FIM Superbike World Championship Monza, Italy May 10, 2009 Race Two Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Ben SPIES (Yamaha YZF-R1), 18 laps, 31:49.252 2. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098 F09), -2.665 seconds 3. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda CBR1000RR), -2.810 4. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), -7.706 5. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -7.863 6. Tom SYKES (Yamaha YZF-R1), -10.383 7. Leon HASLAM (Honda CBR1000RR), -11.586 8. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), -21.112 9. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), -22.112 10. Carlos CHECA (Honda CBR1000RR), -22.261 11. Regis LACONI (Ducati 1098R), -23.453 12. Shinya NAKANO (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -32.956 13. Broc PARKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -37.166 14. Luca SCASSA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -43.085 15. Matteo BAIOCCO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -43.088 16. Tommy HILL (Honda CBR1000RR), -43.825 17. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9), -53.211, ride-through penalty 18. Shane BYRNE (Ducati 1098R), -60.917, penalized 20 seconds 19. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R1), -77.915, ride-through penalty 20. Jake ZEMKE (Honda CBR1000RR), -88.545, ride-through penalty 21. David SALOM (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -89.016, ride-through penalty 22. Roland RESCH (Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9), -1 lap, DNF 23. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Honda CBR1000RR), -13 laps, ride-through penalty/black flag, DNF 24. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9), -15 laps, DNF, crash 25. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098 F09), -16 laps, DNF, crash 26. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), DNS 27. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9), DNS 28. Brendan ROBERTS (Ducati 1098R), DNS 29. Makoto TAMADA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), DNS World Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 28 races): 1. Haga, 200 points 2. Spies, 146 3. Fabrizio, 125 4. Haslam, 103 5. Sykes, 90 6. Biaggi, 81 7. TIE, Laconi/Rea, 77 9. Neukirchner, 75 10. Kiyonari, 65 11. Smrz, 56 12. Carlos Checa, 53 13. Kagayama, 52 14. Byrne, 41 15. Xaus, 40 16. Corser, 35 17. Nakano, 34 18. Parkes, 17 19. John Hopkins, 9 20. Hill, 6 More, from a press release issued by Ten Kate Honda: Ryuichi Kiyonari scored two third place finishes in today’s fifth round World Superbike championship event at Monza in Italy, the scene of his first WSBK podium a year ago. The two races were won by Michel Fabrizio and Ben Spies during an eventful schedule that was delayed by a first turn crash in race one, when several riders were injured and oil spilled on the circuit. Starting from third place on the grid, Kiyonari dropped back to 17th place at the restart but fought his was back into contention. Entering the last lap in fifth place Kiyonari benefited from Spies running out of fuel and Max Biaggi’s 20s penalty for cutting a chicane. Kiyonari had already returned to his pit-box before being ushered back for the podium ceremony. In the second 18-lapper around the historic 5.8km Monza circuit, Kiyonari got a better start and was battling in the leading group throughout the race before securing his second podium of the day. Ryuichi Kiyonari 3rd and 3rd I am so happy to get these results for myself and for the team. We have worked very hard to find a good setting with the CBR1000RR this season but we have not always had good luck. My start was very bad in race one but I was able to fight back lap-by-lap during the race, although I was very surprised and happy when they told me I was third. In the second race I had a better start and I must say I am a little disappointed. I had the speed to catch Fabrizio but not quite enough to get past him. But this is my best result for a long time and I hope it indicates the start of a better part of the season for me and the team. Ronald ten Kate team manager I am more than satisfied with Kiyo-san’s two podium finishes today, although I must honestly say that, especially in race one, there might have been the chance of a win if not for his bad start. Dropping from third on the grid to seventeenth on the first lap is quite exceptional, but what is more exceptional is fighting back again to third place! It’s good to get confirmation of our set-up and electronics changes and hopefully we can be even more competitive in Kyalami next weekend. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Jonathan Rea just missed a podium finish by taking fourth place in race two at today’s fifth round World Superbike championship event at Monza in Italy. Starting from sixth place on the grid, Rea was fortunate to avoid the first corner melée in the first 18-lap outing which led to an hour’s delay in the schedule. In the restart, won by Italian Michel Fabrizio, Rea dropped to 11th before fighting back through the field to take fifth. The Northern Ireland rider went one better in the second outing at the legendary 5.8km Monza circuit, as Ben Spies took his fifth win of the campaign. Rea put in his fastest lap in the second half of the race, vindicating the recent changes made to his CBR1000RR by his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda crew. Rea’s team-mate, Carlos Checa, finished in ninth and tenth places in the two outings after starting from ninth place on the grid. Jonathan Rea 5th and 4th We just had a few problems with the bike in the latter stages of the race I don’t know whether it’s the light fuel load or what, but it developed a bit of chatter which was quite hard to dial out after race one. I got busted by a pretty hard move by Laconi in that race and, by the time I’d got back past him, I’d lost touch with the leading group. In Race 2 I got a much better start and tried really hard to catch Fabrizio and Kiyo, but they had a little more left in the tank at the end. Still, I’ve equalled my best Superbike result and we’ve shown that we can race at the front now. I didn’t quite achieve a podium today but hopefully the results are some reward for all the hard work the team has put in over the last few weeks. Carlos Checa 9th and 10th Both races were pretty much the same for me I had quite bad chatter on the entry into corners and a lack of side grip on the exit, but the entry problem was worse. It was a little better in race two and I was able to stay with the leading riders a little longer. But then I started to lose a few tenths here and there, and then I got tangled with a few other riders and made some mistakes. We will check the settings of the other guys in the team and see where we can improve things in time for next weekend in Kyalami. Ronald ten Kate team manager Those were two solid results for Jonathan which are a reward for and credit to all the hard work that the crew has put in to find a new development of the bike since we left Valencia. We will have to look at Carlos’s particular issues but we are definitely moving forward and aim to take the next step in South Africa. