FIM Superbike World Championship Valencia, Spain April 11, 2010 Race Two Results (on aggregate time, all on Pirelli tires): 1. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098F10), 23 laps, 36:51.500 2. Carlos CHECA (Ducati 1098R), -0.025 second 3. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -0.299 second 4. Leon HASLAM (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -10.100 seconds 5. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), -12.811 6. Sylvain GUINTOLI (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -13.459 7. James TOSELAND (Yamaha YZF-R1), -14.845 8. Shane BYRNE (Ducati 1098R), -14.861 9. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Yamaha YZF-R1), -15.202 10. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), -18.071 11. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), -25.179 12. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), -26.116 13. Lorenzo LANZI (Ducati 1098R), -30.189 14. Luca SCASSA (Ducati 1098R), -30.387 15. Tom SYKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -35.741 16. Andrew PITT (BMW S1000 RR), -43.244 17. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Honda CBR1000RR), -43.540 18. Roland RESCH (BMW S1000 RR), -47.145 19. Roger HAYDEN (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -48.502 20. Matteo BAIOCCO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -51.838 21. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098F10), -8 laps, DNF, retired 22. Leon CAMIER (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -11 laps, DNF, crash 23. Simon ANDREWS (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -20 laps, DNF, crash 24. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Honda CBR1000RR), -20 laps, DNF, crash World Championship Point Standings (after 6 of 26 races): 1. Haslam, 123 points 2. Biaggi, 105 3. Checa, 80 4. Haga, 79 5. Rea, 60 6. TIE, Toseland/Guintoli, 50 8. TIE, Fabrizio/Corser, 46 10. Crutchlow, 41 11. Byrne, 33 12. Camier, 32 13. Lanzi, 26 14. Smrz, 20 15. Xaus, 19 16. Sykes, 13 17. Neukirchner, 8 18. Scassa, 4 19. Pitt, 3 20. Josh Brookes, 2 More, from a press release issued by Infront Motorsports: Haslam and Haga Take One Win Each In Spain Two action-packed races held under clear Spanish skies saw two different winners make their mark, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) in race one and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) in race two. The races could not have been more different, with Haslam a clear leader in an uninterrupted contest, while Haga won an aggregate race two by only 0.025 seconds. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) scored two podiums today, while James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) and Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) also put in top three rides. pirelli Official Tyre Supplier “Valencia is a challenging circuit for tyres as its tight corners and asphalt conditions demand a precise bike setup and ideal temperature conditions. The ideal race tyre for the Superbike riders this weekend proved to be the SC2 (“B”) front and SC1 (“A”) rear solution, but as the track temperature was 13°C warmer than last year, the higher performing tyre delivered an identical race time with a solution offering more grip in the corners. It was interesting to see BMW achieve a best result ever with Corser’s fourth place finish in Race 1, leaving a signal that the team has found an even more ideal bike setup and consistency. Toseland (Yamaha) was welcomed back to the podium in true form in a spectacular race which forced Biaggi (Aprilia) to push to the limit, having said he feels back at home on Pirelli tyres in Superbike after two years in MotoGP. Haga’s added one more victory to his Valencia career in Race 2 and put Ducati Xerox at the front for the first time since the start of the season. Supersport left a new qualifying record of 1’35.658 by Laverty (Honda), but his slight mistake in the middle of the race left the door opened for the local hero and track expert, Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) to take the win.” Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto Superbike Race One HASLAM HAS IT Leon Haslam had a comfortable win in the end, after early leader Carlos Checa went out with a technical problem, and Max Biaggi could not make up the ground to get back into winning contention. James Toseland’s return to WSB in 2010 was marked by his first podium on his Sterilgarda Yamaha four, while BMW Motorrad Motorsport earned a great fourth place with Troy Corser, the highest ever SBK place for the team since entering WSBK last year. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) fought through to fifth, but could not pass Corser in the final laps. Superbike Race Two HAGA WINS BIG BY A SMALL MARGIN Haga secured his first race win of 2010 after a tense fight with second place rider Checa and Biaggi. A two part aggregate race was required after a crash on lap four of the first heat brought out the red flags. Simon Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo both had heavy falls at high speed on the start/finish straight, but two fractures to Andrews’s left foot and heel were the final result. The total time from the first three laps, and the time from a second heat of 20-laps were combined to find the final results. The margin of victory in the two-part race was 0.025 seconds between Haga and Checa, with Biaggi only 0.0299 from the win, in third place. HASLAM EXTENDS HIS LEAD In the championship, Leon Haslam’s fourth in the second of today’s races gives him 123 points to Biaggi’s 105 and Checa’s 80. Haga is on 79 points, in fourth place. After a sixth and fifth today, Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is now fifth on 60 points, while Toseland and Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) are tied on 50 points. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) had two no-scores leaving him eighth on the same 46 points as the ever-improving BMW of Troy Corser. Leon Camier led race two for Aprilia but fell for the second time today, scoring no points. Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes went 11th and 15th, now sitting in 16th place overall. RIDER COMMENTS Leon Haslam: “To make the break was a bit of a surprise, because I felt we could race the other guys, but for sure it would be a big battle to the end. But when I got to the lead I saw the lap times I was doing were not so great and I knew that Max and the others guys could go quicker, it had been proven. But I kept my rhythm and when I saw a small gap behind I pushed again and the gap became bigger and bigger. It’s great to win another race and leave with the championship lead.” Noriyuki Haga: “I like Valencia a lot. I am Mr Valencia! Before the red flag in race two I made a good start and was in fifth position. In the restart I started from fifth and I kept a good pace. It was not easy to catch and pass the top two riders but in the last few laps I pushed hard and took the win. I was not thinking about the time difference I just knew I had to go at the front.” Max Biaggi: “We had a very nice race in race two, just like the first one. The temperature went up a lot in the second race, which meant that the grip went down. Nori and Carlos were in front of me in race two and they deserved their places. I could not follow Haga in the last two laps because he was very fast but second and third at Valencia are two good results.” Carlos Checa: “It was a good weekend; if not the first race then the second one, when I was battling right to the end. I thought I could control the second part of race two by sitting behind Max but then Nori arrived and broke up the group. I tried to catch him at the end but I could not make up the difference. Anyway I think it was a good result.” James Toseland: “I think Max was slightly faster than me after half race distance in race one, but I was stronger where you can pass another rider, and that made it difficult for him to overtake. Once he did get past, he helped me take a couple of tenths of a second from my lap times and I kept ahead of Corser and Haga. I couldn’t do any more but we are getting better all the time.” Championship standing (after 3 Rounds of 13): 1. Haslam 123; 2. Biaggi 105; 3. Checa 80; 4. Haga 79; 5. Rea 60; 6. Toseland 50; 7. Guintoli 50; 8. Fabrizio 46; 9. Corser 46; 10. Crutchlow 41 Manufacturers standing: 1. Suzuki 123; 2. Ducati 107; 3. Aprilia 105; 4. Honda 61; 5. Yamaha 57; 6. BMW 47; 7. Kawasaki 13 Supersport Race New leader Lascorz wins Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) won his home race at Valencia, taking advantage when his rivals slowed to post the fastest lap of the race and make a break before mid-race distance had been completed. A sometimes-tight battle for second saw Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Chaz Davies (ParkinGO Triumph BE1) go head-to-head, until Sofuoglu broke away with four laps remaining. The struggle for fourth place went to local man David Salom (ParkinGO BE-1 Triumph). He passed Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) in the later stages of the 23-lap race. At the top of the table, Lascorz now has 65 points to Sofuoglu’s 61. Results: 1. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 37’32.610 (147,213 km/h); 2. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR 600 RR 3.193; 3. Davies C. (GBR) Triumph 675 Daytona 5.417; 4. Salom D. (ESP) Triumph 675 Daytona 8.317; 5. Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR 600 RR 10.757; 6. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CXBR 600 RR 38.866; 7. Lagrive M. (FRA) Triumph 675 Daytona 38.926; 8. Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR 600 RR 50.902; 9. Hsrm R. (DEN) Honda CBR 600 RR 56.653: 10. Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1’01.495″¦.. Championship standing (after 3 Rounds of 13): 1. Lascorz 65; 2. Sofuoglu 61; 3. Laverty 41; 4. Davies 33; 5. Salom 32; 6. Foret 28; 7. Harms 25; 8. Rea 24; 9. Pirro 21; 10. Roccoli 17 Manufacturers standing: 1. Honda 70; 2. Kawasaki 65; 3. Triumph 42 Superstock Race Badovini two from two Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) won his second race of the 2010 season today, by 3.080 seconds from Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) after Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) had crashed out of contention for second place. The final podium place was taken by Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing BMW). In the championship, Badovini, on 50 points, leads Giugliano and Barrier, who are each on 29. Results: 1. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 21’18.245 (146,719 kmh); 2. Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 3.080; 3. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 4.693; 4. Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR 1000 RR 5.971; 5. Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 9.169; 6. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 9.313; 7. Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1198 RC8 R 9.705 ; 8. Barragan S. (ESP) Honda CBR 1000 RR 15.553; 9. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 16.151 ; 10. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1198 16.410″¦ Championship standing (after 3 Rounds of 13): 1. Badovini 50; 2. Giugliano 29 ; 3. Barrier 29; 4. Baz 27; 5. Berger 20; 6. Bussolotti 18; 7. Antonelli 18; 9. Tutusaus 14;10. La Marra 10 Manufacturers standing: 1. BMW 50; 2. Honda 33; 3. Suzuki 29; 4. Yamaha 27; 5. KTM 14; 6. Kawasaki 10; 8. Aprilia 9; 8. Ducati 6 More, from a press release issued by Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: Jonathan Rea took sixth and fifth place finishes in today’s two third round World Superbike championship races at Valencia in Spain as Leon Haslam and Noriyuki Haga took the wins. Rea’s Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, Max Neukirchner, endured a frustrating day, taking 13th in race one at the 4.005km Ricardo Tormo circuit, and 17th in race two. Starting from the second row, Rea lost places at the start of the opening 23-lap encounter, finishing the first lap in 10th place. The 23-year-old once again fought his way past a number of riders, however, moving up to sixth at the flag. His race two start was better, and Rea was in a leading position when the race was red flagged after two laps due to oil causing a major crash on the start-finish straight. With results subsequently based on aggregate times, Rea’s result moved him up to fifth place in the championship standings. Despite a fourth row starting position, Neukirchner felt positive about the progress made during practice and qualifying at Valencia. Although, the German rider suffered unexpected rear chatter problems, he still managed a points scoring finish in race one. His team made a small change to his CBR1000RR Fireblade for race two, but the adjustments didn’t work and Neukirchner crossed the line in 17th place on aggregate. Jonathan Rea 6th and 5th We’ve had a few gremlins this weekend, which ended up costing us time but I feel I’ve got a lot out of both races today. It’s been a difficult weekend and it’s been clear we didn’t have the pace of the front runners, but we’ve found out how to make the bike better. The new electronics have definitely made the bike easier to ride but we’ve had problems getting acceleration and grip on corner exits. It’s still early days with the electronics, though, and we know what to work on when we test at Assen this week. I’m really looking forward to that and the next race there, and I’d really like to thank my team for all their efforts this weekend. When morale’s been low, there’s always been a smile on their faces and I’m very grateful for that. Max Neukirchner 13th and 17th You can probably imagine the words that I’d really like to use after today. It’s frustrating because I felt quite positive after qualifying and we didn’t make any changes to the bike for warm-up this morning. We used exactly the same settings for the first race but for some reason we suddenly got rear chatter problems on corner entry. We made a small change for race two and then another during the red flag delay but it just made everything worse! What’s really frustrating is that we don’t understand the problem, so we need to look at everything and work very hard at the test this week. Ronald ten Kate team manager Not good, not bad just kind of medium results for Jonathan. Valencia is historically quite a difficult track for us so I guess, considering that, we have to be satisfied. However, from now on we really need podiums to be in a position to challenge for the title. With Max, we have to admit to being a little lost at the moment, but fortunately we have a two day test at Assen this week which will allow us to try a lot of new settings and prepare for our home race in two weeks. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: James Toseland put in a solid performance in race one today on his Yamaha Sterilgarda R1, starting from ninth on the grid the British rider made short work of the field to take second by the ninth lap. He was hotly pursued by Aprilia rider Max Biaggi for the entire race duration and fought off a number of attacks, holding on to second until just two laps from the end. He finished the race in third, claiming his well deserved first podium of the year, just 3.6 seconds off the race leader. Team mate Cal Crutchlow had a tougher first race. A less than perfect start saw him drop from pole to seventh going into the first corner of the race. He fought hard for the duration despite suffering from a lack of grip, riding as high as fifth before dropping back to claim seventh at the line. Race two was marred with incident, three laps in a high speed crash into the pit wall caused the race to be red flagged. After a delay it was restarted under aggregate timing with Crutchlow and Toseland in ninth and 12th respectively. The hot track temperature proved challenging for grip levels, with both riders fighting hard for position. Toseland crossed the line in seventh having challenged for several positions, whilst team mate Crutchlow hung on to take ninth at the chequered flag. Toseland goes to the next round in Assen with 50 championship points having jumped up the table from 11th to sixth. Team-mate Crutchlow remains in tenth as he heads to the Dutch round with 41 championship points. James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (3rd, 7th) “Race one was great, it’s always nice when the team work so hard to be able to repay them with a result. I was probably the widest man out there because I certainly wasn’t the quickest after half race distance, I was finding a few things a bit difficult with the bike. It was great though to dig deep and get a podium, my first podium this year and my first since Brands 2007 I think. It’s been a while since I took a trophy home so I was very happy. The team are working unbelievably hard, we’ve got some issues but we’re making up a lot of ground in a short space of time. In the second race I got an average start when the clutch grabbed early on the line. I don’t know where the front guys got their pace from on the re-start, mid 34’s was a second faster than it was in the first race. Assen is next which is fast and flowing which will suit the bike better. We need to keep improving until we’re strong at every track.” Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (7th, 9th) “Race one was ok, I was just disappointed I lost the tow to the leaders at the start. We’ve got bad rear tyre problems again, seem to be spinning a lot more than the other competitors from the go. The higher grip levels in Portugal suited us better. We’re looking forward to hopefully improving it at the next race in Assen. A difficult weekend, the second race was much the same, no grip from the start.” Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager “We’ve had an up and down weekend. We had some issues on Friday then came back with the Superpole yesterday. It was great to see James achieve a podium in the first race, he really worked hard and deserved it. The second race was not so good for us, it proved to be more challenging for the riders with less grip levels on the circuit. For sure this weekend we’ve learnt some more about the bike and we’ve definitely improved since Phillip Island. We’ll study the data from this weekend and we’ll come to The Netherlands with something new.” More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Valencia, April 11th 2010 – The team leaves Valencia with some regret, not only due to Checa’s crash in race 1 but more for the 25 thousandths of a second that relegated Carlos to second place in Race 2. Despite the Spaniard’s best efforts he was unfortunately deprived of the win, in front of his home crowd, by a mere fraction of a second. His fall in race 1 is put down to being part of racing; accidents can happen when you’re pushing for the win. Carlos was good (and lucky) not to fall after he ran off into the gravel but he couldn’t avoid his bike tipping over to one side, ending his race prematurely. In race 2 he rode a great race from a technical point of view, pushing for the win but, at the same time, the points. “A bittersweet weekend in the end”, said Carlos. “Bitter for the crash and sweet for the second place finish but also bitter for those 25 thousandths and sweet for the position overall. Racing is like that and we need to look ahead. We are at a good level that means we can fight for the podium, thinking about the championship. I think that the people that came to Valencia today definitely enjoyed themselves.” The same state of mind for Shane Byrne, who fell in race 1 and finished race 2 in ninth position, after having completed a great second heat which saw him get past Rea, Toseland, Crutchlow, as well as Guintoli and Smrz. “In race 1 I was lucky that I didn’t hurt myself when I fell trying to avoid Lanzi”, said Shane. “In race 2 I was going well but I was confused by the information my team were giving me on the pit board, sometimes showing my position in the heat and other laps showing me the aggregate position. When I finished and saw who I had beaten in the second heat I was pretty satisfied!” At the end of the races Genesio Bevilacqua, team owner, declared, “What an emotional day’s racing! Checa rode a great race, technically speaking. After his fall he calculated the risks in race 2, without losing sight of the win. He was perhaps taken by surprise when Haga arrived, expecting to race against Biaggi. We were just missing that little something that would have allowed Checa to win. Byrne on the other hand reacted very well after his race 1 crash. He stayed very positive in the second race and fought his way past a group of strong riders. I would also like to compliment Ernesto Marinelli for Haga’s win and for having managed this difficult moment so well, instilling confidence in Noriyuki who repaid the team with his efforts.” More, from a press release issued by Paul Bird