Superbike World Championship Round 10 Brands Hatch (United Kingdom) Shinichi Nakatomi had two good results at Brno on July 22, ending up 9th and 10th, in front of very famous riders such as Regis Laconi (Kawasaki), Ruben Xaus (Ducati), Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) and Karl Muggeridge (Honda). So the Japanese rider hopes to continue his great performance. Steve Martin will be with our team this weekend, only for this race. The Brands Hatch event starts the last third of the season, with only three races to go after the British round at Lausitz, Vallelunga and Magny-Cours. James Toseland (Honda) leads the championship, 43 points in front of Max Biaggi (Suzuki), 45 in front of Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) and 56 in front of Troy Bayliss (Ducati). But nothing is for sure yet about the title because any rider who would win the remaining eight races would earn 200 points. Only for this one race, the Team YZF Yamaha is very happy to welcome Steve Martin. He was born on December 2, 1968 in Adelaide. With Sandra, they are the proud parents of Axel, born on October 25, 2006. Steve was Australian Superbike Champion in 1999 on a 996 Ducati. During his brilliant career in the Superbike World Championship, he was 3 times the fastest man in Superpole (Misano, Laguna Seca and Brands Hatch 2004), finishing 5 times on the podium (Valencia, Misano, Laguna Seca, Brands Hatch and Imola) and having the fastest lap 2 times (Lausitz 2001 and Magny-Cours 2004). Martial Garcia (team manager): “We hope that Shinichi Nakatomi will confirm his great rides of Brno. With some good results during the end of this season, we can reasonably think that we can continue on gaining positions in the standings. We can do better than the 16th position where we are at right now. It would be very nice if we could go as far as the 12th place. We welcome this weekend Steve Martin to help another Yamaha team. Steve will continue his season riding in British Superbike for Virgin Media Optoma Loans Yamaha and we wish to help this team as much as we can.” The track Brands Hatch was opened in 1928 and lengthened in 1953 by taking advantage of the hill leading to Druid’s Bend. In 1960, the Hawthorn and Westfield corners were added. That gave the track the required length (4.19 km) to get it homologated for international events. The first Brands Hatch F1 Grand Prix was held in 1964. Ideally located only 32 kms from London, Brands is an extremely popular venue. Sometimes, as many as 120 000 spectators flocked to the circuit for the world Superbike. The way Brands Hatch has evolved explains why there are two types of asphalt here. Grip on the Grand Prix track is not the same as that of the small circuit and that can take riders by surprise as they go from one to the other, especially in the wet. Grip is better in the Grand Prix section than on the part where the pits and the grandstands are. Brands Hatch is quite a demanding circuit. It heats up the tyres in a similar way to tracks like Phillip Island or Monza, but that heat build up doesn’t happen in the same part of the tyre. World Championship standings: 1- Toseland (Honda) 305 points 2-Biaggi (Suzuki) 262 3- Haga (Yamaha) 260 4-Bayliss (Ducati) 249 5-Corser (Yamaha) 191 16- Nakatomi (Yamaha) 37 Brands Hatch stats Practice record (2006): 1:25.449 Troy Bayliss (Ducati) 156.010 kph Lap record (best race time 2006): 1:26.351 James Toseland (Honda) 154.380 kph 2006 Yamaha Motor France practice times: Nakatomi: 1:28.896 / 26th Abe: 1:27.940 / 19th Gimbert: 1:27.102 / 15th Race 1 result 2006: 1- Bayliss (Ducati), 2-Toseland (Honda), 3-Haga (Yamaha), 4-Pitt (Yamaha), 5-Kagayama (Suzuki) 2006 Yamaha Motor France race 1 results: Nakatomi: 19th; Abe: 13th; Gimbert: 15th Race 2 result 2006: 1- Haga (Yamaha), 2-Bayliss (Ducati), 3- Pitt (Yamaha), 4-Laconi (Kawasaki), 5- Toseland (Honda) 2006 Yamaha Motor France race 2 results: Nakatomi: 17th; Abe: 13th; Gimbert: 14th 11th round of the Superbike World Championship: September 9th at EuroSpeedway / Lausitz (Germany) More, from a press release issued by Suzuki Racing: NEW TEST FOR BIAGGI The 10th round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at one of the best-loved circuits on the calendar – Brands Hatch. The unique bowl-like setting in the heart of the Kent countryside always provides spectacular racing and the closeness of the fans means an atmosphere second to none. Brands has witnessed crowds of over 100,000 in the past and once again a huge crowd is expected this weekend. For Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi, the Brands Hatch round will be a testing occasion because he has not raced at the track before. The many ‘blind’ approaches to corners and undulating nature are not easy to learn and Biaggi will have to compete against rivals who all have previous knowledge of the 3.703 kilometre circuit. One of his rivals is his team mate Yukio Kagayama. The Japanese rider has ridden the track both in World Superbike and also British Superbike events and knows that it is a track like no other. Kagayama arrives at Brands Hatch full of confidence after winning the prestigious Suzuka 8 hour race last weekend in Japan and the previous month has seen an upturn in both his fortunes and confidence. Max Biaggi: “It’s true that I’ve not raced at Brands Hatch before, but I have seen it on TV and video and know that it is something very different. I understand that it is also one of those tracks where the fans can get really close to the action and if the crowd is a big one then the noise they make can be heard inside your helmet. I know that