FIM Supersport World Championship Magny Cours, France October 8, 2006 Race Results: 1. Sebastien CHARPENTIER (Hon CBR600RR), 22 laps, 38:14.775 2. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR600RR), -3.779 seconds 3. Broc PARKES (Yam YZF-R6), -10.879 seconds 4. Gianluca NANNELLI (Duc 749R), -19.556 seconds 5. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R6), -22.790 seconds 6. Robbin HARMS (Hon CBR600RR), -25.745 seconds 7. Katsuaki FUJIWARA (Hon CBR600RR), -29.437 seconds 8. Johan STIGEFELT (Hon CBR600RR), -31.609 seconds 9. Stephane CHAMBON (Kaw ZX-6RR), -35.190 seconds 10. Yoann TIBERIO (Hon CBR600RR), -37.552 seconds 11. Simone SANNA (Hon CBR600RR), -52.996 seconds 12. Mauro SANCHINI (Yam YZF-R6), -55.346 seconds 13. Gregory LEBLANC (Hon CBR600RR), -55.462 seconds 14. Stuart EASTON (Duc 749R), -59.631 seconds 15. Vesa KALLIO (Yam YZF-R6), -64.252 seconds 27. Chris PERIS (Yam YZF-R6), -14 laps, DNF, mechanical 30. Kevin Curtain, (Yam YZF-R6), -15 laps, DNF, crash Final Supersport World Championship Point Standings (After 12 pf 12 races): 1. Charpentier, 194 points 2. Curtain, 187 points 3. Sofuoglu, 157 points 4. Parkes, 145 points 5. Harms, 117 points 6. Massino Roccoli, 96 points 7. Tiberio, 80 points 8. Stigefelt, 70 points 9. Gianluca Vizziello, 69 points 10. Javier Fores, 49 points 11. Checa, 44 points 12. Gianluca Nannelli, 43 points 13. Fujiwara, 39 points 14. Sanna, 32 points 15. Chambon, 31 points More, from a press release issued by Winston Ten Kate Honda: CHARPENTIER THE CHAMPION AND THE HISTORY MAN Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) won both the Magny-Cours race and the 2006 World Supersport Championship after a stunningly dramatic afternoon of action in his home country of France. The 22-lap race was delayed because of the late finish to SBK Race One, and as Charpentier and Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda) led the running order in the early laps, the championship leader, Kevin Curtain, fell on lap eight. Curtain needed to finish only eighth in the race to win the series, but Charpentier was now clear to win both race and title – and did so in some style, from second placed Sofuoglu and Broc Parkes, Curtain’s team-mate. In taking his second title in as many years, Charpentier made history by becoming the first rider to score back-to-back WSS title wins. Charpentier finished on a points total of 194, Curtain an eventual second on 187 and Sofuoglu went third overall, on 157. Between them, the Winston Ten Kate Honda riders scored eight poles, eight wins and Charpentier scored the fifth straight Riders’ Championship for Honda and the team. Ronald Ten Kate – Team Manager “This is without a single doubt the most emotional and most special championship we have won in Supersport. We had a deep dip in the middle of the season, but we kept fighting hard until the end, and Sebastien rode very well, as did Kenan. I think everybody agrees with us that Seb deserves this title. My regrets got to Kevin Curtain who was a great competitor this season; it was great to race against him. It is five in a row for us now and it is the biggest salute to the Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR. Next year we have a completely new bike, but right now it is difficult for me to find words to describe my feelings. Normally I try to stay like steel and always try to keep things in a quiet mood, but today I am not a man of steel. My emotions are like a volcano, and I want to thank all our partners who worked with us to get this title.” Sebastien Charpentier – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (1st Position and World Champion – 194 points) “When I saw number 11 was out I was not sure completely, because I know Kevin very well and he is a good rider. Yamaha worked very hard this year and sometimes Curtain and Broc Parkes made it very hard for me. Also after my crash in Brno – it was very hard. It was not easy to keep my body at 100%. I think my Winston Ten Kate Honda team is very strong team and they have been perfect. They made a good way for me – and my team-mate made a very good show for the last few races. For me this is a fantastic day because there have been some very difficult moments this year – after the Brno injury and the German race at Lausitz. Thank you so much to Honda, because they show that the CBR600RR has a big possibility to win and I reached my goal of being the first rider to win back-to-back titles.” Kenan Sofuoglu – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider (2nd Position 3rd Overall – 157 points) “I knew we had to work together in the race and so when Sebastien came through I did not try to re-pass him. When I learned that Curtain was out I realised that I could push again and go for the win, and Sebastien would still be champion, but it was a risk, and I still had Parkes behind. I want to be really strong next year and I will give everything to win.” More, from a press release issued by Scuderia SC Caracchi: A FANTASTIC NANNELLI CLOSE ON THE ROSTRUM AT MAGNY COURS Cold and sun shining day at Magny Cours for the race day 0f 2006 World Superbike. As often happened in the last part of the season it has been once more the 749R Supersport to give the best satisfactions to the team. Gianluca Nannelli finished in fourth position, very close to the winners rostrum after a fantastic race, fighting against riders which were challenging the world award. “I must say that I would climb onto the rostrum in this final round!” confessed Gianluca Nannelli after the finish, hugging a smiling Franco Farnè. “It was possible today. I got a good start, running in 6th position at the first split. Unfortunately in front of me I had Curtain and Checa that were fighting very hardly and it wasn’t possible to overtook them, while the leader increased their advantage. When finally I’ve been