Kawasaki: SYKES RACKS UP THE POINTS IN SPAIN AS ANDREWS CRASHES OUT Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes continued where he left off in Portugal two weeks ago by claiming another double points haul in round three of the 2010 Hannspree World Superbike Championship at Valencia in Spain this weekend. After qualifying in 18th, the 24-year-old Yorkshireman from Huddersfield battled to a fine 11th place in the opening leg, whereby he was holding a top ten placing for much of the race aboard the factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, before giving himself lots of work to do in the aggregate second leg due to an electrical problem whereby he climbed from 23rd place to 15th at the flag. As a result of five points scoring rides in the opening six races, Sykes holds 16th in the title chase going into the next round at Assen in two weeks time. With Australian Chris Vermeulen still sidelined due to injury following his crash at Phillip Island in the opening round, British Superbike Championship rider Simon Andrews was drafted in to the Penrith-based Paul Bird Motorsport squad as replacement for the weekend but the 26-year-old from Evesham endured a difficult weekend. After qualifying in 24th position, Andrews finished in 18th place in the opening race but early on in race two, he was hit by Honda rider Vito Iannuzzo on the high-speed home straight causing the Kawasaki and rider to clatter into the pit wall meaning the race had to be stopped. Andrews was attended by medics at the scene before being taken to the circuit medical centre and was fortunate to be released with nothing more than a couple of broken bones in his foot and severe bruising. Tom Sykes: “I got a good start in race one and was happy enough with eleventh as we found some good consistency with lap times. I was hoping to stay inside the top ten but we struggled a bit to sustain grip over the entire race distance but we got some points back on the board for the team. For race two I had another good start but unfortunately had a hiccup on the electronics and was then pushed back down. We then had a red flag so I had to start way back in 22nd place on the grid. The restart was difficult as I got a face full of cement dust and had something in my eye the whole race. It’s a shame because I had really good pace and was lapping faster than in race one and feeling confident that I could move ahead. I got into a battle with the people in front of me who were doing slower laps which damaged my own lap times. Overall we’ve taken away some points this weekend and we’ll keep chipping away and prepare for a good race with more luck in Assen.” Simon Andrews: “It has been a great learning experience to ride for the Kawasaki Racing Team and to be part of the paddock. I enjoyed working with the guys for both the test and the race. We started the weekend with a few chassis issues but we were slowly turning that around and making steady progress. Race one was OK and in race two I got a good start and was finding a decent rhythm. When Tom went past me, I was hoping to stay with him and gain some places but the next thing I knew I was hit from behind on the straight and can’t remember much after that. The team are saying I am lucky as from what I’ve been told it looked pretty bad on the TV but my left foot is a bit smashed up and pretty painful right now. I have broken the heel and top bone of my foot and have obviously a few bruises to contend with but overall I’m fine. I’d like to thank the team for the opportunity to ride and how disappointed I am in having to end the weekend this way.” Paul Risbridger, Team Manager: “It’s been a rollercoaster weekend for the team. We started well on Friday morning but appeared to have some chassis issues as the temperature increased. On Saturday morning we went back to a base line which showed improvement and Tom did a very good lap time in Superpole 1 so it was disappointing that he missed out on Superpole 2. On Sunday we again made improvements in morning warm up and were looking forward to the race. In race one Tom put in a fantastic performance and showed consistent lap times which he was rewarded a well deserved eleventh place. Unfortunately Tom got off to a slow start in race two after some problems with the electronics and had to play catch up and wasn’t able to repeat the finish he had in race one however it was good to complete both races in the points. Simon had a good test here with us and we were pleased to welcome him into the team. I feel that this was a good experience for him but it was very unfortunate he had a bad accident in race two. We hope he can recover as quickly as possible.” The next round is at Assen in the Netherlands over the weekend of 24/25th April 2010. More, from a press release issued by Honda: Spanish World Superbike at Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo Sunday April 11 2010 World Superbike and World Supersport race report Round Three Weather: Dry Temperature: 20 to 25 ambient, 29 to 46 track REA TOP FIVE AGAIN AFTER TWO SOLID FINISHES Championship leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) took the wins at the third round of the Superbike World Championship but two gritty rides from Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) put the Northern Ireland rider fifth in the points. Jonathan went sixth in race one, fighting a lack of front-end grip on the notoriously fickle Valencia tarmac. The next best Honda finisher, Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR), was 13th. Both riders improved on their qualifying performances, with Rea seventh in Superpole on Saturday and Max 16th. Race two only lasted for three laps before a crash involving two riders on the main straight stopped the contest, leading to a second leg over 20-laps and an aggregate final result. Rea had been second in the first race and restarted from that place on the grid. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image CBR1000RR) was involved in the crash that stopped the first running of race two, and hurt his right hand and ribs in the crash, ruling him out of the restart. He also crashed at post 2 on lap 13 of race one, losing the chance of scoring points today. It was a hard day for another Honda rider, as Sheridan Morais (ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR) did not start the races, having had a painful crash in warm-up this morning to add to his big fall in Superpole 1 on Saturday. He was declared unfit by medical staff after hitting his head on the tarmac, but he did not suffer any serious injury. Sheridan had been 20th in qualifying, the last rider to make it into Superpole. Sofuoglu Second In Race and Championship At Valencia In finishing second behind race winner Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) today front row qualifier Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) has put himself second in the championship, after 23-laps of changing fortunes for the leading riders at Valencia. There have now been three different race winners this year, but for Phillip Island race winner Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) there was to be no chance to turn his pole position here into a win on raceday. Laverty was fifth, not having made the best tyre choice and slowly dropping off the pace after leading the race for the first five laps. The current top three in the ranking are Lascorz on 65 points, Sofuoglu on 61 and Laverty in 41. Chaz Davies (Triumph) was third today, and now sits fourth overall, on 33 points. Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR) overcame some serious issues in qualifying to take sixth in only his third Supersport World Championship race. He had been 12th on the grid, and overtook one last rider on the final corner to earn ten points. Eighth on the grid, Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) could not find good grip at the front and fell on lap three, remounting to finish 11th and score some points. Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) rode bravely despite a heavy fall in practice, losing feeling in his left hand through the race. He recovered from 14th on the grid to 12th, the last finisher in a race that returned many no-scores. Massimo Roccoli (Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR) was one such rider, who fell heavily when he encountered a technical problem. He was taken to Clinica Mobile for medical checks but is not thought to have suffered any serious injury. SBK Rider Quotes Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: 6th and 5th – 5th overall. “We have had a few gremlins this weekend that have cost us some time but I have learned a lot of each race in terms of finding out how to make the bike better. It has been difficult and it is clear we didn’t have the pace of the leading group. The new electronics have made the bike easier to ride, but our acceleration and grip out of the slower corners have been problem areas. It is still early days with the new electronics, but we have a two day test this week to work on them some more.” Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: 13th and 17th – 17th overall. “I felt really positive despite my qualifying position I was well prepared for the races because we made a few changes after warm up. I used the same setting for the race but there was a problem with rear chatter going into the corners in race one. I made a small change again for race two and then another change in the same direction during the red flag delay. That just created a few balance problems. At the moment, until we check the data, we do not understand why this happened. We have a two day test at Assen on Wednesday and Thursday to help us find a better set-up.” Sheridan Morais, ECHO CRS Honda: DNS. “I had two big crashes this weekend and banged my head, so I have been advised to rest for a week or so. I have been checked by the doctors and had a scan so there is no problem. I just need some rest.” Vittorio Iannuzzo, Squadra Corse Italia Garvie Image Honda. DNF and DNF. Iannuzzo undergoing medical treatment and unavailable at time of release distribution. WSS Rider Comments Kenan Sofuoglu, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: 2nd – 2nd overall. “It took me a long time to pass Chaz Davies and every time I tried I made a mistake. By then Lascorz was too far in front. At the moment it doesn’t matter if I am first or second because there are only a few points in it and things are very close. It will not be an easy season. I am happy with my finish and I am ready for the next race, and the home round for my team.” Eugene Laverty, Parkalgar Honda 5th – 3rd overall. “I struggled for rear grip for the entire race. I choose the same tyre that worked yesterday but it was warmer today. This tyre and setting are good for me as it gives feel, and for one-lap it is great, hence our two pole positions. But for racing it is not performing. I am going to have to go back to settings that are not quite as good for feel, but give more grip over a race distance. The result is better than Portugal and we will be back at Assen stronger than ever, that I promise.” Gino Rea, Intermoto Czech Honda: 6th – 8th overall. “I got squeezed in the first corner and I had to sit behind some of my rivals at the start. My pace at the beginning was not that bad but we made a change in set-up and we had little grip. I was pushing everywhere and the track surface was not giving much grip today, same for everyone. I tried to stay upright and consistent and tagged onto Lagrive and passed him on the last corner.” Michele Pirro, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: 11th – 9th overall. “I don’t know why I fell just after Fujiwara did, but I have not had much feeling with the front. I do not know why I crashed but for me the front tyre was not a good solution, it was too hard.” Miguel Praia, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda: 12th – 14th overall. “I was lucky to finish the race after a big highside crash on Saturday. I damaged my ankle and wrist and had to have some treatment before the race. I could not use the clutch easily and so I had to just finish and make sure I scored some points.” Massimo Roccoli, Czech Intermoto Honda: DNF – 10th overall. “I had a problem with the bike and fell hard and then rolled. I really beat myself up. They took me to Clinica Mobile as a precaution.” More, from a press release issued by Team PATA B&G Racing: Team PATA B&G Racing took three tenth places at Valencia, both in Superbike and Superstock 1000 with Jakub Smrz and Lorenzo Baroni respectively. This weekend the team made another step forward in its way to the top. The only unfortunate event of round three was the Superpole crash which prevented the team to battle for a better result. Next up is the Assen round, where Smrz took the podium last year and where the team are confident they can capitalise on the enormous amount of work done up to now. JAKUB SMRZ | Ducati 1098R | 10th, 10th: “I’m satisfied with my two tenth places. At Valencia the starting position is very important and you can hardly overtake anywhere. Unfortunately, the Superpole crash proved to be decisive. It’s really a pity because we were very fast this weekend, even in warm up this morning we were among the teams capable to battle for the podium. I gave it my all today, I got a good start and recovered a few positions but I honestly think I couldn’t have done more on this track”. LORENZO BARONI | Ducati 1098R | 10th: “We were disadvantaged by electronic issues this whole weekend. We did however manage to partially overcome them. Despite everything, I finished tenth which is a good result. However, I will be able to aim higher once the problems will be solved”. Mirco Guandalini: “I’m confident we’ll soon score a great result. It wasn’t to be here at Valencia but the team and Smrz are working very well together. He’s very fast on the track and so I’m confident that our work will bear fruit at Assen. I’d like to congratulate Baroni as well. We’ll work hard so he can be able to battle for the podium”. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: HAGA (DUCATI XEROX) RETURNS TO WINNING WAYS IN RACE 2 AT VALENCIA Valencia (Spain), Sunday 11th April: having scored a solid fifth place finish in Race 1, Noriyuki Haga triumphed in Race 2 (which ran in two parts), finishing 25 thousandths of a second ahead of Carlos Checa. The win, on board his Ducati 1198, was far from easy as a red flag during the third lap led to a second heat, 20 laps in length. Michel Fabrizio was less lucky today, victim of a crash in the first race and returning to the box in Race 2, lamenting a lack of front brake consistency. In the morning, during warm-up, Noriyuki had registered the fastest time (1m34.2), having completed a strong mini run. Michel concluded the brief session in eighth position. In Race 1 neither Michel nor Nori made a particularly fast start and both were caught up in traffic. Michel made up a couple of positions but during the fifth lap, a lack of grip at the front, during braking, caused him to crash. Noriyuki pushed on despite a lack of rear traction and although he needed twelve laps before he could get past Crutchlow, the next lap he passed Rea and in four laps he had made up 1.5 seconds to catch Corser (BMW). Unfortunately however, after passing Troy at the final corner, the Australian again overtook Nori along the straight, leaving the Japanese rider in fifth position, just one tenth of a second behind Corser. In Race 2, during the third lap a serious crash involving Andrews on the Kawasaki and Iannuzzo on the Honda led to a red flag. With all riders having completed three laps, the second heat was declared to be a 20-lap race and the grid was reset according to the results of “heat 1″. Noriyuki, this time starting from fifth position started well and after a few laps was already third, behind Checa and Biaggi. After twelve laps he got past Carlos and then past Max and from this point on he held the lead, crossing the line 0.806 of a second ahead of Biaggi and 1.282 seconds in front of Checa. This advantage cancelled out Checa’s advantage in the first heat and meant that Noriyuki had beaten the Spaniard by 0.025 of a second. Michel did not shine at the start of the race, losing a few positions in the first laps, only to recuperate a few in the following laps, before a problem with the front brake consistency caused him to lose confidence and return to the garage. After this third round, Noriyuki Haga is in fourth position in the overall standings, with 79 points while his team-mate Michel lies in eighth, with 46 points. In the manufacturers standings, Ducati has 107 points behind Suzuki with 123 points. Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 5th , Race 2 winner) “The track was a lot warmer in Race 1 than in the morning’s warm-up and I was lacking rear grip. The more I pushed, the more my 1198 slid around and this needed to be fixed before Race 2. Before that race we made a change, reverting to the setting we’d used in the warm-up and it worked well. I was able to push hard, stick with Biaggi and Checa and eventually pass them. I’m very happy to have been able to win today. I thank my team, Ducati of course, and all the sponsors who helped contribute to this great result.” Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 DNF , Race 2 – DNF) “It was a weekend to forget, we’ll turn the page and concentrate on the next race. Today in Race 1 I had good pace and was able to make up a couple of positions very quickly, but then I unexpectedly lost the front and found myself on the ground. We made some changes for the second race but the front brake was not consistent and I came back to the garage.” Ernesto Marinelli Team Manager “Today’s win is very important. We’ve experienced a difficult period but it is essential to keep fighting with determination, always, and this is what Noriyuki did today, and what the whole team has been doing since the start of the championship. We must continue to work hard and on Tuesday we will be back on track with Michel, at Mugello, to try to resolve the problems that have emerged in the last two races.” More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist: TROY’S BEST RESULT FOR BMW. Troy took fourth place – his best ever result for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport – in the first Superbike World Championship race in Valencia today. After a superb qualifying and Superpole, Troy began from fifth place on the grid and then made a tremendous start to lead the field down the straight and into turn one. He looked comfortable at the front and even when Carlos Checa (Ducati) went, he just tucked in behind the Spaniard without a problem. As the race wore on, a small problem caused by a bit of confusion between the traction control and engine braking buttons pushed Troy out of the top three. Nevertheless, he battled away to take fourth place, only half a second adrift of James Toseland (Yamaha) at the flag. Race two was a two-part affair after a big crash by Simon Andrews (Kawasaki) on the start-finish straight. Troy suffered rear grip problems and struggled to keep going, but somehow hung on to take 12th place when the results were aggregated. Series leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) won the first race, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second and Toseland third. The second race was won by Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Checa second and Biaggi third. Troy – Race 1: 4th, Race 2: 12th The first race was great – just like it should always be! The bike had good grip, the traction control worked perfectly and the engine braking was spot on. I got a good start and went into the lead and I must say I felt pretty comfortable there. Even when Carlos came past, I knew I could just stay with him and watch what was going on. Everything was going good until I think I got a bit confused between the traction control and engine braking buttons and lost a little time and also third spot. But, it had been great to run at the front again and that’s how it should be. In the first part of the second race, I didn’t have much grip right from the start and I was quite happy when it was red-flagged because it gave us a chance to make some changes and see if we could improve the situation. We changed a tyre and the brake pads, but the bike just never hooked up and I felt like I had no grip at all. I turned the traction control right up and that’s what saved me from crashing many times. The lack of grip was so bad, I thought about pulling in, but in the end I decided to keep going and take as many points as I could. So, all in all, race one – great, race two – not, but good to feel that the bike could work properly and I could run at the front. More, from a press release issued by ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing: Triumph ParkinGO European Series Round 1 | Valencia, race day The opening round of the Triumph ParkinGO European Trophy was held today at the Ricardo Tormo