Brands has some tricky corners, some with blind approaches, and that circuit knowledge is very important, but I learn tracks pretty quickly and I think I can do well as long as we can get a good bike set-up for race day. After all, when the lights change at the start of the race, it’s the same for everybody and racing is what I like best. I am not sure how the races are going to be, but I can tell you that I will be giving my best – as usual – and trying to get on the podium. It was really good to get a win and another podium in the last round in Brno and I want to carry on getting podiums at Brands and the rest of the season.” Yukio Kagayama: “Since Misano I have become much happier with my bike and I have a good feeling with it now. After a long time, I now find it easier to understand the bike’s limit. Before, I did not – and that was a scary feeling. My win in Suzuka last weekend was a very special feeling and one that I will remember and treasure for the rest of my life. It is hard to understand how big and important this race is for the manufacturers and fans and to win it is an amazing feeling. But now, it’s back to work and Brands Hatch. This track is not so easy and the more you ride it the more you learn. Last year, my results were so-so, but I am hoping for better results – and maybe podiums this year. This will not be easy, but this is what I want and this is what I will try to do.” 2006 results Race 1: Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 Toseland (GB-Honda), 3 Haga (J-Yamaha), 5 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Race 2: 1 Haga, 2 Bayliss, 3 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha), 7 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra). Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) – Did not race. More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: World Supersport and Superbike Championships 2007 Round 10, Brands Hatch British Round Brands Hatch Race Preview 3-5 August 2007 World Supersport Round 10 of 13 SOFUOGLU OUT TO MAKE IT COUNT AT BRANDS Once more Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) enters prepares to do battle on the back of a recent win but for the runaway championship leader Brands Hatch could have an even greater significance. After scoring six wins from nine starts, he now has a lead of fully 70 points over his closest challenger, 99 points over the next nearest, and for the first time is now capable of finishing the championship fight off. With an absolute maximum of 100 points up for grabs, from Brands and the last three races of 2007, Sofuoglu need only beat Fabien Foret by five points or more on Sunday to secure his first World Championship with three races to spare. Should the young Turk’s championship push reward him with his first world championship this year, it would give Honda its sixth straight WSS Riders’ title. Honda is also currently 61 points clear in the Manufacturer’s championship, with a possible 100 left to score, including the points from Brands Hatch. The arithmetic may be working very much in Sofuoglu’s favour at present, but he takes nothing for granted and his entire team is focusing on the same goal as usual – a podium finish. Sofuoglu is a fan of the Brands Hatch layout, enjoying the constant changes of direction and elevation. He won the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race at Brands in 2005, and was third there last year, in his first full WSS season for Ten Kate Honda. Sebastien Charpentier (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) is even more of a Brands devotee than Sofuoglu, having won there for his current team in 2005, on the way to the first of two back-to-back titles. He has also scored two previous podiums at the classic English venue. His 2007 season has been a difficult one so far and he awaits his first podium finish of the year, but the most successful rider in WSS history, still in the most successful team, is not one to be written off lightly. Another previous Brands Hatch WSS race winner is Katsuaki Fujiwara (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR), who took the laurels of victory in 2002. Currently third overall, and with three podiums to his credit already this year, he is another proven winner out to end his drought of full-point finishes, especially as he wants to make up the 29 points he lags behind Foret before the end of the year. Lorenzo Alfonsi (Althea Honda Team CBR600RR) has more modest immediate ambitions, looking to score his first top ten race finish since Silverstone to help him climb back into the championship top ten. Sofuoglu is aware the Brands Hatch may well be a special event for himself, his team and Honda, but he is taking nothing for granted as he approaches the tenth round of an amazing season. “I am really looking forward to Brands Hatch,” said Sofuoglu: “As a rider, there are tracks you like and tracks you don’t like, and for me Brands Hatch is very special. This race is so important for me because I know that if I win, I have the title. I am trying not to look at it this way I am just doing what I usually do and aiming for the podium with the race win being a bonus. I came third here last year so I know that the podium is possible. We still have Germany, Italy and France to go, so I am not focusing on anything more than winning this race.” Fujiwara is very much in the mood to get not just a top three but a win, and he is one of the few who can say what it really takes to win at this particular amphitheatre of speed. “We had some problems at Brno which I’m sure we won’t have at Brands Hatch,” said ‘Kats’ “I have already won a race there, in 2002, so I am prepared to push, and the bike should work there. We need to concentrate hard on set-up but the bike itself is good.” Charpentier looks back to look forward, taking his inspiration from previous success at the unique Brands track. “I really like Brands Hatch and my results here have always been good in 2005 I got pole position and the race win so I know it is not impossible for me,” said Charpentier: “The team have all been working really hard to find a solution to the problems I had at Brno so hopefully this weekend we can start to move forward and put the frustrations of this year behind us.” Alfonsi cites Brands as one of his favourite circuits of all, but knows he has to improve his pre-race starting positions to make any great progress from his current 13th placing. “Brands Hatch is great, if feels very fast and I like that,” said Alfonsi: “I like all the third and fourth gear corners but I need to get a good practice and qualifying in so that I can be on the front two or three rows of the grid. If I can do that then it will be possible to get a good position at the end of play.” World Superbike Round 10 of 13 CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER BACK ON HOME GROUND AGAIN After an eventful season of SBK competition James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) enters his third home meeting of the year this weekend with a more than useful 43-point championship lead. His most recent win of his championship campaign, his sixth of the year, came in race one at Brno two weeks ago, and after following that up with a second in race two, he increased his overall championship advantage, now from new second place rider, Max Biaggi. The fight for the championship has come down to a realistic four-rider battle, with Noriyuki Haga 45 points down on Toseland, and Troy Bayliss 56 points from the lead. Behind Toseland an official entry of four more supported Honda riders is headed by Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) who sits eighth overall, with recent podium scorer Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) 11th. Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) returns once more to a venue where he enjoyed his first ever WSS race win for Honda, back in 2000, before going on to win the WSS championship himself on a CBR600RR in 2004. Luca Morelli (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) carries on his steep learning curve at another circuit new to him, looking to score points in each race to lift him up in the championship ranking. Toseland comes to Brands on the back of a win and a second two weeks ago at Brno, and he now goes for his first SBK win at Brands Hatch to defend his lead in the best possible way – by beating all his challengers. “I’m 43 points in the lead now and, to be honest, after Misano I would have questioned the reality of that happening,” said Toseland, who has been rewarded so far for his unquenchable determination and perseverance: “The team has worked really hard and the package is great. I can’t wait to get to Brands Hatch and do the same as I did in Brno, if not one better!” Rolfo heads to England knowing that Brands is a difficult track – but one which rewards a positive attitude. Like all his peers, he also hopes for a dry track surface on which to race. “Brands Hatch is a very special place; It’s only my second year at the circuit and I’m happy to go back there,” said Rolfo: “At the moment, I’m still training to prepare for this important event because I want to do my best. Following Brno, I feel confident because my mental and physical condition is good. The team works well together and this is very important at a difficult track like Brands. I am hoping for good weather for the weekend so we see a big crowd at the circuit.” The podium finish he earned at Brno was a great boost for the young Italian Fabrizio, and he puts his return to podium form down to a pre-Brno test at his home circuit near Rome. “After the race in Brno I had a little holiday to recuperate my energy,” said Fabrizio: “The results were excellent but for me and my team it is important to continue on the same path. After the test in Vallelunga my motorcycle has improved and with the new set up it was possible to fight for victory in the Czech Republic. For us, Brands Hatch will be an important race. It will help us understand what to expect for the rest of the year.” Muggeridge, riding solo for the Alto Evolution squad, came back to action at Brno two weeks ago, but now feels the team has everything in place to go for the kind of results he would normally expect to take. “We should have a new engine spec for the bikes at Brands,” said Muggeridge: “That should be the last thing we need to get back to competitiveness. You need to get the whole bike working well there.” Morelli will meet a new challenge at Brands Hatch, as he has never raced at the venue before, even though he has heard a lot about it. “For me Brands Hatch will be very difficult because I haven’t raced on this circuit,” said Morelli. “The other riders speak about this circuit with a lot of respect but I am a professional rider and I will give the race my best.” After the usual noise and fury of what is expected to be a well-attended Brands Hatch race, both SBK and WSS classes disperse for a time to enjoy a fulsome August break before reconvening to fight out round 11 of the championship, on 9 September at Eurospeedway Lausitz, Germany. Back-to-back rounds in Vallelunga, Italy (3 September) and Magny-Cours, France (7 October) will then complete the 2007 season.