FIM Supersport World Championship Imola, Italy September 25 Race Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Fabien FORET, France (Honda CBR600RR), 19 laps, 35:56.214 2. Sam LOWES, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), -0.166 second 3. Broc PARKES, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -2.499 seconds 4. Florian MARINO, France (Honda CBR600RR), -3.833 5. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -6.325 6. James ELLISON, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), -21.872 7. Vittorio IANNUZZO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -25.826 8. Miguel PRAIA, Portugal (Honda CBR600RR), -27.553 9. Stefano CRUCIANI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -30.044 10. Danilo DELL’OMO, Italy (Triumph Daytona 675), -31.140 11. Gino REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR600RR), -32.212, crash 12. Pawel SZKOPEK, Poland (Honda CBR600RR), -32.845 13. Patrik VOSTÁREK, Czech Republic (Honda CBR600RR), -33.402 14. Ondrej JEZEK, Czech Republic (Honda CBR600RR), -42.637 15. Imre TOTH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), -43.177 16. Catalin. CAZACU, Romania (Honda CBR600RR), -109.642 17. Eduard BLOKHIN, Russia (Yamaha YZF-R6), -1 lap 18. Ronan QUARMBY, South Africa (Triumph Daytona 675), -2 laps, DNF, crash 19. Massimo ROCCOLI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -3 laps, DNF, crash 20. Chaz DAVIES, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R6), -5 laps, DNF, mechanical 21. Alexander LUNDH, Sweden (Honda CBR600RR), -5 laps, DNF, retired 22. Balazs NEMETH, Hungary (Honda CBR600RR), -8 laps, DNF, mechanical 23. Luca SCASSA, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), -12 laps, DNF, mechanical 24. Mitchell PIROTTA, Australia (Honda CBR600RR), -13 laps, DNF, retired 25. Roberto TAMBURINI, Italy (Yamaha YZF-R6), -16 laps, DNF, mechanical 26. Bastien CHESAUX, Switzerland (Honda CBR600RR), -19 laps, DNF, crash 27. Marko JERMAN, Slovania (Triumph Daytona 675), -19 laps, DNF, crash 28. Robbin HARMS, Denmark (Honda CBR600RR), -19 laps, DNF, retired World Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 12 races): 1. Davies, 171 points 2. Foret, 136 3. Salom, 123 4. Parkes, 120 5. Lowes, 109 6. Scassa, 96 7. Ellison, 72 8. Marino, 71 9. Rea, 67 10. Roccoli, 62 More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: BOGDANKA PTR HONDA’s Pawel Szkopek equalled his season’s best result after finishing 12th in the tenth round of the World Supersport Championship at Imola in Italy. His teammate James Ellison on the other Bogdanka PTR Honda finished a solid sixth after a determined ride from 15th on the grid and is now seventh overall with the penultimate, 11th round of the season taking place at Magny Cours in France in a week time. Bogdanka Honda’s sister PTR operated Parkalgar Honda team came home with Sam Lowes in second and Miguel Praia in eighth to cap the best ever race-day result for the Lincolnshire based tuning organisation, filling three of the top eight and four of the top 12 positions. Pawel Szkopek: “I’m very happy to be at the finish as the start was very nervous. I passed some riders in the first chicane and then had a good dice with Vostarek and Jerman. Someone touched me and I’m sure someone went down but I managed to hold on and keep a good pace. We were in a close group with similar pace and it was very difficult to pass as there was oil on the crucial parts of the track. From that moment I took it steady and decided to wait for a good moment to make any moves. It was the right call and I’m very happy to equal my season’s best result even if I feel we could have been higher. I’d like to thank the team for a great job. We’ve made big progress this weekend.” James Ellison: “From the position we were in a the start of the weekend, the final result is pretty good. I had to wait for the other guys to get tired and came through the pack. I think my best lap was three or four laps from the end of the race so we were strong all the way through but just a bit off the pace this weekend. These things happen though and I’m looking forward to Magny Cours as it’s a track I like and know very well.” Simon Buckmaster: “That was a great race by Pawel – he has equalled his own best ever finish for a Polish racer in the World Championship. He took his opportunity well – he was only a fraction from 11th and setting a new benchmark for Polish bike racing and we can look forward to see what he can achieve next weekend. “James stuck to his task and rode a controlled race to score a well deserved sixth. Two points scoring finishes for both Bogdanka PTR Honda racers is just reward to them and the entire team – well done.” More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: PARKALGAR HONDA’S Sam Lowes fought from 11th place at the end of the first lap to finish an