FIM Supersport World Championship Nurburgring, Germany June 14, 2008 Final Qualifying Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Broc PARKES (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:00.015 2. Craig JONES (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.473 3. Josh BROOKES (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.669 4. Andrew PITT (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.727 5. Mark AITCHISON (Triumph Daytona 675), 2:00.965 6. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), 2:00.967 7. Arne TODE (Triumph Daytona 675), 2:01.051 8. Tommy HILL (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.115 9. Barry VENEMAN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 2:01.178 10. Fabien FORET (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:01.202 11. Joan LASCORZ (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.229 12. Robbin HARMS (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.242 13. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.281 14. Jose David DE GEA (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:01.357 15. Didier VAN KEYMEULEN (Suzuki GSX-R600), 2:01.474 16. Gianluca NANNELLI (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.681 17. Ivan CLEMENTI (Triumph Daytona 675), 2:01.693 18. Gianluca VIZZIELLO (Honda CBR600RR), 2:01.915 19. Jeremy CROWE (Yamaha YZF-R6), 2:01.928 20. Chris WALKER (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 2:02.031 More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Pitt fourth on the grid for race at Nurburgring HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Supersport rider Andrew Pitt concluded the second day of qualifying for the German round of the Superbike World Championship on fourth place. The Australian rider was well on the pace throughout the second qualifying session and maintained his front row start. Pitt finished the day in a best of 2’00.727, 0.712s behind pole sitter Broc Parkes. Team mate Jonathan Rea dropped down to 13th place on the grid after issues with the electronics of his CBR600RR halted his plans to improve the time set in the first day of qualifying. He finished the day in a best time of 2’01.281. Andrew Pitt: “I am happy to be on the front row, that makes it a lot easier for tomorrow’s race. I think I could have gone a bit faster, I just didn’t put all the good bits together on my last lap.” “We have the pace and the race pace consistency. We are as quick as anyone over the race distance so we have to put in a good shot tomorrow and have to go for the win.” Jonathan Rea: “Everything was going fine until I went out on my last tire. I was getting more familiarised with the track. Then I went out on the new tire and something went wrong with the machine. I started having problems with the gearbox and started to drop down.” “It’s a bad situation for me starting from fourth row. It’s going to be an uphill race for me tomorrow. The set up of the machine is good so I will be pushing every lap to come forward and hopefully end on the podium.” More, from a press release issued by GIL Kawasaki: Walker and Fujiwara Work Hard In German Qualifying Nurburgring, Germany, 14 June 2008 Chris Walker ended up the best Kawasaki qualifier in his first visit to the Nürburgring, posting a best time of 2’02.031 in the last session and just missing out on a fourth row start. Walker’s GIL Kawasaki team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara returned to the fray after a test in Almeria but found his new base setting little use at the often fast and flowing Nürburgring circuit, as he worked hard to find a good set-up. There was only a couple of tenths between the two Kawasaki Supersport riders, with Fujiwara posting a 2’02.295 lap in qualifying. On Sunday each rider faces a 19-lap contest around the 5.137km Nürburgring circuit, and each is also determined to get points on the board once again. Chris Walker: “We have progressed in every session since we got here and you may expect that at a new circuit, but we have made bigger jumps than we have managed at previous races. So in that respect we have made a step forward. Unfortunately it has not got us that far forward on the grid. A few tenths would have made a big difference to our starting position, so it’s a shame to get that close but not move forward in the grid. We had a breakdown this morning that caused us quite a bit of delay. We had a plan but that went up in the air because we couldn’t work simply with our number one bike. We had to work on our number two chassis and I actually ended up preferring that one anyway. I am also guilty of not being able to just instantly kick it up a level when the guys get the sticky tyres fitted. I can’t make the most of the extra grip available right at the end. I feel I am pushing hard but not hard enough at the moment. I love the track though, it’s absolutely fantastic.” Katsuaki Fujiwara: “It has been quite challenging so far for the set-up of our machine, and the main area of improvement we need now is the gearbox. The suspension and chassis set-up is better than the first day but it’s still a little bit different. Chris and I have quite the same lap time so maybe this setting is close to the maximum we can have without trying another direction. It’s not such an easy track to set-up for anyway here.