FIM Superbike World Championship Donington Park, England September 5, 2008 Provisional Qualifying Results (wet conditions, all on Pirelli tire): 1. Troy BAYLISS (Ducati 1098 F08), 1:44.377 2. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:44.528, crash 3. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:44.627 4. Tom SYKES (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:44.682 5. Leon HASLAM (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:44.813 6. Max BIAGGI (Ducati 1098 RS08), 1:45.384 7. Ruben XAUS (Ducati 1098 RS08), 1:45.725 8. Carlos CHECA (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:45.936 9. Gregorio LAVILLA (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:46.044 10. James ELLISON (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:46.392 11. Chris WALKER (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:46.553 12. Troy CORSER (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:46.803 13. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:46.912, crash 14. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098 RS08), 1:46.924 15. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098 F08), 1:47.114 16. Fonsi NIETO (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:47.344, crash 17. David CHECA (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:47.624 18. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:47.778 19. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:47.834 20. Roberto ROLFO (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:48.031 21. Regis LACONI (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:48.092 22. Ayrton BADOVINI (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:48.463, crash 23. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:48.724 24. Noriyuki HAGA (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:48.841 25. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 1098 RS08), 1:48.915 26. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:50.349, crash 27. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:50.454 28. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:51.703 29. Makoto TAMADA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:52.710 30. Christian ZAISER (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:53.923, crashed twice 31. Luca MORELLI (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:54.032, crash 32. Matt LYNN (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:54.910, crashed twice 33. Shuhei AOYAMA (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:56.132 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Ryuichi Kiyonari underlined his recent double World Superbike victory at Brands Hatch by setting the second fastest time in today’s opening qualifying session for Sunday’s two eleventh round races at Donington Park. In appalling conditions, the Japanese HANNspree Ten Kate Honda rider crashed twice today but still topped the leaderboard for most of the day, with a best lap of 1m44.528s. Only series leader, Troy Bayliss, went faster by one tenth of a second. Kiyonari’s team-mate, Carlos Checa, was eighth fastest today, while the team’s third rider, Kenan Sofuoglu set the thirteenth fastest time. Ryuichi Kiyonari P2, 1m44.528s The conditions were very bad today and the track was very slippery. But we improved the bike from this morning and I had a very good feeling. We need to improve some areas tomorrow and try to get a longer run together. It is not normal for me to crash and I must apologise to my team because I have made a lot of work for them. Carlos Checa P8, 1m45.936s The conditions are the same for everyone, of course, but the weather is very bad. I need to get used to the bike and tyres in these conditions and to find the best way to go fast. It’s not the easiest circuit to do that when it’s wet, but I’m feeling quite positive. I have been to Donington many times in the wet before and I know that the CBR100RR is really very good. We have some ideas to try tomorrow and I’m sure we can improve the position. Kenan Sofuoglu P13, 1m46.912s I have some good memories of winning at Donington in World Supersport last year, but memories of today’s weather are not so good. I was feeling quite comfortable and confident on the bike but crashed at Macleans near the end of the session. My shoulder is a little sore, but I’m sure it will be OK for tomorrow. Ronald ten Kate team manager The one thing we cannot change is the weather. But we haven’t had many wet races this year so at least we have had a chance to find a good setting in these conditions. All three riders have made good progress today and I’m happy with where we are, although there is more to do tomorrow. Results World Superbike first qualifying: 1 T Bayliss (Ducati) 1m44.377 2 R Kiyonari (HANspress Ten Kate Honda) 1m44.528s 3 C Crutchlow (Honda) 1m44.627s 8 C Checa (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1m45.936s 13 K Sofuoglu (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1m46.912s More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: BAYLISS AND THE F08 FASTEST IN FIRST WET QUALIFYING AT DONINGTON Donington Park (UK), Friday 