FIM Superbike World Championship Assen, Netherlands April 20, 2012 Qualifying Session One Results (wet conditions, all on Pirelli tires): 1. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Ducati 1098R), 1:37.600 2. Tom SYKES, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:37.630 3. Leon CAMIER, UK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:38.468 4. Carlos CHECA, Spain (Ducati 1098R), 1:38.665 5. Jonathan REA, UK (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:38.873 6. Michel FABRIZIO, Italy (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.062 7. Ayrton BADOVINI, Italy (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.125 8. Marco MELANDRI, Italy (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.127 9. Maxime BERGER, France (Ducati 1098R), 1:39.286 10. Chaz DAVIES, UK (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:39.362 11. Eugene LAVERTY, Ireland (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:39.485 12. Jakub SMRZ, Czech Republic (Ducati 1098R), 1:39.605 13. John HOPKINS, USA (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 1:39.625 14. Leon HASLAM, UK (BMW S1000RR), 1:39.770 15. Brett McCORMICK, Canada (Ducati 1098R), 1:39.915 16. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:40.124 17. Max BIAGGI, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), 1:40.231 18. Niccolo CANEPA, Italy (Ducati 1098R), 1:40.859 19. Davide GIUGLIANO, Italy (Ducati 1098R), 1:41.161 20. Leandro MERCADO, Argentina (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 1:41.693 21. Hiroshi AOYAMA, Japan (Honda CBR1000RR), 1:41.768 22. Mark AITCHISON, Australia (BMW S1000RR), 1:43.144 23. Lorenzo ZANETTI, Italy (Ducati 1098R), 1:50.808 More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Guintoli quickest rider on the Assen storm Assen (Netherlands), Friday 20 April 2012 Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati Effenbert Liberty Racing) set the quickest time in this afternoon’s first qualifying session at Assen, which was finally conditioned by bad weather. The riders first went out on slicks but soon after it began to rain, making the track slippery and holding back ultimate lap times. The competitors just about managed to get back to the pits in reasonable conditions and then just a few riders ventured out at the end in the wet. Guintoli was a fraction of a second ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), with an impressive Leon Camier (Crescent FIXI Suzuki) and championship leader Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) completing the provisional front row. Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) was fifth ahead of Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet), the first BMW runner in the timesheets. Even in these difficult weather conditions, five different manufacturers are in the top six positions. Two more BMWs were next up, Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad) in eighth ahead of Ayrton Badovini with the Italian team’s S1000RR. Melandri had been fastest in the first practice session in the morning, run in dry conditions. Team Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati rider Maxime Berger was ninth fastest, Chaz Davies (MTC ParkinGO Aprilia) rounded out the top ten. The factory Aprilia machine of Eugene Laverty ended up one place behind Davies. With the top 16 positions likely to stay the same should it rain in tomorrow morning’s final session, the first rider to be excluded will be Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing). The Italian has to hope for an improvement in the weather otherwise he will be forced to start from the fifth row of the grid. Times: 1. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’37.600; 2. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’37.630; 3. Camier L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’38.468; 4. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1’38.665; 5. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1’38.873; 6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’39.062; 7. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’39.125; 8. Melandri M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’39.127; 9. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1’39.286; 10. Davies C. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’39.362; 11. Laverty E. (IRL) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1’39.485; 12. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1’39.605; 13. Hopkins J. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1’39.625; 14. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1’39.770; 15. McCormick B. (CAN) Ducati 1098R 1’39.915; 16. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’40.124; etc. World Supersport Honda CBR600RR machines dominated the first Supersport qualifying session, with British rider Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) going top with a time of 1 minute 38.900 seconds. Lowes was just 0.039 quicker than Australian Broc Parkes (Honda Ten Kate Racing Products), who went well in post-Imola testing two weeks back. The Honda trio up front was completed by 23 year-old Frenchman Jules Cluzel, a new Supersport face and so far always at the top this year on his PTR Honda. Kawasaki ZX-6R riders took the next two places, fourth going to points leader Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step) ahead of Kenan Sofuoglu on the sister DeltaFin Lorenzini bike. Imre Toth was a competitive sixth on his Racing Team Toth Honda, while Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki DeltaFin Lorenzini) and Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Bike Service WTR Ten 10) completed the second row. Three Supersport newcomers also had promising sessions: Jed Metcher (Rivamoto Junior Yamaha) in tenth, Vladimir Leonov (Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha) in eleventh and 18 year-old American PJ Jacobsen (Bogdanka Honda PTR) twentieth on his first appearance at the Assen track. Times: 1. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1’38.900; 2. Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1’38.939; 3. Cluzel J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1’39.589; 4. Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’39.730; 5. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’39.735; 6. Toth I. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1’40.040; 7. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’40.266; 8. Roccoli M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1’40.326; etc. Superstock 1000 The BMW Italia team powered to the top of Superstock 1000 qualifying today as round 1 winner Sylvain Barrier went quickest with a time of 1 minute 39.580 seconds, half a second slower than his own circuit best lap set last year. Barrier was three-tenths faster than Australian Bryan Staring, the surprise of the day on a Team Pedercini Kawasaki. Third quickest was Barrier’s Italian team-mate Lorenzo Baroni. The provisional front row is completed by Eddi La Marra with a Barni Racing Team Italia Ducati 1199 Panigale, which made its Superstock 1000 debut at Imola. Frenchman Loris Baz (Kawasaki MRS) continued his good form with fifth quickest time today to follow on from his Imola runner-up slot. Times: 1. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1’39.580; 2. Staring B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’39.873; 3. Baroni L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1’40.205; 4. La Marra E. (ITA) Ducati 1199 Panigale 1’40.394; 5. Baz L. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’40.563; 6. Massei F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’40.890; 7. Savadori L. (ITA) Ducati 1199 Panigale 1’40.909; 8. Guarnoni J. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1’41.250; etc. Superstock 600 Swiss rider Bastien Chesaux (Honda EAB Ten Kate Junior Team) went quickest in today’s first STK600 qualifying session. The 20 year-old from Lausanne surprisingly managed to edge out his team-mate and one of the favourites, Michael van den Mark, third quickest and three-tenths from the top. In between the two Ten Kate riders was Belgian Gauthier Duwelz (Yamaha MTM Racing). Opening round winner Riccardo Russo had a tough start to the weekend, the Italian only going eighth quickest. The promising young Australian Corey Snowsill (Yamaha MTM Racing) had a crash but came away with just a few bruises. Times: 1. Chesaux B. (SUI) Honda CBR600RR 1’41.983; 2. Duwelz G. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.067; 3. Van der Mark M. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 1’42.084; 4. Calero Perez N. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.215; 5. Schacht A. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 1’42.485; 6. Egea S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.803; 7. Nestorovic A. (AUS) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.854; 8. Russo R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1’42.888; etc. European Junior Cup The opening qualifying session for the first round of the KTM European Junior Cup saw Frenchman Jean-Francois Demoulin take the top slot, ahead of Adrian Pasek from Poland. His fellow Bogdanka team member Artur Wielebski was third. 20 riders are taking part in this weekend’s event, all on identical KTM Duke 650 machines. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Assen Free Practice & Qualifying Practice 1. Friday, 20th April 2012. Weather conditions: Cloudy with rain in the afternoon. Temperature: Air: 14 16 °C, Track: 8 16 °C Number of riders participating: 23 from 13 teams Fastest lap Free Practice: Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1:37.582 min Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) 1:37.600 min Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport had a positive start to the third round of the 2012 FIM Superbike World Championship at the “TT Circuit Assen” (NED). In the first free practice this morning, factory rider Marco Melandri (ITA) was fastest on his BMW S 1000 RR. His team-mate, Leon Haslam (GBR) finished the practice in sixth. Times from the first qualifying practice held this afternoon fell quite short due to rain showers. Only a few minutes after the start of the session it started to rain and all riders returned to the pits after having completed just a couple of laps. It continued to rain throughout the session so it was not possible to improve on lap times. Marco’s time was the eighth fastest, while Leon qualified a provisional 14th. Marco and Leon both did their laps on used tyres while many of their competitors went out on fresh rubber. If it also rains for tomorrow’s second qualifying session, both will have qualified for the Superpole. Marco and Leon used the rest of