BATTLE FOR SECOND PROVIDES EXCITEMENT AT MAGNY-COURS BAYLISS AND CO. OUT FOR MORE WINS AT LAST CHANCE SALOON Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) may have wrapped up the championship itself at last weekend’s Imola round but for most other riders there is still everything to play for – from the very top to the very bottom of the championship table. Bayliss, who has now scored 11 wins, is head and shoulders over the rest in terms of maximum scores, but no fewer than eight riders have won at least one race in this frequently unpredictable season. All five major global manufacturers have also scored at least one victory, proving that the combination of Pirelli’s one make tyre support and evenly matched technical rules have once more delivered more than mere theoretical opportunities for all. WEST MEETS EAST IN BATTLE FOR SECOND PLACE After James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) edged out Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) in each Imola race he now enters the final round in France with a slender two-point advantage. Magny-Cours was the scene of Toseland’s first World Championship success in 2004, and doubtless the British rider will add that to the list of pluses as he enters the final round. Just to add more spice to the dish, each has already won a race at Magny-Cours, in the 2004 season. PITT AND BARROS ON THE UP BUT CORSER IN THE DOLDRUMS In current fourth and fifth place respectively, Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) and Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda) have both added their names to the list of SBK race winners, and their personal battle for fourth overall has now taken on an extra layer of significance, after Barros finished first and second at Imola, drawing himself to within eight points of Pitt in the process. The Aussie rider is nonetheless on good form, having scored third and fourth in Italy, so this match-up will be one well worth watching. 2005 Champion Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) had another meeting to forget at Imola, but he will be out to show his battling qualities in his last ride for the Alstare squad this year, attempting to narrow an eight-point gap to Barros, and possibly even a 21-point margin to Pitt. KAGAYAMA AIMS FOR CORSER AS TOP TEN BATTLE HARDENS Some 25-points behind his own team-mate Corser, Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) will have to pull out two special race finishes to catch and pass Corser in the final standings – but only Bayliss has won more races than Kagayama this year. His total of three victories could well be improved on in France, and realistically, one of last year’s race winners, Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) is almost certainly too far behind to make up the 41-point gap to the Japanese. Lanzi may find the memories of Magny-Cours 2005 the spark that ignites his first full-factory season, but he has to work hard in any case to stop the two following riders, Chris Walker and Fonsi Nieto (both PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) from re-passing him in the championship stakes. Walker will be looking to finish his season on a similar high note to his Assen race win, while Nieto goes for win number one, to follow up his podium finish in race two in Holland. Only a single point separates Walker and Nieto, who are in turn only 12 points behind Lanzi. PRIVATE RIDERS GOING FOR IT IN FINAL THROW OF THE 2006 DICE Thanks to a grid full of competitive machines and riding talent the battle for places just beyond the fringes of the top ten will be as immense at Magny-Cours as it has been at every other race this year. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda) and Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) are about to experience the denouement of their own Honda civil war, while Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) is out to leapfrog both of them. A double no-score for Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Berik Ducati 999) at Imola has dropped him down the order but as a former race winner in France (in 2003) he knows his way around Magny-Cours on a Ducati. Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) is used to being the top placed French rider in SBK, but as he is currently only 15th in the championship and has never won a race in France his motivation will have a keen edge to it this weekend. The fact that he has yet to score a podium of any colour in 2006 is another unnecessary reminder to watch the number 55 Kawasaki in action at his home track. TOP TWENTY FEATURES CLASS APLENTY Roberto Rolfo (Ducati SC Caracchi) has had occasional high points in his 2006 SBK rookie season, but Magny-Cours will be the final chance to end a disappointing recent run. Well behind Laconi in the current point standings, he is nonetheless well ahead of another SBK rookie, Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha Motor France). Despite missing some of the season, and no-scoring in Imola, Alstare Engineering Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner is overall 18th, with Petronas rider Steve Martin and the third YMF competitor Sebastien Gimbert close behind. Magny-Cours will be the final outing for the Petronas triple, and the second rider in the team, Craig Jones, who will be looking to Magny Cours as another chance to get more points on the board. LAST RACE FOR CHILI IN SBK™ Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Treme Honda) has now started a record 276 World Superbike races, and at Magny-Cours he will make it 278, before finally hanging up his racing leathers for good, ending a glittering career in top flight racing. Arguably the most globally popular rider in the near 20-year history of the SBK series, Chili is sure to receive an emotional send-off, irrespective of his final race or championship positions. SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP A perfect first place for Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) and a hardly less impressive second for Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) at Imola have kept the battle for supremacy in the World Supersport championship alive until the very last round of the year. With championship leader Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) third at Imola, he now has his lead trimmed back