Munich/Stephanskirchen, 28th September 2010. The FIM Superbike World Championship 2010 is heading into the finishing straight. This coming weekend the “Circuit de Nevers” near Magny-Cours in France will host the last of the season’s 13 race weekends. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will be looking to sign off for the winter in successful style; adding to their collection of top-3 results would represent the perfect end to a season in which the recently formed Bavarian team have recorded their first pole position and podium finishes. Going into the season’s final race weekend BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Troy Corser is lying tenth in the riders’ standings on 165 points. The Australian’s Spanish team-mate Ruben Xaus is in 13th place on 96 points. BMW stands sixth in the manufacturers’ championship with 201 points. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will stay on at Magny-Cours after the race weekend to continue their development work for 2011 with an extensive round of testing. Troy Corser: “I’ve always gone pretty well at Magny-Cours and have taken a few pole positions and podiums there down the years. In 2005 I won my second World Championship title at the track. It’s a very distinctive circuit and actually made up of three different sections. The middle section flows nicely, but at the start and end of the lap you’ve got some real stop-start corners. One critical part of the track is the hairpin at the end of the first long straight. Here it’s important to have very good braking stability, or you can lose a lot of time. In fact, you can easily concede half a second through this corner. The hairpin before you head down the long downhill straight is also a key area. This circuit has a bit of everything, and it’s extremely tricky to find the perfect set-up. You need a bike that works well over the whole circuit. Here it’s not necessarily the fastest bike that will be successful, but the one with the best handling. The machine has to have good brakes and react well to changes in direction. This can also be a treacherous place with the weather you normally expect at this time of year. It’s pretty cool now and there could well be rain. That would be less than perfect, as it makes the track conditions pretty dicey. However, I think our bike should go well with the settings we’ve been working on. I’m looking forward to it!” Ruben Xaus: “I like Magny-Cours; it’s a great track, the surroundings are nice and there’s also a good atmosphere here. The only problem whenever we go there is the weather. If it’s warm and fine then riding there is fantastic. In these conditions the track offers a lot of grip and the mixture of fast and slow corners is really good fun. But when it’s cold and raining, it all gets a bit nasty – as we saw last year. So we’re hoping the weather is good this time around! I’m aiming to say goodbye to my crew and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team as a whole with a successful weekend. Hopefully the weather conditions will be ok, then we can give our best once again. We aren’t far away from getting some top results now, we just need to take one more small step. And I hope that we can do this in the final races of the season at Magny-Cours.” Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “There hasn’t been much time for a breather since the races at Imola, with the final weekend of the season in France coming right up. In the races at Magny-Cours in 2009 – which was our debut season in the Superbike World Championship – we demonstrated our potential. Exactly a year has passed since then, during which we’ve developed our BMW S 1000 RR into a bike with which our riders can battle for the top positions. So our aim for the season finale is clear: we would love to get onto the podium once again before we head off into the winter. However, our team certainly won’t be winding down after the race weekend at Magny-Cours. German footballers have a saying: “after the game is before the game” – in other words, as soon as one game is over you’re already preparing for the next one. And that’s exactly how it is with us; as soon as the chequered flag comes down on the final race of the season on Sunday, all our concentration will be focused on the 2011 season. Indeed, we’ve got a test lined up at Magny-Cours immediately after the race.” Background: The “Circuit de Nevers” lies 250 kilometres south of Paris near the town of Magny-Cours in the French département of Nièvre. The track was built in 1961 and has undergone several phases of modernisation over the decades. The asphalt is extremely smooth here and offers low levels of grip in places. Gusting wind at times and frequent changes in the weather provide additional challenges. Rain quickly makes the slick surface a slippery place for the riders. The FIM Superbike World Championship made its debut at Magny-Cours in 1991, but did not return to this corner of the French countryside until 2003. However, it has been a fixture on the calendar here ever since. The first corner at Magny-Cours, which the riders take in fourth gear, demands a high level of bike stability. The riders need to build up good acceleration through the long, sweeping Estoril corner for the ensuing straight, before getting hard onto the brakes into the Adelaide hairpin. This is the slowest section of track the riders will find all year in the Superbike World Championship. In general, the bike needs to be able to turn in well and