FIM Superbike World Championship Brno, Czech Republic July 10, 2010 Final Qualifying Results (after Superpole, all on Pirelli tires): From Superpole Three: 1. Cal CRUTCHLOW, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:58.018 2. Max BIAGGI, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:58.743 3. Jonathan REA, Great Britain (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:59.094 4. Ruben XAUS, Spain (BMW S1000RR), 1:59.135 5. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:59.179 6. Luca SCASSA, Italy (Ducati 1098R), 1:59.393 7. Michel FABRIZIO, Italy (Ducati 1098F10), 1:59.451 8. Carlos CHECA, Spain (Ducati 1098R), 1:59.571 From Superpole Two: 9. Lorenzo LANZI, Italy (Ducati 1098R), 1:59.699 10. James TOSELAND, Great Britain (Yamaha YZF-R1), 1:59.699 11. Max NEUKIRCHNER, Germany (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:59.829 12. Tom SYKES, Great Britain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:59.830 13. Leon CAMIER, Great Britain (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:59.841 14. Leon HASLAM, Great Britain (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:59.995 15. Noriyuki HAGA, Japan (Ducati 1098F10), 2:00.258 16. Shane BYRNE, Great Britain (Ducati 1098R), 2:00.564 From Superpole One: 17. Jakub SMRZ, Czech Republic (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 2:00.341 18. Chris VERMEULEN, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:01.167 19. Matteo BAIOCCO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:01.523 20. Troy CORSER, Australia (BMW S1000RR), no time recorded in Superpole The Rest of the Grid: 21. Broc PARKES, Australia (Honda CBR1000RR), 2:01.463 22. Roger HAYDEN, USA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 2:01.826 More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Troy Corser will not race in Brno. Brno, 10th July 2010. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider, Troy Corser (AUS), will not race in Brno (CZE) after his heavy crash during Friday’s Qualifying Practice session. After discussions with the team doctor, Dr. Vincenzo Tota, and the team management, Troy decided not to compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship sessions on Saturday and the races on Sunday. According to medical reports, the 38-years-old rider suffered bruising all over his body. Troy Corser: “Unfortunately I cannot race this weekend. I feel quite exhausted right now, and I have a pain in my chest. It was a huge impact, and I am happy I was not hurt badly. I remember the crash pretty well: I somehow lost the rear, and then I highsided. I would have loved to race in Brno, but we all agree I need a couple of days to rest now to be able to start in Silverstone.” BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser: “First of all, we all are more than happy Troy is okay so far and not more seriously hurt after his heavy crash. The bike somehow hit him and the impact was severe. According to Dr. Vincenzo Tota, Troy was thoroughly checked in the hospital. His injuries seem to be limited to several bruises, but he will need some time to recover over the next couple of days. We agreed unanimously it would be too risky to send him out racing here, although he is able to leave the hospital. Of course, we all feel sorry for Troy and it is a shame he cannot compete this weekend. We now hope he will be 100 per cent fit for the next race weekend in Silverstone.” More, from another press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Weather conditions: Hot, sunny. Temperature: Air: 27 – 32°C, Track: 46 – 62°C Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:58.695 min Fastest lap Superpole 3: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:58.018 min After Troy Corser’s (AUS) heavy crash on Friday, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Ruben Xaus (ESP) gave the people in the BMW garage a reason to be happy on Saturday: In scorching conditions, the Catalan rider secured his best ever qualifying result with the young team. He will start Sunday’s races from the front row of the grid. The 32-years-old finished the Superpole qualifying fourth, only four hundredths of a second off third placed Jonathan Rea (GBR). Rea’s compatriot Cal Crutchlow will start from pole position, just in front of Italian Max Biaggi. Ruben Xaus: Bike: BMW S 1000 RR Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:59.725 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:59.632 min / Fastest lap Superpole 3: 1:59.135 min “First of all I hope Troy will be fit soon, and he can race in Silverstone. Obviously I am really happy with today’s result. I was not expecting fourth. I am still feeling the effects from the injury I sustained in Misano. My team has done a great job today and I must once again thank them for all their efforts and their hard work. Unfortunately I used two qualifying tyres in Superpole 2 to ensure I made it to Superpole 3. Therefore I went out in the final session with worn tyres and was unable to put in a really fast time. This really is the first time this year I have been able to benefit from the qualifying tyre, and I hope I can continue like