Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn Le Santo

Brits dominate in wet Brands Hatch World Superbike qualifying

Heavy rain marked the first timed qualifying session for this weekend’s massive World Superbike Championship meeting held at the historic Brands Hatch circuit in South-East England.

Although Ruben Xaus was able to nip into provisional pole ahead of Chris Walker on the HM Plant Ducati right at the close of the session, no less than seven British riders in the top ten head the provisional grid. Walker was demoted to second by a last-gasp charge by Xaus on the factory Ducati.

Regis Laconi made it to provisional third, he’s holding back a tide of wild card riders headed up by Renegade Ducati rider Leon Haslam, young son of former GP star ‘Rocket’ Ron Haslam. Sean Emmett riding a privateer Ducati heads up the provisional second row in front of John Reynolds on the first of the two Rizla Suzukis. James Toseland, who’s shown promising form so far this year, lies in seventh ahead of yet another wild card rider, Michael Rutter.



Friday’s World Superbike Qualifying Results:

1. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 999F03, 1:36.441
2. Chris Walker, Ducati 998F02, 1:36.575
3. Regis Laconi, Ducati 998RS, 1:36.598
4. Leon Haslam, Ducati 998RS, 1:37.482
5. Sean Emmett, Ducati 998RS, 1:37.756
6. John Reynolds, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:37.783
7. James Toseland, Ducati 998F02, 1:37.825
8. Michael Rutter, Ducati 998F02, 1:37.830
9. Shane Byrne, Ducati 998F02, 1:37.984
10. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, 1:38.722
11. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.512
12. Yukio Kagayama, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.521
13. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 999F03, 1:39.535
14. Sergio Fuertes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:39.638
15. Dean Ellison, Ducati 996, 1:39.768
16. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:40.245
17. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:40.443
18. Alex Gramigni, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:40.689
19. James Haydon, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:40.924
20. Juan Borja, Ducati 998RS, 1:41.570
21. Nick Medd, Ducati 998RS, 1:41.663
22. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 1:41.890
23. steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, 1:42.303
24. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda RC51, 1:42.335
25. Giancarlo De Matteis, Ducati 998RS, 1:42.540
26. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, 1:44.018
27. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, 1:44.372
28. Jiri Mrkyvka, Ducati 998RS, 1:45.089
29. Redamo Assirelli, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:45.185
30. Luca Pedersoli, Ducati 998RS, 1:46.864


More, from a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

A Walker on water

Chris Walker backed up his pre-event pledge and gave his legion of fans something to cheer about at the Brands Hatch European round of the Superbike World Championship – the biggest event on championship calendar.

In conditions that could only be described as atrocious, the HM Plant Ducati rider put on a breathtaking display of skill and bravery to take second place on the provisional grid for Sunday’s Superbike double-header. His team-mate James Toseland took a slightly different approach to the session, literally preferring to test the waters with a brisk but reserved seventh place time of 1:37.825, in preparation for Saturday’s second qualifying and Superpole.

The unpredictable nature of the British climate is something UK residents have become accustomed to, however riding a 190bhp Superbike through heavy rain and standing water is a different story all together. Unfortunately, this was the unenviable task that faced the HM Plant Ducati riders when they tackled first qualifying for the ninth round of the series.

After riding injured for several rounds, Walker is determined to make an impact in front of the team’s home crowd. The 31-year-old rider from Nottingham dominated the majority of the timed session. After feeling his way around the slightly revised Grand Prix circuit for the first 20 minutes, the second half of the session saw him turn up the heat considerably – despite the terrible weather. Walker started out fast and just got faster, but he saw provisional pole snatched away from him by Spaniard Ruben Xaus in a last lap charge that left the Brit with no time to retaliate.

“I’ve raced at Brands quite a few times in the past,” said Walker, “but the track conditions round the back of the GP circuit are as bad as I’ve ever seen them. Everybody was taking it easy for the first half of the session and I spent a bit of time getting dialled in, but after a few laps I knew that my Dunlop wets were spot-on and that we had some great settings for the HM Plant Ducati, so I decided to wind it up a bit. It’s supposed to dry out over the weekend which will be better for the fans but I don’t think I’ve ever felt so comfortable in conditions like those and it won’t faze me at all if it keeps on raining.”

James Toseland posted the seventh fastest time of the day. With experienced riders such as Michael Rutter, Frankie Chili, Gregorio Lavilla and Neil Hodgson all circulating slower than the 22-year-old sensation, he is in a strong position for Saturday’s qualifying.

“Chris seems to be on a mission this weekend,” said Toseland. “But for me there wasn’t much point in pushing so early in conditions as bad as those. It was just a case of getting dialled in and sussing the tyres to start with – then everybody upped the pace a bit at the end. The wild cards are always strong in Britain and they didn’t have anything to lose by giving it some today, but the weather forecast is better for tomorrow and if it’s right, today’s times will be blown away.”


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Rain obstructs Foggy PETRONAS Racing set-up at Brands Hatch

Appalling weather conditions robbed Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and James Haydon of valuable set-up time on the first day of round nine of the World Superbike championship at Brands Hatch.

Constant rain left standing water on certain sections of the track, in particular the newly-extended sections around Dingle Dell. On the FP1’s first competitive action at the circuit, and with seven wild card riders demonstrating their local knowledge of the Kent circuit, the team had hoped that dry conditions would aid optimum data collection in advance of Sunday’s two races.

James Haydon finished the first practice session in 12th and managed to reduce his lap time during the afternoon’s torrential rain with a best time of 1:41.581, 19th fastest. Team-mate Troy Corser was 17th in both sessions, improving his morning time by nearly two seconds to 1:40.443.