get optimum acceleration out of the tight corners and chicanes here. More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati: THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM IN FRANCE FOR THE FINAL EVENT OF THE 2010 WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Magny-Cours (France) Tuesday 28th September: it’s only two days since the penultimate round of the World Superbikes wrapped up on Ducati’s home turf at Imola, and now the Ducati Xerox team travels straight to Magny-Cours for the closing round of the 2010 championship. And now to France. Magny-Cours is a track where Noriyuki has had great success over the years, winning five races over the last six seasons and reaching the podium, in either first or second position, in all of the last six races held at the French circuit. Japanese rider Haga will aim to repeat his 2007 double win this coming weekend. Michel, though scoring a 4th place finish in Race 1 last year, is yet to reach the French podium and hopes to get there this weekend, in his last races with the Ducati Xerox team. Heading into the final round of the 2010 season, Noriyuki lies in sixth place in the championship, just one point behind Cal Crutchlow on the Yamaha, while Michel is ninth; he too could improve on his championship position with two solid races on Sunday. This coming weekend’s races are the last for the Ducati Xerox team given that, as already announced, there will be no factory participation for Ducati in SBK in 2011. Ducati would like to thank Xerox and all of its sponsors and partners for the incredible support, whether technical, financial or, most importantly, human. Having achieved 16 Manufacturer’s world titles and 13 Rider’s world titles, the Ducati factory team can be proud of its successes and of the contribution that it has made to motorcycle racing history. Noriyuki Haga (6th in championship, 238 points) Haga has reached the Magny-Cours podium 10 times in 12 races. “I have always done well at Magny-Cours and hope that the coming weekend is the best yet. I would like to thank Ducati, the team and the sponsors for these last two years. I have had a wonderful experience with the Ducati Xerox team and hope to thank my technicians by scoring two great results on Sunday.” Haga’s Superbike form at Magny-Cours: 2009: Race 1 2nd, Race 2 winner 2008: Race 1 winner, Race 2 2nd 2007: Race 1 winner, Race 2 winner 2006: Race 1 2nd, Race 2 4th 2005: Race 1 DNF, Race 2 3rd 2004: Race 1 2nd, Race 2 winner Michel Fabrizio (9th in championship, 169 points) Fabrizio would like to take his first Magny-Cours podium finish this coming weekend. “I want to collect as many points as possible this weekend, to see if I can improve my overall final result. I was sorry not to have done better at Imola and now I need to score two great results in France for my team. I still can’t believe that this will be the final weekend for the Ducati factory team. We’re all very emotional.” Fabrizio’s Superbike form at Magny-Cours: 2009: Race 1 4th, Race 2 13th 2008: Race 1 DNF, Race 2 14th 2007: Race 1 14th, Race 2 9th 2006: Race 1 11th, Race 2 13th CIRCUIT: Country: France Name: Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours Circuit length: 4.411 km Pole position: Right Corners left: 9 Corners right: 6 Length of race: 23 laps = 101.453 km Lap records: Fastest lap Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1’38.619 (2009). Superpole Spies (Yamaha) 1’37.709 (2009). 2009 RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Spies (Yamaha); 2. Haga (Ducati Xerox); 3. Biaggi (Aprilia) Race 2 1. Haga (Ducati Xerox); 2. Biaggi (Aprilia; 3. Rea (Honda) More, from a press release issued by Infront Motor Sports: Magny-Cours set to be the climax of another thrilling season One week after Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) won the 2010 HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at his home round of Imola, he and the entire paddock will take part in the final round of the year, at Magny-Cours in central France. The 2010 championship has provided drama and excitement all the way as usual, and there will be much to look forward to in France, as the Manufacturers’ title and the final rankings behind Biaggi are still to be decided. With the off-season looming and many riders still unsure of their 2011 plans, there will be private battles throughout each 23-lap race in France. Despite the disappointments of losing the chance to fight for the Riders’ Championship right until the end, when his machine failed in the final race of the Imola weekend, British battler Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) is ready to reload and go for more race wins, having taken three this year already. Haslam is now in a safe second place, 62 points up on third. Behind him, Jonathan Rea is in a battle to be fit to race in France, having cracked his collarbone and left scaphoid while riding for his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team in Superpole at Imola. Rea is a four-time race winner this year. The star of the podium show in the previous round was convincing double winner Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) who is now in a strong position to pass Rea and take third spot in the overall rankings. He is only 14 points behind Rea, and out to improve on his current win total of three in 2010. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) is now locked in a personal battle with Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) to keep fifth, although both those riders are still capable of taking a top four, if Checa no scores and they make the required mix of podium results. Haga is only a single point behind Crutchlow. A disastrous double no score at Imola for 2004 and 2007 champion James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) has left him only three points ahead of Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) and Guintoli will be understandably fired-up for his home round in his first year of WSBK participation. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) is now ninth and Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) tenth in the rankings, after Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) missed the Imola round through injury. Leon is another British rider fighting to be fit to race in France, as he recovers from surgery on his broken right scaphoid. Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) had two good top ten finishes last time out in Italy and is now only ten points adrift of Camier. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Jakub Smrz (PATA B&G Aprilia) complete the top 15 with one round and two races to go. A quite fabulous home round for DFX Corse Ducati privateer Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) saw him finish second in race one at Imola, and he is now 16th in the rankings, only six points behind Smrz. Lanzi is a former race winner at Magny-Cours, a fact he will no doubt be reminding himself of all the way to the line for Sunday’s races. Luca Scassa (Supersonic Team) and Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) are having their final races for their respective teams at Magny-Cours, and will want to go out with strong results. Roger Lee Hayden and Matteo Baiocco (Pedercini Kawasaki) are looking for season best finishes this weekend, which would mean 12th place or better for the American and 13th or higher for the Italian. Fabrizio Lai is out to do what he did in race two at Imola, score points for his ECHO CRS Honda squad. Points (after 12 rounds of 13): 1. Biaggi 413; 2. Haslam 350; 3. Rea 288; 4. Checa 274; 5. Crutchlow 239; 6. Haga 238; 7. Toseland 187; 8. Guintoli 184; 9.Fabrizio 169; 10.Corser 165. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 433; 2. Ducati 392; 3.Suzuki 379; 4.Yamaha 307; 5.Honda 305; 6. BMW 201; 7. Kawasaki 100. World Supersport In the Supersport World Championship it would be difficult to imagine that there could be last minute drama greater than that which occurred last weekend – but it has happened in various classes at Magny-Cours in the past. Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) fell on the final chicane at Imola last weekend and restarted to score valuable points. It is very much advantage Kenan, as he is 16 points ahead. Intriguingly, because Laverty has more wins this year (seven to Sofuoglu’s three) a no-score for Sofuoglu and a third for Laverty would bring about a tie on points, with Laverty winning the title on the number of races won. But there is any number of combinations of points that would make either rider champion, and the small matter of several other riders keen to put both contenders behind them. Injured rider Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) is a guaranteed third now, Chaz Davies (ParkinGO Triumph BE-1) is an unassailable fourth but he is desperate to get his first win in this class. Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) won the last round and with so much at stake for all riders, another first-time winner is certainly possible. Broc Parkes has made a huge impact in his recent return to this class, with the Provec Motocard.com Kawasaki, and he and his team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara are proven winners from previous seasons. Points (after 12 rounds of 13): 1. Sofuoglu 243; 2. Laverty 227; 3. Lascorz 168; 4. Davies 137; 5.Pirro 91; 6. Salom 90; 7.Harms 87; 8. Rea 83; 8.Pirro 66; 9. Fujiwara 71; 10. Roccoli 71 . Manufacturers: 1. Honda 270; 2. Kawasaki 185; 3. Triumph 146; 4. Yamaha 22. Superstock 1000 The question on everyone’s lips in the run-up to Magny-Cours is can the 2010 championship combination of Ayrton Badovini and his BMW Motorrad Italia STK S1000RR make it a perfect ten wins in the Superstock Championship? The question is still very much unanswerable until Sunday because Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Racing Junior Honda) will be racing on home soil this weekend, and he is extremely keen to get a win as reward for some great rides in 2010. In a guaranteed second place in the series, he now has nothing to lose in his quest for a win. A four-way fight for third is a nerve-wracking prospect for Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Honda), Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda), Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) and Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Racing Junior BMW). Points (after 9 rounds of 10): 1. Badovini 225; 2. Berger 122; 3. Magnoni 94; 4.Antonelli 89; 5. Giugliano 84; 6. Barrier 71; 7.Baz 65; 8. Petrucci 55; 9. Zanetti 53; 10. Baroni 43. Manufacturers: 1. BMW 225; 2. Honda 165; 3. Suzuki 87; 4.Ducati 79; 5.Yamaha 67; 6. Kawasaki 58; 7.KTM 36; 8. Aprilia 21. Superstock 600 Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) made himself champion last time out and Florian Marino (Ten Kate Junior Racing Honda) is a very safe second, but the following three riders only have nine points between them. Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) with Federico D’Annunzio (Martini Corse Yamaha) and Davide Fanelli (Team All Service System by QDP Honda) are very much in competition this weekend. Home rider Romain Lanusse (MRS Racing Yamaha) is also capable of a final top three, in mathematical terms at least. Points (after 9 rounds of 10): 1. Guarnoni 187; 2. Marino 159; 3. Lombardi 89; 4.D’Annunzio 82; 5. Fanelli 80; 6.Lanusse 68; 7.Karlsen 65; 8.Covena 53; 9. Calero Perez 51; 10. Le Coquen 43. TRIUMPH PARKINGO SERIES: The Triumph ParkinGO European Series reaches its finale in France, pitting riders on identical Triumph Street Triple R machines against each other once again. There have been some thrills and spills this season, and more to come no doubt. Fabrizio Perotti is already the champion, with Tony Salom, Giuliano Rovelli and Samuela Di Nardi all in with a chance to get second spot. The Circuit Magny-Cours is a 4.411km long circuit with a lot of history and a 4.271km version was first used for WSBK racing in 1991. The circuit returned to the calendar in 2003 in its 4.411km form and it has been a permanent fixture ever since. Spacious and well-appointed, Magny-Cours has been the scene of some classic moments in WSBK history, with Ducati, Honda and Yamaha riders posting wins here. No fewer than five 2010 riders have won at this track. The form man in France is Noriyuki Haga who has won on both Ducati and Yamaha machinery, most recently in 2009, and five times at Magny-Cours in total. Magny-Cours has many different faces, both slow and fast sections, and features some epic hard braking zones, particularly into the slow Adelaide corner. More, from a press release issued by Team Pedercini: The last round of the HANNspree Superbike World Championship and Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, will take place at the “Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours” over the weekend of October 1/2/3. Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours is a motor racing circuit located in France, near the towns of Magny-Cours and Nevers. Usually dubbed Magny-Cours, it was built in 1960. In the 1980s the track fell into disrepair and wasn’t used for international motor racing until it was purchased by the Regional Conseil de la Nièvre. In the 1990s the Ligier Formula One team was based at the circuit and did much of its testing at Magny-Cours. The track nowadays is a modern, smooth circuit with good facilities for the spectators. Most corners are named after other racing circuits. It is a flat circuit, with negligible change in elevation. At the latest round, held only one week ago at the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola, both Matteo Baiocco and Roger Lee Hayden fought hard in the races. Baiocco obtained a fifteenth place in the second race while Hayden was forced to re-enter the box in both races. In Magny Cours Pedercini team’s riders will try to end the 2010 championship with the best possible results. Riders statements Roger Lee Hayden :”I’m ready for the last races of the year here in France. I have never been in Magny Cours before and I’m eager to ride and get to know this new circuit. I’ve heard it is a very nice track and this is the kind of circuit that I like. My team hasn’t stopped working on my bike and I hope to be more competitive compare with my last two races in Imola. I’m determined to end my first Superbike season on a high note and secure as many points as possible on my Kawasaki ZX10R”. Matteo Baiocco :”I am really looking forward to this weekend in Magny Cours. I enjoyed racing at this circuit last year and my focus is on strong performances in practice, qualifying and the races. I want to thank my crew for all their hard work throughout this year. These are the last races of the year so I would like to finish well, for me and especially for our team”. More, from a press release issued by Honda: French World Superbike at Magny-Cours Tuesday September 28 2010 World Superbike and World Supersport preview 4.411km circuit SOFUOGLU AND LAVERTY READY FOR FINALE AS REA WAITS Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is waiting until the morning of the first practice session to see if he is fit to ride in the final Superbike World Championship round of the year at Magny-Cours in France. Rae had to miss the races at the most recent round in Italy last weekend, after suffering small fractures to his left collarbone and the scaphoid in his left wrist, but he hopes to be fit enough to ride at the weekend, to ensure he retains third place in the championship rankings. Double winner in Imola, Carlos Checa, is now only 14 points behind Jonathan, but as he is aiming for the title with Honda and Ten Kate again in 2011, a decision will be made at Magny-Cours whether Rea should race or sit this one out to be fully ready for the off season testing programme. In the Supersport World Championship the dramatic conclusion to last weekend’s Imola race, when the only two remaining championship protagonists Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) collided in the final chicane, has built up anticipation all the more for this round. Sofuoglu is now 16 points ahead, leaving Laverty in the position of having to go for the win and hope that other results work in his favour. Sofuoglu, who was champion of this class with the same Hannspree Ten Kate team in 2007, is therefore very much in the driving seat entering the French round. Back in Superbike, Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is particularly keen to get back to his top ten best this year, after some recent disappointments. After scoring his first WSBK points at Imola, Fabrizio Lai wants to make another step alongside his ECHO CRS Honda Superbike team at Magny-Cours. He has no experience of the French track, and is something of a rookie in Superbike racing in general, but is still aiming for a points score in France. Michele Pirro from the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team had a confidence building result at the previous round, winning the Imola race after passing the stricken Sofuoglu and Laverty, and boosting himself to fifth overall in the rankings. At Magny-Cours he knows another podium is a realistic prospect. Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) has slipped to eighth in the championship standings, after a fall at Imola and the rapid advance of Pirro to fifth, but he is determined to score and score well in France. He is only eight points and three places behind Pirro, but is 12 points clear of next closest rival Katsuaki Fujiwara. Intermoto Czech Honda rider Massimo Roccoli equalled his best finish of the year, sixth, at the previous round in Italy. Massimo is poised on the same points total as Fujiwara, but ranked tenth overall due to Fujiwara’s higher personal best race finish. With three riders behind him covered by only 11 points, Roccoli needs aggression and restraint in equal measure to make advances while protection his points total. Miguel Praia, from the Parkalgar Honda Supersport team, hurt his thumb in a crash at Imola, and is now in a battle to be fit for the next race, the last one of a 13 round season which started in Australia in February. WSBK Rider Comments Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “It is too early to say if I can ride at Magny-Cours, but I will wait until just before the race to make a final decision. It is more important for the team that I start testing for next year free of injury and with no niggling physical problems, so we will see how things are.” Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “I want to make a good final round of the year and we need to prepare the set-up of the bike as well as we can in qualifying and practice to be able to do that. Imola was difficult last time but I hope Magny-Cours will be better for us; I want to have two strong races at the end. Magny-Cours is a good track, but we will see what the weather is like when we get there.” Fabrizio Lai, ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR: “It has been a great experience riding this bike and I have one more chance in 2010. I do not know the Magny-Cours track and it will maybe be difficult because there is not a lot of time to get used to it. But I am looking forward to it and I want to score points on Sunday.” WSS Rider Comments Kenan Sofuoglu, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “I really wanted to win last weekend in Italy but it didn’t happen. The positive thing is that I have a 16-point advantage over Eugene going to Magny-Cours, so I am in a good position. The points I got at Imola mean I have to finish sixth or better to score enough, no matter what else happens. But we will be going out to win if we can.” Eugene Laverty, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “I am looking forward to the Magny-Cours race, although it is a pity that the points gap could not be closer. I am looking to be on form and be able to ride more like myself. I have had some treatment on my shoulder to make sure I am back at 100% for the final race. I want to win even if I don’t win the championship. I have won more races than anyone else this year and Kenan knows that, which is why he wanted to beat me in Imola. I want to win the last race and I’m sure Kenan wants to do the same.” Michele Pirro, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “This coming race will signal the end of a difficult season, aggravated by the accident which hurt my wrist in July. When you ride for a team like Ten Kate you feel obliged to make the result at any cost and it’s easy to make mistakes. The victory at Imola motivated me a lot and at Magny-Cours I will ride to get the best result. Then I will think about the next season.” Gino Rea, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “I am fine after my crash at Imola, no injuries, and I think that it was the first time in my road racing career that I crashed in a race when it was my fault. The best thing about Magny-Cours is that we do not have to wait too long to try and get another podium. I hope we can make practice and qualifying go well. I have gone well there in the past but we have to make the bike work well too.” Massimo Roccoli, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “Getting ten points last time was a big help to me. We have had ups and downs this season, so I want to finish on another high, and try to make up one place if I can. It is important to keep Fujiwara behind me. It is very tight in the table so every point will count.” Miguel Praia, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “I am having physio twice a day to get my overextended left thumb fixed. At the moment it is quite swollen. It is the last race and I want to make it the best race of the year. If I do that I can aim for a placing inside the top ten in the final championship ranking. That is my entire focus, my only aim, as it would be important for the team.”