FIM Superbike World Championship Assen, Netherlands April 27, 2007 Provisional Qualifying Results: 1. James TOSELAND (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:39.603 2. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1), 1:39.750 3. Ruben XAUS (Duc 999F06), 1:39.765 4. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 999F07), 1:39.806 5. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1), 1:39.938 6. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:40.092 7. Fonsi NIETO (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:40.201 8. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 999F05), 1:40.355 9. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 999F07), 1:40.445 10. Josh BROOKES (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:40.480 11. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000K6), 1:40.537 12. Max BIAGGI (Suz GSX-R1000K7), 1:40.804 13. Michel FABRIZIO (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:40.844 14. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1), 1:41.032 15. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR), 1:41.109 16. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R), 1:41.155 17. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000K7), 1:41.273 18. Christian ZAISER (MV Agusta F4-1000R 312), 1:43.732 19. Luca MORELLI (Duc 999RS), 1:43.756 20. Dean ELLISON (Duc 999RS), 1:44.869 More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group: FABULOUS SUNSHINE ALLOWS TOSELAND TO SIZZLE TOSELAND DEPOSES HAGA AND XAUS Championship leader James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) took the upper hand in the early exchanges as the World Superbike riders baked in the 27°C temperatures which blessed Assen on day one. Toseland was one of three competitors to head the timesheets at various stages, with eventual second placed rider Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) and third placed Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati) each taking their turns at the top earlier in the hour-long session. BAYLISS FOURTH FASTEST FOR DUCATI Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) scored fourth best time overall, some 0.203 from Toseland, as each rider got consistent conditions to run on thanks to the clear skies and bright sunshine – conditions which are expected to remain through to raceday. Another legendary SBK figure, Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia) scored fifth best time, with the highly experienced privateer Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda) sixth, easily the best of the non-factory equipped riders. NIETO TOP SEVEN AT ONE OF HIS FAVOURITE CIRCUITS Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) was an impressive seventh after his Valencia disappointments, with another ex-GP rider, Jakub Smrz (Team Caracchi SC Ducati) eighth on a private 999, one place up on the official machine of Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox). A good day for the Alto Evolution team saw them put their second rider, Joshua Brookes, into the top ten. NEUKIRCHNER FASTER THAN BIAGGI Fast privateer Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) scored an early confidence-boosting ride at Assen, setting a pace faster than Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and finishing within a second of leading rider Toseland. Biaggi’s team-mate Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) was a lowly 17th. WORLD SUPERSPORT – CHARPENTIER BACK ON TOP FORM Sebastien Charpentier (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) showed that he has largely recovered form his pelvic and coccyx injuries by posting the fastest time in the first session at Assen, with a 1’42.174 lap. Another recently injured rider, Broc Parkes (Yamaha World SSP Racing), was a gritty second fastest, only 0.017 behind Charpentier and 0.291 seconds up on runaway championship leader, Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). The ‘dummy’ front row was completed by Aussie race winner Fabien Foret (GIL Motorsport Kawasaki). A great day for the Pioneer Hoogee Suzuki team saw them leave the track with Finn Vesa Kallio fifth fastest and his team-mate Barry Veneman (the highest placed Dutch rider) sixth. Davide Salom scored an early advantage for his Yamaha Spain team with a seventh place, one up on Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni rider Massimo Roccoli. The third Hannspree Ten Kate Honda of Andrew Pitt was ninth, with Kevin Curtain’s stand-in, Steve Martin, 13th. SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP – BADOVINI THE DAY ONE LEADER Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta F4 312R) took the early advantage in the Superstock 1000 class, with Claudio Corti (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) second, 0.673 seconds behind. Belgian rider Didier