5th September 2008: in heavy rain that persisted for the entire day today at Donington Park, the Ducati Xerox riders Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio battled against the elements and some tough competition to conclude this afternoon’s first qualifying session in first and fifteenth place respectively. Morning practice saw Troy record a lap time that was close to a second faster than any other rider on track, and although lap times became much tighter during the afternoon’s qualifying session, it was again Troy who recorded the quickest lap to take yet another provisional pole. It is perhaps not surprising that the other riders at the head of the pack today mainly comprised the British wildcard contingent, all of whom are more than used to riding this particular track in the wet. Michel Fabrizio’s very last lap of the afternoon was also his fastest. The Italian rider and his team changed tyres throughout the qualifying session but, having only found a good solution in the final minutes, unfortunately did not have enough time left to record the times that that particular set-up promised. Troy Bayliss 1m44.3s “Well I’m pretty happy as we’ve had two wet sessions today and I was fastest in both. We’ve made some good improvements throughout the day and so are quite satisfied, as it’s not really possible to go any quicker than I did in these conditions. It’s been very wet and windy too, so I’m hoping it may improve tomorrow but having said that and knowing the UK, I wouldn’t be surprised if it stays wet for all the practice sessions before clearing up just before the races! As the results show, there are several Donington specialists here, with the British wildcards all up there near the top, but I guess you could say that I did my “apprenticeship” here too so I’m hoping for a good weekend.” Michel Fabrizio 1m47.1s “This afternoon went a lot better than the morning session but unfortunately we only found a good tyre in the last few minutes of the afternoon’s qualifying and so I ran out of time. If I’d have had the chance to complete a few more laps on that tyre, the lap times would have surely got faster. Anyway, it wasn’t easy today and I hope conditions will be slightly better tomorrow so that we can make some more changes and improve on the lap times.” More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki: Heavy rain at Donington causes caution today. Donington was awash with rain today and a soaking wet, slippery track greeted the riders in both sessions. Team Suzuki Alstare riders Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama and Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner took things cautiously, finishing 16th, 19th and 23rd, mainly due to problems with lack of rear grip. Series leader Troy Bayliss splashed his way round the 4.023 kilometre track and recorded the day’s best time – 1:44.377. Second quickest is Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda), with Cal Crutchlow (Honda) third and Tom Sykes (Suzuki) fourth. Fonsi – 16th, 1:47.344 Today was very difficult for all of us and most of us had problems with grip, particularly in the rear. The track felt very slippery and it was difficult to get any feeling for what was happening with the tyres. The afternoon qualifying session was a bit better and I was able to go a bit faster. I had a small crash in the afternoon when I lost the rear in the first corner, but I wasn’t injured at all. Yukio – 19th, 1:47.934 I did not like the conditions today and I wasn’t so happy because I could not get any rear grip. We changed some settings for the afternoon and it was a little better but then the rain became more heavy. We will analyse the data, make some changes and hopefully we will have more grip tomorrow. Max – 23rd, 1:48.724 For me, it was not possible to go any faster then I did. The set up of my bike wasn’t right in the morning, but we managed to make some changes and improve it for qualifying in the afternoon. The we made some changes for the last five laps and I think we went in the wrong direction. I feel we have a lot of information about what to do know. I crashed in the slippery conditions this afternoon and hurt my bum a bit. But, it’s not going to cause me any problems tomorrow and I am positive we can make some big improvements to the bike and my lap times. More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: Bayliss leads the way at Donington as BSB riders make their mark Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) led the way in qualifying at a cold and wet Donington Park circuit as a group of British Superbike wild-card riders made a good impression on the first day of action. The 39 year-old Australian, who has never actually won at the Leicestershire track, clocked a time of 1 minute 44.377 seconds to hold the overnight pole from Brands Hatch winner Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). The Japanese rider, British champion for the last two years, was one-tenth behind Bayliss in second but a fraction ahead of a trio of current BSB riders headed by Cal Crutchlow (HM Plant Honda), Tom Sykes (Rizla Suzuki) and Leon Haslam (HM Plant