Ducati dominate at Imola with Haga and Fabrizio: Biaggi and Simoncelli on the podium for Aprilia
The long-awaited return to Imola for the FIM Superbike World Championship produced a magnificent day of racing in glorious weather conditions in front of 67,000 spectators.
The wins went to the Ducati Xerox duo of Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, with the Japanese rider bouncing back to the top of the table.
The other protagonists in an all-Italian battle for the leading positions were Aprilia, with Max Biaggi and Marco Simoncelli taking a podium apiece.
It was a disappointing day for the former points leader Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike), who managed to limit the damage in the title race. Haga now has a three-point lead, with two rounds remaining and 100 points up for grabs.
Race 1
Haga won a nail-biting first race of the day, which kept the fans glued to their seats right down to the chequered flag, the Japanese rider taking his first win since Kyalami in mid-May. Four laps from the flag Haga passed Biaggi, who had led since the start, to take the win. Thanks to this result Haga made up twelve points on championship leader Spies, the American only able to finish fourth. There was a terrific scrap for the runner-up slot, which went to Biaggi after the Aprilia rider made a superb move on Fabrizio to pass him at the final chicane. Simoncelli’s WSB debut was an unfortunate one, the Italian crashing out from fifth. That place in the end went to Ryuichi Kiyonari (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who finished ahead of fellow Honda riders Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing) and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate), the latter throwing away any chance of a decent result when he went onto the gravel at the Rivazza while trying an overtaking move. Broc Parkes was the first Kawasaki runner home in tenth, ahead of Troy Corser (BMW).
Noriyuki Haga: “This is my first win since Kyalami and I am very happy, I really enjoyed that race. This morning we had a little problem and I thought it would be difficult to make good lap times for 21 laps, so for the race we made a modification for the suspension and things were better. I am really happy for the win because my dad came over for this race and I got the win, so I dedicate it to him!”
Max Biaggi: “I am very happy with the result in the last race in Italy before next year. In the tests we suffered a bit more than the others but me and my team worked hard and late afternoon yesterday we improved our set-up. This morning was OK, we made some modifications, still there is room to improve but for sure it was a great result. In the final chicane with Fabrizio, I thought ‘you never know’, I saw him there a little bit on the side and I stick in my bike, stayed in there. I could pass him and this is a good result.”
Michel Fabrizio: “From the sixth lap onwards I had a problem with my arm and I couldn’t pull the clutch very well, so I got used to changing gear without the clutch, but unfortunately the engine braking wasn’t quite right for that. As the laps went on I couldn’t feel my hand anymore and in the last five laps I was holding on with two fingers, I could hardly keep my hand on the bars.”
Race 2
The spectacle continued in race 2, but this time Fabrizio was unstoppable and he powered away to take his second win of the season. The Italian finished ahead of team-mate Haga, who with this result moved ahead of Spies in the table. The Texan rookie was not as incisive as in previous races but in the second race had bad luck on his side as he got caught up in the battle for third with the two Aprilias. While making a move on Biaggi and Simoncelli at the final chicane, he was forced to run off the track to avoid Biaggi. He came back on to finish fifth. The final podium place went to Simoncelli, who immediately made his name in a championship as hard-fought as Superbike. Jonathan Rea had another race full of errors, but partially managed to make up for them with sixth place. BMW had another difficult race, with a DNF for Corser and Ruben Xaus returning after injury to finish 13th.
Michel Fabrizio: “Today I really wanted victory in race 2. In the first race unfortunately I had a problem with my arm, and I just missed out on the win. For race 2 I fixed everything, I changed my arm and I changed Nori and went on to win! I am happy for the Ducati Xerox team, today all the Ducati top management were here so Nori and I cut a good figure! For sure I think we deserved the renewal of our contract!”
Noriyuki Haga: “Congratulations for Michel for winning and for Marco with his first time in Superbike, third position today. For the race, I changed the bike completely from the first race and in this bike we had a few problems. During the race the bike started moving a lot, after Michel passed me I tried to catch him up but he was quite fast today and I couldn’t find where I could pass him…and then I was dead! I think I need more salt, 1 kilo of salt!”
