TOP TEAMS OUT IN FORCE FOR BRNO TEST – CHAMPIONSHIP CHALLENGERS TO TRY NEW TYRES AT BRNO Few ‘modern’ racetracks are as well served by natural elevations and features than Brno, and it is justifiably one of the most popular places for riders to face on the whole championship trail. The Brno race itself is not until 22 July, but in readiness for this, and to allow the championship’s official tyre supplier Pirelli to make another leap forward with its spec tyres for SBK and WSS classes, a test session has been arranged on 26 and 27 June. The top challengers in the championship fights, in both Supersport and Superbike, will be in attendance for the two-day test, representing each of the competing manufacturers. KEY RIDERS GET READY FOR END OF SEASON RUN-IN At mid June the 13-round World Superbike championship has already featured eight action-packed and unpredictable rounds, and with five rounds to go, the pressure on long-time leader James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is increasing – and coming from a number of directions. After winning the last three races on the bounce, Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) is second, with Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) a close third. Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) is by no means out of anything yet, but each of the ‘Big Four’ will view Brno as a chance to get ready for the final push to the flag at Magny Cours in October. Each of the top challengers will be joined by their respective team-mates; Roby Rolfo with Toseland, Lorenzo Lanzi with Bayliss, Troy Corser with Haga and Yukio Kagayama with Biaggi. Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) will be looking to the Brno test to try and get their championship trails back on line, as each is currently outside the top ten overall. SUPERSPORT RIDERS READY TO MAKE STEPS AGAIN The chase to the long-time championship leader in Supersport is not of the same magnitude as in Superbike, but there are just as many potential race winners in the 600cc division as there are in any form of Motorsport worldwide. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) may have looked like scoring a near clean sheet of wins before half the season was out, but recent events point to the fact that riders of at least three different types of machine may well score full pointers before the season is out. Fabien Foret (GIL Kawasaki) has already won on his new-for-2007 ZX-6R, and the outgoing Anthony West, winner of two races, may well find his victorious status matched by permanent team rider Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport Racing Team) before the season is out. Sebastien Charpentier (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has had a horrible 2007 season overall, after winning the title in 2005 and 2006. His rivals know, however, that the magic never quite leaves the best riders, and ‘Seb’ is looking to Brno to bury a few ghosts from his big testing crash there last year. Joining Foret for Kawasaki will be his team-mate Pere Riba, with Suzuki being represented at the test by Barry Veneman (Pioneer Hoegee Suzuki) and his team-mate Vesa Kallio. Team Caracchi SC Ducati should also take its rightful place as Ducati’s representative at Brno, but maybe not with its still-recovering regular rider, Gianluca Nannelli.