Van Keymeulen (TTSL-MGM Racing Yamaha) was third at what is almost his ‘home’ track. Ilario Dionisi (Cruciani Suzuki) finished the top four off, with German rider Arne Tode (Dirk Van Mol – Alpha Technik Honda) fifth. SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP – BERGER FASTEST Maxime Berger (Team Yamaha Trasimeno) led the rankings on the first day of 600 Superstock competition, with local rider Roy Ten Napel (MQP Racing Team Yamaha) second. British rider Greg Black (Politas Racing Yamaha) was an assured third. Andrea Antonelli (Team Italia Megabike AX) finished fourth in the first timed session. More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: HANNspree Ten Kate Honda on top at Assen The fifth round of the 2007 World Superbike Championship began today at a sun-drenched Assen Circuit in The Netherlands. Last year’s wet weekend was a distant memory as the HANNspree Ten Kate Honda riders took to the 4.55km track for the first qualifying session. James Toseland secured the fastest lap time of the day, while team-mate Roberto Rolfo qualified in fifteenth place. Toseland proved once again that he is a force to be reckoned with in the 2007 series as he set the fastest lap eight times in morning practice and three in the afternoon official session. His immediate fast pace gave the team the chance to concentrate on the race set-up of the CBR1000RR, ensuring that the British rider is more than ready for Sunday’s race. His best time stands at 1’39.603. After a challenging weekend in Valencia, Roberto Rolfo is determined to get his 2007 campaign back on track. He performed well in today’s session, but got caught behind a group of slower riders which forced him to settle for fifteenth position. His final best time was 1’41.109. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “Today has been a great start for James – he was immediately fast in the free practice so we were able to go straight into working on the race set-up. We have been testing the race tyres, which are sure to be an issue with the high temperatures here this weekend. We are constantly making small improvements to the bike, but generally it is all good for James. Although Roby’s position does not show it, it seems he is in contact with the group in front of him once again. He had a traffic problem when we put the soft tyre in and he didn’t manage to go any faster so his best lap time was on the racing tyre. I’m sure we can improve tomorrow, so let’s see.” James Toseland: “Today has been a really good day. We were second quickest this morning on the race tyre and I think other riders were using the softer one. Right at the end there I did put that softer tyre in and it worked quite a lot better than the race tyre. I’m pleased with today – we’ve got a bit of work to do on the set-up to get the bike ready for tomorrow but overall I’m pretty happy.” Roberto Rolfo: “I am not happy with this session. We did a lot of good work at the beginning and it was ok, but it wasn’t so good at the end because there were a lot of slower riders in front of me that I couldn’t pass. I was trying to do a 1’40 lap time but I lost it and only managed to fit in one more lap before the end of the session. The session could have gone a lot better. Having said that, I am happy with my progression because I think my race rhythm is not too bad.” More, from a press release issued by Xeros Ducati: DUCATI XEROX MEN FOURTH AND NINTH IN FRENETIC FIRST QUALIFYING SESSION AT ASSEN Assen (Netherlands), Friday 27 April: The opening qualifying session for the Dutch Round of the World Superbike championship at Assen saw both Ducati Xerox Team riders close to the front-runners’ pace but down in fourth and ninth place at the end of the day. Troy Bayliss was the quicker of the two in 1m39.806s, just two-tenths of a second slower than provisional pole sitter James Toseland (Honda), while Lorenzo Lanzi was a further six-tenths of a second down with 1m40.445s. Such was the frenetic pace of the leading ten riders that the Italian eventually ended up in ninth place. “We have changed the bike a lot from when we were here last year, trying the settings from 2006 and giving the bike I’ve had this year a bit of a go and they are both completely different” declared Troy. “We’ve also been testing the hardest tyre Pirelli has got because we thought it would be the only one that was able to do any good for the race. Right at the last moment we put a soft tyre to do a lap and I decided to stay out, I did eight laps and my time looked good so we’ve got a few things to think about tonight. Despite the fact that I’m missing quite a bit in the second split and missing a bit of feeling with the back and I’m struggling to touch the gas the way I want and not feeling as comfortable as I should be, I’m looking forward to tomorrow and feeling good in general”. “The track conditions changed a lot from this morning because the temperature warmed up and I was unable to improve as much as I would have liked” declared Lorenzo. “In the qualifying session I went well while I was using the race tyre then I put on a softer compound to try and move up a few positions, but unfortunately I could only record the same time. However I’m pleased with my race pace and I’ve already got an idea of the tyres to use Sunday, I did a lot of laps to test them and try and get the best setting. Even though I’m only ninth I’m close to the times of the top guys and am quite pleased with everything so far.” Times: 1. Toseland (Honda) 1m39.603s; 2. Haga (Yamaha) 1m39.750s; 3. Xaus (Ducati) 1m39.765s; 4. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1m39.806s; 5. Corser (Yamaha) 1m39.938s; 6. Muggeridge (Honda) 1m40.092s; 7. Nieto (Kawasaki) 1m40.201s; 8. Smrz (Ducati) 1m40.355s; 9. Lanzi (Ducati) 1m440.445s; 10. Brookes (Honda) 1m40.480s. More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Carrachi: An unattended sunshine and a Mediterranean temperature welcomed today the Superbike circus at Assen, for the first practice day of the fifth round of World Superbike and Supersport. The Dutch circuit has been hard modified and shortened at 4555 meters, a modification that fired up different comments between the riders present in Assen. In Supersport Gianluca Nannelli finished in 12th position that could be better, but the new track layout is not in favour of the 749R twin, and anyway the leaders gap are very close. “Assen was one of my favourite tracks, but they did ruined it with this change. Now the sector after the start, that was fast and good for our twin engine, is slow in an atrocious way, broking the riding pace and unable to give any satisfaction.” commented at the end of practices Gianluca Nannelli. “For sure I could get something better, but we knew that it would be difficult and, at the end, is not a very bad result. I’m just a second behind the leader. Rather is the position on the provisional grid that could be worrying, Assen is a narrow track and isn’t easy to overtook, on the contrary now in the first sector is almost impossible. We are not very fast in the first split and tomorrow we have to be focused to improve this sector, then in the fastest sector the bike is OK and the engine push very hard. However my race’s pace is quite good and so I’m quite confident.” In Superbike Jakub Smrz has been the real revelation of this first practice day: after a very good 7th fastest in the morning’s free practice session the young Czech rider during qualifying session confirmed his value recording the 8th fastest, third between the Ducati riders behind Xaus and Bayliss. “It has been a great satisfaction!” said Jakub Smrz after his splendid exploit. “Already in the morning I scored a good result and in qualifying I did repeat it. At the second split of my fast lap I got an excellent lap time and I could get a better result, but in the final split I’ve been slowed by another rider, however I’m very satisfied. The bike runs well and also the engine has a good top speed. Looking that we are eleven riders in a gap of one second it’s easy to forecast a great fight for the race!” More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: 2007 Superbike World Championship Round 5, Assen, NL Circuit: 4.555 kms Weather; dry, sunny Friday qualifying, 27th April DISAPPOINTING START FOR MAX AND YUKIO The first day of qualifying for the fifth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Assen took place in perfect conditions, but it was a far from perfect start for Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Max Biaggi and Yukio Kagayama. Max ended the day twelfth fastest and Yukio finished well down the order in seventeenth place. Series leader James Toseland (Honda) posted the day’s fastest time, just over a tenth of a second ahead of his nearest rival Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha). Third quickest was Ruben Xaus (Ducati), with reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati) fourth. MAX – 12th, 1:40.804 This morning we had some settings problems, so we made quite a few changes to the bike for the qualifying session in the afternoon. Then we focussed on sorting out the engine braking and tomorrow we will try and find a good balance to the bike so that I can push hard. I have ridden this track many times in the past, but this is my first time riding the new layout, so there was that to learn as well today. YUKIO – 17th, 1:41.273 Normally I like Assen and normally it likes me, but today was very strange. I did not find hardly any good grip at all today and I’m not sure exactly why. We made some suspension changes to the bike for the afternoon qualifying, but we had a little bit of a clutch problem and I couldn’t push hard. Tomorrow we’ll make some more changes