Marco Simoncelli: “If I finish the race in the first 5 I am very happy. In the first race I was fifth but crashed, while in this race I started better than in the first and after some laps I keep a very good pace. In the chicane with my team-mate I didn’t want to pass him, but I braked too hard and I think ‘either I hit him and we crash or I try to pass’. I succeeded and I am very happy, a big thanks to Aprilia and my team. Today was a great big experience for me here in Superbike.”
| SBK Race 1 1 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R | SBK Race 2 1 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R | SBK Championship 1. Haga 391 Manufacturers |
| FIM Supersport World Championship The battle for the Supersport title has been thrown wide-open again as a result of a crash by points leader Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha World Supersport), while he was heading towards his sixth win of the season. The British rider crashed out at the Acque Minerali, and his lead in the table is now two points over Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), who finished runner-up. The win went to Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) for the third time this year, while the final podium slot went to Fabien Foret (Yamaha World Supersport), who closed up on Laverty in the final stages but was unable to take away precious points. Chaz Davies put in an excellent performance on his Supersport debut with Triumph, bringing the British three-cylinder machine home in fourth place in front of team-mate Garry McCoy. |
| Supersport Race 1 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 35’51.342 (156,936 kph) | SS Championship 1. Crutchlow 210 Manufacturers |
Team Reports
— Yamaha
Spies fights hard in Imola to keep championship title in sight
It was never going to be easy for Yamaha World Superbike rider Ben Spies at Imola. Race one saw Spies in fifth off the start line, chasing Haga, Fabrizio, Rea and Biaggi. As the second lap drew to a close Rea over shot the corner, narrowly missing Haga as he headed off into the gravel. As the Italian bikes continued to fight for the lead, Spies was left with a two second gap to close. He managed to close down to 1.4 seconds, but was unable to stay with the front runners, holding on to fourth for the chequered flag. Changes in the set up to the bike saw Spies hit race two with a faster pace and a consistent speed to challenge the leaders. Rea again ran wide on a couple of occasions, causing Spies to pull up for safety, however he was soon back on the pace. He caught and took Byrne on lap 10 for fifth and started closing down on Simoncelli and Biaggi. Unfortunately as he caught them on the last chicane before the start line, Simoncelli took Biaggi, forcing him wide and into the path of Spies, taking him off track. He rejoined but was again forced wide to avoid an early braking Byrne and had to settle for fifth at the flag.
Race one was a mixed one for Sykes, having had a good start he continued to struggle for grip, but still managed to fight through the pack from his 16th position grid start to take ninth at the chequered flag, holding off Australian riders Parkes and Corser for his top ten finish. Race two saw some changes to the bike which provided more grip and consistency however as a number of riders cut the chicane at the end of the lap, they pushed Sykes wide, losing him valuable time. By the end of the race he had made up four places to take 12th at the flag.
Spies now heads to Magny Cours next weekend again in second place chasing the championship lead, separated from Haga at the top by a mere three points, with four races and hundred possible points still on the table. Team mate Tom Sykes remains in eighth position with two rounds to go, sitting just behind Checa with a seven point difference.
Ben Spies, Yamaha World Superbike Team (4th, 5th)
“In race one we ruined our chances with the electronic side of the bike, we didn’t have enough power coming out of the bike and we struggled with grip a bit as well, it was a rough race. The second race we had the pace for sure to battle for the lead but a combination of things held us up. Rea got pretty greedy early in the race, passing me in the gravel trap three different times. I felt bad for him as I knew he had the pace to run up front but you’ve got to know when to calm down and when to take it easy for a couple of laps and let the race come in, you can’t push on every corner. I had a couple of laps where I wasn’t riding well at all then I got myself together and caught up to Simoncelli and Biaggi. They bumped and Biaggi ran off the track, when he came back on it was either hit him or go off into the gravel. I got back on and caught up to Bryne and then almost ran into the back of him and had to run off the track again. It was a messy race. There were a lot of mistakes, a couple from me and some from others. If you would have told me after the first race that we would only be losing the championship by three points I’d be happy because there were a lot of guys who could beat me this weekend.”
Tom Sykes, Yamaha World Superbike Team, (9th, 12th)
“I had a good start in race one but still struggled for grip as we have been all weekend with the rear of the bike. We improved it a bit for warm up this morning but in the race I still struggled. We made a change for race two but I got a bad start. The bike felt faster and more consistent though but unfortunately I kept getting caught up by a few riders cutting the chicane and I ended up losing a second here and there. Towards the end I had one lap where I was having huge slides so I was looking back at the tyre to see if there was anything on it and lost maybe two and a half seconds.”
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager
“it’s been a very tough day for the team. We definitely came here with a different goal, but racing doesn’t always go as you plan it. During the second race, despite a bad start Ben was really pushing, but unfortunately he was in the wrong place at the wrong time which cost him a podium finish. We didn’t give up when the championship gap was 88 points, for sure we will be trying just as hard now to take back the three we lost today. Our bike has always worked well at Magny Cours so we are going there confident that we can have success. After Tom’s big crash on Friday we lost a whole day so the bike set up was not perfect for today’s races. Starting from 16th, especially here where it’s not easy to pass, it was a good achievement to get into the top ten with a ninth place finish.”