this. We still have some areas where we can improve the bike, but overall it was incredible. I am really looking forward to the races tomorrow.” Troy Corser: Bike: BMW S 1000 RR DNS Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager): “The team and I are very, very happy with Ruben’s performance today. This is the best ever qualifying position for Ruben with this team and this is what we know he is capable of. Obviously it is disappointing not to have Troy out there, but Ruben did a great job for the whole team. It is quite clear to see the bike is improving, and Ruben is developing a good feeling. I think we could see both riders challenging for the top in future races. Our aim for tomorrow’s races is the top five. So let’s wait and see.” More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Brno, 10th July 2010 Grid positions for tomorrow’s Superbike races were established this afternoon on the Czech track of Brno, with 22 riders taking part in this ninth round of the 2010 World Championship. Carlos Checa was once again among the frontrunners. In the morning the Althea Racing rider qualified for the Superpole with the eleventh fastest time but, during the course of the afternoon’s action, he was able to do even better. Making it into the final phase, he closed in eighth position with a best time of 1m59.571. “As soon as I went out on track for the final session I could feel that the second qualifier, brand new, didn’t have the same grip as the first and was not as stable, which meant I could only do so much. I am, however, very satisfied when I look at our race pace. Over these two days we’ve spent some time trying some new solutions and now we’re on the right track. Tomorrow? It will be a difficult race because the heat means there is not much grip. The tyres have to last twenty laps but we’ll try our best, as ever”¦” Shane Byrne was also able to qualify for the Superpole thanks to his best time set this morning and, despite a still injured left hand, the English rider made it to the second session, which he concluded in sixteenth position, with a time of 2m00.564. “I want to thank the team because they’ve done a great job on the bike”, said “Shakey”, “In the first Superpole phase I set my best time so far this weekend (1m59.925) but I had a few problems with the front of the bike, and risked crashing in the second session. The race? It will be very difficult for me because after five or six laps my hand starts to bother me but I’ll give it my all and try to score two top ten finishes.” Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing is also confident of a good result. “The Superpole didn’t go as expected but I’m still confident ahead of the races. Both Carlos and Shakey have improved their times and we have a great pace. Checa may be able to fight against the leaders while Shane won’t be 100% due to his hand of course, but our goal is to take as many points as possible, keeping an eye on the team’s classification.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Crutchlow rips up the Brno lap record with an incredible fourth Superpole of the year In a textbook repeat of his domination of last year’s qualifying in World Supersport, Cal Crutchlow again today left his competitors standing to smash the Brno lap record, over three tenths faster than the previous record taken by Troy Bayliss in 2008. Crutchlow dominated the entire Superpole, running the first two sessions on a race tyre, he was fastest in each heat and nearly half a second clear of his closest rival in the second Superpole. Crutchlow’s team mate James Toseland struggled to replicate his British counterpart’s performance. Toseland made it through the first heat using a race tyre then switched to a qualifier for the second. He struggled to improve on his time with the stickier tyre and changed to his second qualifier mid-session. Again this did not produce faster times and so Toseland will start tomorrow’s two Brno races from tenth position on the grid. Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (1st, 1’58.018) “It’s great to be on pole today but I’d rather give away the pole for a race win, but you’ve got to take them when you can. I really enjoyed the Superpole, it was a good session for us, and we were strong through it all. We’re working well and I’m pleased with that but Max is definitely the one to beat tomorrow. All credit to the guys who are on the front row. I can see it being a big battle tomorrow; I don’t see one guy heading off but at least ten at the start and maybe five at the end. The lap was good, I think I could have done a 1.57 because I ran really deep into one corner which cost me a bit of time. We had another qualifier left sat in the garage but I didn’t need it in the end.” James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (10th, 1’59.699) “I really struggled with the qualifier tyres today. I made it through the first session with no problems with a race tyre and was confident that we could get through the second with the qualifier. Unfortunately I couldn’t find the grip I was expecting. Our race pace is good, so it’s going to be important for me to have a good start to get with the front pack when they break.