FIM Supersport World Championship Valencia, Spain April 3, 2009 Free Practice Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Joan Lascorz (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:36.6721 2. Cal Crutchlow (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.343 3. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Kaw ZX-6R), 1:37.701 4. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hon CBR600RR), 1:37.834 5. Fabien Foret (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.864 6. Matthieu Lagrive (Hon CBR600RR), 1:37.893 7. Michele Pirro (Yam YZF-R6), 1:37.971 8. Anthony West (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.055 9. Barry Veneman (Suz GSX-R600), 1:38.197 10. Andrew Pitt (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.421 11. Gianluca Vizziello (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.475 12. Robbin Harms (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.542 13. Mark Aitchison (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.576 14. Eugene Laverty (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.577 15. Garry McCoy (Tri Daytona 675), 1:38.620 16. Massimo Roccoli (Hon CBR600RR), 1:38.831 17. Miguel Praia (Hon CBR600RR), 1:39.100 18. Matej Smrz (Tri Daytona 675), 1:39.560 19. Gianluca Nannelli (Tri Daytona 675), 1:39.561 20. Doni Tata Pradita (Yam YZF-R6), 1:39.597 More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: Parkalgar Honda building towards race day PARKALGAR HONDA racers Eugene Laverty and Miguel Praia completed the first practice session at the third round of the World Supersport Championship at Valencia in Spain in 14th and 17th places respectively. Under new money-saving rules with only one practice session on a Friday, the Parkalgar Honda riders took a measured approach to setting up their bikes ahead of further practice and qualifying sessions tomorrow. Kawasaki’s Juan Lascorz was fastest. The race takes place at 1325 CET on Sunday, April 5th. Eugene “We are down the order but I am happy with my current position, we are not lost by any means. We need to make some chassis changes and we have a good idea what direction they need to go as it is to combat an issue we found during pre-season testing. My Parkalgar Honda is not finishing the longer corners as I want it too and we think we know how to fix that. Lascorz is riding well and will take some catching but I think we will be up on the front two rows tomorrow, hopefully the front row. We won’t be far away, that’s for sure.” Miguel “I am not feeling so good I contracted a huge cold earlier in the week and feel weak. I could not complete the laps I wanted as I simply didn’t have the power in my body. I am following the doctor’s orders and taking it as easy as possible in preparation for tomorrow. I am feeling a little better today and hopefully will be back to normal soon. I found it hard to jump back on the bike after not riding since Qatar. The circuit is very different to Qatar and Australia but we are working hard and I want to improve in qualifying. I rode on the hard tyre to save my soft ones which offer better grip here. I basically saved my energy and tyres ready to be feeling better tomorrow.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager “There are no problems or dramas, we are in a good position going forward to final practice and qualifying. We are preparing and building towards the race as we did last time out in Qatar. I am confident that Eugene is focussed and with help from his mechanics will move forward tomorrow. Miguel has the flu but seems to be recovering and will hopefully be stronger for the rest of the weekend.” More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, Andrew Pitt and Kenan Sofuoglu, rode the 2009 Honda CBR600RR for the first time in today’s altered World Supersport championship schedule at the 4.005km Ricardo Tormo circuit at Valencia in Spain. Amended FIM regulations have led to a reduction in track time for World Supersport riders and the Ten Kate pairing had just an hour-long free practice session today to get accustomed to the new bike. With Spain’s Joan Larscorz setting the pace, Sofuoglu ended the session fourth fastest, while reigning World Supersport champion and current series leader, Andrew Pitt, was tenth quickest today. Another free practice and a 45-minute qualifying session lie ahead tomorrow in preparation for Sunday’s third round 23-lap race. Kenan Sofuoglu P4, 1’37.834s Of course, it’s not ideal to test a new bike for the first time at the start of a race weekend but we must not forget that the Ten Kate guys have won seven world titles with different CBR models so they know how to get the best from it. We still have lots of work to do, but I can already tell there is a lot of potential in the new bike. We will make some more improvements tomorrow and be ready for Sunday’s race. Andrew Pitt P10, 