the session to put in some laps for testing settings and tyres for the wet. BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team rider Michel Fabrizio (ITA) finished the first qualifying practice in sixth in front of his team-mate Ayrton Badovini (ITA), who was seventh. Marco Melandri: Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.582 min (P1)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:39.127 min (P8) “Today’s conditions during the qualifying session were difficult. It was dry in the beginning, but we expected the rain to come very soon. We knew we had to get a good lap time right at the start. I went out with a used tyre, and the bike felt quite good straight away. As expected it started to rain after a few laps, and I am happy that we are safely qualified as of now. I went out in the rain to get a feel for the bike in wet conditions. It was the first time for me on the BMW in the rain, but I got more and more confident after a couple of laps. Overall, we have got good data for Saturday, no matter what conditions. I am looking forward to tomorrow. The team is very focused and working well thanks to everybody.” Leon Haslam: Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:38.188 min (P6)/Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: 1:39.770 min (P14) “These were the changing conditions that are normal for Assen. In the first qualifying, we went out on a hard tyre and only got one lap on it before it rained so I was quite lucky to be in the top 16. After that we rolled out on the wet tyres. It was the first time we used the new bike in the wet, so we gathered some important information. We did have a few issues; some things did not work, but I feel things are good and we know which way we need to head. I am looking forward to tomorrow. In Imola we were already close to the top and we made some more improvements at the test at Mugello this week. Hopefully we will have stable conditions and can progress further.” Andrea Dosoli (Head of Race Operations): “Overall this was a very positive day. All the hard work that the guys in the workshop and at the track have put in during the last few weeks seems to be paying off. The days following the races in Imola were busy we tested a further day there before heading to Mugello for another test this week. It seems that the set-up solutions also work well here on this track. In the dry our riders were at the front. Of course, the set-up has not been perfect yet, but we are heading the right way. In the afternoon’s session both riders qualified provisionally for Superpole. In the wet we gathered important data as well. Leon unfortunately had a small crash this afternoon but this should not affect our programme for tomorrow. We are confident that we are in good shape for the weekend. The main target is to be ready under all conditions.” More, from a press release issued by Pro Ride Real Game Honda: PRO RIDE REAL GAME HONDA WILL NOT BE PRESENT AT ASSEN Capannori, Lucca, Italy The Team Pro Ride Real Game Honda informs that unfortunately finds itself in the uncomfortable situation of missing the Assen round (by now only this one) of the World Superbikes. This is the last piece of a domino effect caused by the lost of its 2 main sponsors: Real Game and Helios. These news were taken very sadly by the team that is working hard to come back as soon as possible. Pro Ride is dealing with its next rider for the 2012 season and nothing else in the structure will be changed, since we did not find any problem that could justify a technical change concerning the bike or a technical sponsor. Concerning the team, the aim is to come to back to racing shortly. The commercial department is working on future agreements, both racing department and on-line shop are active, we continue to tune bikes to privateers and give track assistance, technical consultancy and services to private teams. Pro Ride thanks all its technical sponsors that believed in this project and we confirm that we are keeping the same technical package from the World Superbikes at our commercial side, a decision taken since 2009 and our structure and labs are available to these partners at full time for testing and developing new racing products. Ing. Marco Nicotari, CEO Pro Ride srl: “There’s not much to say. The only solution is temporarily stop our racing activities in the World Superbikes, avoiding any further damages to the company and to the image of the championship itself. Anyway I thank both Real Game and Helios for the support. They are serious companies with whom I hope to work with again in a more stable future. I also thank Infront to believe in the potentiality of our team, leaving the doors open for a possible restart still on this season. I thank all our technical sponsors, for giving us official support even if we are a private team. As an engineer, I founded Pro Ride because I wanted a space to create, to come with new ideas. I’m not interested in nothing that comes ready or in solutions that come on packages. When we’ll be once again in conditions to finally prove and develop what we see as the right road, then I’ll get the team together. Our Honda CBR SBK is a great bike. The CBR is for me a model made of challenges and new possibilities, that’s why it has been our choice for the past 6 years. And from this choice we built a unique technical package. We are Honda and we stay Honda.” Lorenzo