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager “Cal did an incredible record lap today in Superpole. His race pace is also really good here this weekend so we have every confidence he can achieve a good result in both races tomorrow. James is going to have a tougher start than Cal on the third row but his race pace is also quite good so it’s important for him to have a good start and then I believe he can stay with the front pack and challenge them.” More, from a press release issued by Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: Jonathan Rea put the problems of the last two rounds behind him today by taking third place on the grid for tomorrow’s two ninth round World Superbike championship races at Brno in the Czech Republic. The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland lapped the 5.403km circuit in a time of 1’59.094s to secure his first front row start since the Italian WSBK round at Monza in May. Pole position was taken by Britain’s Cal Crutchlow as Rea’s Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, Max Neukirchner, set the 11th fastest time. After a steady start in yesterday’s free practice, Rea and his crew have spend the last two days methodically working through chassis and electronics issues with the team’s Honda CBR1000RR, giving Rea the confidence to push hard at the fast and flowing Brno circuit. Neukirchner is also happy with the way his own pit crew has worked through problems, resulting in the German rider’s best quali fying performance since Monza. He believes that he has a race pace that will allow him to compete nearer the front of the field than he has been accustomed to this season. Neukirchner has the added support of his fan club, which has made the trip from his home town of Chemnitz in Germany, and the 27-year-old believes that he wasn’t too far from fighting for a second row grid position for tomorrow’s two 20-lap Brno races. Jonathan Rea P3, 1’59.094s I can’t fault the efforts of the guys in my team this weekend they’ve all worked really hard to give me a bike that I can fight at the front with. And we have had to fight to get it up there. It’s still tough and we know that the package isn’t the easiest to take from race to race. However, we’ve made good progress with the chassis and the electronics since the first outing yesterday and the front row is a good rewa rd for that. We’re using slightly different electronics this weekend and it’s easy to forget that it takes some time to get it working on the sweet spot. The chatter has not really been an issue here, which is great, and we know that we can still achieve a pretty good pace when the tyre performance drops off. There’ll be two hard races tomorrow, and I hope to be up there at the end of both of them. Max Neukirchner P11, 1’59.829s It was OK today for a lap! It might have been two, but someone was right on my line in Superpole 2 and I think it cost me maybe three tenths. That might have put me in the final Superpole for the front two rows but it wasn’t to be. I’m happy that today we made the bike more stable at the front when it’s in the corner and I did quite a few consecutive laps today in the low 2m01s range so I think the pace can be OK. We tested the new front tyre today, as w ell, and it gives a better feeling which should be good for the race. I don’t have the 100% feeling that I’d like, but I’m happy enough and the circuit characteristics are helping, too. The races will be tough, but they are the same for everyone, so I will try to get two good starts and see what happens. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Alstare: SYLVAIN HAPPY. LEON DISAPPOINTED. There were mixed fortunes today in Brno for Team Suzuki Alstare riders Sylvain Guintoli and Leon Haslam. Sylvain managed to improve his bike’s grip problems from yesterday and advance into Superpole 3, before just missing out on a front row grid spot. In the end, he finished with the fifth fastest lap and will start tomorrow’s pair of 20-lap races from the second row of the grid. It was not such a good day for Leon, who struggled to find grip with his qualifying tyres and ended 14th – his worst performance of the season. The young Briton will have to dig deep tomorrow, provided that he and the team can solve their problems in the morning warm-up. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) took Superpole – his fourth of the season, with series leader Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second. Third was Jonathan Rea (Honda), with Ruben Xaus (BMW) fourth, just a whisker ahead of Sylvain. Sylvain – 5th, 1:59.179 I am definitely very happy to have got into Superpole 3, but a little bit disappointed not to have got a place on the front row of the grid. It was very, very close and it’s a shame, but after yesterday I am so happy with the big improvement we made today. The track is definitely coming in now and it’s so much better than yesterday. The bike felt good and strong and I really enjoyed Superpole today. We hardly changed anything from yesterday except the gearbox and the engine characteristics. The top speed was better today and I was also able