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Broc Parkes proved unstoppable once more in qualifying on his Yamaha World Supersport machine at the Nurburgring, securing his third pole of the season with a best lap of 2.00.015. Tantalisingly close to being the first rider under the two minute barrier in the return of WSS racing to this iconic circuit, Parkes was quickest in every single practice session, underlining his pre-race dominance not once but four times in all. Parkes team-mate Fabien Foret had a disappointing time in final qualifying, falling from his machine as he went out for a hot lap and having to return to the pit lane to ride his second machine. He was overall tenth after his return to action, 1.187 seconds from Parkes and now starts from the third row. The race on Sunday has particular significance for the top two Yamaha Supersport competitors as Foret is second overall and Parkes third, with Championship leader Joan Lascorz one place behind Foret on the German grid. Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) once again had troubles during qualifying and went 21st on the grid, while David De Gea (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) continued his early day form to go 14th in his comeback ride after injury. Jeremy Crowe (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) was a more than respectable 19th, riding as a substitute for David Salom. Broc Parkes (1st – 2’00.015 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “I made one little mistake on my final flying lap when I missed a corner entry a bit, but the bike is working really well round here. My previous experience of half the circuit really helped me start practice in good shape and we only made little changes to the bike today; just small things here and there. It has been a good weekend so far and I want to keep the hammer down tomorrow because this is the point of the season where I need to win some more races.” Fabien Foret (10th – 2’01.202 – Yamaha World Supersport Team) “I had a bit of a problem after the crash and that held me back a bit. I’m not happy to be where I am on the grid but tomorrow is raceday. I will do my best to get a good finish but I need a decent start and then we’ll take things from there.” Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team) “I’m happy to see Broc take his third pole of the season but it was shame for Fabien to crash on a hot lap trying to improve his position. He had to use his second bike, which was set-up the same but didn’t feel quite the same as the first one. So we will build up his number one bike again and tomorrow he will get his confidence back. His bike is set a bit hard over the bumps for him and we will try to improve that. The lap times are pretty close and we know Fabien is more of a racer than a qualifier. There are a few places to pass here, the biggest thing is the first corner, which is very tight.” Massimo Roccoli (21st – 2’02.078 seconds – Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) “This morning I felt that there was a problem with the electronics on the bike and that stopped us a bit. This afternoon I had the first practice with the bike the way I wanted it. The other problems were with my suspension set-up and the tyre choice. In the rear the bike was jumping across the tarmac. For me the race may be difficult, but if I get a god start I will probably be able to make up some ground and maybe my pace will be the same as the leading group.” More, from a press release issued by Triumph Italia BE1 Racing: Mark Aitchison takes the second line on the starting grid of the World SuperSport sixth round. After having come close to the first row at the end of the second timed session, the Aussie rider of the Team Triumph Italia Be1 Racing finished the qualifying second day recording the fifth best time. Once again the team leaded by Giuliano Rovelli confirms to be one of the best team of the contest. Once again Aitchison showed to have reached an excellent feeling with the Supersport contest and to have learnt how to manage the qualifying session. Tomorrow he will try to capitalize the good work of the last two days with a big performance. As well Ivan Clementi has been able to improve markedly his time after having fixed the several problems which influenced his set-up. Tomorrow he will try to get back into the points. MARK AITCHISON | Triumph 675 | 5th time in 2’00.965: “This morning I wanted to test a different suspensions setting but in the afternoon I went back to yesterday’s trim which was improved and which helped me to cut some tenths off my time. I’m really satisfied with my performance and I hope to play a race as one of the best riders. I will try to be in the leading pack immediately after the start and then keeping the position. My race pace is very quick and usually I’m able to capitalize during the race the work done. I aim to finish into the top-5″. IVAN CLEMENTI | Triumph 675 | 17th time in 2’01.693: “Thanks to a different bike balance I was able to fix the chattering which gave me several problems yesterday. The new setting gave me the opportunity to get back the feeling with the rear and recording a better time. Today’s time raises my spirits and now I feel confident for the race. Getting the most of the points possible will be my goal, in order to recover some positions on the riders ranking”.