FIM Superbike World Championship Phillip Island, Australia February 28, 2010 Race Two Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Carlos CHECA (Ducati 1098R), 22 laps, 34:16.428 2. Leon HASLAM (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -0.307 second 3. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098 F10), -0.434 4. Sylvain GUINTOLI (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -0.837 5. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098 F10), -3.453 6. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), -11.530, ran off track 7. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), -12.026 8. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -13.068, ran off track 9. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Yamaha YZF-R1), -14.401 10. James TOSELAND (Yamaha YZF-R1), -14.707 11. Leon CAMIER (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -14.743, ran off track 12. Shane BYRNE (Ducati 1098R), -14.851 14. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 1098R), -15.143 15. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR1000RR), -30.947 16. Andrew PITT (BMW S1000 RR), -41.855 17. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Honda CBR1000RR), -48.844, ran off track 18. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Honda CBR1000RR), -66.866 19. Roger HAYDEN (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -67.751 20. Matteo BAIOCCO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -5 laps, DNF, retired 21. Tom SYKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -9 laps, DNF, mechanical 22. Chris VERMEULEN (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -15 laps, DNF, crash 23. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), -16 laps, DNF, crash Championship Point Standings (after 2 of 26 races): 1. Haslam, 45 points 2. Fabrizio, 36 3. Checa, 34 4. Haga, 27 5. TIE, Guintoli/Rea, 23 7. Biaggi, 19 8. Corser, 16 9. Camier, 10 10. Lanzi, 9 11. Smrz, 8 12. Crutchlow, 7 13. TIE, Toseland/Byrne, 6 15. Neukirchner, 4 16. Sykes, 3 17. TIE, Brookes/Pitt, 2 More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Haslam and Checa share opening day victories Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) and Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) took a win apiece at Phillip Island in what was a sensational start to the 2010 WSBK season in Australia. In dry conditions, in front of 65,500 fans, the action was intense in each 22-lap race, with the leading three riders within 0.769 seconds of each other in race one and the leading four within 0.837 seconds in race two. Official Tyre Supplier “Pirelli’s opening race weekend saw spectacular racing with new faces on all accounts, starting from a Superpole led by Haslam, Fabrizio and Crutchlow on three different machines. Race 1 finished 7 seconds faster than previous year, a race so close between Suzuki and Ducati that it demanded a photo finish. New to Superbike, Sylvain Guintoli led Race 2 for many laps and set the Pirelli Best Lap on his first race on the Suzuki. Race time dropped by 4 seconds over 2009, and Checa impressively took his new bike and new team Althea straight to the top of the podium. The Supersport race, 5 seconds faster as well, Laverty lead a very precise race from start to finish on his Honda from Parkalgar. It’s fantastic to see such diverse results from all the manufacturers, especially at the start of the season.” Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto Race 1 It took a close look at the photo finish images to split Leon Haslam from his race long rival Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), but by only 0.004 seconds the Alstare Suzuki rider was given the win. It was the closest ever finish in the WSBK class, as Leon took his first career win in the Superbike World Championship. Fabrizio was originally awarded the victory but before the slow down lap had been completed, Haslam was confirmed as the winner. Noriyuki Haga took his Ducati Xerox machine to third, being part of the leading battle throughout. Jonathan Rea, Max Biaggi, Sylvain Guintoli and Carlos Checa battled it out over fourth place, with Jakub Smrz, Troy Corser and Lorenzo Lanzi completing the first race top ten. Haslam: “It’s not sunk in just yet, especially as it was such a close finish and not knowing if I had won for a while. That definitely added to the anticipation. I can’t thank my team enough they have been solid since day one and to repay them with this is great. I’m a little speechless now. I changed my style towards the end and I rode as smoothly as possible. It worked, but it was close at the end.” Michel Fabrizio: “I thought I had won the race. When I saw the big screen after the finish I saw my family and the crew chief celebrating, so I thought I had it.” Noriyuki Haga: “I did not have any big injury after my crash in morning warm-up but some swelling in my right arm. My personal trainer made a good massage before the race and I took some painkilling injections. The race was tough and I had arm pump, so that made me make some mistakes under braking. But it was fun to race with them at the front.” Results: POS NO. RIDER BIKE TIME TYRES (all Pirelli) 1 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34’13.435 (171,442 kph) A/C 2 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.004 A/C 3 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 0.769 A/C 4 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 10.201 C/C 5 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 10.782 A/C 6 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 11.079 A/C 7 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 11.208 A/B 8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 16.522 A/C 9 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 20.291 A/C 10 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.352 A/B 11 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 29.775 A/C 12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 30.155 A/C 13 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 31.951 C/B 14 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 31.957 A/C 15 88 Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 55.082 C/B 16 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’10.932 A/C Race 2 Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) won a thrilling race two at Phillip Island, by only 0.307 from Leon Haslam, whom he passed on the final section of the track, in convincing style. Third went to Michel Fabrizio, but a great ride from new SBK rider Sylvain Guintoli put him fourth on his Suzuki Alstare machine in only his fourth ever SBK event. Noriyuki Haga was fifth, Jonathan Rea heading up a busy and exciting midfield battle in sixth, after losing ten seconds by running wide on lap one, and then fighting through the pack. Troy Corser took his BMW to seventh in race two. Carlos Checa: “The plan was to start the second race well and we chose a softer tyre. We changed the bike and we improved in the braking points, so I could overtake people. When you are close to four other riders it is not easy to overtake and make it permanent but I passed in the right time and at the right places. This was one of the best races in my life, so thanks to my new team.” Leon Haslam: “I had a few laps behind Sylvain my team-mate and in some corners I could not stay with him given the grip he had out of the corners. But I got the lead again and it was all going to plan until Carlos managed to come along and nip up the inside to win.” Michel Fabrizio: “We didn’t make any changes to the bike between race one and race two. I think it would have been very difficult for me to win, but if Carlos had not been in the mix I may have been able to push in the last three or four laps. I was having some problems by that time so it was very difficult to try and win.” Results: POS NO. RIDER BIKE TIME TYRES (all Pirelli) 1 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 34’16.428 (171,192 kph) A/C 2 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.307 A/C 3 84 Fabrizio M.(ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.434 A/C 4 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.837 A/C 5 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 3.453 A/C 6 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 11.530 C/C 7 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 12.026 A/C 8 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 13.068 A/C 9 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 14.401 B/B 10 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 14.707 B/A 11 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 14.743 A/C 12 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 14.851 A/C 13 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 15.143 A/B 14 25 Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 30.947 A/C 15 88 Pitt A. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 41.855 C/B 16 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 48.844 A/C Championship Standing (after 1 Round of 13): 1. Haslam 45; 2. Fabrizio 36; 3. Checa 34; 4. Haga 27; 5. Guintoli 23; 6. Rea 23; 7. Biaggi 19; 8. Corser 16; 9. Camier 10; 10. Lanzi 9 Manufacturers Standings: 1. Ducati 45; 2. Suzuki 45; 3. Honda 23; 4. Aprilia 13; 5. Bmw 16; 6. Yamaha 7; 7. Kawasaki 3 World Supersport Laverty Wins by clear margin Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) won the opening race of the year by 4.359 seconds with a masterful display of front running, heading up the official Kawasaki of pole man Joan Lascorz and the Honda of Kenan Sofuoglu. Laverty also set the race fastest lap, 1’35.204, on lap six. The first attempt at the race was first stopped and finally abandoned due to oil being dropped on the track, and a complete-restart was called. The subsequent 21-lap race saw Laverty lead from the early stages again. Behind Laverty, Lascorz and Sofuoglu, Triumph rider David Salom was fourth, and the privateer Kawasaki of Fabien Foret made it onto the top five also. Results: 1 50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 33’37.836 (166,536 kph) 2 26 Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 4.359 3 54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 4.500 4 25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 11.779 5 99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 17.266 6 55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 25.034 7 127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 27.834 8 40 DiSalvo J. (USA) Triumph Daytona 675 30.102 Championship Standing (after 1 Round of 13): 1. Laverty 25; 2. Lascorz 20; 3. Sofuoglu 16; 4. Salom 13; 5. Foret 11; 6. Roccoli 10; 7. Harms 9; 8. Disalvo 8; 9. Praia 7; 10. Rea 6 Manufacturers Standings: 1. Honda 25; 2. Kawasaki 20; 3. Triumph 13 Performance Awards: SBK Race 1 – Pirelli BEST LAP Leon Haslam (Team Suzuki Alstare) 1’32.193 (Lap 2) SBK Race 2 – Pirelli BEST LAP Sylvain Guintoli (Team Suzuki Alstare) 1’32.236 (Lap 3) WSS – Pirelli BEST LAP Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) 1’35.204 (Lap 6) More, from a press release issued by Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team: APRILIA ALITALIA RACING TEAM’S RSVs SHOW THEIR COMPETITIVENESS ONCE AGAIN. Biaggi finishes fifth in Race 1 and eighth in Race 2. Leon Camier runs off the track twice, but earns some important points. The Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team experienced a weekend of ups and downs at the debut of the SBK 2010 World Championships. Following a difficult Superpole, which ended with Max Biaggi in eleventh position and Leon Camier in sixteenth, the Aprilia RSV4s returned to their competitive nature out on the track. In Race 1 Max Biaggi recovered from tenth position and ended up with a good fifth place finish after a long battle for fourth position. Leon Camier took his Aprilia RSV4 to eleventh place after overshooting and being forced to re-enter the race and catch up. In any case, both of the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team drivers showed that they are able to keep up with the times turned in by the top drivers. Something quite similar also occurred in Race 2. This time both Biaggi and Camier paid their dues for running of the track (during the fourth lap for Max and during the ninth for Leon). Despite the severe handicap, both re-entered the tight group that was following the five leaders and battling it out the sixth to twelfth positions, and managed to race once again after setting excellent paces. The race ended with Biaggi in eighth position and the young Brit finishing eleventh. The results left somewhat of a bitter taste, but they also provide some important points in a world championship that even this early on is proving to be extraordinarily balanced. “It didn’t go very well,” stated Biaggi. “In Race 2, I went straight for the little curve, where Camier went off the track twice, because I was at my limit, and in these situations, a mistake is right around the bend. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but I’m not going away disheartened or discouraged because we are aware of our own potential and we know we can surely do better when once we have eliminated these problems.” “I’m very sorry about all of the mistakes I made,” said Camier. “In Race 1 I tried to pass the other drivers at the little curve, but I overshot a bit while braking and in order to avoid hitting Max, I went off track. Then I really pushed to recover as many positions as possible. During the second race, I started off quite well and I was with the lead group right behind Checa, who immediately passed Toseland. When I attempted to pass, we ended up a bit wide. Then I shifted into the wrong gear and overshot at the same curve as in Race 1. I’m disappointed because I ran with very good times and seeing how the race ended, I could have had an excellent result. We’ve improved a lot, but I wasted a good opportunity. Now we’re headed to Portimao, a track that I know well and where I intend to keep up with the leaders. But, there’s still a lot of work to do and I especially have to improve during the Superpole.” More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: FABRIZIO AND HAGA (DUCATI XEROX) POWER THEIR DUCATI 1198 BIKES TO THREE PODIUM FINISHES AT PHILLIP ISLAND TODAY Phillip Island (Australia), Sunday 28th February : the crowds at Phillip Island were today treated to two spectacular Superbike races, the first of which resulted in the closest ever finish in Superbike history, with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) crossing the line just 0.004 of a second behind Leon Haslam on the Suzuki. Less than a second behind Michel, in third place, was his team-mate Noriyuki Haga. Race 2 was also extremely hard fought and some very close racing which made for great viewing saw Michel battle his way to a third place finish with Nori just behind him in fifth. This morning’s warm-up passed without incident for Michel, who registered the fourth fastest lap time but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for his team-mate Noriyuki, victim of a 250 km/hour crash on entering in the first corner after being knocked from his 1198 by Xaus. The doctors of the circuit’s medical centre declared him fit to ride, although the Japanese rider had suffered some bruising to his back, as