James said: “The conditions were unbelievable, with a lot of standing water, and are probably the worst I have ridden in. It was so dark it was like riding at night. I tried a few different set-ups, none of which were perfect, and I was struggling for front end grip, especially on the left-hand side. But I had forgotten how valuable it is to know which way you are going round a circuit, which made the weather even more frustrating as I know what I need to do round here. I had trained really hard for this event but I am hardened to the task in hand by now.”

Troy said: “I hope it is dry tomorrow because the engine feels more responsive, probably due to the cooler temperature. It’s hard to find a dry line through the new sections as the water is just lying there. But I have managed to get the set-up balanced so that I am reasonably happy with it. I tried a full treaded front at the end and dropped nearly a second and a half and it will be okay if I could get the same feel in the rear.”


More, from a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks:

Third Laconi in a wet Brands Hatch

Bad surprise this morning for the rider at Brands Hatch in the practice’s debut day for the ninth round of World Superbike: an appalling rain scourged the circuit along all the practice time. That’s been a perfect occasion for a challenge between the British rain master riders and the riders from the continent, as at the end have been the winners. Regis Laconi, as third fastest in today’s first qualifying, is the fastest rider on a “replica” bike in a group of eleven factory bikes. The 998RS Ducati Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks has recorded the highest top speed in the speed trap placed in the Hawthorn Hill straight.

“I’m rather satisfied for the moment.” – said Laconi at the end of the practices – “I could grab a faster laptime i the last lap available, but I found a parked rider in the last split and I’ve lost a lot of time to pass. I preferred to went out to get the best feeling with the different tyres and so I mounted the best tyre late in the session. So I hadn’t enough time to try a faster lap, otherwise I believe that I could be a bit faster. The bike performs very well and the engine push hardly. The new track’s profile look to be more safe, also if in the new part the grip in wet conditions isn’t the best.”

Also satisfied at the end of the day Giancarlo De Matteis; the rider native from Sanremo, who replaces the injured Garcia, had never seen neither the track nor the bike, but has been however able to grab a laptime good enough to be qualified, while a total of five rider are at the moment out of qualifying limit.

“I’m quite satisfied about this debut day.” – told at the end De Matteis – “I’m confident to be faster. Actually I’ve not selected the easiest occasion for this debut, on a very hard track and in wet conditions! At the beginning of the session we had a small trouble at the electronic gear, but it has been easily solved. More another problem has been that I’m not allowed to take part at the morning’s free practice session this morning, because after a terrific fly travel yesterday I arrived to late to be present at the compulsory briefing session, and I’ve not admitted to the first free practice session. So I’m confident that tomorrow I’ll be able to do a bit better.”


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

XAUS (DUCATI FILA) GRABS PROVISIONAL POLE AS HODGSON SETS 13TH QUICKEST TIME IN FRIDAY QUALIFYING

Ruben Xaus (Ducati Fila) was the master of the appalling weather conditions in Friday qualifying at Brands Hatch as the Spanish rider put in a quick lap at the end of the session to take provisional pole. Championship leader Neil Hodgson found the going tough on the wet and slippery tarmac and could only set thirteenth quickest time.

Ruben, winner of three of the last four races, was feeling confident after knocking Chris Walker off the top slot with a 1:36.441 lap.

“There’s too much water out there and it’s too cold to heat the tyres up quickly” said Ruben. “I went out to get a good feeling with the different tyres and to get to know how my 999 behaves around Brands Hatch. I wanted to do many laps with that pace in those conditions and I did it. The feeling wasn’t that bad, we tried different set-ups and I’m quite happy for the moment. I’m trying to do as many laps as possible, even in the wet and although the feeling is not the same as in the dry and the track is bumpy, it’s important to do that because we have already missed one day in dry conditions”.

Despite only clocking thirteenth quickest time with a 1:39.535 lap, Neil was not too downhearted with his performance and was confident for tomorrow’s final qualifying sessions.

“I’m getting there now in these conditions and I don’t feel I’m too far off the pace” declared Neil. “I didn’t have a very good feeling early on so now I’m going faster nearly every lap and feeling more and more confident. In my career in wet conditions, I’ve always been slow at the beginning and it takes me a lot to get the right feeling. I need more and more laps to generate more heat in the tyres to get more grip to go faster. It works like that in the wet but today it was a pity because in the final part of the session while the others were improving, my visor misted up and I had to stop and it broke my rhythm”.


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

TROY TAKES IT STEADY IN THE WET.

The first day of qualifying for the eighth round of the Superbike World Champion ship at Brands Hatch was blighted by wet conditions and Troy and
the rest of the riders took it fairly steadily. With the weather scheduled to improve for tomorrow and raceday on Sunday, nobody wanted to risk crashing so early on in the proceedings. Brands Hatch has a new section at Dingle Dell this year and the tarmac there was more slippery then the rest of the track, so caution was the name of the game today. With less tyres to try then his competitors, Troy used today to re-familiarise himself with the track and try and find a good set=up for his Petronas FP1. As the
conditions improved a little in the afternoon, Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Ducati) claimed provisional pole, with Chris Walker (Ducati) second. Regis Laconi (Ducati) set the third fastest time, ahead of Leon Haslam (Ducati) – a superb performance from the youngster who was riding a Superbike for the first time.

TROY – 17th, 1:40.443

Well it’s more or less what we thought today, though we only had one rear tyre to try in the first session and that probably hampered our progress.

We got a good front and I am happy with that, but if I could’ve got a rear with the same feeling, I could’ve gone quite a bit quicker. But in the end, if it is dry tomorrow, then we’ll have to start again anyway! Brands isn’t
one of my favourite circuits and the new section feels a bit different to the rest of the track. We were playing with throttle settings today as
well, so I’m not too bothered about positions. We’ll progress tomorrow for sure.