to go through the corners faster. I think that the biggest change today was the track’s grip level. It seems that when there is little or no track grip, we really struggle. Considering how we ended yesterday, I think the team have done a great job and I’m really looking forward to the races tomorrow. Leon – 14th, 1:59.995 I am very disappointed with how things went today and I’m not pleased to finish 14th – the first time I’ve been out of the top five and my worst result in qualifying this year. Today we had similar problems to yesterday and we didn’t manage to solve those problems so that’s why we are where we are. I’m having a lot of problems with lack of grip – especially on qualifying tyres. My times on race rubber are pretty good, but once I put on the qualifiers we seem to run into trouble. My grid position is going to make the races very difficult, but ahead of that we have to solve the problem. We’ll have a look at all the data and talk to the telemetry boys and see if there are some pointers. Then, we’ll have to see if the changes we make in the warm-up improve the bike. It’s going to be a very long, hot and difficult day tomorrow, but my aim is to make two good starts and fight as hard as I can. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: A FRUSTRATING SUPERPOLE FOR THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM AT BRNO TODAY Brno (Czech Republic), Saturday 10th July: The Ducati Xerox team and riders Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga were disappointed with today’s Superpole results, having performed much better in previous sessions on the Brno track. Michel, having comfortably reached the final Superpole phase, was unable to make the most of the tyres and closed in seventh, while Noriyuki, victim of two crashes in the first two phases, had to be satisfied with fifteenth position on the grid for tomorrow’s races. In this morning’s second qualifying session, on a cooler track than yesterday (42°C), the Ducati Xerox riders continued to work hard with their technicians to optimize the set-up of their 1198 machines. Noriyuki, having registered the fastest time in first qualifying, was unable to improve on that this morning, citing a lack of front grip. Despite this, he closed qualifying in third position overall, thanks to yesterday’s flying lap, a solid result for the Japanese rider after last year’s tough Brno event. Michel, third yesterday, waited for the very end of the session before making his impact, going out on a new tyre and recording the fastest lap seen so far, in a very impressive 1m58.6 that projected him to the top of the timesheets, ahead of Max Biaggi and team-mate Noriyuki. Superpole 1: both factory riders went out on race rubber on a track that had reached 60°C in temperature. Michel immediately set a very fast time that placed him fourth on the timesheets and meant he could return to the garage, certain of safe passage to phase two. Noriyuki on the other hand was less fortunate; during the third split of his first lap, which looked like being a very quick one (under 1m59), he lost the front and found himself on the ground. Fortunately unhurt, he had time to return to the garage and make a second exit, with his second bike. This time Haga was able to set the ninth fastest time, though he cited a lack of rear grip and less feeling with regard to his first bike. Superpole 2: Fabrizio decided to go straight out on a qualifier in this second phase, a wise decision as it allowed him to record a 1m59.2 on his very first lap, which translated into fourth position at the session’s end. Haga, not satisfied with the time set on a race tyre, returned to the track on the second qualifying tyre but unfortunately today was not his day. He lost the front of his bike once again and a second fall was enough to put an end to the Japanese rider’s Superpole session. Noriyuki will line up on the fourth row, in fifteenth position, for tomorrow’s races. Superpole 3: Roman rider Michel went out on the second “Q” but subsequently recorded a faster lap time on a race tyre. His best time (1’59.4) in this final phase was enough to secure a position on the second row of tomorrow’s grid, in seventh. Michel Fabrizio “We’ve been going really well in all the sessions so far and this morning was no different. I’m just sorry that Superpole didn’t really go as planned, as I had hoped to be on the front row to be honest but a few small things prevented me from putting together a clean lap and I finished in seventh. I’m still confident for the races as I know we have a good pace and, if I can make a good start, I think I can be up there with the guys at the front.” Noriyuki Haga “In this morning’s qualifying I didn’t have the same level of feeling as yesterday, but we still found good pace and this gives me confidence for the races. Then came the Superpole and what can I say? We didn’t need two crashes like that. In the first I was maybe pushing too hard because I was very comfortable on the bike and knew I could make a fast lap; then in the second phase, and on the second bike, I immediately had a strange feeling, as if the front was too high and before I could react