incredible second at the World Supersport race at Imola in Italy, less than 2/10ths away from the race win. Miguel Praia enjoyed a brilliant race on his Parkalgar Honda, starting from 19th and working his way up to an impressive season’s best equalling eighth at the chequered flag. The next and penultimate round of the World Supersport Championship is next Sunday, October 2nd at Magny Cours in France. Parkalgar Honda’s sister PTR operated Bogdanka Honda team came home with James Ellison in sixth and Pawel Szkopek in a career best 12th to cap the best ever race-day result for the Lincolnshire based tuning organisation, filling three of the top eight and four of the top 12 positions. Sam: “To be fair it has been a difficult weekend for me after missing most of the first qualifying session because of a crash, but the Parkalgar Honda team did a fantastic job on my bike and improved it enormously in time for the race. I didn’t make the start I wanted and was well behind but got my head down and got into the battle. I am really happy to get second and can’t wait to get to Magny Cours next weekend.” Miguel: “That was a good race. I got a super start and gained a lot of places and then had a fast pace. Mid-race I lost a little time on the group in front but I cannot be anything but happy after starting 19th and then equalling my season’s best of eighth. I rode better today but I dedicate this result to Paul, Ben and my Parkalgar Honda team – the changes they made to my bike made the difference and this result is for them – thank you.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “Sam did a fantastic job. He came back from a poor start and rode what I think was the best race of his career to finish second. He is building momentum as the season draws to its climax. “Miguel didn’t qualify as well as he would have liked but he worked hard with his technicians and then came from a long way back to score an excellent result. He is building his effort as we head towards Magny Cours and then our home track of Parkalgar in Portugal – the end of the season is very exciting for us.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha ParkinGO: Imola to forget for Yamaha ParkinGO Team. A day aiming for Giuliano Rovelli’s Team to celebrate, but unexpectecly turning out bitter. At the start of the race everything seemed to go on the right path. Chaz Davies overturned all prognostics and thought strategies placing himself in first place at the first corner. Behind him only Florian Marino and Luca Scassa tried to be on the same pace. At lap six Scassa overtook the french rider but three laps afte,r his Yamaha suffered a technical problem. Davies meanwhile improved his advantage on 10 seconds but 5 laps to the end of the race his Yamaha was failing as well avoiding him to finish the race that would have crowned him World Champion. Chaz Davies – Yamaha YZF R6 #7 – “At this moment I am quite down. I dreamt of winning the Championship here, at a track where two years ago I did my debut with ParkinGO Team. Instead has happened something I wasn’t expecting. Now I don’t have to loose concentration, I have another chance next week in Magny Cours where I hope to be beat the misfortune.” Luca Scassa – Yamaha YZF R6 #9 – “Once I overtook Marino my mind was set to battle for victory with my teammate. I had around one second behind and I am convinced I could have reached him and fight for the top of the podium, a result that I was aiming to get in front of my fans. I will try again for sure next week in Magny Cours….but it won’t be the same.” Giuliano Rovelli – team owner – “Imola is very tough for us. Last year, we couldn’t celebrate the first victory of Chaz after a technical problem only a few meters to the end of the race.This year it happened again. I feel sorry for Luca as well, he deserved a great result in front of his fans. As for the championship the advantage that Chaz has built allows us to face next race without many troubles. We are a strong team and we will be concentrated till we reach our goal.” More, from a press release issued by Ten Kate Honda: Stunning victory for Foret at Imola Fabien Foret won today’s tenth round World Supersport championship race after a typically gutsy and flamboyant ride took him from 12th place on the grid to victory at Imola in italy. Problems during qualifying yesterday left the French Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider starting from the outside of the third row, as his team-mate, Florian Marino started the race in second place trying to chase down series and race leader Chaz Davies. Davies led for the first 14 of 19 laps around the 4.936km Imola circuit, but the engine on his Yamaha expired on lap fifteen leaving Honda-mounted Sam Lowes in charge and Marino well-place in second place. As Marino’s podium challenge began to