HONDA’S GOLDEN SUPERSPORT SEASON APPROACHES FINAL ROUND The final weekend of an amazing World Supersport season for new champion Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) takes place on his home soil, but after a crash in the previous round at Imola, his latest battle is to be race fit to perform at his very best. Having tweaked tendons in his left shoulder, severely enough to prevent him from riding at the previous round in Italy, Charpentier is nonetheless determined to race in France, if humanly possible. Charpentier has been a phenomenon in his winning season, taking ten poles and six race wins so far, earning the championship itself with three rounds to go. The final third of his season has offered no greater collection of points so far, yet he is still some 43 points ahead of confirmed second place rider, Kevin Curtain. Behind Curtain, three Honda riders, led by double race winner Katsuaki Fujiwara (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR), are in with a chance of overall third place in the championship chase. Fujiwara has 140 points, with Fabien Foret (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) on 131 and fifth place rider Michel Fabrizio (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) on 122. The WSS debut season of Tatu Lauslehto (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR) is about to draw to a close, with the young Finn on course to be awarded his desired top ten status. With a strong points score, the rookie of the year title will also be within his grasp. Charpentier is in determined and optimistic mood on the eve of his home race, wanting to celebrate his championship win from the saddle of his CBR600RR. “It was a strange and very bad situation at Imola but, when I saw the conditions on Sunday, I was glad I had made the decision not to race,” said Charpentier, who nonetheless scored pole at Imola before his injurious fall. “Now I have a fight to be fit enough to ride at Magny-Cours. I saw my specialist in Paris on Tuesday and he has advised me not to ride – but you know what doctors are like. I prefer to leave it until Thursday to make the decision. At the moment, I’m really looking forward to riding for my friends and family and the French crowd at Magny-Cours. I can’t wait for this climax to a fantastic season – for me and my whole team.” For his part, Fujiwara looks almost certain to be fit enough to defend third place at Magny Cours. “I had a big crash at Imola and have some bruises all over my body, as well as a broken ring finger,” said ‘Kats’. “I have been improving every day since last weekend and I think that by next Friday at Magny-Cours, my only problem will be using the clutch with my broken finger. The mechanics will try to make the clutch action as light as possible so that I can race properly this weekend. Unfortunately, because I missed the race at Imola, I cannot retake second place in the championship but I am determined to finish in the top three by winning the race on Sunday.” Foret was another rider injured at Imola, after a crash in the first leg of an aggregate race. He recovered in the second heat to score points, and intends to score 25 more at home. “I have great pain again after the crash of Imola,” said Foret, “I lost grip in the rain and I’m very disappointed. But we have no time for analysis because on Sunday we must to run another race. It’s the last of the year; my home round and I want to make a good result because my target is to finish the season third in the championship. Magny is a strange circuit because of its fast and slow parts, but I will start for the victory, as always.” Fabrizio has most work to do to score third in the championship, but knows he can run well at Magny Cours, despite a disappointing end to his race last year and an off-podium finish at home in Imola this year. “Imola was another strange round because the rain changed the character of the race,” said Fabrizio of his most recent outing. “This is not a good period for me but I want to return to the podium after two races off it and I need to do this in Magny Cours. Last year I ran only my second race on a Supersport bike and I made my first beautiful race – if you don’t consider the end. My target is to finish on a high note, and I want to do this for me and for the team.” Lauslehto’s perfect points scoring run was interrupted for the first time this year at Imola, after a small technical problem dropped him out of the top 15, but he knows what is required at Magny-Cours – another new track on his rookie trail. “Same procedure as everywhere – it will be the first time for me to ride at Magny Cours. In the standings I’m still 4 points away from becoming ‘Rookie of the Year’. But it is still possible to make it. I’ll give my all to get the missing points from Magny Cours because I don’t want to leave the title to my competitor Fores.” World Superbike Round 12 of 12 LAST POINTS ON OFFER FOR HONDA’S FIREBLADE QUINTET Having been deprived of the opportunity to fight for the championship title all the way to the final round at Magny-Cours, Chris Vermeulen (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) has already made a clear declaration of his season ending ambitions – win both races in France. Should he win both races, he would have a season ending tally of seven, and given his recent Superpole prowess, he could add to the two pole positions he has scored this year so far. Pierfrancesco Chili (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) is out for his first podium of the season at Magny Cours, as he sits in an overall ninth place at present. The Italian rider, a legend in Superbike circles, has yet to break through the fifth place barrier in any race, but given the mercurial talents of Chili, he is always at his most dangerous when least expected. Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) will be fighting for a top ten finish in France, and his first podium in his rookie SBK season. Overall 11th at present, Muggeridge is only seven points from the top ten at present. Another rider in his novice SBK season, Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) has already clipped the wings of an SBK podium finish, in Australia. Intent on an upwardly mobile race weekend, he could conceivably finish ninth, despite being 13th overall at present. Ben Bostrom (Renegade Honda Koji CBR1000RR) fights against the back problems that have blighted recent races, but he wants to sign off the season on a high note in France. For Vermeulen the disappointment of a second race washout at Imola can only be healed by bathing in the restorative elixir of two doses of victory champagne. “I guess it would have been a good climax to the season if the title was still undecided, but I’m just coming here to win two more races and finish the season on a positive note,” affirmed Chris. “We had a really good test here in June but the Suzukis tested here a couple of weeks ago so they’ll be the ones to beat. That’s what motivates me really, and I think last Sunday’s first race win at Imola was one of my most satisfying. To win on an intermediate front and beat Troy and the others on their slicks was a pretty good feeling. It started to slide around after about five laps so I had to change my riding style and move it up to another level.” For Chili Magny-Cours is a good season-ending venue. He looks to the previous year for inspiration in his final race of 2005. “With two top ten positions last year I proved that I have a good grasp of the track layout at Magny Cours,” stated Chili. “I finished 5th and 6th. That was OK, but I hope to make a better race again this year and achieve top results.” Muggeridge has clear goals for the weekend, especially after the frustrations of Imola’s first race DNF and second race cancellation. “Last weekend was really frustrating because we made some good steps forward with the bike during the two days of qualifying and the first lap of race one I was feeling really good,” said Vermeulen. “I feel positive about Magny-Cours though and we had a good test here back in June. I think we’ve got some more chassis parts to try first thing on Friday that will hopefully get us in a position for some good results on Sunday.” Neukirchner waxes lyrical when asked about the prospect of racing at Magny-Cours. “Magny-Cours is a wonderful race track. It is a little bit like a beautiful woman, with lots of fascinating characteristics,” said the eloquent German rider. “There are extremely fast sections followed by slow and tricky ones. The challenge at Magny Cours is to find the ideal, elegant line. This is a big job – but it makes the whole thing even more attractive.” Bostrom will find Magny Cours a trial, but is adopting a philosophical mentality to the final race weekend of the year. “The problem for me is the same one as the last few races, healing up my injured back,” said Bostrom. “Just as it starts to get better I have to go racing and that undoes all the healing. The pain and lack of mobility is there all the time but the main problems come under braking and in quick changes of direction. My crash at Imola in practice didn’t help of course, but there is nothing I can do about it – so I’ll be going to Magny-Cours to do the best I can.”