to 18 points overall – but is still very much in the driving seat to take his first World Supersport crown, and Yamaha’s first Riders’ Championship since 2000. Another fight, for third overall, is more finely balanced, with Sofuoglu on 137 and Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) on 129. Robbin Harms (Stiggy Motorsports) may still be looking for his first season win from what is an eminently defendable fifth overall, but this season there have already been six different race winners – the top four, plus Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia – in overall sixth) and Yoann Tiberio (Megabike Honda – in overall seventh). SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP Alessandro Polita (Celani Suzuki Italia) has now wrapped up the championship title but the campaign itself has one more pitched battle to go. With the disqualification of Luca Scassa (EVR Corse Ormeni Racing) at Imola, there is now a three way fight for second, with Claudio Corti (Yamaha Team Italia) second, Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta) third, and Scassa fourth. Only 13 points cover those three, and with the unpredictable nature of Superstock racing, all are still in with a chance of second. Eventual Imola winner Brendan Roberts (HP Racing) is fifth, the only rider outside the top four to have won a race in 2006. SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Xavier Simeon (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) is close to home ground at the French round at Magny Cours, but the Belgian has already made himself at home in the status of European Champion, having seen his title rival Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) ruled out even before Imola. The fight for second is now between the still-injured Davide Giugliano (Lightspeed Kawasaki) and Canepa, who is now only six points ahead. More, from a press release issued by Team Klaffi Honda: BARROS LOOKS FOR ANOTHER VICTORY Team Klaffi Honda rider Alex Barros arrives, with the excitement of a perfect weekend at Imola still fresh in his mind, to the Circuit of Nevers at Magny-Cours for the ultimate round of the 2006 Superbike World Championship. The track, near the city of Nevers in the centre of France, is not a complete unknown place for Barros. Last time the Brazilian rode there was in 1992 on a Cagiva at the 500cc Grand Prix of France. Barros currently lies in fifth in the Superbike World Championship, only eight points behind fourth placed Andrew Pitt. Alex Barros: “I caught a little bit of a cold after Imola, but it should be okay for the weekend. Last time I rode in Magny-Cours was back in 1992, so the track will be a kind of new for me. They also put in a new chicane before the finish line. I think that our bike will be competitive again. At the moment I do not consider about finishing on a certain position, I only think about a victory.” Klaus Klaffenback, Team Manager: “We want to continue where we stopped in Imola. It is quite a long time since Alex was in Magny-Cours last time. The track should suit him and our bike very well, as it has three very hard braking points. An important fact is also that Ramon Forcada will be again the chief-mechanic for Alex.” Track: Circuit de Nevers, Magny-Cours, France. Track Length: 4411 m. Lap Record: 1:39,836 (Chris Vermeulen, Honda, 2005). Winners 2005: Race 1: Chris Vermeulen (Honda), Race 2: Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati). More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing: CHARPENTIER ENTERS HOME RACE IN DETERMINED MOOD Having reduced his points deficit from 27 to 18 after his victory at the Imola race last weekend Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) is still in a position to retain his world champion status, despite the magnitude of the task in front of him. Should he be able to score second or better, and see current leader Kevin Curtain post either a no score or a very low single digit points finish, Charpentier would make history by becoming the only rider to successfully defend a World Supersport crown. His injury-blighted season has been a challenge to the French rider since breaking his pelvis in testing at Brno, but he has easily outscored all his rivals in terms of race wins, with a total of five so far. Charpentier’s recent championship push has been aided immensely by his resurgent team-mate, Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) who has himself scored race wins at Assen and Lausitz. He finished second to Charpentier at Imola, taking valuable points from Curtain, who was a distant third. The 23-year-old Turkish rider has been in potent form for most of the 2006 season, and has comprehensively recovered from a dip in form in the mid-part of the year, having now scored a total of six podiums, four in the last four races. He is now third in the championship table, eight points up on his nearest rival, Broc Parkes. Both Winston Ten Kate Honda riders had positive results in recent Magny-Cours tests, and have contributed significant points towards Honda winning the Manufacturers’ trophy at the previous round in Imola. Yoann Tiberio (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) has been looking forward to his first race in front of a home crowd since his promotion from the Junior Megabike Honda team last year. He has happy memories of his race in the European 600 Superstock Championship during the Magny-Cours SBK race weekend last year, taking the race win on a Megabike Junior Team Honda CBR600RR. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) demonstrated at Imola that he has lost none of his inherent speed, qualifying in third grid position, even if his niggling wrist injury once more affected his ultimate race result. Charpentier need only remember the Imola result to see what is possible in Magny-Cours, even without the aid of a vociferous home crowd. “In Imola we had a fantastic race,” said Charpentier, as he moves back to home ground for round 12. “It was good to run away from the rest of the riders with my team-mate. In Magny Cours it will be another race, difficult of course, but we will give our best, as usual. I feel good again and this is very important: it has been a hard time for me after the injury and trying to get back in shape. Now I can say I am back. And this is thanks to the support of everyone, my family and my team. Magny Cours will be my home race and I hoping to have many supporters cheering for me. I will try not to disappoint them.” Sofuoglu just wants to keep his run of fabulous form going, and is ready once more to work for a mutually beneficial team result. “These last few races have been fantastic for me,” affirmed Sofuoglu. “I am really enjoying riding for the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team. It is a big family; everybody is always ready to help each other. The race at Imola went well, I am happy Sebastien has reduced his gap to Curtain and he still has another opportunity in Magny-Cours next weekend. My goal is, as always, to reach the podium and this is what I will aim for in the French race. I am feeling good and I am only sad that the season is about to finish so soon.” Tiberio found some confidence again at Imola, even if his issues with rear tyre traction held back his ultimate results. He now enters his home round ready to put on a good show for his fans, aiming for at least a top five finish. “Imola was better than the previous race at Lausitz,” stated Tiberio, “and that gives me even more confidence for more of an improvement at Magny-Cours. It is my track, near my hometown, and I want to make my best, because I know what is possible. My target will be to finish inside the top five and maintain my championship position of seventh. If I want this, I have to run a perfect race.” Fujiwara saw a marked improvement in pre-race speed and is out to end an injury-blighted season on the highest note possible. “I was much happier after the Imola race and this makes me confident for Magny-Cours,” said Fujiwara. “My injured hand has improved a lot really in the last period, thanks to the training that I did on it. This will be the last race of the season and so I really want to race for a good result. This has not been a lucky season for me, but I know I can finish off 2006 well. The set-up of my bike is OK and my team is organised to support me in the best possible way.” TOSELAND OUT TO WIN RACES AND SECURE OVERALL SECOND World Superbike Round 12 of 12 James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) has two clear personal aims in mind as he enters the final round of the World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours; win both races and consolidate his current second place in the overall championship. He has a two-point advantage over Noriyuki Haga in the standings at present after out-pointing him in each recent Imola race. In race one at Imola Toseland only had to give best to another top-level Honda entry, Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) who was the best rider on the day, with a first and second. Victory was an important step in the development of Barros as a Superbike rider, after his vast experience of Grand Prix racing and Barros now has two more opportunities to secure wins before the end of the year. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) three times a podium finisher in this his rookie SBK year already, will be out for at least another top three as he heads to France. Last year he scored a third place for Honda in the Supersport class, and thus the challenge of Magny-Cours holds no fears for him. One rider looking for his first SBK podium finish is former World Supersport Champion Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR). Injury and simple misfortune have conspired against him securing a top three thus far but Muggeridge has his mind set on conquering another personal ambition before the season ends on Sunday afternoon. Having said goodbye to his homeland last weekend, Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) heads to France to complete the last scene of his SBK career. He retires after the races on Sunday, with more SBK race starts than any rider in history already under his belt. With the title decided at Imola, Toseland was not quite able to add to his total of two race wins so far, but knows it will be the perfect way to ensure an overall second in the championship chase. “Not the luckiest weekend at Imola, but as everyone knows, luck turns around,” said Toseland, who won his world championship title at this very circuit in the last race of the 2004 season. “We have to be positive; we finished both races in front of my end-of-season rival Haga, and this put me in second position in the world standings. This position is still not safe, but I will do my best to maintain it in the two Magny-Cours races. I feel good and I’m looking forward to starting another weekend of racing.” Barros, looking to make up eight points on fourth placed rider Andrew Pitt, is out for wins and nothing less in France. “I caught a little bit of a cold after Imola, but it should be okay for the weekend,” said Barros. “Last time I rode in Magny-Cours was back in 1992, so the track will be a kind of new for me. They have also put in a new chicane before the finish line. I think that our bike will be competitive again. At the moment I do not consider just finishing in a good position – I only think about victory.” Memories of his recent double non-finish at Imola are the spur for Fabrizio’s weekend in France, as is the desire not to slip down the finishing order from his current 11th place. “I am still quite upset about the results I did not get at Imola,” stated Fabrizio, “and I am completely determined to make up for that disappointment in France.” Muggeridge is out for one thing only at Magny-Cours, a top three finish in one or either race. “I really want to get on the podium before the end of the season,” said the frequently luckless Muggeridge. “The past weekend wasn’t too good overall; our times weren’t the fastest from Friday on. We hope to start much better in Magny Cours to finish in better positions in Sunday’s races. The team is ready and I’m ready.” Chili approaches Magny-Cours as ready as he can be to score as highly up the finishing order as possible, in what will be his last race in SBK. “It is true, it’s my last race in World Superbike, and as usual I will be starting for the best results I can get,” said Chili. “I hope to leave with something good from this race and I have been training to be able to finish on the podium – even if I think that it is a dream. But it is good to dream. I like the Magny-Cours track, most of it is nice; just that last chicane is not the best.”