Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Fujiwara overcomes strong challenge from Vermeulen

By Glenn LeSanto

Katsuaki Fujiwara got the better of a race-long battle with Chris Vermeulen to take victory at the debut World Supersport race of the 2003 season.

Pole sitter Fujiwara took the hole shot on his Alstare Suzuki, followed by the two Ten Kate Honda boys Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge. The three quickly put distance in between themselves and the pack and looked set for a race-long battle.

But things changed on lap four when Chris Vermeulen tried an audacious overtaking manoeuvre, poking his CBR600 up the inside of Muggeridge. The pair touched mid-turn, pushing Muggeridge wide. Muggeridge lost momentum and was quickly swallowed up by the second group.

Vermeulen then set off after Fujiwara and caught and passed him on the next lap. Fujiwara tucked in behind Vermeulen and contented himself with watching Vermeulen’s strong, and weak, spots. As Vermeulen’s tyres started to suffer late in the race Fujiwara made his move, claiming first place on lap 19 and holding onto it until the flag as Vermeulen’s challenge faded.

Behind them a scrap for third turned fierce and several riders exited the fight via the gravel trap. That left the way clear for Alessio Corradi, Christophe Cogan and Jorg Teuchert to take the battle for third to the line. In the end it was Italian Corradi who took the final podium place on his Yamaha R6 after charging through the pack.

Valenica World Supersport Race Results:

1. Katsuaki Fujiwara, Suzuki GSX-R600, 23 laps, 38:10.992
2. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR600RR, -4.565 seconds
3. Alessio Corradi, Yamaha YZF-R6, -12.889 seconds
4. Christophe Cogan, Honda CBR600RR, -13.125 seconds
5. Jorg Teuchert, Yamaha YZF-R6, -13.310 seconds
6. Karl Muggeridge, Honda CBR600RR, -16.777 seconds
7. Broc Parkes, Honda CBR600RR, -17.193 seconds
8. Christian Kellner, Yamaha YZF-R6, -17.513 seconds
9. Jurgen Vd Goorbergh, Yamaha YZF-R6, -20.091 seconds
10. Werner Daemen, Honda CBR600RR, -20.854 seconds
11. Pere Riba, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, -33.937 seconds
12. Simone Sanna, Yamaha YZF-R6, -34.739 seconds
13. Michael Schulten, Honda CBR600RR, -37.724 seconds
14. Fabien Foret, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, -39.501 seconds
15. Matthieu Lagrive, Yamaha YZF-R6, -40.664 seconds
16. Kenan Sofuoglu, Yamaha YZF-R6, -42.290 seconds
17. Stefano Cruciani, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, -54.683 seconds
18. Iain MacPherson, Honda CBR600RR, -66.145 seconds
19. Kai Andersen, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, -75.445 seconds
20. Didier Vankeymeulen, Kawasaki ZX-6RR, -86.724 seconds
DNF. Robert Ulm, Honda CBR600RR, -4 laps
DNF. Gianluigi Scalvini, Honda CBR600RR, -20 laps



More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing:

HONDA CBR600RR TAKES DEBUT PODIUM FINISH

Ten Kate Honda rider Chris Vermeulen took the all-new CBR600RR machine to runner-up place in Sunday’s opening round of the World Supersport championship at Valencia, Spain as Japan¹s Katsuaki Fujiwara ran out winner.

Vermeulen led for 14 of the 23 laps but the young Australian rider was forced to settle for second place and 20 world championship points. Vermeulen reported: “With everything being new and the conditions so different to the test here last week we had no experience of a full race distance and that was the difference.”

He continued: “The race was a good one, apart from nearly taking out my team-mate Karl Muggeridge on the fourth lap ­ I got in too deep and couldn’t stop. It’s great to get some points on the board straight away and it’s my home round next so I have to be happy.”

Christophe Cogan grabbed a hard-earned fourth place ­ behind Alessio Corradi ­as the Frenchman took advantage of the new CBR600RR for a higher finish than at any time in 2002.

Cogan said: “I was in a fight with two other riders and it was very difficult to pass. Last year I had too many crashes so I thought it was better to have a safe ride and finish the first round of the year. We only just got everything ready in time for this race so to take fourth place is a small miracle.”

Behind fifth-placed Jorg Teuchert came Karl Muggeridge on the second of the Ten Kate Hondas. Sixth place was reward for a tough race after Muggeridge had been as high as second and as low as seventh in a thrilling 23-lap affair.

Muggeridge explained: “I had a bit of trouble with my brakes throughout the race but I’ll take sixth place and some points. When Chris (Vermeulen) hit me on the fourth lap I lost all momentum and then seemed to be attacked from all angles! I almost lost the front too so a finish was good enough today.”

Cogan’s BKM team-mate Broc Parkes made his World Supersport debut and scooped seventh place for his efforts, all after a difficult build-up to and problems during the championship opener.

He said: “Seventh’s not too bad for my first Supersport race. I made a good start but didn’t push hard enough in the opening laps. Then my left shoulder, which I injured in a crash on Friday, started hurting and it was getting harder to change direction towards the end of the race. It’s my home track next at Phillip Island and we’ll be doing a lot of work to the machine so things are OK.”

Van Zon Honda’s Werner Daemen took 10th place, he explained: “I made an almost perfect start but was hit twice in the first two corners, each time by the Turkish rider Sofuoglu. From 17th place I tried hard to close the gap to the front but in doing so wrecked the rear tyre, then I hit the back of Broc Parkes and almost crashed.”