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: MICHEL FABRIZIO (DUCATI XEROX) TRIUMPHS TO TAKE HIS FIRST SUPERBIKE WIN! FIRST IN RACE 1, SECOND IN RACE 2 TODAY AT MONZA. Monza (Italy) Sunday 10th May: the Italian public were witness to a first race that finished in the best possible way for the Ducati Xerox Team this afternoon at the Italian circuit of Monza. Michel Fabrizio took his first ever Superbike win and his team-mate Noriyuki Haga followed him across the line to take second. Noriyuki did not have such a fortunate time in Race 2 but Michel meanwhile returned to the podium, this time in second, concluding his most successful Superbike weekend yet. Race 1 was spectacular right from the opening seconds as, immediately after the start an accident occurred involving several riders as they rode through the first curve, necessitating a red flag and a restart. Nearly an hour later the race began again and both the Ducati riders got off to a flying start. For the first four laps Michel and Noriyuki led the race in first and second place respectively. They were then passed during the fifth lap by an ever faster Spies, yet they were able to hold second and third, both doing their utmost to catch the American rider. Having closed the gap significantly by the last couple of laps, neither rider expected that Spies’ bike would come to a stop just short of the finishing line, allowing Michel to cross the line first, followed two tenths of a second later by his team-mate Noriyuki. In Raced 2 both Ducati Xerox riders made another strong start with Noriyuki in the lead after the first corner but at the very next bend he was hit by a bird that caused an immediate loss of sensation in his right arm. He continued on for another lap despite having lost many positions but the blow that he had taken was so strong that he was unable to break at the Parabolica causing his to come off. The ensuing battle between Michel and Kiyonari allowed Spies to increase his lead, but Michel was not giving up and won the battle with the Japanese rider to finish once again on the Monza podium, this time in second place. The doctors of the Clinica Mobile saw Noriyuki immediately after his accident and Doctor Corbascio declared that Nori has suffered from a severe contusion to his right bicep, but that there are no fractures, just a laceration of the muscle. Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 winner, Race 2 2nd) “I am so happy with today’s results. It’s gone well all weekend so I knew I had the chance to fight for the win and at last I’ve done it! Mid way through race 1 I was having trouble with the gears, especially when Ben passed me, but I didn’t give up and fought till the end. It’s a shame for Ben that the race finished as it did because it makes mine a bit of a false win but I’m very pleased of course. Race 2? Well Ben deserved the win in the first race so I’m pleased he took it instead in Race 2. I had to ride the second bike in Race 2 and for some reason I found it tricky at the start, I didn’t have a great feeling and couldn’t push but after a few laps I just concentrated on reaching the podium again and then it became easier. I thank my whole team for giving me such a fantastic bike this weekend. The double win I’ll leave for the next race!” Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 2nd, Race 2 – DNF) “Right at the start of Race 2 I was hit by a bird on my right arm; it hurt a lot and I lost all sensation, with strong pain and pins and needles in my right arm and hand. I tried to continue to race but it was too difficult to ride and as a result I unfortunately fell. Yes it hurts but I should be back in top shape very soon. Race 1 went much better for me of course and I really enjoyed the racing against Ben and Michel. I though at the end that I would surely end third but then Ben’s bike stopped so close to the finish line and I finished in second as a result. I’m sorry for him as he deserved the win and this year me and him will continue to battle it out. Despite the Race 2 result I still hold a 54 point advantage and so I’m satisfied with that.” Filippo Preziosi Ducati Corse Technical Director “We saw two exciting races today and it’s great that Michel is finally celebrating his first race win after so many second and third place finishes in the past. To take the win in Italy obviously makes victory even sweeter. I’m sorry for what happened to Nori, a very unusual occurrence, but I guess this is racing. We know that we have two extremely strong riders and we are very satisfied.” More, from a press release issued by InFront Motorsports: MONZA 5th ROUND 8th, 9th and 10th MAY 2009 Monza, Sunday 10th May 2009 Wins for Fabrizio (Ducati) and Spies (Yamaha) at Monza Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) and Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) shared the wins in an exciting fifth round of the Hannspree FIM Superbike World Championship at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza. 118,000 spectators witnessed Fabrizio’s maiden Superbike win in race 1 and Spies making amends in race 2 for his first race disappointment, when his Yamaha ran out of fuel at the final corner. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) crashed out in race 2 after being hit by a bird but still leads the table with a 54 point advantage over Spies. Race 1 The first Superbike race of the day saw a thrilling end to one of the best races ever seen at Monza. The race had to have two starts, after two crashes at the first chicane of lap 1 involving Tamada, Hill, Corser, Neukirchner and Roberts led to it being interrupted. The German came off the worst with a broken right femur and dislocated right foot, while Roberts picked up various bruises. The outcome of the race was decided at the final curve. Spies was well on his way towards a fifth win of the season when in the Parabolica his Yamaha ran out of fuel just a few metres from the line. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) capitalized on Spies’ misfortune to take his first win in Superbike. Team-mate Noriyuki Haga finished second to maintain his points lead. The third place battle also saw a thrilling end as Max Biaggi took his Aprilia over the line, but the Italian was penalized 20 seconds for cutting the chicane, leaving Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda) to take the final podium position after a spectacular mid-race recovery from a poor start. Fourth went to Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki Alstare), ahead of the British pair of Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Tom Sykes (Yamaha World Superbike). Both BMW and Kawasaki placed riders inside the top 10, Ruben Xaus taking the German four-cylinder machine to seventh while a still unfit Broc Parkes fought hard for tenth place. Results: 1. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 31’50.758 (196,459 kph); 2. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 0.239; 3. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 8.175; 4. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 11.001; 5. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 12.447; 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 13.693; 7. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 19.172; 8. Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 24.989; 9. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 26.930; 10. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 27.418; 11. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 27.752; 12. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 29.545; 13. Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 30.952; 14. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 31.414; 15. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 36.998; 16. Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 42.732 Race 2 Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) immediately made amends in race 2 by dominating from start to finish. The Texan left everyone standing after just a few laps and went on to win his fifth race of the season. This win, together with the crash at the Parabolica on lap 3 of points leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), keeps the championship battle wide open. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) now becomes a credible title candidate after crowning his Italian weekend with an excellent second place. Fabrizio managed to hold off Ryuichi Kiyonari in the final stages, the Japanese rider repeating his race 1 result. A superb fourth went to Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), while Max Biaggi (Aprilia), in fifth place, could have been further up the standings had he not made a mistake while fighting amongst the group and he was unable to make up the gap again. Tom Sykes took another sixth place for Yamaha, while Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda) made up for his race 1 retirement with a seventh place. Troy Corser did not take the start in race 2 after his two crashes today, but BMW honour was held high by Ruben Xaus, who again finished in ninth place. Broc Parkes again scored more points for Kawasaki in thirteenth. Results: 1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 31’49.252 (196,614 kph); 2. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2.665; 3. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 2.810; 4. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 7.706; 5. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 7.863; 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 10.383; 7. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 11.586; 8. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 21.112; 9. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 22.112; 10. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 22.261; 11. Laconi R. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 23.453; 12. Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 32.956; 13. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 37.166; 14. Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 43.085: 15. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 43.088; 16. Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 43.825 Points (after 5 of 14 rounds) – Riders: 1. Haga 200; 2. Spies 146; 3. Fabrizio 125; 4. Haslam 103; 5. Sykes 90; 6. Biaggi 81; 7. Laconi 77; 8. Rea 77; 9. Neukirchner 75; 10. Kiyonari. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 225; 2. Yamaha 180; 3. Honda 141; 4. Suzuki 89; 5. Aprilia 84; 6. Bmw 59; 7. Kawasaki 19 World Supersport Cal Crutchlow is proving to be the man on form in the championship with his second win of the season at Monza. The Yamaha World Supersport rider now has an 18-point lead in the championship over his closest rival, Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), who finished fourth. The race came to a head four laps before the end, when Crutchlow gradually pulled away from Fabien Foret (Yamaha World Supersport) and Laverty to take the win. The battle for the podium was an exciting one, with Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Provec) powering up through the field to take a superb second place. The Spaniard managed to get the better in a sprint finish, confirming his Kawasaki to be right on the pace. Team-mate Katsuaki Fuijiwara followed this up with sixth place. The two Hannspree Ten Kate Honda men, Andrew Pitt and Kenan Sofuoglu were never in the hunt, finishing fifth and ninth respectively, while Garry McCoy and Gianluca Nannelli took the two Triumph Be1 machines to top 10 finishes. Results: 1. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 29’34.605 (188,029 kph); 2. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2.660; 3. Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 2.716; 4. Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 2.780; 5. Pitt A. (AUS)Honda CBR600RR 9.270; 6. Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 9.332; 7. Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 20.178; 8. McCoy G. (AUS) Triumph Daytona 675 20.221 Points (after 5 of 14 rounds) Riders: 1. Crutchlow 99; 2. Laverty 81; 3. Sofuoglu 72; 4. Pitt 54; 5. West 52; 6. Lascorz 47; 7. Foret 44; 8. Aitchison 34; 9. Pirro 33; 10. Veneman 28. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 108; 2. Yamaha 99; 3. Kawasaki 58; 4. Suzuki 28; 5. Triumph 27 Superstock 1000 Victory in the third round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup went the way of Claudio Corti (Suzuki Alstare) after a thrilling last-lap sprint around the Parabolica to the line with another of the pre-race favourites, Xavier Simeon (Ducati Xerox). The Italian attacked on the inside line and held off his Belgian rival by just 0.01 seconds. Thanks to this win, his second of the season, Corti returns to the top of the table, with a one-point lead over Simeon. The final podium slot went to Javier Fores (Kawasaki Pedercini), who remained in the leading battle until the last few laps. Daniele Beretta (Ducati Xerox) scored his best result of the season with fourth place, making up for a bad start that eliminated any chance of him fighting for the win. Aprilia finally produced a good performance at Monza with Federico Sandi finishing in eighth place. Results: 1. Corti C. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 20’10.356 (189,533 kph) ; 2. Simeon X. (BEL) Ducati 1098R 0.010; 3. Fores J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 4.560; 4. Beretta D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 6.777 ; 5. Barrier S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 7.406; 6. Jezek O. (CZE) Honda CBR1000RR 17.620; 7. Verdini L. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 20.616; 8. Sandi F. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 22.373 Points (after 3 of 10 rounds) Riders: 1. Corti 61; 2. Simeon 60; 3. Fores 42; 4. Berger 41; 5. Beretta 28; 6. Barrier 27; 7. Jesek 8. Burrell 18; 9. Baz 16; 10. Ortega 11. Manufacturers: 1. Suzuki 61; 2. Ducati 60; 3. Honda 51; 4. Kawasaki 42; 5. Yamaha 35; 6. Aprilia 8; 7. MV Agusta 8 Superstock 600 Italian Danilo Petrucci (Yamaha Trasimeno ) had a triumphant day at the Monza track, winning the race and moving back into the lead of the table. Previous leader Gino Rea (Ten Kate Honda) could only manage ninth place at the finish. Petrucci didn’t have an easy time however as he was pushed all the way by wild-card Ferruccio Lamborghini (Media Action Yamaha). An Italian 1-2-3 was completed by another wild-card Fabio Massei (M2 Yamaha), who got the better of Vincent Lonbois (MTM Yamaha), Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Yamaha), Marco Bussolotti (Yamaha Trasimeno) and Eddi La Marra (Lorini Honda). Lamborghini and Massei were later disqualified for technical infringement. Results: 1. Petrucci D. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 15’17.215 (181,897 kph); 2. Lonbois V. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 5.375; 3. Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 5.429; 4. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 5.457; 5. La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 5.709; 6. Gregorini G. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.133; 7. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 14.007; 8. Litjens J. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 20.721; Points (after 3 of 10 rounds) Riders: 1. Petrucci 50 2. Rea 50 3. Guarnoni 43; 4. Lonbois 40; 5. Litjens 38; 6. Bussolotti 26; 7. Kerschbaumer 25; 8. La Marra 22; 9. Lombardi 21; 10. Guittet 21 More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: BEST RESULT SO FAR FOR TEAM BMW MOTORRAD MOTORSPORT. Ruben Xaus gave Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport their best result so far with a superb seventh in the first race at Monza today. He then followed it up with a solid ninth in the second race to make it his best weekend in five rounds and shows that he and the bike are making progress every time out. His team mate Troy Corser was involved in a horrific crash on the opening lap of race one, when he was hit in the neck and back of head by another rider’s fallen bike. Troy was winded and was stretchered off, but fortunately he was able to get back to the pits under his own steam. Despite being bruised and battered, Troy decided to take part in the restarted race, but suffered another crash on the approach to the Parabolica on lap one. Luckily he was not injured seriously but he and the team decided to err on the side of safety and therefore not take part in race two. Italian Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) won the first race, much to the delight of the home fans, with team mate Noriyuki Haga second and Ryuichi Kiyonari third. American Ben Spies (Yamaha) won race two, to make up for the disappointment of running out of fuel in race one whilst contending the lead. Second was Michel Fabrizio, with Kiyonari third again. Ruben – Race 1: 7th, Race 2: 9th I am happy to give the team our best result of the season so far and happy that I managed another top ten finish in he second race. My seventh place result is also for Troy and the whole team because everybody has worked so hard for this. My race two result could’ve been better, but I made a really bad start and then got nudged by somebody in the chicane. I recovered and was happy fighting for eighth with Smrz, Parkes and Laconi but I just couldn’t get past Smrz for eighth. But generally, my race pace was good today and I think our result is also very good considering how little time we have in practice and qualifying. If we continue to make this good progress, we will be fighting for places even further up. Troy – Race 1: DNF, Race 2: DNS I got hit by another bike on the first lap of the first race and was lucky not to get hurt. I was on my knees and a bike caught the back of my head and forced my helmet down on to the tarmac and gave it a big thump. I managed to get off the track and on to the grass, but I was winded so I just laid down on the grass. I could see that some straw bales were protecting some other riders and I thought that there would be a red flag. I just wanted to get my breath back, but the marshals insisted on putting me on a stretcher and taking me to the ambulance. As soon as I had got my breath back, I got up and walked back to the pits for the restart of the race. The team didn’t put any pressure on me to start the race, but I felt OK and decided to try. Unfortunately, I got sucked into a four or five rider draft going into the Parabolica and found myself going in a bit too hot. I tried to brake as normal and drift a bit wide but Muggeridge came across and I had to choose between hitting him or braking harder than normal and possibly crashing. I put more pressure on the brakes and I guess you know what happened then! Yep, a crash. I went along the tarmac and then the gravel feet first, flipped a couple of times and was very lucky not to hurt myself any more. I felt pretty bruised and battered and we decided not to risk anything by starting the second race. It was all a big shame because I thought we’d get some good results today. But anyway, congratulations to Ruben for getting seventh and showing everybody that we are improving all the time. Berti Hauser (Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport) This weekend was one of both shadows and sunshine, but I am happy that Troy survived the horror crash in race one and was able to take part in the restart. I’m also happy that he didn’t hurt himself when he had the second crash and the decision not to start race two was definitely the right one. He has been riding with an injured hand all weekend (a crack in the bone of his left hand) and there was no point risking any further injury. The sunshine was Ruben’s seventh in race one and a ninth in race two. He’s improving for sure and it shows that we are pushing hard, going forward and getting more and more competitive. I want to take this opportunity to send my best wishes to Max Neukirchner and hope he has a speedy recovery after that terrible crash. More, from a press release issued by Honda: Italian World Superbike at Monza Sunday 10 May 2009 World Superbike and World Supersport race report KIYONARI CHARGES TO DOUBLE PODIUM SUCCESS AT MONZA Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda Racing CBR1000RR) followed a third place qualification in Superpole with two third place finishes in the Word Superbike races at Monza, in a day full of drama and upset in the championship fight. The first Superbike race was stopped after a first chicane incident which led to three separate but related crashes involving five riders, one of whom was 21st place qualifier Tommy Hill (Honda Althea CBR1000RR). The subsequent one-hour delay caused further changes of schedule through the day, although race two started on time. Once more Kiyonari led the Honda charge, having his best day of the year so far in WSB, and moving into the top ten overall. Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) scored a fifth in race one and a fourth in race two, the latter an impressive result, just seven seconds from the winner after starting in sixth position on the grid. A day of contrast for Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda CBR1000RR), now fourth in the overall championship, came after he improved from a qualifying place of 17 in Superpole, but was forced out of race one with a fuel problem, while in race two he rallied well and took a fine seventh. Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) suffered a lack of outright competitiveness after earning a gird slot of ninth, finishing ninth in race one and tenth in the second leg of the meeting. In race one Jake Zemke (Stiggy Racing Honda CBR1000RR), riding as a substitute for the injured John Hopkins, overcame a qualifying place of 25th to ride to 18th in race one, but was unable to keep that pace in race two, and was classified 20th. Tommy Hill finished the restarted race one in 20th place, in race two he came home 16th, just one place away from a point. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR1000RR) finished race one 21st, but was forced out of race two. In the overall rankings, Noriyuki Haga is still leading, on 200 points, Monza race two winner Ben Spies is second on 146, race one winner Michel Fabrizio is third with 125. Haslam holds fourth place only 22 points behind, the last rider with over 100 points after ten individual races. Rea is eighth with 77 and Kiyonari tenth with 65. Ryuichi Kiyonari said: “I am so happy to get these results for myself and for the team. We have worked very hard to find a good setting with the CBR1000RR this season but we have not always had good luck. My start was very bad in race one but I was able to fight back lap-by-lap during the race, although I was very surprised and happy when they told me I was third. In the second race I had a better start and I must say I am a little disappointed. I had the speed to catch Fabrizio but not quite enough to get past him. But this is my best result for a long time and I hope it indicates the start of a better part of the season for me and the team.” Leon Haslam said: “I went out on my second bike today, which I hadn’t been riding all weekend, and took a bit of a gamble with it. We had some issues with the fuelling and the suspension, but we decided to stay with the set up we used in Assen. It took me a few laps to get into it, but I was able to run a good pace. The pace in the end of the race was definitely good enough for a place on the rostrum. It was a tough weekend, with bad qualifying results and a disappointing first race. To finish the second race in seventh race place is a good enough result, so I am pretty happy.” Jonathan Rea said: “We just had a few problems with the bike in the latter stages of the race, I don’t know whether it’s the light fuel load or what, but it developed a bit of chatter which was quite hard to dial out after race one. I got busted by a pretty hard move by Laconi in that race and, by the time I’d got back past him, I’d lost touch with the leading group. In Race 2 I got a much better start and tried really hard to catch Fabrizio and Kiyo, but they had a little more left in the tank at the end. Still, I’ve equalled my best Superbike result and we’ve shown that we can race at the front now.” Carlos Checa said: “It is not so exciting to fight for tenth place but this is what it is at the moment. At the beginning things were not so bad, but we were carrying some of the limitations of before. Entry points and there was still some jumping in the rear, it was difficult to get side grip on throttle opening, and I was struggling to get to the front group.” Tommy Hill said: “Race one was really very difficult for us. Immediately after the start there was a big crash in the first chicane, someone bumped into my bike and I crashed. We were able to restart the race, as I did not injure myself, although I was forced to use my second bike & I struggled with the same problems I have found during the qualifying session. I tried to ride aggressive but I couldn’t really chase the riders in front of me and the only thing I could do was try and finish the race.” Jake Zemke said: “It is definitely not the weekend that I wanted to have. I want to thank the team for all the hard work they put. They bent over backwards to get to a point were I was happy on the bike, but we just never got there. Race one went a lot better then race two, we made some changes and thought they would help us, but they didn’t, and then the ride through penalty for cutting the chicane just finished the race for me.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Parkes Makes Monza The Best So Far WSBK, Monza, Italy, 10 May 2009 Broc Parkes scored points in each race at Monza to take the best overall weekend points haul of the season, riding his Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R to tenth and 13th place finishes. Parkes, recently injured in a testing crash and still recovering, was in his usual combative form, pushing hard and up to eighth place at one time, before being forced back towards the end of the 18-lap races. He had to ride his number two bike but still made good progress, and now sits 18th in the championship itself, after scoring points in each race for the first time in 2009. Makoto Tamada suffered a broken left wrist in a crash on approach to the first corner of race one at Monza, shooting off the circuit and bouncing along the grass towards the first chicane. Another crash a few seconds later caused injuries to a further two riders, and the race was stopped. The complete restart, after one hour of track cleaning, saw Makoto miss his chance to continue at Monza. Although he will also have to skip the next round at Kyalami next week he will be trying to make it to Miller Motorsports Park at the end of the month. Broc Parkes: “In the first race I had a bit of a problem with my exhaust pipe and started running out of fuel on the last lap. To get a top ten is awesome, however, because we didn’t expect it. We changed the exhaust on the first bike but there was a problem with the radiator, so I had to run my second bike. I ran out of stamina a little bit in the second race and then we started running out of fuel again. After this weekend, it is our best one ever, and we scored points in each race, despite all my injuries. I was very tired