1’38.421s Yeah, there’s a fair bit of fine tuning to do to get the balance right; and there are one or two electronics gremlins to sort because the package seems to work differently with this new engine. Unfortunately, there’s really only one choice of tyre, which means we have to get the new bike to work around that and, with the limited number and one session less, it’s a little harder. But it’s good to be on the new CBR and we’ll be making things better right up to Sunday’s race. Ronald ten Kate team manager There are always going to be some problems running a shakedown test of a new bike during a race weekend, but it was still a good decision to bring the new CBR here to Valencia and we’re feeling positive. Of course, we need to dial out a few problems but the bike is already showing its potential and we’re confident of further improvement tomorrow. More, from a press release issued by Team YZF Yamaha: 20th time for Doni Tata Pradita The young rider Doni Tata Pradita for Yamaha Indonesia was 20th of the first free practice session on Friday in the Supersport class on his R6. The quickest man was Spaniard Joan Lascorz on a Kawasaki. Doni Tata Pradita did 27 laps, including 24 with the same rear tyre. This gives good information for the race next Sunday that will last 23 laps. Here in Valencia, the local champion Joan Lascorz was the leader on Friday afternoon. Now the riders do not practice anymore on Friday morning. He was the winner already last year in Valencia on a private Honda. The second time went to Cal Crutchlow from the United Kingdom on a Yamaha, in front of the second Kawasaki of Katsuaki Fujiwara. Doni Tata Pradita: “I was fast already in the beginning of the session when I fought with Fabien Foret. I know where I am losing time and I can improve. I was 15th in the middle of the session, but I couldn’t go any faster after that because I did 24 laps with my rear tyre. We have to work on the setting of the suspension and the engine. I have a problem with my new gloves that are too tight.” Martial Garcia (team manager): “We did more or less the same time than during the tests. The track condition is identical to what it was in 2008, as you can see with the time of Joan Lascorz. The bike is validated for the practice. We are now getting ready for the only qualifying session.” The Valencia circuit The first Valencia World Superbike race was held in 2000. The circuit is next to the town of Cheste, 25 km from Valencia, 320 km from Madrid and 370 km from Barcelona. The “Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana – Ricardo Tormo” is 4,005 km long and between 12 and 13 meters wide. It has 9 left-hand turns and 5 right-handers, with radii ranging from 30 to 250 meters. The start-finish straight is 876 meters long. Maximum downhill camber is 5.33% with 3.58% uphill. Paddock area is 49,066 m2. Maximum seating capacity for spectators is 60,000, with room for a further 50,000 on the hills surrounding the circuit. Valencia is a fascinating but tricky circuit. It’s easy to get caught out by the many slow turns. It’s certainly not the kind of track where a Superbike rider can really use his machine’s power and speed. First gear has to be used several times and that always means extra care has to be taken. The track heats up the left hand side of the rear tyre. Especially in the double left-hander that leads down onto the start-finish straight and really puts the edge of the tyre under pressure. Valencia is a real stop-and-go circuit where the front tyre has to be good for hard braking and fast cornering. More, from a press release issued by Stiggy Racing: Promising start for Supersport squad For the first time after the new rules came into action the Friday training for the Supersport riders today took place without the regular afternoon’s Qualifying Practice but an hour long Free Practice session instead. The Stiggy Racing Honda Supersport squad took to the track in Valencia under good conditions and with new engines delivered for their machines. Lack of speed led to a disappointing race for both riders last time out which especially prevented Anthony West from running at the front. Despite losing valuable track time on friday morning due to the new rules, both Vizziello and West finished today’s session with a good base set up and improved confidence ahead of tomorrow’s first Qualifying Practice. West managed to set his best lap at 1’38.055s while Vizziello followed closely behind in 1’38.475s. Anthony West, 1’38.055s; “We have two new bikes here and they do feel a lot stronger then the bike I had in Qatar, its a big improvement. I’m pretty happy with how the bike went this time as I was pretty disappointed after the race in Qatar. The bike feels much better and I think we are not too far off the right set-up. It’s a bit strange that we only had one practice session today, it makes a big difference