From a press release issued by Team YZF Yamaha: The first European race of the Superbike World Championship, the third event of this year, will take place the next weekend on the Circuito Ricardo Tormo near Valencia, the slowest track used for the WSBK. After some good testing sessions, Shinichi Nakatomi is optimistic. For Martial Garcia (team manager): “After some positive testing and with the help of some new factory parts, we are confident. Shinichi Nakatomi hopes to have better results than what he had in the beginning of this season.” The Slowest track The Valencia circuit is the slowest one used for the World Superbike. The average speed of the fastest lap (during practices) was 152,410 KPH, compared to 154 for Vallelunga, 155 for Brands Hatch and 158 for Misano. Who will beat (finally) the lap record? Something interesting about the Ricardo Tormo track is that the official lap record is from 2003. It belongs to Neil Hodgson riding then a Ducati with Michelin tyres, with a time of1’35.007 at 151,760 KPH. 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. March 12 and 13 tests: 1. Muggeridge (Honda) 1’34.252; 2. Xaus (Ducati) 1’34.265; 3. Lanzi (Ducati) 1’34.388; 4. Checa (Honda) 1’34.493; 5. Kiyonari (Honda) 1’34.828; 6. Nieto (Suzuki) 1’34.911; 7. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1’34.984; 8. Kagayama (Suzuki) 1’35.017; 9. Rolfo (Honda) 1’35.152; 10. Tamada (Kawasaki) 1’35.581; 11. Laconi (Kawasaki) 1’35.740; 12. Nakatomi (Yamaha) 1’36.057; 13. Holland (Honda) 1’36.386; 14. Badovini (Kawasaki) 1’36.441; 15. Sofuoglu (Honda) 1’36.698; 16. Napoleone (Yamaha) 1’37.696. World Championship standings: 1. Bayliss (Ducati) 88 points; 2. Nieto (Suzuki) 61; 3. Xaus (Ducati) 59; 4. Corser (Yamaha) 45; 5. Checa (Honda) 45″¦ 22.Nakatomi (Yamaha) 2 Valencia stats Practice record (2007): 1’34.599 Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 152.410 kph (Nakatomi: 1’36.755 / 18th) Lap record (best race time 2003): 1’35.007 Neil Hodgson (Ducati) 151.760 kph Race 1 result 2007: 1- Xaus (Ducati), 2-Haga (Yamaha), 3-Bayliss (Ducati), 4-Corser (Yamaha), 5-Toseland (Honda)”¦ Nakatomi (Yamaha) DNF Race 2 results 2007: Toseland (Honda), 2-Biaggi (Suzuki), 3-Haga (Yamaha), 4-Xaus (Ducati), 5-Lanzi (Ducati)”¦16- Nakatomi (Yamaha) 4th round of the Superbike World Championship: April 27th at Assen (Netherlands) YZF Yamaha Junior Team Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Superstock 600 European Championship Introducing a new team The new YZF Yamaha Junior Team is now ready to start its activity at the Valencia races with two French riders: Sylvain Barrier (19) on a Yamaha R1 in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, and Loris Baz (15) on a Yamaha R6 in the Superstock 600 European Championship. These young riders could be part of the future good French riders. Martial Garcia enters them this year with the goals to help them develop their racing knowledge and reach the best possible results. Sylvain Barrier is born on October 20, 1988, in Oyonnax (France). In 1999, he moved with his family to the Mauritius Island. In 2003 he was the winner of the Republic of Mauritius 50cc Championship. He raced in continental France the Promosport 1000 (standard bikes) in 2005, with a 2nd place finish at the Circuit Carole for best result. He finished 3rd of the Superstock 600 European Championship in 2006, and last year he was 6th of that championship (2nd at Assen and Brno). Loris Baz is born on February 1, 1993 in Sallanches (France). He took part in the Metrakit Spanish Championship in 2003, and then finished 4th in 2005 of the Bancaja Aprilia 125 Championship in Spain. He did a lot of testing and training last year on a Yamaha R6 at several European tracks. This year on March 16, he finished 4th in the Spanish Supersport Championship in Cataluña, not really helped by Superstock tyres. Martial Garcia (team-manager): “Sylvain Barrier is arriving in the big Superstock class where he has everything to prove. His tests give us a good hope for nice results. The quality of the opposition is high. We may have a good surprise with the young Loris Baz. He did really well on several tracks while training. “ Superstock 1000 tests – March 12 1. Alessandro Polita (Ducati) 1’37.2 ; 2. Brendan Roberts (Ducati) 1’37.7 ; 3. Domenico Colucci (Ducati) 1’38.00 ; 4. Michele Pirro (Yamaha) 1’38.3 ; 5. Michele Magnoni (Yamaha) 1’39.1 ; 6. Denis Sacchetti (Ducati) 1’42.0 ; 7. Robert Gianfardoni (Ducati) 1’43.0 Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Valencia stats Practice record (2007): 1’38.369 Badovini (MV Agusta) 146.570 kph Lap record (best race time 2005): 1’39.034 Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha) 145.590 kph Race results 2007: 1- Aitchison (Suzuki), 2-Pirro (Yamaha), 3-Canepa (Ducati), 4-Baiocco (Yamaha), 5-Dionisi (Suzuki) FIM Cup Superstock 1000 final 2007 standings: 1-Canepa (Ducati), 2-Corti (Yamaha), 3-Baiocco (Yamaha), 4-Siméon (Suzuki), 5-Aitchison (Suzuki) Superstock 600 European Championship Valencia stats Practice record (2007): 1’41.908 Colucci (Ducati) 141.480 km/h Lap record (best race time 2007): 1’42.345 Siméon (Suzuki) 140.880 km/h Race results 2007: 1-Berger (Yamaha), 2- Ten Napel (Yamaha) 3-Rea (Suzuki), 4-Sigloch (Yamaha), 5-Colucci (Ducati) Superstock 600 European Championship 2007 final standings: 1- Berger (Yamaha), 2-Antonelli (Honda), 3-Magnoni (Yamaha), 4-Black (Yamaha), 5-Ten Napel (Yamaha)