in race two so I was glad to bring it home for the team. We have done a lot of work this weekend.” Makoto Tamada: “On Sunday morning we made some last minute changes and this was much better and I felt much more comfortable on the bike so I had a good feeling for the race. In the first corner I was pushed on to the gravel by another rider and had a big crash. I knew that I hurt my wrist pretty bad so I wasn’t that surprised when they told me after an x-ray that it was broken. I was therefore out of race two and will also miss Kyalami next weekend which is a real shame for me and the team. I hope to be back in Salt Lake City as the break isn’t so bad.” More, from a press release issued by Stiggy Racing Honda: Haslam’s brightens up Monza weekend for Stiggy Team Leon Haslam took a risk in the Superpole Qualifying yesterday, by opting for a soft race tyre, and unexpectedly found himself pushed out of the first session. Starting from a fifth row on the grid, it seemed hard to capitalise on the potential of the Stiggy Superbike on raceday, but Haslam proved he can run the pace, and dug deep in both Superbike races today. The first Superbike race was red flagged in the early seconds after a pile-up in the first chicane took no less than six riders down. After a 30 minute delay, the race was re-started and Fabrizio, Spies and Haga immediately compiled a leading group. After Neukirchner was unable to restart the race due to injury, Haslam moved up to 16th on the grid and came through the first lap in 13th. He gradually worked his way forward through the field, but had to retire, due to an unexpected technical problem, on the ultimate lap of the race. After a less than perfect start in the second race, Haslam once again pushed hard to make his way to the front, and claimed no less than 11 positions in the 18 lap race. His performance highlighted a tough weekend for the Stiggy Racing Team, as he converted his 16th position at the lights to a superb seventh place at the flag. American Formula Extreme Champion Jake Zemke stepped in to replace the injured John Hopkins, and gave it his all in his first World Superbike race. He struggled to adapt to the Stiggy Racing Honda machine on the Pirelli tyres through qualifying. Zemke claimed 18th place in race one, and took 20th in the second race in his maiden appearance for the team. Leon Haslam, Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 7th : ” I went out on my second bike today, which I hadn’t been riding all weekend, and took a bit of a gamble with it. We had some issues with the suspension, but we decided to stay with the set up we used in Assen. It took me a few laps to get into it, but I was able to run a good pace. The pace in the end of the race was definitely good enough for a place on the rostrum. It was a tough weekend, with bad qualifying results and a disappointing first race. To finish the second race in seventh race place is a good enough result, I am pretty happy “. Jake Zemke, Race 1 – 18th, Race 2 – 20th: ” It is definitely not the weekend that I wanted to have. I want to thank the team for all the hard work they put. They bent over backwards to get to a point were I was happy on the bike, but we just never got there. I struggled to get the bike to turn, and we failed to find the solution in such short time. My team did a great job, but I just didn’t bring the bike to a place where we could all be satisfied. Race one went a lot better then race two, we made some changes and thought they would help us, but they didn’t, and then the ride through penalty for cutting the chicane just finished the race for me. Johan Stigefelt, Teammanager: ” It has been such an unfortunate weekend for us here in Monza. Leon was running for seventh when his bike stopped due to a technical problem, with just one lap to go. Jake was here to learn, but he is a bit disappointed he struggled to get further up. The bike and the team are capable of doing so, but we know it was hard for him to just come here and race for a top 15 place. Leon’s seventh place in race two was a good result. He has shown again that he can run the same lap times as the front runners, but from his starting position on the fifth row combined with a bad start, it was hard to go forward. If it wasn’t for that, I am sure he would have been able to finish in the top 3 again “. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: The fifth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Monza will be one to forget for Team Suzuki Alstare Brux after a serious crash on the opening lap of the first race ended with Max Neukirchner breaking his right femur and suffering three broken bones in the lower leg and foot. He was in the lead going into the chicane but was hit by another bike that had crashed a few metres or so behind. The impact forced him onto the grass and it was obvious straight away that he was in considerable pain. Brendan Roberts and his bike were also involved in the crash and both riders had to receive attention for some time trackside. The race was red-flagged almost at once and six bikes were taken on trucks back to the pits. After a long delay, the race was restarted and team mate Yukio Kagayama rode fantastically to take a well-earned fourth place. In race two, he was given a ride-through penalty and was dead last when he rejoined the race after five laps. Despite some vibration from his bike, he kept going, only to finish out of the points in 17th place. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) won the first race, much to the delight of the home fans with team mate Noriyuki Haga second and Ryuichi Kiyonari third. Yukio Kagayama – Race 1: 4th, Race 2: 17th: “I made not so bad a start and was fourth after lap one and trying to stay with the top group. I was having problems with Biaggi, because although I could close in on him on the brakes, his bike would always accelerate better than mine out of the turns. After 12 laps or so, my tyre was nearly at the limit and the grip level was not good. I just kept pushing as hard as I could without taking any big risks and managed fourth place. “In race two, I made a good start but my bike was vibrating a bit. Then I got a ride-through penalty and was last. It was difficult catching up again – especially as my bike was still vibrating – but I managed to overtake some riders and get 17th. I’m not so happy today because I thought my results would be a lot better. I cannot fault my mechanics because they have worked very well and we found a good feeling with the bike which makes me feel very positive for the next race. So thank you to my staff.” WSB Results: Race 1: 1 Fabrizio (I-Ducati), 2 Haga (J-Ducati), 3 Kiyonari (J-Honda), 4 Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare Brux), 5 Rea (GB-Honda), 6 Sykes (GB-Yamaha). Max Neukirchner (D-Suzuki Alstare Brux) DNF. Race 2: 1 Spies (USA-Yamaha), 2 Fabrizio, 3 Kiyonari, 4 Rea, 5 Biaggi (I-Aprilia), 6 Sykes. 