitful test in Spain last week. Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki riders Massimo Roccoli and Vittorio Iannuzzo are currently tenth and 15th in the standings respectively, as they face the ninth round of the year. David Salom: “I have had some time off but I have been training hard and I also made a test last week in Spain. It was just to stay sharp after the long break in the summer, not a test of the bike or the set-up. I am ready to go again in Germany and I think it is a good track there. The last part, the chicane and the final corner, I am not so happy about. Last year, on a different bike, I was not able to go fast in those parts but with my Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R I think it will be different and better. I think it is still possible to catch Chaz in the championship but it is very difficult as the gap is 42 points. If he has some bad luck then it is possible – all is possible – but I go to the last four races only thinking about my performance, not the other riders.” Broc Parkes: “Germany was the first race I had with the team last year, so it will be good to return to action there. I want to go into the last four races with a clear mind and race for wins and podiums. Mathematically I still have a chance to win the championship at the moment but it will be difficult, so I am just going out to try and win some races. We will have a different bike set-up for the race after a test last week, so we will take that to the Nürburgring and work to get back up the front where we belong. I’m really looking forward to getting back into action with the team.”