able to pass I rode in 4th position, but at that moment I had a 9 seconds gap and I was running with the same lap times of the leaders. I select hard tyres for the race, to have the guarantee for the final part, but in the early lap the bike was sliding a little bit. At the end I earned something on Parkes for the 3rd position, but in practice any difference at the end and the gap remained. I’m however quite happy, in the final standing I’m in 12th position with only five races. The team made a splendid work, as always, and it’s fantastic to be a part of such a good group and my wish is to remain with them for next season too.” Also Stuart Easton finished into the points, despite a not brilliant start as Stuart is used to. “At the start I remained prisoner in the group.” commented Stuart at the finish. “It has not been easy to recover positions, but at the end I’ve been able to join a world points position. This season has been just to make experience for me and I would thank the team for their support, despite my inexperience, and also if not has been possible to get a positive result in every race what I learned is very important. I would like to go on with Stefano Caracchi for 2007 too.” No luck today too for Luka Nedog who ended his race crashing in the first lap. “I got a good start, but I felt out in a very fast corner.” – said Luka Nedog back at the pit. “The bike has lost the rear and I made an highside, no injuries for luck, but is not this the way I would to finish the season.” More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Racing: Curtain takes runners-up slot in France Yamaha Motor Germany’s Kevin Curtain took the runners-up spot in the 2006 Supersport World Championship after crashing out at Magny Cours today. The Australian needed to finish eighth or higher to deny Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) the world title for the second year, but crashed out of fourth place on the eighth lap of 22. Charpentier went on to win the race from team-mate Kenan Sofuoglu and become the first rider to win the championship two times. Curtain’s still-injured team-mate Broc Parkes rode a brilliant race to take the final podium position. The Australian, who won at Magny Cours 12 months ago, stayed with the leaders for the opening part of the race but slipped back to take the flag 10 seconds behind the leader. Yamaha GMT94’s David Checa finished fifth at his team’s home race, his best result since taking fourth place at Misano in June, although it was a bad end to the season for Yamaha Team Italia. Massimo Roccoli crashed out at the final chicane on the second lap while team-mate Gianluca Vizziello scored just two points for 14th position. The results see Charpentier win the title by seven points from Curtain, with Sofuoglu taking third ahead of Parkes. Roccoli who, like Curtain and Parkes, won one round on his YZF-R6 this year, ends the year in sixth. Yamaha has re-signed Curtain and Parkes to lead its world supersport challenge in 2006. Roccoli has also demonstrated his commitment to the brand by signing a two year extension to his contract with Yamaha’s Italian distributor, Yamaha Motor Italia. Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) “I just don’t know what to say. It all seemed too good to be true and we came back to reality with a bang. That’s my first race crash of the year and I just can’t believe that it had to happen today. I don’t really know what happened, I was running with Checa and was trying to pull a bit of a gap on him as we had almost touched a few times. I was going through the long left when I just lost the front and went down. I’m feeling down just now but I know that I’ll be able to refocus and come back to challenge for the title next year.” Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) “It’s been a very disappointing day for us and I can’t believe that Kevin hasn’t won the championship. Our team has put so much into this season and after Brands Hatch it seemed that we had two chances at the title. Sebastien has taken the opportunity and I must congratulate him and his team, because they have done a great job. After Assen I lost my own chance of winning the championship when I crashed and got injured, but today I was ready and willing to help Kevin. I thought that he was behind me, in fourth, and it was only when the race finished I knew that he was out. I’m so disappointed for Kevin but I feel that I have ridden well in these last two races. I like this circuit and fully fit I could probably have run with Sebastien and Kenan today. I felt the power drain out of my body at about half distance and I was happy to bring it home on the podium. I want to win the title so badly next year and I’ll be training hard over the winter to make sure that we come back fitter and stronger.” David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) “I got a good start and I thought I had a shot at the podium but the headwind lowered our top speed today. I was chasing Curtain when he just lost the front and I had a similar experience when I lost both wheels. I thought I would crash but the bike picked itself up. I think we showed what we could do today, with a little more power we might have been further up.” Gianluca Vizziello (Yamaha Team Italia) “I destroyed my first bike in the morning warm-up and I had to ride my spare bike in the race, with which I do not have as good a feeling. I tried to get some points for the championship but I am sorry for the team as I could not make a good performance today.” Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia) “I was trying to recover from a bad start when my front wheel touched the kerb and I went down at the final chicane. I’m disappointed, because I lost any chance of fifth in the championship, but it has been a good season with our win at Misano the definite high point.”