circuit in Valencia. The 48.000 people who turned up at the track saw the riders taking part in the challenge for the first time on their Street Triple Rs. As expected, Fabrizio Perotti stood on the highest place of the podium, but it was not easy. Giuliano Rovelli and Alessandro Torcolacci finished second and third respectively. Perotti took the lead at the start, Salom and Torcolacci followed him. Rovelli, who started from the last row because he was “busy” celebrating Chaz Davies’s podium, caught the 3 front runners after just one lap. Rovelli and Torcolacci engaged in a duel which allowed Perotti to build up a small gap. While the two were overtaking one another for the second place, Salom caught up but later on was penalised with a ride through for a jump start. Torcolacci then passed Rovelli to take second place also as a result of Salom’s penalty. Matteo Marzotto finished fourth after passing Supersport TT winner Michael Dunlop and Samuela De Nardi in the final sprint. Next up is round two, held at Assen in fifteen days time, where Dutch Supersport champion Arie Vos and former Torino and AS Roma professional footballer “ Tarzan” Annoni will also join in. Race: 1 43 Perotti F. (ITA) Street Triple R 17’36.647 (136,451 kph) 2 23 Rovelli G. (ITA) Street Triple R 8.690 3 77 Torcolacci A. (ITA) Street Triple R 12.902 4 33 Marzotto M. (ITA) Street Triple R 22.378 5 4 Dunlop M. (IRL) Street Triple R 22.594 6 84 De Nardi S. (ITA) Street Triple R 31.575 7 25 Salom T. (ESP) Street Triple R 42.357 8 7 Blumetti P. (ITA) Street Triple R 1’13.816 9 19 Nicastro C. (ITA) Street Triple R 1’14.828 10 73 Rovelli P. (ITA) Street Triple R 11 93 Mariage F. (FRA) Street Triple R 12 1 Anaclerio R. (ITA) Street Triple R More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki Alstare: HASLAM CONTINUES HIS WINNING WAYS . Team Suzuki Alstare rider Leon Haslam stormed his way to victory in the first race at the Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo today and then followed it with a hard-fought for fourth in the second and increased his series lead to eighteen points. But for braking problems in race two, Leon would’ve been on course for another podium and an even bigger championship lead, but it was not to be. In race one, his team mate Sylvain Guintoli was forced to take to the run-off area at the end of the back straight in order to avoid Camier’s crash and lost several places as he regained the track. In the end, he finished ninth. In the second race (run in two parts, because of a crash and subsequent red flag), Sylvain improved his position to finish sixth. Behind Leon in race one was Max Biaggi (Aprilia) and then James Toseland (Yamaha), with Troy Corser (BMW) fourth. The second race was won by Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Checa second and Biaggi third. Leon – Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 4th, I made a reasonable start and was fourth at the end of the lap one and then just worked my way up to first by lap five. Once I was in the lead, I realised that the pace was not great and it all felt pretty easy for me. I expected that I would come under attack, but my pitboard signals showed that my lead was increasing! I kept a good pace and felt comfortable enough to ease the pace at the end. We made some small changes to the bike for race two – because of the hotter conditions – and managed to pass about five riders quite quickly despite not making a very good start. Then the race was stopped and we had to start again. We put a bit more preload on the front, but I began having brake problems before too long. The lever kept coming all the way back to the bar and that meant I couldn’t be close to other riders and then pull out and pass them. I didn’t feel confident braking and after three or four laps I was praying that the race would come to an end or that somebody in front would stop and I would get another podium. I am happy to be leading the series, delighted that I have increased the lead and really looking forward to Assen – a circuit where I think our bike will go really well. Sylvain – Race 1: 9th, Race 2: 6th I made a good start in race one and everything was going according to plan until Camier crashed right in front of me! I had to take to the run-off area to avoid hitting him or the bike and then had to do a bit of a three-point turn to get back on the track and that cost me time and places. I had fallen to fourteenth (from sixth) but had some good battles before finally finishing ninth. We didn’t make any changes to the bike for race two, but the hotter temperature meant that the tyres didn’t work as well as they had done in race one and I had many slides. Sixth was not so bad, but I’m not happy because I think we can do better. I feel better here than I did in Portimao because I have got my rhythm back. Now we just have to keep on progressing and improving and, with a little bit of luck, the results will come. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Sykes Scores As Andrews Escapes Tom Sykes scored 11th and 15th place finishes at Valencia to go 16th in the championship table, after a sometimes dramatic day of action during round three of the championship. In the first 23-lap race Tom worked his way to 11th place, finishing just over two seconds ahead of Ruben Xaus, having started from 18th place on the grid. Race two was a two-part affair, after stand-in Kawasaki Racing Team rider Simon Andrews (18th in race one) was involved in a horrific looking crash on the main straight, which saw him roll down the grass underneath pit wall. Simon was eventually diagnosed with a broken heel and a fractured metatarsus bone in his left foot, plus heavy bruising. The race was stopped as Andrews and Vittorio Iannuzzo were attended to trackside, and the race eventually became an aggregate affair, based on times set in the first three-lap heat and a 20 lap restart. Tom was caught out by a small problem in the first part and that meant he started 21st from 22 riders, and made up places as best he could to end up 15th and score a point. Tom Sykes: “A few people dropped out of race one and I was not willing to make too many mistakes to make sure I kept some good points on the board. In race two we had a bit of a problem early on. We had a good launch and a good start but then there was a small issue with the electronics and that put me on the back of the grid for the restart. I got some cement dust in my eyes in the second leg of the second race and that was burning me all race. Race two was promising anyway but I got involved with people who were slower in some sectors and I could not run as fast as I wanted to. I overstretched the tyre trying to get past some of them but we scored points in each race and gathered more useful data for the team.” Simon Andrews: “I think I must have landed on my feet or something and that is how I got hurt. I don’t remember a lot of what happened in the crash, but I remember getting a good start. Just as I was getting ready to get up to the guys in front the