17 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare Brux). Max Neukirchner (D-Suzuki Alstare Brux) DNS. World Championship Points: 1 Haga 200, 2 Spies 146, 3 Fabrizio 125, 4 Haslam 103, 5 Sykes 90, 6 Biaggi 81. 9 Max Neukirchner (D-Suzuki Alstare Brux) 75. 13 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare Brux) 52. SUPERSTOCK 1000: Team Suzuki Alstare Brux rider Claudio Corti delighted his home fans and supporters by taking victory in the third round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup in Monza. The Italian swapped the lead several times in an exciting battle with former Alstare rider Xavi Simeon (Ducati) but went ahead in the Parabolica on the last lap. He then charged to the flag and finished the victor by one 100th of a second. Claudio Corti – 1st: “I really enjoyed that race and it was fantastic to take such a victory in front of so many of my own fans. Many had travelled from my home town of Como and I guess their trip was worthwhile! My bike worked very well today and I want to thank my mechanics for all the good work they did. I always felt that this race would be very tactical, so I had an idea when to make my move. It all turned out just the way I wanted and now I want to continue getting podiums and victories throughout the rest of the season.” Superstock 1000 Results: 1 Claudio Corti (I-Suzuki Alstare Brux), 2 Simeon (B-Ducati), 3 Fores (E-Kawasaki), 4 Beretta (I-Ducati), 5 Barrier (F-Yamaha), 6 Jezek (CZ-Honda). Championship Points: 1 Claudio Corti (I-Suzuki Alstare Brux) 61, 2 Simeon (B-Ducati) 60, 3 Fores 42, 4 Berger 41, 5 Beretta 28, 6 Barrier 27. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Drama in Monza as Spies closes the championship gap It was a dramatic race day in Monza today for the World Superbike Championship as Yamaha rider and pole position starter Ben Spies again suffered the two extremes of racing, the victory and victory snatched away. Race one only made it to the first chicane on lap 1 as the Superbikes compressed into the tight first chicane. Tamada fell just before the corner, his bike sliding down the grass and across the track, causing collisions with Corser, Hill, Roberts and Neukirchener in the ensuing carnage. A red flag was issued and the race restarted. The race then became a battle at the front between Haga, Fabrizio and Spies for the lead. By lap nine Spies had a one second advantage over the Ducatis as they fought for second, Fabrizio ending up the stronger and closing in. Three laps from the end Fabrizio drafted Spies on the main straight to take the lead going into the first chicane, only for Spies to take it back on the penultimate lap. The Yamaha rider then led convincingly and was looking a certainty for the win until running out of fuel as he took the Parabolica corner for the last time heading for the start finish straight.He managed to coast to the line but was in 15th position by the time he passed the chequered flag. Team-mate Tom Sykes started well from tenth on the grid and was eighth by the end of the first lap. Consistent race pace saw him take two more positions over the duration, crossing the line in sixth to take more points. Race two saw Spies hungry to make up the misfortune of race one. Off the line he slipped into second behind Haga briefly before moving into the lead when Haga was struck by a bird on the first corner. From this point his win was never in doubt as the Texan put his head down and laid down lap after lap of fast perfect lines, adding a second gap per lap between himself and second position Fabrizio. As the race tipped over halfway point Spies slowed to ensure the issue of race one was not repeated, taking the chequered flag over 2.6 seconds ahead of second placed Fabrizio. British rider Sykes had another consistent race in the second outing of the day, moving up from tenth to sixth position, but was unable to find the extra pace to pass fifth placed Biaggi by the end of the race. Ben Spies leaves Monza having closed the gap to championship leader Haga, he heads to Kyalami with 146 points, 54 behind the lead. Sykes heads to South Africa having moved up to fifth in the championship on 90 points and now trails Haslam by only 13. Ben Spies, Yamaha World Superbike Team, (15th, 1st) “Race one was a tough pill to swallow, it was a hard one to get by but that’s racing I guess. Race two I had a clear strategy and made sure I got into a really good rhythm in the first 12 to 14 laps to build a safety buffer. Obviously we had a problem at the end of race one which I didn’t want to repeat so slowed a bit there and short shifted a bit to make sure everything was good to the end. The bike was good and could have run fast times all the way through but I wanted to make sure we got this one in the bag. The Yamaha team did great regrouping after race one and me too I think! Hopefully we can keep going and improving from here. I want to say congratulations for Michel in race one, but I couldn’t give it to him so easily in race two.” Tom Sykes, Yamaha World Superbike Team, (6th, 6th) “In race one I got away ok, but the problem was getting stuck in that first chicane as I was starting from row three. As soon as it bottled up everything got spread out and unfortunately the lead group spread a long way and was hard to catch. I got past a couple of people and to be honest I thought I was going to catch them but halfway through the race I suffered from some brake fading. It was very unfortunate. In race two I got off the line fairly decently and had good race pace, I was looking quite strong but not able to get that last little bit. I guess it was one of those weekends, I’ve been fairly fast and consistent but spoilt it a bit with the qualifying. I’m very confident in the bike and the team, especially for Kyalami and hope to have better memories after the race than when I tested there! All in all good weekend, two more scores on the board and moving up to fifth in the championship is great.