Supersport World Championship Round 2 Phillip Island, Australia March 4, 2006 Final Qualifying Results: 1. Sebastien CHARPENTIER, Honda CBR600RR, 1:35.616 2. Kevin CURTAIN, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.436 3. Broc PARKES, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.548 4. Robin HARMS, Honda CBR600RR, 1:36.672 5. Christian ZAISER, Ducati 749R, 1:36.741 6. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Honda CBR600RR, 1:36.865 7. Anthony GOBERT, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:36.929 8. Yoann TIBERIO, Honda CBR600RR, 1:36.992 9. MaximeBERGER, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, 1:37.147 10. Johan STIGEFELT, Honda CBR600RR, 1:37.190 11. Barry VENEMAN, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:37.311 12. Tatu LAUSLEHTO, Honda CBR600RR, 1:37.405 13. Josh BROOKES, Ducati 749R, 1:37.533 14. Dean THOMAS, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, 1:37.567 15. Kai Borre ANDERSEN, Suzuki GSX-R600, 1:37.682 25. Chris PERIS, Yamaha YZF-R6, 1:38.785 More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: CHARPENTIER ON POLE AT PHILLIP ISLAND AS SOFUOGLU CONTINUES ON STEEP LEARNING CURVE For the second 2006 race in succession Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) scored pole in World Supersport, adding to his recent success in Qatar. It was the 28th consecutive pole position for a Honda rider in World Supersport, since Assen in 2003. On a warm track Charpentier was the only rider into the 1’35 bracket, setting a best time of 1’35.616. Second quickest rider Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) set a 1’36.436, just under 0.8 seconds from Charpentier. As the race winner in 2005, Charpentier is out to repeat the feat, to add to his Qatar race victory in round one and extend his championship lead. Charpentier’s team-mate, Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) secured a safe sixth place on his first visit to Phillip Island, earning a second row grid placing with a 1’36.859. Sofuoglu was fourth fastest on day one, and despite the mass of more experienced riders making improvements around him, he was less than 1.249 seconds from his team-mate’s pole time, improving on his opening day best by 0.703 seconds. Ronald Ten Kate Team Manager “Very happy to take pole once again with Sebastien. Because we already had quite a gap yesterday, we concentrated on possible race set-ups for tomorrow, to prove our consistency. It will be a hard and long race in this heat, but everything is going well. Towards the end we threw in more of a fast lap set-up and he did quite a good lap time, but the track conditions were not as good as yesterday. But we are happy with pole. For Kenan to get a second row start, and sixth position, is a good result for him in his first visit here. And we know what kind of a racer he is, so he will be up there in the leading group. Tomorrow morning in warm-up we are going to confirm a couple of things, especially on Kenan’s bike, and I think we are ready for it.” Sébastien Charpentier WSS Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (Pole position 1’35.616) “I’m happy because we are in good condition for the race tomorrow. This morning we had a small disappointment; nothing important and it actually helped us understand the bike a bit better. The mechanics had good ideas and we went in a good direction, so our best work was in the afternoon. I think for tomorrow we have more good possibilities to finish on the podium. Many people went fast this afternoon so it was difficult work, also for Kenan, as we can see from the sheets. I hope we can have the same conditions in the race, and our tyres are good. It will be hard tomorrow, lots of laps in hot conditions, which is normal for Australia.” Kenan Sofuoglu WSS Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (6th position 1’36.865) “For me this track is quite difficult because in most corners I am capable of setting second best time, but on the last corner I lose a lot of time and positions on the grid. If I can make that last corner as good as the rest then my lap time would be much better. In the race it should not be as difficult, as we are all in a group and I am better in race conditions. I wanted to start on the front row but first time here it is not easy. In some corners you cannot see what is coming next. But the gap between me and the other riders in front is not so bad, not two seconds or anything like that. So we should hopefully be better in the race. I am positive and I believe I can score a podium.” More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: STILL DIFFICULTIES IN SUPESPORT FOR JOSH AND LUKA (Phillip Island 2006, March 4) As we told on his home track Joshua Brookes would have a fantastic result. Unfortunately the promising Australian rider will start only from the fifth row, with the 13th fastest lap time. “During the week end we made some progress, studying the data we collect in Qatar round.” said a bit disappointed Brookes at the end of qualifying. “We worked today too on the suspensions, but I cannot find a good solutions to improve the package. However we made several adjustment, not all get a good result, but overall the bike is better and the performance has increased every session. So at the end I’m not satisfied for my grid position, but I have some satisfaction for the progress. For the race I must use the same strategy as in Qatar, have a good start, be careful in the first corners, the most dangerous, and then fight a try to be fast in the final laps to get a good position, maybe in the top ten.” Also Luka Nedog clearly improved his performance, but his bike, very powerful, has not still a good set up, and that a difficult job for a small experienced rider. ” The engine push very hard, in the final qualifying session my bike was the fastest at the speed trap recording 272,3 kph.” commented at the end of qualifying Luka Nedog “Our problem is in the corners where the bike doesn’t close the lines and I must keep the throttle out. For tomorrow’s warm up we’ll try some new setting, I hope to get a positive answer and made a good race. “ More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Yamaha riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes will start tomorrow’s second round of the Supersport World Championship from the front row of the grid after a strong showing at Phillip Island today. The Australians, who ride for the Yamaha Motor Germany squad, changed the set-up of their YZF-R6s to improved their times from Friday’s session and maintain the important front row starts. Curtain posted a best of 1:36.436 to end the day second, just ahead of Parkes, who was just over a tenth of a second slower than his team-mate. After experimenting with the settings during yesterday’s session, the squad reverted to the data gained during January’s Phillip Island test for today’s final qualifying. Both riders declared themselves happier with the machine today and confident that they can run with pole position man Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) during tomorrow’s 21-lap race. A third R6-riding Australian featured heavily in qualifying, with Anthony Gobert posting the seventh fastest time on the Yamaha GMT94 machine. A five-time world superbike winner at the venue, Gobert was in impressive form in his second stand-in ride for the injured David Checa. FIM Superstock 1000 Cup champion Didier van Keymeulen ended the day 19th on his R6, ahead of Yamaha Team Italia riders Massimo Roccoli and Gianluca Vizziello. They continued to experience set-up problems and ended up 21st and 24th on tomorrow’s grid.