Honda). The Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati pairing of Italian Max Biaggi and Ruben Xaus were next up in sixth and seventh, with two more Spanish riders Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Gregorio Lavilla (VentAxia Honda) filling the next two places, while another Brit James Ellison (Hydrex Bike Animal Honda) completed the top 10. So far failing to make their mark are the Yamaha Motor Italia pairing of Troy Corser, who crashed twice in the morning free practice session and is in 12th, and Noriyuki Haga, down in 24th position, while the other championship contender Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) could only manage 23rd. Today’s appalling weather conditions produced a total of 19 crashes involving 13 riders. Times: 1. Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 1’44.377; 2. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.528; 3. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.627; 4. Sykes T. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 k 1’44.682; 5. Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’44.813; 6. Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’45.384; 7. Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’45.725; 8. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1’45.936; 9. Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1’46.044; 10. Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’46.392; 11. Walker C. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’46.553; 12. Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 1’46.803; 13. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’46.912; 14. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 1’46.924; 15. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 1’47.114; 16. Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’47.344 FIM Supersport World Championship Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) dominated today’s first Supersport qualifying session at his home circuit. The Northern Ireland rider set a quickest time of 1 minute 47.714 seconds to confirm his current run of race-winning form and become the rider to beat this weekend. Rea was four-tenths quicker than Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsport Honda) of Australia while Italian Ivan Clementi (Triumph BE1 Racing) was the surprise of the day in third place. The provisional front row was made up of Matthieu Lagrive (Intermoto Czech Honda), ahead of Joan Lascorz (Glanermotocard.com Honda) and the best Suzuki of Barry Veneman (RES Software) on row 2. Championship leader Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) could only manage seventh place, ahead of Eugene Laverty of Ireland, standing in for the injured Fabien Foret in the Yamaha World Supersport team. Championship contender Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport) was in difficulty today, crashing in the morning free practice session and ending the day with 29th quickest time. Times: 1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’47.714; 2. Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1’48.190; 3. Clementi I. (ITA) Triumph 675 1’48.528; 4. Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’48.846; 5. Lascorz J. (ESP) Honda CBR600RR 1’48.872; 6. Veneman B. (NED) Suzuki GSX-R600 1’49.059; 7. Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1’49.155; 8. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’49.169 Superstock 1000 Brendan Roberts (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) gained the early advantage over his chief title rival Maxime Berger (Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda) in the opening qualifying session for Superstock 1000. The Australian rider was quickest overall with a time of 1 minute 49.474 seconds, while the Frenchman could only manage eighth quickest time, more than 2 seconds down. Xavier Simeon (Suzuki Alstare) put in an excellent performance for provisional second and could also be a candidate for the win on Sunday. The provisional front row was completed by British wild-card Jon Kirkham (Raceways Yamaha) and Chris Seaton (Celani Suzuki). Three Italians line up on the second row with Alex Polita (Sterilgarda Ducati) ahead of Michele Pirro (Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni), Claudio Corti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) and Berger. Times: 1. Roberts B. (AUS) Ducati 1098R 1’49.474; 2. Simeon X. (BEL) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’49.603; 3. Kirkham J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 1’49.995; 4. Seaton C. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 K8 1’50.479; 5. Polita A. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’50.857; 6. Pirro M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1’51.127; 7. Corti C. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 1’51.259; 8. Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’51.754 European 600 Superstock First qualifying for Superstock 600 was an Anglo-Italian affair, with Marco Bussolotti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) grabbing provisional pole just a few hundreds of a second ahead of Britain’s Gino Rea (Stonebaker Yamaha). The promising young Italian Davide Fanelli (Triumph Italia BE1) and championship leader Loris Baz (YZF Yamaha Junior Team) of France took third and fourth slots. Patrick Vostarek (Intermoto Czech Honda), currently second in the championship, was way down the field in 25th position, while Danilo Petrucci (Trasimeno Yamaha) bruised his left elbow and wrist in a nasty crash. Times: 1. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’51.899; 2. Rea G. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’51.943; 3. Fanelli D. (ITA) Triumph 675 1’52.681; 4. Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’52.882; 5. Hunt L. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’53.016; 6. Black G. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’53.028; 7. Lowes A. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’53.118; 8. Burns J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R6 1’53.470 More, from a press release issued by Gary Johnson’s publicist: Johnson forced out of Donington WSB round Gary Johnson has been forced to pull out of this weekend’s World Superbike Championship round at Donington Park due to an ongoing injury sustained earlier this season. The 27-year old had been handed a ‘wild card’ for the event, a terrific opportunity for both himself and his Uel Duncan Racing Honda team but a troublesome knee injury, picked up in a spill at the Skerries 100 meeting at the beginning of July, has failed to heal in time. Although he practiced successfully for the Ulster Grand Prix, the muscle and ligament damage is still causing the Lincolnshire rider discomfort on the bike and he has reluctantly had to withdraw. Upon announcing the news, a clearly disappointed Johnson said: “Unfortunately, my knee still isn’t strong enough to ride this weekend and I’ve had to withdraw from the meeting, which is a huge disappointment for all of us. It’s two months since I sustained the injury at Skerries and although I managed to practice at the Ulster GP last month, I was still in a lot of pain. I could have gone out there this weekend but the knee simply isn’t strong enough to ride a Superbike at this level of competition so withdrawing was the only real option.’ ‘It would have been a superb experience for both me and the team and I’m really grateful to have been handed a ‘wild card’ but sadly it wasn’t meant to be. I’m still receiving regular physio on the knee and am doing all I can to be back out on the bike this season so, hopefully, I’ll be able to compete at the final round of the British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Corser and Haga see out the first day Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) and Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) negotiated the first day of practice at a soaking wet Donington Park largely to evaluate their wet weather settings, with varying degrees of success. Corser was 12th in the afternoon official session having survived two crashes in the morning with no more than bumps and bruises, while Haga was 24th fastest, not pushing too hard on a generally grey and miserable first day of qualifying. The team evaluated their new Ãhlins electronic suspension for the first time in race conditions, but with Corser having limited early session track time, they started work in earnest after completing the timed session in the afternoon. Haga made early evaluations of wet tyres, should raceday prove to be wet, and both riders reported that the new Donington track surface took some time to shed water away, making for frequent aquaplaning in some areas of shallow standing water. David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) was second fastest Yamaha rider in the wet, in 7th place, with Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha GMT94) 26th and Shinichi Nakatomi (Team YZF Yamaha) 27th. Noriyuki Haga (24th – 1’48.841 – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “The softest front tyre is OK in the wet and gives me good grip but I worked between different tyres on the rear rear, and I think I’ve found the right one for these conditions. In the afternoon session, from the middle onwards, I had an electrical problem and it was impossible to push hard on that bike to set a good lap time. But it is no problem, because in the very last part of the session I found a good feeling with the set-up and I am sure we can go faster in the wet tomorrow. There are some areas of standing water and some rivers of water going across the track. There is also too much aquaplaning on the straights.” Troy Corser (12th – 1’46.803 – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “The conditions are very strange because there is a lot of water laying around on the track, the new asphalt seems to not let the water run away; it just sits there until we go through it. Then you can see the water filling in the clear line the tyre has cut through the water. So the standing water is not getting dispersed by the bikes going round. It feels easy to aquaplane and the rear is spinning right down the straights. This morning I had absolutely no feeling from the bike early on and I crashed twice, even though I was riding a bit too slow, I felt. We made some changes to the chassis set-up in the afternoon and that gave me a bit more feel as time went on. So it’s not to bad and we have some good data to look at now. The electronic suspension we have tried, but we have to look at the data and find out where the bumps are, to be able to set it up properly. With the data we have now we should be able to start with it again tomorrow.” Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “The weather has made things difficult from the start for everyone and the track surface itself seems to hold a lot of water compared to before. We have started to work on our electronic suspension but not in ideal conditions to compare it to the regular units. We need to see how the weather conditions change over the weekend before we decide on any kind of race set-up, but it looks like it will probably be wet.” More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: BRUISED AND BATTERED, BUT OK FOR TOMORROW. Troy suffered two crashes in the slippery conditions at Donington today and hurt his right hip and side in the process but has declared himself fit enough to take part in tomorrow’s practice and qualifying sessions. Troy was just one of many fallers today in the heavy rain that soaked the 4.023 kilometre circuit throughout the day. His fellow countryman Troy Bayliss (Ducati) posted the day’s fastest lap, with a time of 1:44.377. Second is Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda), with Cal Crutchlow (Honda) third and Tom Sykes (Suzuki) fourth. Troy – 12th, 1:46.803 I had two get-offs today and banged my right side and hip a bit and I feel a bit sore, but I’ll be OK for tomorrow. In the second crash, the footpeg managed to tear a hole in my leathers and hurt my leg. The track was very wet and very slippery and it was really easy to crash because it was hard to feel what was going on with the tyres. In the morning our set-up didn’t help, but we changed a few things for the afternoon (pivot, linkage etc.) and I got a bit more feel for the rear. We’ll change some things for tomorrow and I’m sure we’ll improve a lot. More, from a press releass issued by Sterilgarda Go Eleven: First day of qualifying at Donington Park has been influenced by heavy rain which threats to fall all week-end long. Nevertheless the duo Biaggi-Xaus has been able to power to an high-level performance despite the bad weather. The Italian rider closes the day with the sixth provisional best time while his Spanish team-mate is just behind him in seventh position. Both the riders hope in a better weather tomorrow when the definitive starting grid will be settled. In Superstock1000, Alex Polita has taken the fifth provisional place and tomorrow he will fight for a place in the front-line of the starting grid. MAX BIAGGI | Ducati 1098 RS | 6th provisional time in 1’45.384: “Today we have worked on fine-tuning the bike in wet trim. We are partway through finding the best setting although we must improve our performance in the third part of the track, where I lose the most of the time”. RUBEN XAUS | Ducati 1098 RS | 7th provisional time in 1’45.725: “We have done a great job despite the bad weather. Unfortunately rain is expected all week-end long so today’s work might be crucial with a view to the second day and the race. I will try to get a good result tomorrow too, in order to play two race among the bests”. ALEX POLITA | Ducati 1098R | 5th provisional time in 1’50.857: “We have made a good start although we are not totally satisfied. Anyhow today we did’t want to take excessive risks since that the starting grid will be decided tomorrow, when the weather should be better”. More, from a press release issued by Team Pedercini: First day of qualifying at Doinington for the eleventh round of the WSBK has seen Team Pedercini’s riders to come to grips with an hard wet track due to the rain falling all the day long. Ayrton Badovini and Vittorio Iannuzzo have worked with the goal to get some feeling with the british track, seeking for the best setting by which face all the weekend. They have finished respectively in 22nd and 28th position. In Superstock1000 Alessio Aldrovandi records the 15th provisional best time ahead of his team-mates Tiberio and Morais who got crashed after just two laps. AYRTON BADOVINI | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 22nd provisional time in 1’48.463: “I’m partway through the job in despite of a fall. I have been able to find a good setting by which I’m quite quick and I slid after having recorded the tenth best time after the first two parts of the track. That’s why I think I can improve markedly tomorrow”. VITTORIO IANNUZZO | Kawasaki ZX-10R | 28th provisional time in 1’51.703: “I chose to get the feeling with the track lap by lap, without taking chances. I improved constantly but I can do better tomorrow when the starting grid will be settled. If the track will be dry we will be force to start from the beginning again. On the contrary a wet track will find us ready to face the qualifying thanks to the experience and the data collected today”.