crash happened. I’d like to thank the team for the opportunity to ride and say how disappointed I am in having to end the weekend this way.” More, from a press release issued by Team Reitwagen BMW: ANDREW IN THE POINTS. ROLAND FINISHES HIS FIRST RACE. The Circuit de la Comunitat Valenciana Ricardo Tormo was always going to be difficult for Team Reitwagen BMW, but the team left Spain in a positive frame of mind. Starting from way down the grid gave Andrew and Roland an even harder task, especially as the tight and twisty Valencia track has very few overtaking possibilities. Nevertheless, Andrew fought his way to fifteenth (and one point) in race one, but was unable to increase his points tally in race two. Roland’s bike suffered a technical problem in race one and he was forced to DNF. But, in race two, he finally was able to take the chequered flag for his first time for the team. Series leader Leon Haslam (Suzuki) won the first race, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second and Toseland third. The second race was won by Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Checa second and Biaggi third. Andrew – Race 1: 15th, Race 2: 16th “At the moment, we are more or less at the limit of what we can do with what we have got and we need some updates. But Assen is only a fortnight away and it’s hard to get all the work done when we have so little time in our workshops. The strange thing is that in some areas we are very competitive, but we are getting hurt exiting the turns – especially at a tight track like this. I made a pretty good start in race one and was going OK, but then began to have some front end problems as the bike got lighter as the fuel went down. It was a pretty lonely race, but I just kept concentrating on doing what I had to do and get the bike home. We improved the set-up of the bike for the second race and it was better for sure, but not perfect. My lap times were better and it felt good finishing ahead of a factory rider, even though we didn’t score any points. I hope we’ll get some updates for Assen because I think it’s the kind of track that will be better for us than Valencia.” Roland – Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 18th “Firstly, I am very happy that I have finished my first race for the team! After having to DNF in race one, I was determined to finish race two no matter what. Also, at the end of the day, I feel physically very good and have no pain from my shoulder at all. Valencia gave me a good workout and I managed it without any problems. Obviously stopping after just two laps in race one was not so good, but at least I was able to go the distance in race two. It was also good fun chasing Andrew and Max (Neukirchner) in race two and I really enjoyed that fight. Each day here, my pace has improved and I now feel I’m back! Now, I’m looking forward to Assen and hoping that it will be a better track for our bike.” More, from a press release issued by Team Pedercini: Warm and sunny conditions today in Valencia for the third round of the Superbike world championship and the second round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. Friday and Saturday qualifying sessions proved difficult for the Pedercini team’s riders who experienced a lot of difficulties. Fifth row for Petrucci and sixth for Leeson in the Superstock 13-lap race starting grid. After quite a good start, both of the Kawasaki riders joined in a group of riders fighting for the point’s zone. At the end of the race, Petrucci reached thirteenth place while Lesson obtained the fifteenth position with both Pedercini riders reaching some points for their championship standing. After yesterday’s difficult qualifying session both Baiocco and Hayden lined up from the sixth row of the grid in the Superbike 23-lap races. In race one both riders ended very close to the points zone. Hayden was sixteenth while Baiocco followed him in seventeenth place. In race two after only three laps the race was red flagged because of a crash which involved Iannuzzo and Andrew, luckily without any serious physical consequences. After a delay it was restarted under aggregate timing. Hayden crossed the line in nineteenth, whilst team mate Crutchlow was twentieth. Superbike race one : 1) Haslam (Suzuki) 2) Biaggi (Aprilia) 3) Toseland (Yamaha) 4) Corser (BMW) 5) Haga (Ducati)”¦”¦”¦”¦”¦16) Hayden (Kawasaki) – 17) Baiocco (Kawasaki) Superbike race two : 1) Haga (Ducati) – 2) Checa (Ducati) 3) Biaggi (Aprilia) 4) Haslam (Suzuki) 5) Rea (Honda) “¦”¦.. 19) Hayden (Kawasaki) – 20) Baiocco (Kawasaki) Roger Lee Hayden : “Race one was not so bad also because of my quick start. I put my head down trying to reach my first championship points, but unfortunately I finished only in sixteenth position. Also the first start of the second race was really good and my lap time was fast. Unfortunately, after the second start I lost the feeling with my bike. We did not change the set-up but my bike was sliding in every curve probably because of a lack of grip on my rear tire. Overall, I’m pretty satisfied with this weekend in Valencia because we reduced the gap with the fastest riders. I’m looking forward to the next race in Assen and I want to thank my team for the great job done here in Spain”. Matteo Baiocco : “I suffered the same problems in both races. Starting from the first laps the rear tire started to slide and it was impossible for me to overtake the riders in front of me. We must continue to work on my bike’s set up. We’ve worked very hard testing a lot of different solutions so I’m sure we’ll reach better results in the next races. I want to thank my team who has done a great job as always”. Superstock 1000 FIM Cup race : 1) Badovini (BMW) 2) Giugliano (Suzuki) – 3) Barrier (BMW) 4)Magnoni (Honda) “¦”¦13) Petrucci (Kawasaki) 14) Salac (Aprilia) 15) Leeson (Kawasaki) Chris Lesson :”I’m happy with my fifteenth position because I obtained my first points in the Superstock championship; I want to thank all my technicians for their dedication and great job. My start was pretty good and near to the middle of the race I fought in a group of four riders. Only in the last lap I was able to overtake two of them and reach the fifteenth place. It’s a good result for me and for the team, but I hope to improve this result in the next races.” Danilo Petrucci : “It was a very difficult weekend for me and for my team. I liked this circuit but during the full weekend we were not able to find the right set-up for my Kawasaki as we had hoped to. Also during today’s race I had the same lack of grip on the rear wheel that we had during the test. My start from the fifth row wasn’t the most favorable and when I tried to overtake several riders I didn’t feel enough grip on the rear wheel. I’m not satisfied with my thirteenth place and I’m disappointed because I cannot reach a good starting position during the qualifying sessions, it’s always difficult to begin a race from the rear rows. Now I’m eager to race in Assen and I’m anxious to reach some good results.”