well as a severe blow to the right forearm which swelled to such an extent as to require an pain-relief injection before the race. Despite the difficulties in warm-up, race 1 began very well for both Ducati Xerox riders, Michel holding second position and Noriyuki, fast as lightning in his start, making up several position, to rocket from tenth to third position through the first corners. Right from the second lap the gap between the leaders, Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga, and the chasing pack, led by Jonathan Rea, began to increase and by mid-race the top three had built a five second advantage over fourth placed Rea. In the final four laps Michel tried to find a way past the young Briton but it was not to be and a final charge to the finish line led to a photofinish, with the result being declared the closest ever finish in a Superbike race. Michel crossed the line a mere four thousandths of a second after Haslam, with Haga following less than a second behind to snatch the third spot on the podium. Race 2 began in exactly the same way as the first, with Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga again off the line quickest to take an immediate lead. Haslam’s team-mate Sylvain Guintoli soon joined the fray, as did Carlos Checa mid-race, and a five-way battle for supremacy ensued. Nori, still suffering after the earlier crash, could not keep pace with the other four but held fifth position, taking home important points in the process. Checa, on board Althea Racing’s Ducati 1198, waited until the last lap before passing both Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead, leaving the Italian and the Briton to battle it out for second. A very strong start for the Ducati Xerox Team as far as the championship standings are concerned, Michel in second position with 36 points, Nori fourth with 27 and their combined performances today putting Ducati in joint first place with Suzuki in the manufacturers classification. Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 2nd , Race 2 -3rd) “I had a great battle with Leon in Race 1. In the last four laps I tried to understand where I could attempt to get past him but it wasn’t easy so I pushed on right to the finish line and, to tell the truth, I thought I’d done enough! Leon and I were right there together as we crossed the line, and on the big screen I could see my wife celebrating in the box – but the result was decided by the photofinish and I had to settle for 20 points this time. The great thing about the Superbike championship however is that there are two races”¦. My team did not make any changes to the bike before the second race and I was again able to make a good start but it was a very difficult race. I stayed there with the leading pack but I realized it would be very hard to win, and in the last four laps it became more difficult to fight. I am very happy with today’s results, which put me in second place on the leaderboard after round 1. It will be a very long and challenging season but we’ve made a good start today.” Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 3rd , Race 2 – 5th) “My result in Race 1 was really good as far as I’m concerned as I had had a crash during the warm-up and suffered from a bit of arm-pump during the race. I was confident that I could make a good start from 10th position and I did so and then I tried to keep up with Michel and Leon but my arm led me to make a few small mistakes. Anyway I really enjoyed the race and the points I made in the race are definitely a good start for the championship. In the second race my arm played up more and it became harder to brake, I felt very tired physically. But all in all, with regard to the classification and bearing in mind this morning’s accident, it didn’t go too badly; I finished third and fifth and we take home some good points.” RESULTS: Race 1 1. Haslam (Suzuki); 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox); 3. Haga (Ducati Xerox) Race 2 – 1. Checa (Ducati); 2. Haslam (Suzuki); 3. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) CLASSIFICATION: Riders 1. Haslam (Suzuki) 45; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 36; 3. Checa (Ducati) 34; 4. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 27; 5. Guintoli (Suzuki) 23; 6. Rea (Honda) 23; 7. Biaggi (Aprilia) 19″¦. Manufacturers Ducati 45; Suzuki 45; Honda 23; Aprilia 19; BMW 16; Yamaha 7; Kawasaki 3 More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Fantastic victory of Carlos Checa in race two! Cloudy sky and dry truck today in Phillip Island for the first World Superbike races of the season. The Althea racing team riders worked on the last minute adjustments of their Ducati 1198 bikes during the morning warm up, in order to be ready for the two 22-laps Superbike races. Due to yesterday Superpole upshots, today Carlos Checa lined up from the first row and Shakey Byrne from the fifth. In race one not a good start for Checa. The Spanish riders did not take advantage from his start from the first row of the grid. In the first few laps Checa was sixth and teammate Shakey, after quite a quick start, was seventeenth. Near to the middle of the race Checa was battling for fourth in a group of six riders while Byrne made up several places up to fourteenth. Checa ended the first race in seventh place and Byrne obtained the fourteenth position. Also in race two Carlos did not start quickly from the first row, ending the first lap in eighth place. Fifteenth place for Byrne in the first few laps. As the race proceed Checa was able to recover some position and near to the middle of the race he reached the first group of riders in fifth place. Also Byrne recovered quickly and in a few laps he was up tenth position, but caught up in the third group of riders, he was unable to make much progress and concluded in twelfth place. With few laps to go Checa moved up to fourth position and with some incredible overtaking he worked his way up through the field to pass Guintoli, Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead on the very last lap snatching an extraordinary first victory for Althea racing team. Race one : 1) Haslam (Suzuki) 2) Fabrizio (Ducati) 3) Haga (Ducati) 4) Rea (Honda) 5) Biaggi (Aprilia) – 6) Guintoli (Suzuki) 7) Checa (Ducati) “¦”¦.. 14) Byrne (Ducati) Race Two : 1) Checa (Ducati) 2) Haslam (Suzuki) 3) Fabrizio (Ducati) 4) Guintoli (Suzuki) 5) Haga (Ducati) – 6) Rea (Honda) 7) Corser (BMW) “¦”¦.. 12) Byrne (Ducati) Carlos Checa :”The second race was perfect. In race one we chose a tyre that was perhaps too hard for the conditions and I found it hard to brake. In race two we selected a better tyre and I could brake much more strongly, I also had a very good pace and was able to pass riders fairly easily. My style of riding actually seemed to mean that tyre wear was less of a problem for me than for some other riders. By the last lap I was up in second and I could finally get pass Haslam. I wanted to pass him earlier but it was impossible and he didn’t leave me space to pass until the very end. I am of course extremely happy with the result, it is my first race with the Althea team and on the Ducati 1198 and we have a good package with which to fight this season. My thanks go to the entire team for their hard work and dedication.” Shane Byrne :” The first race I made it was very difficult for myself, I knew I had to make as many passes as possible to get near the front. I pushed to pass Guintoli and Sykes and couldn’t make it, so had to go straight. A small problem with the rear brake and it was hard to turn, but anyway I recovered and had good rhythm so I was happy with it, though not so happy