the same thing happened again – I lost the front and found myself back on the ground. Starting from the fourth row will be difficult but we hope we can get back on the path that we were following yesterday.” More, from a press release issued by Alitalia Aprilia: Max Biaggi will start from the front row in the two races tomorrow at the Brno circuit. It will be a heated Sunday, but Aprilia Alitalia Racing team and its rider are ready to defend their first place ranking. Brno, 10 July 2010 A very tight Superpole closed out the Saturday qualifiers on the Brno track. The hard work done over the last two days by the Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team allowed Max Biaggi to take second place on the grid, surpassed only by a spectacular lap ridden by “specialist” Crutchlow. The Corsair went through the procedure of the first two pole sessions with his usual, relentless determination. In Superpole 3 he stopped the clock at 1’58.743 which earned him second place on the grid, in spite of the scorching asphalt which greatly reduced grip compared to last year. This is a situation which we will also encounter tomorrow, especially in the second race. In any case, Max is confident with the set-up which has been chosen for his Aprilia RSV4 Factory. The English Aprilia Alitalia Racing colours bearer, reigning British Superbike champion Leon Camier, continues his apprenticeship on the difficult Czech track while showing encouraging improvements. His thirteenth place is less than 3 tenths from the top eight with a time of 1’59.841. He will have a chance to improve even more in the two races which await him tomorrow. “I’m happy with the starting position. The front row is always an encouraging result confirms Max Biaggi in spite of the fact that the high temperatures hurt us a little bit coming out of the medium-slow turns. With the hard work we did yesterday and this morning we were able to obtain good balance. The bike has consistently improved in spite of some small problems we had in the first practice on Friday. Tomorrow should be fun, there are quite a few of us in the game and we’ll need to have eyes in the back of our helmets! Anyway, I’m keen to do well here at Brno, both for our two first place standings and for the particular feeling that I have with this magnificent track”. Leon Camier is well aware of what awaits him tomorrow at the start: “We’ve sorted the situation after having struggled to find the most satisfactory set-up. There is still work to do, that much is clear, both on the bike and on my interpretation of the track. After the changes we made today grip has improved a lot. We’ll try to improve on some details tomorrow and prepare as best we can for the two races. It isn’t impossible to make a comeback here. The important thing is to stay focused on the goal and… give it everything we’ve got!”. More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Crutchlow takes fourth career pole Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) saved his best for last to take a new track best and head up Superpole qualifying, his fourth pre-race ‘win’ of the 2010 season. Crutchlow was over 0.7 seconds faster than the next best rider, and in nine Superpoles this year, he has the best individual record. Behind him, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) was second at his favourite circuit on the calendar, as he prepares to go out tomorrow and defend a 37-point championship lead. A resurgent Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was a positive third, as he rebuilds from some less than satisfying recent results. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) finished an impressive fourth, earning himself a front row start. He had crashed heavily here last year but today’s result wiped out many memories of his 2009 misfortune. Xaus’s BMW being fourth means that there are four different machines on the front row, and with Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) and Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati) fifth and sixth restively, there are six different bikes in the top six grid slots. Scassa, a privateer, was top Ducati rider of any kind, with Ducati Xerox factory pilot Michel Fabrizio one place behind. Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) will start from row two, taking eighth place as the last rider home in the final Superpole session. Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) just missed the final eight places of Superpole three, with James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) tenth. Max Neukirchner went 11th for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda and Tom Sykes ended a fruitful day 12th and on the third row for the Kawasaki Racing Team. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) crashed in two Superpole sessions, and now starts from the fourth row; championship contender Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) is only one place ahead of him. Cal Crutchlow: “I definitely hoped to be here and I’d rather give away a pole for a race win, but you’ve got to take them when you can. I enjoyed that, it was a good session for us. Most of the sessions have been strong and my Yamaha is working well. Max is hard to beat in the championship and especially round here. I can see a big battle tomorrow, maybe ten guys at least at the start. I thought I could have got into the 57s because I was riding very deep into the corners, and I actually had another qualifier left but I’m happy with that.” Max Biaggi: “A first row result is good for me, but compared to last year’s race we’ve got a lot more work to do this weekend. Something we changed on the bike makes it a bit different so it’s not the same feeling. It’s better in other tracks but here we’ve got some difficulties. It’s getting a little bit better, the bike is not where I want, but I’m happy with my pace. We’ll see tomorrow.” Jonathan Rea: “It is hot out there, but there’s a lot of breeze so it’s not too bad. I actually didn’t really know where to go after Superpole because I haven’t been in the top 3 for some time. I’d just like to thank all of my team, our package isn’t perfect but what we do have in the Ten Kate garage is a really hard work ethic and we’re trying. Hopefully we can get away good tomorrow and try and stay with these two guys as long as we can. I’ve got nothing to lose!” Ruben Xaus: “First of all I’d like to give my best to Troy and hope he recovers as soon as possible because when two riders are on the team on fire, they go ahead. We did a good job today, the bike is now working well, we made a big step in Imola and physically I’m not feeling perfect but I was able to ride fast.” Times: 1. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1’58.018; 2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’58.743; 3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’59.094; 4. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1’59.135; 5. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’59.179; 6. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’59.393; 7. Fabrizio M. (ITA)Ducati 1098R 1’59.451; 8. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’59.571; 9.Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1’59.699; 10. Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1’59.699; etc. World Supersport Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) took pole, his second of the year, with his very last lap of qualifying, displacing his team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara to second in the process. Despite crashing in qualifying today, Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) went third while a spectacularly successful qualifying for Kawasaki was completed by Fabien Foret (Lorenzini by Leoni) fourth quickest and therefore the third Kawasaki rider on the front row. Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders Kenan Sofuoglu and Michele Pirro were fifth and sixth fastest, respectively. Gino Rea put a smile on local faces as he put his Intermoto Czech Honda seventh, ahead of his British countryman, Chaz Davies (ParkinGO BE1 Triumph), just one place back. Times: 1. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2’02.800; 2. Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2’02.817; 3. Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.082; 4. Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2’03.193; 5. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.397; 6. Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.421; 7. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.450; 8. Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 2’03.641; 9. Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.757; 10. Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 2’03.959, etc. Superstock 1000 Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took pole at Brno by only 0.013 seconds from Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) setting up what looks like a classic race tomorrow at a track where Berger has always shown good form. Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Racing BMW) was third in qualifying and the Ducati of Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport) was fourth, making for a cosmopolitan front row. Michele Magnoni (Bevilaqua Corse) was a strong fifth on his Bevilaqua Corse Honda. Times: 1. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 2’03.591; 2. Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’03.604; 3. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 2’03.837; 4. Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2’04.088; 5. Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.182; 6. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.279; 7. La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.360; 8. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2’04.853; 9. Lammert D. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 2’04.985; 10. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.990, etc. Superstock 600 Race Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) won a crash-laden Superstock 600 race at Brno, shortened to seven laps after the red flags were put out to halt the race after several crashes. Florian Marino (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) was second in the race and is also second in the championship, with Guarnoni on 136 points, Marino on 106. Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) was the final podium finisher, as pole man Josh Elliot (Direct CCTV Racedays Kawasaki) crashed out of contention. Times: 1. Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 14’59.203 (151,418 kph); 2. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1.189; 3. Lombardi B. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 2.444; 4. Fanelli D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 5.051; 5. Le Coquen S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 6.883; 6. Schacht A. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 7.747; 7. D’Annunzio F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 13.899; 8. Krajci T. (SVK) Yamaha YZF R6 13.994; 9. Lonbois V. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 15.454; 10. De Tournay R. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 15.808; Points (after 6 rounds of 10): 1. Guarnoni 136; 2. Marino 106; 3. D’Annunzio 70; 4. Lombardi 59; 5. Karlsen 51; 6. Fanelli 51; 7. Calero Perez 44; 8. Lanusse 39; 9. Le Coquen 32; 10. Major 27 More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY RETURNS TO THE TRACK, BUT DOESN’T RIDE. Troy left hospital this morning and came straight to the track, but took no part in proceedings today and will also sit out raceday tomorrow. Although all the tests revealed no broken bones or serious damage, Troy has stretched ligaments to both collarbones and physically would not have been able to ride. So, Troy had the unique experience today of going round the service road on a scooter and observing the action from the other side of the armco. There was some good news for Troy’s team when team mate Ruben Xaus qualified on the front row of the grid – the first time he has done so on the S 1000 RR. Troy The doctors in the hospital were very pleased with my rate of recovery overnight and so there was no reason for me to stay in another day. All my stats were fine and I felt pretty good, apart from my upper chest area which took the brunt of the impact with the bike. I remember everything about the crash, even though it was a pretty heavy one. I highsided and went up in the air as far as I could go whilst still holding on the the bars! All my safety equipment – helmet, boots and gloves all did their job and I probably would’ve walked away from the crash if it hadn’t been for the bike hitting me. I had some checks at the Clinica Mobile at the track and then went to hospital really more as a precaution. There I had further X-rays and a CT scan and everything was fine. As I said, the only real damage was to the ligaments to my collarbones. They were stretched and, because of that, I couldn’t ride today. Mentally, I’m absolutely fine. My head is completely clear and I have no fuzziness at all. If it wasn’t for the upper chest problem, I might have been able to ride today. Now though, I’ve got some time before Silverstone to recover properly and get fully fit. I know that I have been lucky in one way, but I also know that my relative lack of injury and my quick recovery time is all down to the fact that my physical condition and fitness level is very good. If I had not been so fit, I’m sure that the damage would’ve been greater and my recovery time would be longer. It was a bit strange watching from the other side of the armco this afternoon and I hope that is the only time I have to do it this season! I prefer to be on my bike, on the track. I will get straight back into training as soon as I can and then get ready for Silverstone – and another podium. Oh, and congratulations to Ruben for getting his front row grid spot. Hopefully, he’ll have a couple of good races and get some good results. More, from a press release issued by Team PATA/B&G Racing: The PATA B&G Racing team did not reach their goal today as Jakub Smrz will start from row 5 tomorrow, due to a small mistake made in the first session of qualifying practice, which came before Superpole. The rider from the Czech Republic went wide entering a corner, lost the front tyre and crashed to the ground. The bike was sent to the pit box as Superpole 1 was bout to get started, but despite the mechanics’ hard work, Smrz was forced to take to the track with the handlebars not properly connected to the wheel. He tried his best to get into the second Superpole session nevertheless, but was only two tenths slower and did not make it. Lorenzo Baroni had some small issues as well and did not improve his time from yesterday. He will however start from second row as he managed to post the eighth fastest time. It is a favourable starting position which should allow him to ride a good race. JAKUB SMRZ | Aprilia RSV4 | 17th in 2’00.341: “I made a mistake unfortunately, which turned out to be decisive as I only had one bike. I’ll start way back, but I’m confident nonetheless I can ride a good race. I would like to thank the team for doing a great job at assembling the machine in just ten minutes”. LORENZO BARONI | Ducati 1098R | 8th in 2’04.853: “I wanted to improve my time and so tried some different solutions which were not efficient. By the end of the session, I had to use the setup from yesterday but I believe I can score a good result tomorrow”. MARCO BORCIANI: “This mistake was not good news for us. We were always in front this weekend and the second row was a goal we should’ve achieved. Unfortunately we didn’t qualify in the top 16, despite the hard work from the mechanics. I expect a lot from Lorenzo Baroni tomorrow, he’s getting better all the time, hopefully his efforts will bear fruit”. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Sykes Starts From Row Three After Slick Superpole WSBK, Brno, Czech Republic, 10 July 2010 Tom Sykes and Chris Vermeulen both reached the Superpole qualifying session, with Tom eventually taking his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10R to 12th place on the grid. Chris was 18th. The 5.403km Brno circuit was drenched in summer sunshine and with track temperatures almost at 60°C Superpole was a hot and difficult business. It was a business that the team and Sykes approached with a plan that worked well, allowing Tom to use his alloted tyres to the absolute maximum. Tom made it through Superpole 1 and into Superpole 2, his 12th position putting him on the third row. There is no shortage of potential passing places at this circuit laden with fast chicanes, offering opportunities to move up in the early laps. Chris could not get the ultimate edge grip he desired to push hard in qualifying, and is now looking at taking a good start and using the nature of the track to help him gain places and points on raceday. He knows the circuit well from his recent MotoGP experiences and starting from the fifth row means he will need to make up places early to go forward in the final rankings. Tom Sykes: “We had been struggling for a while with the balance of the bike but we certainly found a better direction this afternoon. We made a couple of small changes in Superpole and we managed to dig deep and find a decent time on the qualifying tyre. Come tomorrow we have some good information to base our set-up on and we’ll try some more things in the morning warm-up. We want to find some consistency for the races to hopefully be up there. We want two good results tomorrow so I need to get away cleanly and stick with the front group.” Chris Vermeulen: “On day one we had reasonable pace and were closer to the front than we had been but we just haven’t improved as we expected to today. We tried a few things but we struggled with edge grip. I know a lot of other riders are in the same position but it seems to be affecting me a bit more than most. We will try something else new tomorrow in warm-up. We have a new front tyre here, from the test we did in Imola last week, and maybe we will use that in the race. But we still have to make the final decision.” More, from a press release issued by Team Pedercini: Second day of qualifying in Brno for team Pedercini Superbike and Superstock 1000 riders. In the morning Superbike qualifying session great result for Matteo Baiocco (2’01″410) who was able to improve his best lap time reaching the nineteenth position and the Superpole. Teammate Roger Lee Hayden (2’01″826) is still suffering for an ear infection. He obtained only the twenty-second position missing the Superpole for less than four tenths. Tomorrow he we’ll start the races from the sixth row of the grid. During afternoon free practice both riders worked with their technicians to improve their bike’s set up. In the Superpole first session Baiocco (2’01″523) reached the nineteenth place and so he was unable to make it through to the second heat and starts tomorrow’s races from the fifth row of the grid in nineteenth position. Superbike qualifying 2 : 1) Fabrizio (Ducati) 2) Biaggi (Aprilia) – 3) Haga (Ducati) 4) Scassa (Ducati) 5) Lanzi (Ducati) “¦.. 19) Baiocco (Kawasaki) “¦. 22) Hayden (Kawasaki) Superbike Superpole : 1) Crutchlow (Yamaha) 2) Corser (BMW) 3) Haslam (Suzuki) – 4) Fabrizio (Ducati) 5) Checa (Ducati) .. 21) Baiocco (Kawasaki) 22) Hayden (Kawasaki) Roger Lee Hayden :”Unfortunately I have not been able to enter the Superpole This morning it was warmer than yesterday and my bike had less grip on the rear tire. Tomorrow the race will be really very difficult for me, because of my starting position on the grid but mainly because of my physical condition. I hope Clinica Mobile will be able to help me reduce the pain which will allow me to races in the best possible manner. Tomorrow I’ll try my best to obtain a good result for me and for all my team. I want to thank all of them for their great help during the full weekend”. Matteo Baiocco :”I’m pretty satisfied because I entered the Superpole and also because during the free and qualifying sessions I found a good rhythm that will be very important in tomorrow’s races. In Superpole I used a soft tire but it didn’t give me any advantage and it didn’t help me to improve my lap time and to enter the second phase of the Superpole. In any case it was a good experience that I hope to repeat also in the next Superbike rounds. I’m confident for tomorrow races because of my good lap time and I’ll try my best to reach the better results”.