2005 World Supersport championship, round 12 Magny-Cours, France – Sunday, 9 October 2005 FUJIWARA BATTLES TO BRAVE SEVENTH Katsuaki Fujiwara finished seventh in today’s final World Supersport championship race at Magny-Cours in France. The Japanese rider broke his hand in a practice crash at Imola a week ago and, despite qualifying in fifth place, fought through the pain barrier to complete 23 gruelling laps of the 4.4km French circuit. He was rewarded by retaining third place in the overall series standings. His team-mate for the weekend, Dutchman Arie Vos, enjoyed an eventful debut for the Winston Ten Kate Honda team as he replaced injured world champion Sébastien Charpentier. The 29-year-old had fought his way up to sixth place by mid-race distance but slid off on lap 16. Refusing to let go of his Honda CBR600RR, Vos remounted to finish a creditable eleventh. Ronald ten Kate team manager: “Well, the season didn’t finish on a high because of the situation with Sébastien and Kats struggling with injury, but there have definitely been some highlights this weekend. Kats managed to secure third place in the championship with his brave ride to seventh today. Arie’s substitute ride was great, apart from the small crash he had in the race. Before that, it was clear he was on for a top seven finish, which would have been a fantastic result for him. All our eyes are now focused on preparing for the 2006 season when we will be going all out for our fifth consecutive World Supersport title.” Katsuaki Fujiwara seventh “The race was very tiring and 23 laps on my hand was just a bit too much. I have had it in ice for most of the weekend when I have not been riding but trying to use the clutch with a broken finger is very painful. I tried my best and it was very important for me and the team to finish third in the championship. I am pleased about that and now I can go and pick up my FIM medal tonight. Thank you to the whole team for a fantastic season. Some more wins would have been nice but, for my first year on the Honda CBR, it’s not so bad.” Arie Vos eleventh “It’s just been an amazing experience and an honour for me to spend the weekend riding for the Winston Ten Kate Honda team. The whole set-up is so professional and well-organised and it’s been a privilege to be a part of it. Sébastien’s help was vital to help me learn the circuit and I was feeling quite comfortable until I lost the front. Luckily, it wasn’t too fast so I was able to pick up the bike and carry on. I’m sorry that happened because the team has been fantastic and it would have been great to bring the bike home in one piece for a better result.” World Supersport, Magny-Cours results (23 laps, 101.453km): 1 Broc Parkes AUS (Yamaha) 40m12.350s, 2 Kevin Curtain AUS (Yamaha) +0.750s, 3 Michel Fabrizio ITA (Honda) +1.215, 4 Fabien Foret FRA (Honda) +4.098, 5 Javier Fores ESP (Suzuki) +21.623, 6 Johan Stigefelt SWE (Honda) +23.448, 7 Katsuaki Fujiwara JPN (Winston Ten Kate Honda) +30.108, 8 Stephane Chambon FRA (Honda) +32.144, 9 Gianluca Nannelli ITA (Ducati) +32.408, 10 Mattieu Lagrive FRA (44.378, 11 Arie Vos NED (Winston Ten Kate Honda) +49.939. Final championship points: Sébastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) 210, Curtain 187, Fujiwara 149, Foret 144, Fabrizio 38, Parkes 125, Chambon 94, Nannelli 88, Fores 71, Tauto Lauslehto FIN (Honda) 60. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki: Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Javi Fores finished the season with a hard-fought-for fifth at Magny-Cours today. The Spaniard made a good start, but Yamaha riders Parkes and Curtain together with the Honda duo of Fabrizio and Foret made a break early on and left Fores behind. Javi Fores – 5th: “I had a really good race after a good start, when I overtook Chambon. Halfway through the race I started having problems with my front tyre and had two big slides. From then on in, I decided to pace myself and get a good fifth place. I am very happy with the result and would like to thank my team who have worked so well for me.” Supersport Results: 1 Parkes (AUS-Yamaha), 2 Curtain (AUS-Yamaha), 3 Fabrizio (I-Honda), 4 Foret (F-Honda), 5 Javi Fores (E-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 6 Stigefelt (S-Honda), 7 Fujiwara (J-Honda), 8 Chambon (F-Honda), 9 Nannelli (I-Ducati), 10 Lagrive (F-Suzuki). Final Supersport Points: 1 Charpentier 210, 2 Curtain 187, 3 Fujiwara 149, 4 Foret 144, 5 Fabrizio 138, 6 Parkes 125, 7 Chambon 94, 8 Nannelli 88, 9 Fores (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 71, 10 Lauslehto 60. More, from a press release issued by Honda Racing Information: FABRIZIO TAKES PODIUM FINISH AFTER POLE TRIUMPH Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) may have been forced out of participation in the final race of the Supersport season due to injury but the on-track action throughout the 23-lap Magny Cours event was as fast and furious as ever. Pole position rider Michel Fabrizio (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) took a new race lap record on his way to third place, one position ahead of his team-mate Fabien Foret (Team Italia Megabike Honda CBR600RR) as they chased home Broc Parkes and Kevin Curtain (Yamaha). Katsuaki Fujiwara (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) battled hard to finish the race in seventh position, overcoming a painful finger injury, which plagued him with greatest severity around the heavy braking sections of the 4.411km Magny Cours circuit. Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR stand-in rider Arie Vos finished 11th, despite a mid race fall. Tatu Lauslehto ended his season with a 12th place in the Magny Cours race, but with a tenth place in the championship fight overall. Honda’s final margin of victory in the manufacturer’s championship was an impressive 78, scoring a total of 270 points from a possible 300. For Fabrizio, Magny Cours was a great end to a hard championship season, in which he finished overall fifth, on 138 points. “I had a big battle with Kevin Curtain and Fabien and it would have been easier to fight for the win if I did not have to get involved in such a big fight,” said Fabrizio. “But it was a great race for the fans.” Fujiwara’s determination to overcome his hand injury and recent spate of misfortune meant he held onto third in the championship itself, five points clear of Foret, 149 to 144. ‘Kats’ won two races in his debut Honda season, at Qatar and Monza. “The race was very tiring and 23 laps with my sore hand was a bit too much,” said Fujiwara. “Trying to use the clutch with a broken finger is very painful. I tried my best and it was very important for me and the team to finish third in the championship. I am pleased about that and I can go and pick up my FIM medal tonight.” Foret gave his all as usual, with the impetus of the local crowd not quite enough to overcome his mid race fade in pace. His championship fourth place was backed up by the race win at Assen. “I tried very hard to get away with the leaders but it wasn’t possible,” said Foret. “I had a big fight with Curtain and Michel, but at half distance my tyres were going off. I had to slow down or risk a crash. It’s very frustrating because I knew I had to finish on the podium to have a chance to take third overall.” Vos kept hold of his machine as he fell at low speed, remounting immediately to charge close to a top ten finish. “I was feeling quite comfortable until I lost the front,” said Vos. “Luckily it wasn’t too fast, so I was able to pick up the bike and carry on. I’m sorry that happened because the team has been fantastic and it would have been great to bring the bike home and in one piece for a better result.” Lauslehto scored good points at another new track for him, and in finishing 12th in the race, he went tenth in the overall championship fight. He was not satisfied with his raceday, however. “I had a lot of problems with grip today,” said Lauslehto, “and therefore I could not make the push I wanted to get closer to the top ten in race conditions.”