for us but I’m happy with how it all went and am looking forward to the qualifying session tomorrow.” Gianluca Vizziello, 1’38.475s; “My crew did a great job today, we are on the right way. We have put the last two races in which we had some communication problems, behind us. Today we managed to make a step forward in finding the set-up of the bike so we can improve our pace in tomorrow’s session. I don’t just want to improve, but I also have to improve after the last results and I’m positive I can do so.” Johan Stigefelt (Team Manager); “I’m happy with our performance today as we immediately made a big step forward with the new bikes. Both riders feel their engines are a lot better and stronger then they were in Qatar. Anthony is very fast and extremely focused in setting a good result here this weekend. Vizziello also finished a good session and did a great job today. I’m very satisfied with the results as it’s exactly the way I like to start a race weekend. We still need to work on the bikes a bit, but I am confident we can improve and put in a good performance tomorrow and Sunday.” More, from a press release issued by ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing: Day one of the third round of the WSS has been employed by Garry McCoy and Gianluca Nannelli for different cycle solutions for tomorrow’s two sessions. A change in regulations imposed the teams to cancel a practice session and as a consequence the squad had less time at their disposal. Nevertheless, both riders have tried different types of bike setup in search of a cycle solution that would adapt to the three-cilinder Triumph features. GIANLUCA NANNELLI | Triumph Daytona 675: “For tomorrow’s practice we’ll have to work on the bike’s behaviour between the middle and the end of the corner. It tends to push wide a lot and it doesn’t allow me to hit the gas the way I’d want to. However, we have gathered useful data and we managed to detect the problem. We’re confident that we can improve tomorrow and get in the first rows on the starting grid”. GARRY McCOY | Triumph Daytona 675: “I’m very confident for tomorrow’s two sessions. I had a good feeling on the bike today despite some driving issues that the team will certainly solve. We’re racing on a track that I enjoy very much especially for the great results I scored on it so I’ll do my best to gain a good starting position in the first rows and have a great race”. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Crutchlow and Foret get on the pace in Valencia Yamaha World Supersport Team riders Cal Crutchlow and Fabien Foret got straight down to business in Valencia today. Under the revised 2009 schedule there was no qualifying session and only one free practice session to work out the set-up today. Despite this both riders got onto the pace quickly and echoed their Superbike counterparts, ending their session in the top five. Crutchlow ran the entire session without changing tyres, ending just 0.75 of a second behind leader Lascorz (Kawasaki) who had changed to fresh tyres for the final laps. Crutchlow’s team-mate Foret was happy with a good session, working on his set-up and finishing in 5th position 0.3 seconds behind 4th placed Sofuoglu (Honda). Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha World Supersport Team (2nd, 1’37.343) “It was good enough today. I think consistently over the whole session we were fast enough. Our pace is good, even after a lot of laps on the same tyres and we’re confident with our Yamaha. Lascorz had a big advantage as he went out with a new tyre at the end which we could have done but we chose not to. I was happy enough with the pace and the bike is working really well for me. I’m disappointed with the schedule as it is, I think not having two practice sessions on a Friday has hindered us quite a bit. On the positive side Yamaha are doing a great job and my team’s really good, we’re still searching for a little bit but nothing we can’t find!” Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team (5th, 1’37.864) “Well I’m very happy with the work we did today. I’ve changed my approach following the first two rounds of the championship, I’m being a bit more relaxed and finding it easier to focus on the bike and improving the set-up. I think we found some good stuff today and can go forward to tomorrow happy and maybe looking for a couple more improvements. I’m not focusing on points, I’m just concentrating on setting up my bike and racing as best I can, If I have a chance to try and win then that’s great.” Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team manager “I’m happy, it’s the first free practice and both my riders are up there and have the speed and there’s still space to improve tomorrow. There were a couple of small tyre issues today and a little bit of chatter but these are small things. The bike is 90% ready and the sun is shining!”