FIM Supersport World Championship Santamonica Circuit Misano, San Marino June 27, 2008 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. Broc PARKES (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:40.132 2. Andrew PITT (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.387 3. Fabien FORET (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:40.559 4. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.690 5. Mark AITCHISON (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:40.708 6. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.718 7. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.770 8. Joan LASCORZ (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.850 9. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 1:40.857 10. Craig JONES (Honda CBR600RR), 1:40.922 11. David SALOM (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:41.089 12. Vesa KALLIO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.214 13. Danilo MARRANCONE (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:41.224 14. Robbin HARMS (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.263 15. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.439 16. Massimo ROCCOLI (Yamaha YZF-R6), 1:41.473 17. Garry MCCOY (Triumph Daytona 675), 1:41.477 18. Roberto LUNADEI (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.548 19. Gianluca NANNELLI (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.571 20. Russel HOLLAND (Honda CBR600RR), 1:41.605 30. Chris WALKER (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 1:42.684 31. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Kawasaki ZX-6R) 1:42.739 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Racing: Supersport team on provisional front row at Misano The HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Supersport team started the first day of qualifying in Misano on the pace with both riders putting their Honda’s on the provisional front row for the race this weekend. Jonathan Rea successfully concluded his first ever appearance on the 4.226km long track by setting the third fastest time of 1’41.453 in the free practice session. He managed to improve his time in the afternoon’s qualifying practice with a best lap of 1’40.690 and secured the day’s fourth fastest time. Andrew Pitt started his day of qualifying in the middle of the field and used his time to concentrate on learning the track, but chased his way forward in the official qualifying session by setting a second fastest time of 1’40.387, only 0.2s behind provisional pole sitter Broc Parkes. Jonathan Rea, 1’40.690; “It’s been a really good fun session for me and I was close to the front most of the time. I really enjoy riding this track.” “We put a few laps together and now we are on the front row provisionally for the race. I think that’s a good result for a track I have never been to before.” “For sure there is a lot more left in the tank. I need to find some clear track tomorrow and push the pace I know I can set, we belong up the front row, if we have a good session then I am sure we can be up there.” Andrew Pitt, 1’40.387; “We are a little bit further then I thought we would be after this morning’s session. In the first session I tried learning the circuit and didn’t waste any tyres, we just one set of them.” “We are still not quite there yet. I got in behind Jonathan halfway through the session which got me on the pace. There’s definitely a few areas we need to improve. There’s still some things that surprise me and am not happy with. But I’m satisfied with today’s result. So far so good.” Ronald ten Kate, Team manager; “I am very pleased with the performance both Andrew and Jonathan have shown here today.” We are still working on the set-up of the bike in these conditions, but with the result we have set so far, I think we have done a remarkably good job today.” “We will still have to improve on the bike as we all know it will be a very tough race around here but with the boys already on the pace we can use tomorrow’s qualifying practice to further concentrate on the race set-up. It’s a very good start of the weekend, we’ll now just concentrate on making it better for tomorrow.” More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Triumph-SC: MISANO FURNACE WELCOMES THE FIRST DAY PRACTICE (Misano Italy 2008, June 27) The renowed circuit of Misano, now 4226 meters long and transformed in a true cauldron thanks the very hot temperature of this Summer start, received the World Supersport circus for their seventh round. After the morning free practice session, focused in the search of best set up for the race, that will start in the hottest hours of the day, Garry McCoy scored the 17th fastest in the first qualifying session. Garry McCoy commented the day: “It has been a very difficult day, with a true hellish temperature. Our work has been focused for a right set up to allow the tyres working with this temperature and I’m rather satisfied. We made about 40 laps during the day without problems, and the bike showed a quite good top speed. Despite my position I’m satisfied because I’ve seen to be able to stay in the top ten group. All the team is working hardly to reach the top and the results couldn’t fail.” Also Ruggero Scambia, at his second presence in the demanding Supersport arena, is quite calm: “I’m lucky that this first apprenticeship time happened on a well known track. I’m satisfied because I increase my performance every session. Physically I feel well also with hot condition and in the final laps of the race that could be important.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Parkes fastest yet again Once more Yamaha World Supersport Team rider Broc Parkes headed up a WSS qualifying session, going fastest today and therefore setting a new track best on Misano’s slightly altered track layout. His 1’40.132 was 0.255 seconds faster than next rider, Andrew Pitt, and 0.427 seconds faster than his own team-mate Fabien Foret. Foret put in his quickest lap towards the end the afternoon qualifying, jumping to a provisional front row starting position in a session which witnessed 34°C air temperatures at its peak. The heat had even more of an effect on the track surface, with the asphalt on the 4.226km Misano circuit hitting 53°C during qualifying. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) fell heavily at the Curva Del Rio corner in the untimed morning session, having collided with another rider. He still went 14th on his number two bike this afternoon on a track he took a win at for Yamaha in 2006. David Salom (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) returned to World Supersport Championship racing in good form, going 11th out of 38 riders. Broc Parkes (1st – 1’40.132 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “It all went good today and we actually spent quite a bit of time working on race set-up because we wanted to see how the bike and tyres would react in these hot conditions. It all worked well and we already have a good set-up. We’ll carry on working to get things even better tomorrow. They have changed the first chicane a bit and I like it, it makes more sense in that section of track, and the pit exit is also improved. I like this track anyway, always have, even though it is bumpy in places. But once you work out where the bumps are, it’s OK.” Fabien Foret (3rd – 1’40.559 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “It’s good to be on the front row already on Friday and we had a good session this morning. We lost a bit in the afternoon but we still got third. It’s not like we are struggling or anything like that, but I just didn’t feel I could push as hard this afternoon. We still have tomorrow and I really like this track, so we will find the right solution.” Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team) “Very good for the first day and I think Broc could start the race tomorrow the way things are, without doing any laps on Saturday. It’s incredible how fast he can be even on the first day, which has been the case for a few races in a row now. We still have to find something more for Fabien, to give him more feel and confidence but we will find it for him. It is all relative, because he is not completely happy right now but he still on the front row on the first day. So now we have to find him a bit more confidence in the front end, for both race distance and a single fast lap time.” Massimo Roccoli (16th – 1’41.437 seconds – Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) “This morning I crashed at the inside of the Curva del Rio, because of a slower rider in front. Lascorz and I were following the rider and Lascorz had to move quickly to avoid him, and we collided. I hit my head, right elbow and right shoulder very hard. We had to spend a lot of time fixing the electronics on the crashed bike and we only got ten laps this afternoon. The second bike is not set-up properly yet for the high temperatures.” David Salom: (11th – 1’41.089 seconds – Yamaha Spain) “Almost in the top ten on the first day is a good result for us and it’s good to be back racing in the World Championship. We will try to make a good final grid position tomorrow.”