Alfonsi, rider: “I’m happy to have made this experience in the World Superbikes with the team Pro Ride. But as the sponsors decided to leave, there were no economical conditions to move on. I thank the Team and the sponsors and it is a pity that we cannot keep the project. I’ll continue racing for the Italian Superstock 1000 Championship and I hope our roads will cross again in the future.” More, from a press release issued by Aprilia: DIFFICULT START AT ASSEN FOR THE APRILIA RACING TEAM MAX BIAGGI ENDS THE DAY IN SEVENTEENTH PLACE, SLOWED BY PROBLEMS IN THE FIRST SESSION. EUGENE LAVERTY MANAGES TO FIND A GOOD PACE STRAIGHT AWAY DESPITE THE FLUCTUATING WEATHER CONDITIONS. Assen, 20 April 2012 Weather conditions conditioned the first day of practice sessions for the Assen Superbike round. After the morning session on a dry track, but in very low temperatures, the afternoon qualifiers were held for the most part in the rain, without giving the riders a chance to improve. Like what happened with Max Biaggi, hampered this morning by a few unexpected problems and forced to come in after just a few laps due to the foul weather. The seventeenth final time complicates life a bit for the Aprilia Racing Team and for Max, especially since it could keep him out of Superpole if the track is wet tomorrow. The five time world champion makes no secret of his disappointment, but at the same time he is confident that he can sort out a weekend that started off in the worst possible way. “We didn’t start off well. This morning we had some problems with the bike that caused us to lose precious time. In the afternoon we started after making some significant changes, but after a few minutes it began to rain and I was forced to come in. When you make such drastic changes you have to re-familiarise yourself with the bike and unfortunately I wasn’t able to build my confidence in the only fast lap I had, so we ended in seventeenth place. At the moment we are out of Superpole and that really disappoints me. We’ll see what tomorrow’s sessions bring”. Eugene Laverty found a good feeling with his RSV4 and the Assen track quickly, putting a seventh place time on the boards in the first session. He maintained the good feeling even on the wet track, a condition that Eugene had the chance to tackle in the afternoon qualifiers. So the foundation has been laid and all that’s left now is to see what the weather brings tomorrow and to choose which path to follow in view of the races. “The important thing today was to get into the top sixteen in order to secure a spot in Superpole in case it rains tomorrow. The feeling with the bike on dry track is promising, but I was also able to get around the track on the wet without any particular problems. No matter what the conditions are tomorrow, I’m confident I can do well. Depending on the weather, we’ll decide which set up to work on in view of the races, where our goal is still to get on the podium”. More, from a press release issued by Effenbert Liberty Racing Team: Guintoli faster than the rain! The Franch top rider first in Q1 The Effenbert Liberty Racing Team started good in the third round of the WSBK 2012, obtaining, from the first qualifying session, an excellent result, giving continuity to Friday’s the positive trend, started at Phillip Island, continued in Imola and confirmed here on Dutch track. On the technical circuit in Assen, the Superbike team, composed by the Czech Jakub Smrž, the French Sylvain Guintoli and Maxime Berger and the Canadian Brett McCormick has ended the Q1 with amazing chronometric data. Suddenly an intensive rain has reshuffled the cards on the table giving to the riders just a few laps, and finally the winner was our Sylvain Guintoli. The French, riding the Ducati 1198, was the best in the first three laps with the track still dry, stopping the time on 1 “37’6 and obtaining the first position. Well also the countryman Maxime Berger, shut it with the 9th position behind Melandri and the team mate Jakub Smrz finished 12th. Remarkable was the Brett McCormick’s performance, who improved his performance compared to the morning session. By analysis of data recorded we can see that his gap from the leading group is gradually decreased, due to a better feeling with the bike and the great capacity of adaptation to the tracks. Let us remember that the Canadian rookie doesn’t know the circuits and had the opportunity to study and test them only by video games. At the moment, all 4 boys of Effenbert Liberty Racing Team, whatever the conditions will be on Saturday, will fight in the Superpole, which will be played tomorrow. The great work of the team has allowed all riders have the right setup of their bikes both for wet and dry track conditions, demonstrating once again the professionalism and commitment of our Team. More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: CHECA (ALTHEA RACING) CLOSES FIRST SBK QUALIFYING AT ASSEN IN FOURTH POSITION Assen (The Netherlands), Friday 20th April 2012: Very mixed conditions today at the TT Circuit of Assen where the third round of the World Superbike Championship is taking place this weekend. The Althea Racing team is ready for the challenge that bad weather may present, and will line up on race day with its two riders Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano. This morning the Superbike riders were out on track for the first free