A struggling Iain MacPherson finished 18th, he said: “Something happened with the machine from this morning’s warm-up to the race.­ I was struggling to keep up and about four seconds off the pace so we’ll have a look at the
data-logging later and find out what went wrong. I was desperate to finish though.”

Both Klaffi Honda riders, Robert Ulm and Gianluigi Scalvini crashed out without injury. Scalvini fell from 18th place on the fourth lap, admitting: “I missed a gear and had no choice but to run wide and crash.”

Ulm fell from eighth place with three laps to go, at the first corner of the Valencia track. Ulm said: “I lost the front, trying too hard on the exit of the first corner, it was a very fast crash but I’m OK.”

World Supersport championship points after one of 11 rounds:
1 Fujiwara 25
2 Vermeulen 20
3 Corradi 16
4 Cogan 13
5 Teuchert 11
6 Muggeridge 10
7 Parkes 9
8 Kellner 8
9 Van den Goorbergh 7
10 Daemen 6

Manufacturers points:
1 Suzuki 25
2 Honda 20
3 Yamaha 16
4 Kawasaki 5

Next round: March 30 ­ Phillip Island, Australia.


More, from a press release issued by Team Yamaha Belgarda:

Date: Sunday 2nd March 2003
Circuit: Ricardo Tormo, Comunitat Valenciana, 4.005 kms- Race: 23 laps, 92.115 kms
Crowd: 35000; Weather: Dry, mostly overcast 18 degrees C

SMALL PROBLEM PREVENTS PODIUM FOR JURGEN!
Team Yamaha Belgarda rider Jurgen Van Den Goorbergh was on his way to a dream podium at Valencia today until a small problem dropped him down the order after nine laps of the race. After problems in practice, Jurgen was competitive almost from the start and was comfortably in third spot, when he had a problem whilst adjusting his clutch lever. He lost use of his clutch and brake for a moment and had to re-adjust them whilst still racing and dropped seven places in the process. He managed to get up to ninth, but the wasn’t long enough for him to make further progress. His team mate made a cautious start to his World Supersport career, but still managed to pick up four points for his twelfth place. Today’s 23-lap race featured a superb head-to-head battle between Katsuaki Fujiwara (Suzuki) and Chris Vermeulen (Honda). The pair of them left the rest of the field for dead after just a few laps and then waged their own personal war round the twisty 4.005 kilometre Ricardo Tormo circuit. But when Vermeulen made a small mistake, Fujiwara was able to take control and from them on in he was never headed on his way to victory. Vermeulen finished runner-up, with Alessio Corradi (Yamaha) third.

JURGEN VAN DEN GOORBERGH – 9TH
Well that wasn’t bad for my World Supersport debut, but it could’ve been a lot better. The felt pretty good this morning and I knew I could put in a good performance. I passed a few riders in the early stages and then I had a little problem with the clutch and rear brake while I was trying to adjust it. Doing that lost me time and places and from then it was hard to get back into contention. I think I showed today that I can challenge for the podium and I’m really looking forward to the next race at Phillip Island. It’s a track I like and one where I go well, so I think I can make the podium.

SIMONE SANNA – 12TH
Well, that went OK and for my first Supersport World Championship race, I think I have to be satisfied. Of course, if I had qualified higher up the grid, then I would’ve probably got a much better result, but it’s early days yet. I have to get used to so many riders around me going into turns and that means getting more confident about what I’m doing. Also, a slower rider in front had some fuel spilling from his bike, so I had to take it easy until I passed him. The Yamaha Belgarda R6 is going well and I’m looking forward to the next round at Phillip Island. I’m really happy to get the first race out of the way and I’m sure I’ll get better and better as the season goes on.


More, from a press release issued on behalf of Ten Kate Honda:

Podium finish for Ten Kate Honda

Ten Kate Honda enjoyed a great start to the 2003 World Supersport championship with Chris Vermeulen finishing a hard-fought race in second place.

Vermeulen led the race for 14 of the 23 laps but had to settle for second after Katsuaki Fujiwara squeezed by on lap 19.

“While I’d obviously prefer a win anytime, I’m very happy with the result,” said a smiling Vermeulen after the race. “It’s great to get the season off to such a good start and nobody wins every race. My team has worked really hard to make the new CBR600RR instantly competitive, and I’m sure there’s yet more to come.”

Team mate Karl Muggeridge had to settle for sixth after being second placed early in the race. “At the start it felt really good, but when Chris got by me we just touched and I lost the tow and fell back into the second group,” said Muggeridge. “I tried a bit too hard to make up the ground and made a couple of little mistakes. But the bike feels really competitive and I’m looking forward to the next race back in home in Australia.”

While he would also have preferred a win, team manager Ronald ten Kate was smiling after the race, “To have two riders in the first six at the first race with a brand-new bike shows just how good the package of Honda, Pirelli and WP is, and things will only get better as we get more track time on the bike.”


More, from a press release issued on behalf of Van Zon Honda:

Top ten finish for Van Zon Honda TKR at opening race

Werner Daemen took his all-new Honda CBR600RR to a tenth place finish in a hard-fought Supersport race.

“I had a good race, except for the start,” said Werner, “I got bumped by another rider, in both turn one and turn two! By then I was four seconds behind the second pack of riders. I fried my tyres trying to catch them so that was it for me.”

Werner’s best lap time of 1’39.247 showed that had he got a good start, he would have been right up there mixing it with the top finishers.

It wasn’t such a good race for Werner’s new team mate Iain MacPherson who slipped back down the field after his Honda CBR600RR developed a small fault in the fuel system. Despite the problem which left his bike unable to rev out properly, MacPherson refused to pull in and kept going to the end of the race.