with the result. The first thing to say about race two is congratulations to Carlos and to the whole team for the win. Genesio and the team have put together a very competitive machine. There are too many fast riders to be able to start from 18th and expect a good finish, but I got up as far as about tenth place which wasn’t so bad, having been caught up in battles with several riders. Today we have seen that there are many riders that can fight for race wins, the level of riding is very good. We go home and concentrate on preparations for Portimao.” Genesio Bevilacqua General manager :”What can I say? An incredible day. It’s the first round of the season and as a team we were well prepared but we didn’t expect a Carlos Checa in such amazing form today. It’s difficult to win a race at this level and we are extremely satisfied. We worked very hard over recent months to be ready for this weekend, during testing, and so this is an amazing result. Shakey was unfortunately not in perfect shape after the earlier crash but he made good pace in race two and we look forward to Portimao where we know he can be strong. Particular thanks goes to Ducati as it is due to their support that we are here today and celebrating this success. Thanks also to the whole team as their hard work over recent months had led to this incredible result today.” More, from a press release issued Yamaha: Challenging start to the season for Yamaha Sterilgarda at Phillip Island It wasn’t an easy start for Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland today at the season opening race in Phillip Island Australia. Race one saw both riders crash out, Crutchlow losing the front having run wide on onto a dirty section of track on lap two and Toseland highsiding on the fifth lap. Race two saw a fiercely contested battle for points with both riders fighting off riders including Biaggi, Corser and others to stay within the top ten. Combined with a less than perfect set up on both bikes and struggling for grip the riders put in an incredible ride to bring their bikes home in the points, Crutchlow in ninth and Toseland tenth. Crutchlow moves on to round two in Portimao in 12th position in the championship on seven points, team-mate Toseland sits just behind in 13th with six points. Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (DNF, 9th) “Race one was unfortunate, I felt we had good pace and were running up in the top five quite comfortably, I just made a little mistake. I was a bit better than Rea into the hairpin so had to run wide to avoid him and lost the front on the dirt. The second race was hard, I felt like I had no grip from the start and still some chattering. If we had better grip we could have pulled more out of it. We need to go back to the drawing board and work some stuff out.” James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (DNF, 10th) “I really needed to finish the second race after the crash in the first. To only finish 14 seconds from the front with the issues we’ve had this weekend is not so bad. I was really disappointed with the first race, with my injury on Friday I wanted to have two good finishes today. Full credit to the team they’ve tried so hard but unfortunately we haven’t had the software here to solve the issue. We know what the problem is and I’ve given enough feedback and input to give the guys a direction to go in. We’ve got a lot of work to do, no doubt, but even with all the problems we’re not actually that far away. The package, the power, the balance and the suspension have come on leaps and bounds. On to Portimao now, it’s a long season so we can do it.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager “It was definitely a really tough weekend for us. We solved some problems, and some we still have to work on. As we spent the two day test and the first day of the race weekend resolving the chatter issue, qualifying and race day was our first opportunity to really test the 2010 bike set up. We’ve seen that we have the potential to do well so we will go home and start working on the solutions to be ready to fight for the Portimao races. The team have worked really hard over the last few days to try and solve the issues and both Cal and James have given 100% to meet the challenges.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: HASLAM WINS FIRST WORLD SUPERBIKE RACE ON SUZUKI! Team Suzuki Press Office – February 28. Team Suzuki Alstare rider Leon Haslam recorded his first ever World Superbike win in the first race of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island today. He led the race from start to finish and took the flag, just 4000ths-of-a-second ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Ducati). He and his Suzuki Alstare team mate Sylvain Guintoli then disputed the lead for most of the second race, but Haslam’s dreams of a double were dashed right at the death by Spaniard Carlos Checa (Ducati). Nevertheless, his tremendous win in race one and runner-up spot in the second puts him on the very top of the Superbike World Championship, nine points ahead of his nearest rival. Also encouraging for the team was Guintoli’s ability to run at the front and be in contention: The Frenchman led his team mate eight laps out of 22 and did not look out of place at all. This was his first race of the year, on the new 2010 GSX-R1000 bike, with a new team, but he also showed that he too will be a force to be reckoned with this year. Although he missed out on the podium, he did receive a trophy – for the fastest lap of race two – so he did not leave Phillip Island empty handed. Leon Haslam – Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 2nd: “I am so happy to get my first WSBK win and it feels great! I want to thank the team and all the staff back at the workshop for all their support and hard work and I’d also like to thank Francis and Patricia Batta for having faith in me. “The first race was such hard work and it was impossible to relax for a second. I knew that I had Michel and Nori breathing down my neck, but I just kept concentrating on my lines and my braking points and tried to hold them off. I realised that Michel was in my wheeltracks going into the last turn and would try and use the draft to get past me, but I kept my head down and charged to the flag. At the end, I didn’t know if I’d won or not, but when I realised that I had, I was so unbelievably happy and it was such a fantastic feeling. All weekend I knew that a win was possible, but thinking about and it happening are two different things. “In race two, I had some problems with rear traction but I still thought I could win. I had a great fight with Sylvain and when I finally got ahead of him and made it stick, I thought he might act as a buffer between me and the rest. Then suddenly, Carlos was there. He dived under me just three corners from the end, on the last lap. I tried to get it back, but he managed to hold me off and take the flag. But it feels good to take a win and a second in my first race with the team and it feels fantastic to be leading the Superbike World Championship.” Sylvain Guintoli – Race 1: 6th, Race 2: 4th: “I have really enjoyed today and it’s been great fun. I can’t remember the last time I was leading a World Championship race, so to lead quite a lot of race two was a great feeling and now I want to do it again. When I was in front, I felt comfortable and I knew I could keep up a good pace. Everything felt very smooth and it was all going to plan until I made a small mistake and Leon and then Carlos went through. Carlos and I touched in turn 8 when my elbow was in contact with his front wheel and then I tried a bit too hard to get back