Superstock classes make final preparations SUPERSTOCK 1000 FIM CUP Claudio Corti (Team Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha) set a new best lap of the Valencia circuit on his way to becoming the fastest rider out of the 29 in attendance at this last pre-season test, improving on the previous track record by 1.5 seconds. His time of 1’37.420 was only just ahead of second fastest rider, Ayrton Badovini (Biassono Unionbike MV Agusta) who set a 1’37.582. The new Ducati 1098 had a happy first outing in the Superstock class, as former Superstock 600 rider Niccolo Canepa (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) scored third quickest time. Another new recruit, Michele Pirro (Team Lorenzini by Leoni) was straight into the top slots in his new category; fourth fastest and the last rider within a second of Corti. Eight riders in total went faster than the previous best Superstock lap. SUPERSTOCK 600 EUROPEAN CHAMPIONSHIP Frenchman Mathieu Gines (Moto1 Yamaha) set the pre-race pace in the smaller Superstock class, scoring the best time of 1’40.954 – fully one second better than last year’s best ever lap of the circuit. Domenico Colucci (Ducati Xerox Junior team) went second quickest while Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Yamaha) slotted in third, leaving Andrea Antonelli (Team Italia Megabike Honda) fourth from 14 entrants. SUPERBIKE AND SUPERSPORT RIDERS TO TEST OVER THE NEXT TWO DAYS World Superbike and Supersport class riders get the opportunity to make their final preparations for the next round of the championship over the next couple of days at Valencia, before heading for Donington Park for round three of each championship series. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: SBK test Valencia Spain: 17th, 18th, 19th March 2007 Day1 The first day of the SBK official test session was dedicated to the Superstock 1000 and 600 classes. This was the first 2007 appointment for the main riders in these two classes, with new models joining the grid, new riders challenging the ‘old guard’ and also new tyres being used in each class. Pirelli has introduced each of these two Championships to the new DIABLO Supercorsa, developed in the Supersport World Championship in a record breaking fashion since its introduction in June last year. This is a tyre with a unique and stylish tread design, homologated for the street but definitely more than comfortable on the racetrack – where it came from in the first place. The Superstock riders were more than able to confirm this first time out at Valencia, and all the riders had a very good experience of the new tyre, and were able to set faster times than last year. The new DIABLO Supercorsa has really impressed since it first appearance, and in the marketplace bike enthusiasts all over the world have taken this new product to be a gift from Pirelli, with the Italian-based manufacturer now allowing them to ride on the racetrack or on the road with a tyre more than able to fulfil the expectations of even the most demanding riders. Both Superstock 1000 and Superstock 600 riders improved their past records. Superstock 1000 Rider Bike Team Race time 1 Corti Yamaha YZF-R1 Team Lorenzini by Leoni 1’37.420 2 Badovini MV Agusta F4 1000 R Biassono Unionbike 1’37.582 3 Canepa Ducati 1098S Ducati Xerox Junior Team 1’38.211 4 Pirro Yamaha YZF-R1 Team Lorenzini by Leoni 1’38.320 5 Sacchetti MV Agusta F4 1000 R InionBike Gimotorsport 1’38.616 Best lap: 2004- Vizziello 1’38.995 Superstock 600 Rider Bike Team Race time 1 Gines Yamaha YZF-R6 Moto1 1’40.954 2 Colucci Ducati 749R Ducati Xerox Junior Team 1’41.038 3 Magnoni Yamaha YZF-R6 Bevilacqua Corse 1’41.096 4 Antonelli Honda CBR600RR Team Italia Megabike AX 52 1’41.838 5 Vostarek Honda CBR600RR Intermoto Czeck Klaffi 1’42.185 Best lap: 2006- X. Simeon 1’42.094 More, from a press release issued by Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Valencia tests, Saturday 17th March 2007 Circuit: 4.005 kms. Weather: Dry, mostly sunny 18 C. XAVI STARTS HIS NEW CHALLENGE Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Xavier Simeon began his Superstock 1000 challenge at Valencia today with his new Suzuki GSX-R1000 K7. Despite the bike being virtually standard, Xavi managed to record the ninth fastest time of the tests with a lap of 1:39.027, just inside the lap record set by Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha) in 2005. Italian Claudio Corti (Yamaha) posted the day’s fastest time, with a lap of 1:37.420, followed by Ayrton Badovini (MV) and Nicola Canepa (Ducati). XAVI I am reasonably happy with my lap times today, but not happy that so many riders went quite a bit faster. But, here my bike is completely standard so perhaps my results aren’t so bad after all. We don’t have the shifter on the bike, so it means I have to change gear using the clutch every time and that costs fractions of a second every gearchange. The engine is also completely standard and once the work is done on it, I’ll be able to go faster. There is still a lot of work to be done to make our bike competitive, but unfortunately the next time I’ll be on it will be in first practice at Donington at the end of the month. But at least I’ve managed to put in a lot of laps (80 altogether!) and start getting used to the bike. We started today getting myself dialled into the bike – seating position, footpegs, handlebars and all the usual stuff. But what I can say straightaway is that this bike is very different to either the 600 Superstock or Suzuki Cup bike I rode last year. Riding this bike is much more physical and so I have to learn where, when and how to push it. In the Superstock 600 class last year, there were only three or four riders fighting for the top spots and then quite a gap before the rest of the field. Last year was my third year on a 600, so I knew the bike really well. This is my first time on a 1000 and there are probably ten to fifteen top riders in this class, so it’s going to be much harder then last year. But this is part of my learning curve and I am ready for the challenge. It’s a bit of a shame that I won’t have any more track time before Donington, but I’ll be going there to do my best – as usual. Valencia tests 1 Corti (I-Yamaha) 1:37.420, 2 Badovini (I-MV) 1:37.582, 3 Canepa (I-Ducati) 1:38.211, 4 Pirro (I-Yamaha) 1:38.320, 5 Sacchetti (I-MV 1:38.616, 6 Van Keymeulen (NL-Yamaha) 1:38.685, 9 XAVIER SIMEON (B-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:39.027,