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager “The first race was very frustrating for us but I think Ben proved what he is capable of. A big thank you to him because he answered race one in the best possible way. We seem to have either 25 points or 0 in races at the moment! I am very optimistic about the next two races because in South Africa Ben was really fast with an almost standard bike, and now we know the performance of the R1 is better so we think we can do a really good job. Miller should also be good as it’s a home track for Ben. In the end we have reduced the leadership gap to Nori which is good. Tom was really consistent today, he’s coming better and better every race weekend and without making mistakes in the race. I think as the second part of the championship approaches he will get stronger and stronger. A big thanks to the team and also the suppliers who helped us to be ready with the new colours in time for this weekend.” More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY SURVIVES HORROR CRASH! The first race in the fifth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship was one to forget for Troy. On the opening lap of the first race, Troy was hit by another rider and crashed. While he was on the deck, another crashed bike struck the back of his neck and smashed his helmet down on the floor. He struggled to his feet and staggered off the track and collapsed on the grass, totally winded and out of breath. The marshals put him on a stretcher and took him to the ambulance, but after recovering his breath he got to his feet and walked back to the pits. He was battered and bruised, but decided to take part in the restart. On the first lap of the restart, he crashed on the approach to the Parabolica and cart-wheeled through the gravel but, amazingly, he survived without major injury, but he and the team thought that it would be better to sit out race two. Italian Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) won the first race, much to the delight of the home fans, with team mate Noriyuki Haga second and Ryuichi Kiyonari third. American Ben Spies (Yamaha) won race two, to make up for the disappointment of running out of fuel in race one whilst contending the lead. Second was Michel Fabrizio, with Kiyonari third again. Troy – Race 1: DNF, Race 2: DNS I am happy that I survived two big crashes more or less OK, but sometimes you get lucky and sometimes you don’t. I knew nothing about what started the crash on lap one of the first race. One minute I was going into the chicane and the next minute I was flying through the air. Then, while I was on my knees, I got hit by another bike. It banged into the top of my back, near my neck and the impact was strong enough to thump my helmet on to the floor. I managed to get off the track and fell down on the grass to rest while I got my breath back, but the marshals wanted me out of the way and tried to pull me on to a stretcher. I was lucky that I hadn’t damaged my neck, because they way they handled me would’ve caused further injury for sure. After I while, I got my breath back and walked back to the pits and prepared for the restart. The team didn’t put any pressure on me at all, in fact the opposite. But, I felt OK and decided to give it a go. This time, I almost completed a lap! I got pulled along in a four or five rider draft and found myself going into the Parabolica a bit too quick. Muggeridge was alongside or came across a bit and I had to choose between hitting him or applying more pressure to the brakes. Of course, I put more pressure on the brakes and down I went. I slid feet first, then did a couple of flips and I was really lucky not to hurt myself any more. My left arm was sore and when I got back to the pits, we made the decision not to start race two. I was a bit dazed anyway, so it was the right choice. It’s a pity because I really felt that we’d get good results today and Ruben’s seventh in race one is proof of that. Now, I’ve got to recover and get fit for the next race, so wish me luck. More, from a press release issued by Ben Spies’ publicist: SPIES NARROWS POINTS GAP WITH MONZA VICTORY MONZA, Italy (May 10, 2009) It was a topsy turvy Sunday for Ben Spies in the World Superbike Championship event at the famous Monza circuit. Spies appeared to have race one in the bag when his Sterilgarda Yamaha suddenly slowed out of the final turn having run out of fuel. Spies was frustrated with the circumstances, but quickly gathered his wits and came back to earn a dominating victory in race two. The win, combined with a crash and DNF by his rival Noriyuki Haga, means that Spies gained six points and is now 54 points (200-146) behind Haga in the standings going into next week’s event in South Africa. After qualifying on the pole with a new lap record, Spies was supremely confident coming into race day. As he’d predicted race one turned into a dogfight between Haga, his Ducati teammate Michel Fabrizio and Spies. The three had an excellent battle the entire 18 laps with all three taking turns at the front with Spies leading the majority of the time. On the final lap Spies pulled out all the stops and managed to open a small gap. He appeared on the verge of victory when coming into the final turn his bike’s fuel tank ran dry. Spies suddenly sat up and coasted past the finish line in 15th place. “That was a tough pill to swallow,” Spies said of the race one disappointment. “You can only carry so much fuel, and this is a long track and we run at full throttle so much that unfortunately we ran out at the end.” The missed opportunity only made Spies more determined for race two however, and he and his team devised a strategy to overcome the fuel consumption issue. It worked perfectly. In the second race Spies sprinted away from the green light and eventually pushed his lead to over five seconds before easing his pace late in the race and winning by a margin of 2.665 seconds ahead of Fabrizio. It marked a series-leading fifth victory of the season for Spies. Spies revealed his race two strategy in the post-race press conference. “I definitely rode the warm up laps differently and short-shifted the bike late in the race to make sure I could make it to the finish,” Spies said. “The bike could have run faster the entire race, but I wanted to make sure we brought it home. The Yamaha guys regrouped after race one, figured things out and it was great to end the weekend on a high note.” Spies didn’t find out that Haga had crashed until after the race. “Hopefully Nori is OK,” said Spies, who considers Haga a good friend. “Having him suffer a crash is not the way I’d hope to stay in the championship.” In the U.S., both World Superbike rounds from Monza can be watched back to back on Speed TV today (Sunday, May 10) starting at 4:00 pm Eastern. Spies now turns his attention to next week’s World Superbike race at Kyalami in South Africa. The track will be one of the few that Spies is familiar with, having tested there during the pre-season. South Africa will mark the final stop before Spies returns home to America to race in the U.S. round of the series at Miller Motorsports Park near Salt Lake City, Utah, on May 31. More, from a press release issued by Team Sterilgarda: Team Sterilgarda will try to forget today’s two races at Monza as soon as possible. This afternoon, everything seemed to go wrong as team manager Marco Borciani’s squad only managed to take fourteenth place in race one. The team will now have to analyse thoroughly this weekend’s gathered data and try to prepare the next rounds in South Africa and the U.S.A. in order to improve the latest results. SHANE BYRNE | Ducati 1098R | 14th, 18th : “My morale is shattered. I did know that it would be hard to score a good result on this track, but I was expecting a better performance on my part. Now I just have to forget everything and try to improve with help from the crew starting next week”.