straightaway when perhaps I should’ve been a bit more patient and that’s where I lost ground. “I could’ve made a better result in the first race if I hadn’t had such a bad start. My pace was good, but I was too far off the leaders, but I am learning about WSBK race pace and also the fact that the races are longer than what I have been used to. I am very happy with all the work we’ve done and am enjoying riding this bike so much. It was nice to get a trophy for the fastest lllap in race two and I hope that it will just be the start of many to come. I am looking forward to Portimao and my next trophy.” Results: Race 1: 1 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare), 2 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), 3 Haga (JPN-Ducati), 4 Rea (GBR-Honda), 5 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia), 6 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare). Race 2: 1 Checa (ESP-Ducati), 2 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare), 3 Fabrizio, 4 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare), 5 Haga, 6 Rea. Championship points: 1 Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) 45, Fabrizio 36, 3 Checa 34, 4 Haga 27, 5 Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) 23, 6 Rea 23. More, from a press release issued by Team PATA B&G Racing: Team Pata B&G Racing leaves Australia well aware of their potential. Jakub Smrz shined this weekend but did not gather what he demonstrated he wascapable of due to two incidents in both races. The rider got a good start in race 1 but dropped to sixteenth place after an uneventful accident with another bike. He did not give up and climbed up again after recovering eight positions in a couple of laps. Later on, while he was battling for fourth place, there was drop in performance in the back tyre which prevented him from going all the way. Smrz was however determined to do better in race 2. He got a good start again and got into the leading pack right away. He reeled in the front runners until lap 6, when some front-end issues prevented him from finishing the race. JAKUB SMRZ | Ducati 1098R | 8th, retired: “Although we had no luck in either of the races, I’m satisified. The team did a great job here in Australia and this allowed me to battle for the top positions. I’m eleventh in the riders standings now but I hope to improve it next time in Europe. I got a good start in race 1 and despite the incident with the other rider, I climbed up again right away. Unfortunately, the back end did not perform at its best by the end of the race. As a consequence, instead of attacking I had to defend myself. Had the race been a bit longer, I might have not finished it. In race 2, I crashed at the fourth corner while I was battling for sixth place because I didn’t get a good feeling with the bike. MARCO BORCIANI: “I didn’t get any luck in Australia this time around either. We did well this year too but didn’t confirm in race, once again due to incidents. In race 1, the rim got slightly damaged due to the accident at the start or the bike just bumped the kerb. This caused the back tyre to progressively lose pressure, which made it very hard for Jakub to ride the bike. We hoped to redeem ourselves in race 2. We didn’t but Smrz was going very fast and could’ve well finished at the top as he was just behind Checa, who actually won the race. I would however like to thank both rider and team for a good job done. Jakub was constantly fast, the bike as well and I’m sure we can do better in Europe”. MIRCO GUANDALINI: “I’m satisfied with what we did in the first round. Both team and rider proved they’re capable of battling for the first positions, I’m sure we can do this in every race. We didn’t get as many points as we had hoped for but I’m confident we’ll have a great season”. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Sykes Scores In First Race Of 2010 Season WSBK, Phillip Island, Australia, 28 February 2010 Kawasaki Racing Team riders Tom Sykes and Chris Vermeulen found the opening race weekend a challenging one, but Sykes got into the points in the first leg after qualifying on row three. Sykes was a fighting 13th in the 22-lap race, but Vermeulen fell while trying to move forward from seventh, crashing out on lap four. Tom was forced out of the second race when a small technical issue caused him to enter the pits, restart, and finally retire. Chris fell in race two after being in fourth for a period of time, sliding off at high speed at the Hayshed corner on lap eight. Chris was checked over by the track medics, and was found to have suffered heavy bruising to his right leg and had also damaged a finger. The team now goes to Portimao for the next round knowing that it has made great progress in real terms on track, and hoping for a change in raceday fortunes. The team has previously tested at Portimao, which will help their pre-race preparations greatly. Tom Sykes: “In race one we made some changes to the set-up and but it didn’t suit the tyre we used. In race two we got a good launch, but got boxed in and pushed out on to the dirty stuff, along with another couple of riders. So I went from thinking I would be sixth to being 15th. The bike was feeling good but when I went into the final two corners it felt like someone was pushing me from behind. I came back in and checked the bike, then went back out again before retiring. It was just a ten cent o-ring for the steering damper, causing the steering to feel strange sometimes. Otherwise, the bike was very good and giving me a strong race pace in race two. This whole Australian experience has been a good test period for us and I know that we go to Portimao having learned a lot. I would like to thank Kawasaki and the team for the amount of effort they have put in.” Chris Vermeulen: “I was feeling positive for the race after our two-day test and qualifying sessions. In both races I had really good starts but in the first race I lost the front early on when lying 7th and in race two I had a problem that resulted in a high-speed crash. I’m bruised and battered but am feeling OK, considering the speed of the crash. I had heavy impact on my lower right leg and my finger is pretty smashed up. The preliminary X-rays have shown no breaks but for a precaution I am heading to Melbourne for a more detailed MRI scan. I’m glad we have a month before Portimao, so I can ensure that I am back to full fitness.” More, from a press release issued by Honda: Australian World Superbike at Phillip Island, Sunday 28 February 2010 World Superbike and World Supersport race report 4.445km circuit Attendance: 65,500 all weekend. Weather: Ambient: 18 to 20°C Track: 25 to 31°C REA TAKES FOURTH IN OPENING RACE OF 2010 SEASON Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) improved on his qualifying performance in each 22-lap Phillip Island race, leaving the opening round of the year in overall sixth place. Jonathan had qualified seventh in the three-part Superpole after finding more difficulty in getting a set-up to make one fast lap than putting in a consistently fast race pace. In race one he was fourth, in race two sixth, but his second race of the day was by far the most challenging. His fellow Honda riders battled hard but each suffered with their own issues at this fast and undulating 4.445km circuit. Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) went from 17th in qualifying to 12th in race one. Stand-in rider for Broc Parkes, Josh Brookes (ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR), scored points for 14th in race two, despite qualifying 20th on the grid at his home circuit. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image CBR100RR) qualified 22nd but moved up to 16th and then 17th in the races. In the first race Rea rode aggressively at the front of the second group of riders, finishing some ten seconds behind the winner, Leon Haslam (Suzuki). Rea had to ride with a combination of aggression and defensive strategy to stay ahead of the three riders following closely behind. In race two, held in very slightly warmer conditions than race one, Rea made changes to his machine set-up, but after running on at turn four, he was 22nd and last, but carved his way back to sixth, once more coming out on top of a multiple rider fight. In a race won by Ducati privateer Carlos Checa, Josh Brookes went back to the settings he used in testing and pushed up to 14th, earning two points. Max Neukirchner was pushed wide and had to fight back to score 16th, and miss out on any points. Thanks to his race one score, he is 15th in the rankings, on four points. With 23 points Rea is now sixth in the championship, tied on points with Sylvain Guintoli. Leon Haslam leads the championship on 45 points, following up his race one win with second place in race two. Portugal is the host country for the second round of the championship, on Sunday 28th March, at the Portimao circuit near the Algarve coast. WSB RIDER COMMENTS Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: “All positive to be honest. It is easy to look at the results and get downhearted but we are not going to do that, because that is where our pace was all weekend, between four and seventh. We knew it was going to be difficult to get on the podium but that was the aim. Getting fourth in the first race was the best-case scenario. In the second race, after running off then seeing P22 on my pit board, I dug deep every lap and caught up to sixth. The bike felt better from race one to two as well. I had a few bad races last year, so if that was a bad weekend we’ll take it.” Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: “We made some improvements from the first race to the second race, but the only problem was that I made a mistake in the third lap of race two, when fighting with Biaggi and ran off track, losing about 20 seconds. It was hard to try and come back from that. I am really not happy but we did find some good things and I improved how I work with the team.” Josh Brookes, ECHO CRS Honda: “We went back to similar settings that we had at the tests, even though that meant we had some problems with chatter again. When we tried to get rid of those we lost the ability to keep a good line and turn the bike on the throttle. So we went back to what we had, I was able to race with some guys and took some points in race two.” Vittorio Iannuzzo, (Squadra Corse Italia: “We had some issues in the test last week and although we did not score any points like we planned, we finished both races as well as we could. I had a problem in race one with my electronics as well.” LAVERTY WINS AT SECOND ATTEMPT Race winner Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) had used practice and qualifying to work on his race set-up almost constantly and as such he had qualified fourth on the grid. But in real race conditions he was untouchable for sheer pace and he held a strong lead right to the end of the 21-lap race, beating Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) and second fastest qualifier Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR). The race was re-run over its entire 21-lap distance after the first attempt was eventually declared null and void after oil was spread on the track at the Hayshed and second corner, while Laverty was in the lead. Laverty repeated his quick starting trick again and controlled the pace from the front. Both Sofuoglu and his fellow front row qualifier Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) experienced tyre issues in the race, with Pirro pulling out in the end, after his tyre deflated. Massimo Roccoli (Czech Intermoto Honda CBR600RR) was forced to use his second bike, with a partially used tyre, in the restart putting him sixth overall. He had been ninth on the grid. Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) went from 11th on the gird to ninth in the race, despite not getting the best start in the re-run. In his first ever Supersport World Championship race, reigning Superstock 600 European Champion for Honda Gino Rea (Czech Intermoto Honda CBR600RR) jumped up to tenth from 14th. Laverty takes his five-point championship lead over Lascorz to his team’s home race in Portugal on March 28th. WSS Rider Comments Eugene Laverty, Parkalgar Honda: “We made improvements all over the course of the weekend, but yesterday what we were working towards was a race set-up for the second half of the race, making sure the bike looked after the tyres. I think that is why I only qualified fourth but I knew that we could do 1’35 laps consistently in the race. The laps the other guys put in during qualifying were incredible, and I couldn’t match them, but what was important was that I could do it for 21-laps.” Kenan Sofuoglu, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: “I had some issues with the rear grip in the race and I had to manage that. I was trying to save it to the last lap but I had to slow down at the end. I am on the podium but I am very disappointed.” Massimo Roccoli, Czech Intermoto Honda: “We were unlucky in the race but we still got sixth place. I had to use my second bike but the rear tyre already had five laps on it. In the first eight or nine laps it was good but in the last few laps the grip dropped off. But top six first time out is OK.” Michele Pirro, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: “We had a deflation of the tyre and I could not continue. I do not know why there was the problem, but it finished my race. Immediately there was not a good feeling in the restart so I could not do the pace I wanted. I had crashed on someone else’s oil in the first start as well.” Miguel Praia Parkalgar Honda: “The second start did not go well, and with all the oil dust on the first lap there were lots of different lines from the riders. I could not get away with the group I wanted to be in. I was hoping for a top seven but I got into the top ten at least.” Gino Rea, Czech Intermoto Honda: “I thought I had the pace to run with the group ahead, but I waited a bit because I wanted to conserve my tyre. Everyone was taking about tyre life all weekend because there are so many left-handers here. But I should have gone a bit earlier and tagged onto the group in front. Tenth place is not bad at the end of the day and we got some points for the team.” Results SUPERSPORT Race : (Laps 21 = 93,345 Km) Pos / Rider / Nat. / Team / Time / Gap 1 / E. LAVERTY / IRL / Honda CBR600RR / Parkalgar Honda / 33’37.836 2 / J. LASCORZ / ESP / Kawasaki ZX-6R / Kawasaki Motocard.com / 4.359 3 / K. SOFUOGLU / TUR / Honda CBR600RR / HANNspree Ten Kate Honda / 4.500 4 / D. SALOM / ESP / Triumph Daytona 675 / ParkinGO BE1 Triumph / 11.779 5 / F. FORET / FRA / Kawasaki ZX-6R / Team Lorenzini by Leoni / 17.266 6 / M. ROCCOLI / ITA / Honda CBR600RR / Intermoto Czech / 25.034 7 / R. HARMS / DEN / Honda CBR600RR / Harms Benjan Racing / 27.834 8 / J. DISALVO / USA / Triumph Daytona 675 / ParkinGO BE1 Triumph / 30.102 9 / M. PRAIA / POR / Honda CBR600RR / Parkalgar Honda / 31.931 10 / G. REA / GBR / Honda CBR600RR / Intermoto Czech / 31.991 11 / K. FUJIWARA / JPN / Kawasaki ZX-6R / Kawasaki Motocard.com / 40.552 12 / C. DAVIES / GBR / Triumph Daytona 675 / ParkinGO Triumph BE1 / 40.556 13 / S. CHARPENTIER / FRA / Triumph Daytona 675 / ParkinGO Triumph BE1 / 1’28.553 14 / P. CAZZOLA / ITA / Honda CBR600RR / Kuja