to the suspension and see if we can get better grip. We need it! More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY HAPPY ENOUGH ON DAY ONE. Troy ended the first day of qualifying at Assen with the fifth fastest lap, but was happy enough with what he and the team had achieved. This is the first time that Troy is riding the Yamaha at Assen and so he spent the morning session getting used to his bike’s behaviour round the 4.555 kilometre circuit. Series leader James Toseland (Honda) posted the day’s fastest time, just over a tenth of a second ahead of his nearest rival Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha). Third quickest was Ruben Xaus (Ducati), with reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati) fourth. TROY – 5th, 1:39.938 Considering that this is my first time here on the Yamaha, I’m pretty happy with how the day has gone. The morning session was all about learning about the Yamaha and the track together, so I certainly didn’t push at all hard then. We made a few changes to the weight balance, the settings of the rear shock and altered the mapping for the afternoon and that definitely made an improvement. In the afternoon, I was able to feel what the bike was doing and it felt more comfortable to ride. Tomorrow we’ll work on the gearing because it wasn’t quite right for this circuit and hopefully we’ll improve some more. See ya! Troy More, from a press release issused by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha in provisional second and fifth after a good day at Assen Yamaha have had a good day in the first qualifying session today at the fifth round of the World Superbike Championship in Assen. In sunny, warm and dry weather Haga took provisional second qualifying place and Corser finished in fifth with both riders promising more progress tomorrow. Noriyuki Haga started the afternoon qualifying session in fourth place but went on to top the board in front of Xaus and Toseland with only five minutes to go. Unfortunately, in the dying minutes of the session Toseland came back to take the top slot, pushing Haga down to second. Troy Corser started the afternoon qualifying session in second where he remained for most of the session until Toseland knocked him down into third. Muggeridge and Bayliss also posted faster times putting him in a comfortable fifth slot for tomorrow’s second qualifying. Team Yamaha YZF rider Shinichi Nakatomi also had a good day, much preferring Assen’s dry conditions to the wet weather experienced at Valencia two weeks ago. Concentrating on getting a good set-up, the young Japanese rider put in 20 laps, doing the second fastest speed of over 285kph and finishing the day in 14th. Toseland currently tops the provisional qualifying grid at his team’s home track with Haga only 0.147 seconds behind in second and Xaus in third. Haga currently holds the Superpole record at Assen with a 1’39.009 which he claimed last year. He will be looking to equal this in tomorrow’s qualifying and Superpole sessions, especially as this weekend will be his 137th race start with Yamaha. This will equal Fabrizio Pirovano’s record with Yamaha. Noriyuki Haga (2nd – 1’39.750 – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “I used a soft tyre for this afternoon’s session but I know I won’t be able to use it for the race because it will be too warm for it to last the race distance. I have already made a tyre choice for tomorrow, though, and we will make some more minor modifications tomorrow to try and get pole position. Second place is okay today but I want to go for pole position tomorrow.” Troy Corser (5th – 1’39.938 – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “Today has been good for my first day on this bike at this track. We now have a good idea of the direction we need to go in tomorrow. This afternoon we made some changes and found some positive results as well as some negative ones. I also rode both bikes to get as much data as possible, but we didn’t have enough time to really try out all the changes we made. Tomorrow will be about finding a good race setting and to continue testing the changes we have made to the gearbox and suspension. I’m feeling good about how it’s going, though. We’re really close.” Massimo Meregalli (Team Coordinator – Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) “I am quite confident after today’s practice and qualifying sessions. We’ve had a problem free start to the weekend and tomorrow we will focus on deciding which tyres to use for the race. We already have an idea which we will confirm tomorrow.” Shinichi Nakatomi – 14th – 1’41.032 – Team Yamaha YZF) “I have had a good day today and so far this weekend everything feels much better than at Valencia. I am very positive for this weekend’s result and I am working hard on finding a good set-up. I am certain that tomorrow we will find it.”