practice session. On a cold but dry track (16ËšC) Carlos and Davide got straight down to work. By mid-session Checa was lapping in under 1m39 and he continued to lower his times from there on in. In the final minutes he recorded a fast lap of 1m37.7, his best of the session, which assured him of overall second position at the session’s end. Giugliano made good progress during the 45 minutes available, registering his best lap time in the final phase of the session. A best of 1m38.5 positioned him eleventh at the end of this first free practice. In the afternoon’s qualifying session the track temperature went down to 8 degrees. Carlos went straight out, making a couple of immediately fast laps which placed him fourth. Davide, lying in nineteenth position after the first couple of laps was still working to find his rhythm when, just minutes after the session opened, rain began to fall, forcing all riders to return to the pits. It was of course impossible to improve on lap times after that and so riders instead used the available time to test wet set-ups. The Althea Racing team will continue to work tomorrow, despite the fact that weather conditions for race day remain a complete unknown. Carlos Checa: “I was aware that rain could catch us out at any time and that I therefore needed to make some fast laps right away, in the first minutes, also because if it rains tomorrow morning, today’s session will be what sets the positions for the Superpole. So I’m fairly satisfied, we’re fourth for now and will continue to work on set-ups tomorrow so that we are prepared for Sunday’s races, whatever the conditions.” Davide Giugliano: “We went back on track when it started to rain hard but unfortunately we left it late and in the short time available I was unable to find the right feeling. I hope that it doesn’t rain tomorrow morning for second qualifying because starting from 19th place will not be easy from that grid position the first corner is a long way off and you see nothing. If, on the other hand, we have the chance to fight it out in the Superpole even if it’s a wet one we can at least try to improve our position. So I hope for a dry one tomorrow, then if it rains on race day I don’t mind as I’ve always gone ok in the wet here.” More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: Team Crescent FIXI Suzuki’s Leon Camier put in the third-fastest time in today’s rain-hit opening Qualifying session at the Assen World Superbike Championship round in Holland as team mate John Hopkins slithered to 13th. Camier got out quickly and made the most of the session while it was dry and before the rain started to fall at the Dutch circuit, putting in his fastest time of 1:38.468 in the opening laps. Hopkins, who went out later and was immediately into the wet conditions, was less fortunate and only did two laps, but both GSX-R1000-mounted riders are confident of more to come from both of them tomorrow, rain or shine. Leon Camier – 3rd, 1:38.468: “In the morning we started with a hard tyre, but the grip level wasn’t so good – probably because the track was quite cold – so we changed to a softer one after about eight or nine laps. I put in some reasonable times and I’m confident I can go quicker given more dry laps. We had an idea that the rain would come in afternoon qualifying, so we made a plan to get out on the track as soon as the session started – and it worked! It began drizzling before the end of the first lap, but I managed to set a good time – third fastest – and I’m happy that our idea worked out so well. If it rains in tomorrow’s qualifying session, we know we’ve qualified for Superpole and that’s a good start.” John Hopkins – 13th, 1:39.624: “My hand feels pretty good and I feel a lot stronger physically than I did in Imola. Assen is a less-physical circuit and this morning I felt at home on the bike almost straight away. There’s been a few changes to the circuit since I last rode here in 2009 so there’s a few parts I have to learn. I’m comfortable on the parts I already know well, so it’s just a question of improving in a couple of places. I have a really positive feeling about the Crescent GSX-R today. I’ve ridden loads of laps round here in the wet so it’s not going to be a problem if it rains. We got caught out a little bit at the start of this afternoon’s qualifying session, but our aim was to finish in the top 16 and we achieved that goal.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “We started the day well this morning and both riders managed to get some laps in and get used to the track. The hard tyres didn’t work so well because the track was a bit cold and slippery so we switched to some softer ones later in the session and were able to go quicker. Leon’s happy with the bike and could’ve pushed harder if he had needed to. John’s in really good spirits and his hand was strong enough for him to push hard in the sections he knew. All he has to do now is to work on the areas he doesn’t know so well, but he’s a quick learner so I have no doubt that he’ll improve considerably. “In the afternoon, Leon got out very early and was able to put in a quick lap before the rain came down and made sure of a good position going into tomorrow’s qualifying and Superpole. John didn’t get out as quick, and only did two laps, but I’m happy because he finished well inside the top 16 – ahead of the likes of Haslam, Biaggi and Aoyama.”