Racing / 1 Lap 15 / D. DELL’OMO / ITA / Honda CBR600RR / Kuja Racing / 2 Laps Fastest Lap 6° Eugene Laverty 1’35.204 168,081 Km/h Lap Record: 2007 S. Charpentier 1’34.976 168,480 Km/h Best Lap: 2010 Joan Lascorz 1’33.847 170,510 Km/h Riders Championship Standings: 1 LAVERTY 25, 2 LASCORZ 20, 3 SOFUOGLU 16, 4 SALOM 13, 5 FORET 11, 6 ROCCOLI 10, 7 HARMS 9, 8 DISALVO 8, 9 PRAIA 7, 10 REA 6, 11 FUJIWARA 5, 12 DAVIES 4, 13 CHARPENTIER 3, 14 CAZZOLA 2, 15 DELL’OMO 1. SUPERBIKE Race 1 : (Laps 22 = 97,790 Km) Pos / Rider / Nat. / Team / Gap 1 / L. HASLAM / GBR / Suzuki GSX-R1000 / Team Suzuki Alstare / 34’13.435 2 / M. FABRIZIO / ITA / Ducati 1098R / Ducati Xerox Team / 0.004 3 / N. HAGA / JPN / Ducati 1098R / Ducati Xerox Team / 0.769 4 / J. REA / GBR / Honda CBR1000RR / HANNspree Ten Kate Honda / 10.201 5 / M. BIAGGI / ITA / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. / Aprilia Alitalia Racing / 10.782 6 / S. GUINTOLI / FRA / Suzuki GSX-R1000 / Team Suzuki Alstare / 11.079 7 / C. CHECA / ESP / Ducati 1098R / Althea Racing / 11.208 8 / J. SMRZ / CZE / Ducati 1098R / Team PATA B&G Racing / 16.522 9 / T. CORSER / AUS / BMW S1000 RR / BMW Motorrad Motorsport / 20.291 10 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati 1098R / DFX Corse / 26.352 11 / L. CAMIER / GBR / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. / Aprilia Alitalia Racing / 29.775 12 / M. NEUKIRCHNER / GER / Honda CBR1000RR / HANNspree Ten Kate Honda / 30.155 13 / T. SYKES / GBR / Kawasaki ZX 10R / Kawasaki Racing Team / 31.951 14 / S. BYRNE / GBR / Ducati 1098R / Althea Racing / 31.957 15 / A. PITT / AUS / BMW S1000 RR / Team Reitwagen BMW / 55.082 Fastest Lap 2° Leon Haslam 1’32.193 173,571 Km/h Race 2: (Laps 22 = 97,790 Km) Pos / Rider / Nat. / Team / Gap 1 / C. CHECA / ESP / Ducati 1098R / Althea Racing / 34’16.428 2 / L. HASLAM / GBR / Suzuki GSX-R1000 / Team Suzuki Alstare / 0.307 3 / M. FABRIZIO / ITA / Ducati 1098R / Ducati Xerox Team / 0.434 4 / S. GUINTOLI / FRA / Suzuki GSX-R1000 / Team Suzuki Alstare / 0.837 5 / N. HAGA / JPN / Ducati 1098R / Ducati Xerox Team / 3.453 6 / J. REA / GBR / Honda CBR1000RR / HANNspree Ten Kate Honda / 11.530 7 / T. CORSER / AUS / BMW S1000 RR / BMW Motorrad Motorsport / 12.026 8 / M. BIAGGI / ITA / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. / Aprilia Alitalia Racing / 13.068 9 / C. CRUTCHLOW / GBR / Yamaha YZF R1 / Yamaha Sterilgarda Team / 14.401 10 / J. TOSELAND / GBR / Yamaha YZF R1 / Yamaha Sterilgarda Team / 14.707 11 / L. CAMIER / GBR / Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. / Aprilia Alitalia Racing / 14.743 12 / S. BYRNE / GBR / Ducati 1098R / Althea Racing / 14.851 13 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati 1098R / DFX Corse / 15.143 14 / J. BROOKES / AUS / Honda CBR1000RR / ECHO CRS Honda / 30.947 15 / A. PITT / AUS / BMW S1000 RR / Team Reitwagen BMW / 41.855 Fastest Lap: 3° Sylvain Guintoli 1’32.236 173,490 Km/h Lap Record: 2007 Troy Corser 1’31.826 174,260 Km/h Best Lap: 2009 Régis Laconi 1’31.050 175,750 Km/h Riders Championship Standings: 1 HASLAM 45, 2 FABRIZIO 36, 3 CHECA 34, 4 HAGA 27, 5 GUINTOLI 23, 6 REA 23, 7 BIAGGI 19, 8 CORSER 16, 9 CAMIER 10, 10 LANZI 9, 11 SMRZ 8, 12 CRUTCHLOW 7, 13 TOSELAND 6, 14 BYRNE 6, 15 NEUKIRCHNER 4. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Alstare: 2010 Superbike World Championship Round 1, Phillip Island, Australia Sunday 28th February Circuit: 4.445 kms. Crowd: 65,500 (3-day) Weather conditions: Dry, sunny/cloudy 18- 20 C. Track temperature: 25 – 31 C. LEON ON TOP OF THE WORLD! Team Suzuki Alstare rider Leon Haslam recorded his first ever WSBK win in the first race of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island today. He led the race from start to finish and took the flag, just four thousandths of a second ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Ducati). Leon has been very strong in the preseason tests and today’s results showed that his performances in testing have been no fluke and well deserved. He and his Suzuki Alstare team mate Sylvain Guintoli then disputed the lead for most of the second race, but Leon’s dreams of a superb double were dashed right at the death by Spaniard Carlos Checa (Ducati). Nevertheless, Leon’s tremendous win in race one and runner-up spot in the second puts on the very top of the Superbike World Championship, nine points ahead of his nearest rival. Leon’s performances today, followed his Superpole victory yesterday showed that he and the Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 will be a potent combination this season. Also very encouraging, from the team’s point of view, is Sylvain’s ability to run at the front and be in contention – especially in race two. The Frenchman led his team mate eight laps out of twenty-two and did not look out of place at all. This was his first race of the year, on a new (2010) bike, with a new team, but Sylvain has also showed that he too will be a force to be reckoned with this year. Although he missed out on the podium, he did receive a trophy – for the fastest lap of race two, so he did not leave Phillip Island empty handed. Leon – Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 2nd I am so happy to get my first WSBK win and it feels great! I want to thank the team and all the staff back at the workshop for all their support and hard work and I’d also like to thank Francis and Patricia Batta for having faith in me. The first race was such hard work and it was impossible to relax for a second. I knew that I had Michel and Nori breathing down my neck, but I just kept concentrating on my lines and my braking points and tried to hold them off. I realised that Michel was in my wheeltracks going into the last turn and would try and use the draft to get past me, but I kept my head down and charged to the flag. At the end, I didn’t know if I’d won or not, but when I realised that I had, I was so unbelievably happy and it was such a fantastic feeling. All weekend I knew that a win was possible, but thinking about and it happening are two different things. In race two, I had some problems with rear traction but I still thought I could win. I had a great fight with Sylvain and when I finally got ahead of him and made it stick, I thought he might act as a buffer between me and the rest. Then suddenly, Carlos was there. He dived under me just three corners from the end, on the last lap. I tried to get it back, but he managed to hold me off and take the flag. But, it feels good to take a win and a second in my first race with the team and it feels fantastic to be leading the Superbike World Championship. Sylvain – Race 1: 6th, Race 2: 4th I have really enjoyed today and it’s been great fun. I can’t remember the last time I was leading a world champion ship race, so to lead quite a lot of race two was a great feeling and now I want to do it again. When I was in front, I felt comfortable and I knew I could keep up a good pace. Everything felt very smooth and it was all going to plan until I made a small mistake and Leon and then Carlos went through. Carlos and I touched in turn 8 when my elbow was in contact with his front wheel and then I tried a bit too hard to get back straightaway when perhaps I should’ve been a bit more patient and that;s where I lost ground. I could’ve made a better result in the first race if I hadn’t had such a bad start. My pace was good, but I was too far off the leaders, but I am learning about WSBK race pace and also the fact that the races are longer than what I have been used to. I am very happy with all the work we’ve done and am enjoying riding this bike so much. It was nice to get a trophy (for the fastest lap in race two) and I hope that it will just be the start of many to come. I am looking forward to Portimao and my next trophy. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Super seventh for Troy at Phillip Island! 2010 Superbike World Championship, race report from Phillip Island, Australia A dramatic opening round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship in Australia resulted in a day of mixed fortunes for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. During the final warm-up at Phillip Island circuit, team rider Ruben Xaus collided with Ducati Xerox’s Noriyuki Haga. Neither of the riders suffered any serious injuries but Ruben felt disoriented after the collision, so after consultation with team doctor Vincenzo Tota and team management, he decided not to participate in today’s races. This left Troy Corser to fly the flag for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at his home circuit, and he did so in style, finishing both 22-lap races in the top ten, with a great seventh place finish in race two. At the same track where he has enjoyed seven victories, Corser made an excellent start to race one on his BMW S 1000 RR, moving up to seventh place from the fourth row of the grid. However, the likeable Aussie was forced to take avoiding action on lap three, when James Toseland crashed right in front of him. This allowed several riders past and left Troy with a lot of work to do. By half race distance, Troy was in 10th position and was only 10 seconds behind leading rider Leon Haslam. Consistently posting quick laps, Corser moved up into ninth when Leon Camier went off the track on lap 15. The BMW factory rider managed to hold this position until the end of the race, eventually finishing just 20.291 seconds behind winner Haslam, who scored his maiden victory in probably the closest finish in WSBK history, beating Michel Fabrizio by just four thousandths of a second. Race two was equally entertaining, with Troy up to 11th place after another good start on his BMW S 1000 RR. Before long he had caught a group of seven riders and proceeded to move through the pack. He passed Cal Crutchlow on lap 6, and then gained several places in quick succession when Jacob Smrz, Leon Camier and Chris Vermeulen all made mistakes. Before long, he had James Toseland in his sights, and passed the double WSBK champion to move into sixth place, with just eight laps remaining. With a five-way battle for the lead up front, Troy’s terrific ride on the S 1000 RR continued and he succeeded in pulling a small gap on Yamaha riders Toseland and Crutchlow. However, with just three laps remaining he was surprised by a challenge from Jonathan Rea, who slipped by and held a lead until the chequered flag. Nevertheless, Corser finished this dramatic race in seventh place just 12.026 seconds behind winner Carlos Checa moving himself up to eighth in the points table. Troy Corser: “I had a good start in the first race and gained a couple of positions but unfortunately the tyre dropped quite quickly and I was unable to push as much as I wanted but I was still a good result. We changed the settings on the bike before the start of the second race and things were a lot better. The grip was a lot better immediately, and it was easier to do consistent lap times. I was able to push and fight in the second race like I wanted to in race one. I had to work really hard to pass James Toseland towards the end of race two but I did and managed to pull away slightly. Overall, we can be happy with what we achieved here today at Phillip Island.” Berthold Hauser: “The weekend was like a rollercoaster and we had a lot of difficulties to overcome. We had to manage the pressure on the team, deal with some technical issues and of course I feel sorry for Ruben who decided not to race due to his crash in today’s warm-up session. However, the team kept focussed and did a fantastic job. We are definitely closer to the top teams than last year. Thanks to everybody in the team, and thanks to Troy who had a great second race. We can now travel back to Europe with our heads held high. Also congratulations to Reitwagen Racing who did a really good job this weekend.” Results Race one: 1 Haslam (GBR Suzuki), 2 Fabrizio (ITA Ducati), 3 Haga (JPN Ducati), 9 Troy Corser (AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport), DNS Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) Race two: 1 Checa (ESP Ducati), 2 Haslam (GBR Suzuki), 3 Fabrizio (ITA Ducati), 7 Troy Corser (AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport), DNS Ruben Xaus (E-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) Points: 1. Haslam 45, 2 Fabrizio 36, 3 Checa 34, 7 Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 16 More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: PAIR OF TOP NINE FINISHES FOR TROY. Troy started this year’s Superbike World Championship with two solid top nine finishes at Phillip Island today. He took a hard-fought for ninth in race one and then improved to finish seventh in race two. But almost more importantly, Troy felt comfortable with bike in race two for the first time this year and is now looking forward to continuing that feeling in the next race in Portimao at the end of March. Briton Leon Haslam (Suzuki) won the first race, by the narrowest of margins – just four thousandths of a second separated him and Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) at the flag. Third was Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Jonathan Rea (Honda) fourth – some way behind. Haslam led the last lap of race two, but Spaniard Carlos Checa (Ducati) dived underneath him at the bottom of Lukey Heights and held on to take the win. Third was Fabrizio, with Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki) fourth. Troy – Race 1: 9th, Race 2: 7th I suppose you could say I am half happy. I wasn’t so happy with the first race because we struggled a bit with the settings of the bike and the way the tyre worked. I wasn’t comfortable on the bike and didn’t feel confident about pushing it. The last thing I wanted to do was crash in the first race and mess up the second. We made some changes to the settings and balance of the bike for race two and the tyre felt much more consistent and I could actually race the bike! I haven’t felt that recently and so it was a good feeling to get to that situation again and just focus on the racing. I think my results today, particularly race two, were important for the team, but I wanted more. I know that there is more to come and the good news is that we have discovered a lot of useful info about which directions to take and hopefully we will see the fruits of all this work in the next race in Portimao. I feel sorry for Ruben today, because he has lost some of his confidence with all the crashes he had yesterday. He had a heavy fall in the morning warm-up today and it was decided that he sat out the races. I think this was the right decision and I hope he will be back and fighting fit for the next round. As a team we are further forward than last year. Our lap times are faster than last year. We have a lot more experience under our belts and although there is still lots to do, I think that the new technician (Max) is already working very well with the team and coming up with ideas and some solutions. Physically I felt pretty good after the second race, so good that I think I could’ve done another one! I have been training a lot recently and although I’m staying in Australia for a few weeks, my trainer friend Kayo and our BMW doctor have worked out a programme for me and that’s what I will be doing, as well as spending time with my family and friends of course.