fade, however, his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate continued his charge through the field and, by lap 15, Foret was in second place behind Lowes. Foret timed his move to the front to perfection with three laps to go and finished just 0.166s ah ead of Lowes, with Marino crossing just off the podium in fourth place for his best result of the season. Fabien Foret 1st We made a big change for the race and I couldn’t push hard at the beginning because I didn’t really have the feeling. It felt like a new bike, but as soon as I got used to the new feeling I pushed and pushed and managed to catch the leading group. I was feeling pretty strong but I was pushing very hard, so I am very happy to win again today. I want to say a special thanks to the team because it’s been a strange weekend. Everything was good on Friday but yesterday was a tough day. They stayed with me though and gave me the bike I could win on today. Florian Marino 4th I am very happy because I pushed as hard as I could on the limit throughout the whole race I could not do any more. So many times I nearly ran off the track an d I knew that after Fabien came past me I could not go with him. But I stayed near the front for the whole race so thanks to the team for giving me back a good feeling with the bike. I have two more chances to get on to the podium this season and we will try as hard as we can to achieve this goal. Ronald ten Kate team-manager That was certainly a dramatic Supersport race, and one that I think will hit the history books. We changed the setting quite a bit for Fabien so, apparently, for the first laps he was trying to get used to the bike. Then, all of a sudden, he was the quickest man on the track the quickest man ever, in fact, as he set a new record on lap 11. He propelled himself forward and brought the win for us. There was a big battle going on for the final podium slot, which unfortunately did not go Florian’s way. However, this was his best result for us and he’s really beginning to understand how to push the bike to its limit over the full race distance. I’ve already been asked about the championship, but Davies still has quite a big lead with two races left. For sure there is still some pressure on him because he and his team cannot afford any mistakes. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Parkes Climbs The Podium Mountain At Imola WSS, Imola, Italy, 25 September 2011 The undulating Imola circuit was a tough challenge for Broc Parkes but his day ended in a third place finish, with his team-mate David Salom fifth, and closing in on a top placing of his own. Parkes had to fight against some issues with his machine set-up under braking but he held on well and as other riders also encountered trouble or fell, he pounced when required and took his fourth podium of the season, and his first since his race win at Misano in June. He is now fourth in the rankings, three points and one place behind his team-mate Salom. David had his own issues to deal with while running a full fuel load but some outstanding final laps took him to a top five finish and he could have improved on that with a few more minutes of track time, such was his rate of forward motion. He is now third overall and still has a slim mathematical chance of catching championship leader Chaz Davies, who was forced out of the running while leading at Imola. Vittorio Iannuzzo from the Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki team rode well to record his best finish of the year in seventh, as his team-mate Massimo Roccoli was finally forced out when he fell on lap 17 of 19. Roccoli had a dramatic race all round, running onto the gravel at one stage then recovering to a top seven place before finally falling, remounting and retiring in the pits. Broc Parkes: “It was a little bit difficult for me as I struck trouble during the race. My brake was inconsistent and I was adjusting it all race long. Unfortunately I could not brake later than the others everywhere and I adjusted my riding to suit. I fought it out in what turned out to be my own race-within-a-race and luckily I got the best of it on the last lap and ended up on the podium. That was a good result for the team and me and it was also good to get a lot of championship points. I can look forward to the next one.” David Salom: “The finish was not so bad after we had some problems in the early laps, which were tough. All weekend the bike has not wanted to turn and when I enter the corner the bike chatters. I tried a new suspension setting in the warm-up and it was still the same. In the first few laps it did not feel at its best with a full fuel load, but as the level went down I could go much faster. A little chatter was still there but corner entry was much better. I think I only needed two laps more to take Florian Marino and Broc and our lap times were good at the end.”