Foret takes a podium while Crutchlow strikes out
It was a bitter sweet Supersport race for the Yamaha team at Imola today, a hotly contested first ten laps were brought to an abrupt halt when Kawasaki rider Lascorz developed an engine fault, spraying oil across the track and across the front of Crutchlow’s bike as he followed close behind in second place. The restart with just nine laps to go saw Crutchlow move quickly up to take Laverty and then Sofuoglu for the lead before a false neutral going into a fast right hander caused him to crash out, ending his race.
Team mate Foret was on form, grabbing fifth off the line from the restart then quickly passing Gary McCoy for fourth on the second lap. The French rider then kept up a fast consistent pace for the remaining laps, holding onto his position then getting an automatic move to third and a podium finish after team mate Crutchlow crashed out.
With two races remaining, Crutchlow heads to Magny Cours next week still leading the championship with a two point advantage over rival Eugene Laverty. Team mate Foret remains in fifth position, 23 points behind fourth position rider Joan Lascorz.
Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team (3rd)
“I’m really happy to be on the podium again. It’s great to be back up near the front and taking points, it’s really good for my head. I’m enjoying the racing and looking forward to racing at home next week. The team worked really hard this weekend so I want to thank them for everything.”
Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha World Supersport Team (DNF)
“I’m really disappointed, we’ve lost 50 points over the year for two DNFs. It’s nobody’s fault, I hit a false neutral and went in way too fast and just couldn’t stop. I couldn’t get it round the corner and crashed. We still have a small lead though so we’ll take it to Magny Cours and give it everything we’ve got.”
Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager
“Cal found four false neutrals after the restart so we need to check exactly what happened. Normally it can be ridden round but if you’re in the wrong place and can’t shift back then you run in too hot and are going to crash which is what happened. The championship is open again, he’s leading by two points so he really has to fight for it at Magny Cours and Portimao. I was very happy for Fabien to get third and be on the podium, a great result for him. A disappointing result for us today but we haven’t lost yet, well put our heads together this week before Magny Cours, Cal is still fast so we will work it out.”
— HRC
Italian World Superbike at Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari Sunday 27 September 2009 World Superbike and World Supersport race report
Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) was unable to capitalize on his third place qualifying position at Imola after crashing and restarting last early in race one and then fighting some issues under braking in race two.
In the first 21-lap race of the day, front row qualifier Rea was running with the leaders before he ran on at the entrance to the Rivazza corners, only just missing his rivals as he took to the grass. He toppled over as he hit the safety fence, but got going again to finish a remarkable seventh – having been absolutely last after his fall.
Top finisher in the first race for Honda was Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) who went from 14th on the grid to fifth place as he passed Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda
CBR1000RR) on the very last chicane and held his position across the line. Haslam had qualified tenth on the grid, just missing the final Superpole session for the top eight riders. He went eighth in race two, after changing his tyre choice.
In race two Rea’s sixth place was the best result for a Honda rider, and kept him fourth in the championship, which moves to Magny-Cours next weekend. Rea now has 263 points, with Noriyuki Haga leading again on 391, largely thanks to a race one win; Ben Spies is on 388 and Michel Fabrizio on 330. Fabrizio won race two, from Haga and WSB wildcard rider, Marco Simoncelli.
Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) fell in the first race, but recovered to post a top ten in race two. Kiyonari fell in race two, losing the front around the Tosa corner.
Matthieu Lagrive (Honda Althea CBR1000RR) had a front end crash in race one, and then had to pull in during race two, suffering from flu-like symptoms.
All the Superbike riders at Imola only got three session of practice before Superpole, as the track was so slippery on Friday for the first planned session that it was cancelled, and the track had to be cleaned before the action could restart.
WSS – SOFUOGLU MAKES HISTORY WITH 14th WIN AS LAVERTY FIGHTS BACK
A fantastic raceday for Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) saw him take his 14th career WSS victory, and become the rider with the record number of race wins in this category of World Championship racing. He had qualified second on the grid and was a contender throughout the weekend.
Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) qualified only seventh for the Imola race and suffered from physical discomfort throughout, but in finishing second on raceday he moved to within only two points of the outright lead – vying with Sofuoglu for the most satisfied rider on show after an extraordinary raceday.
The race was run in two parts, after another competitor’s engine blew and coated the track with oil, bringing out the red flags. After everyone had to wait for the track to be cleaned on Friday before first untimed practice got underway, it was a highly disturbed weekend all round, despite consistently dry weather.
Championship leader Cal Crutchlow fell in the second leg of the aggregate 19-lap race, leaving Laverty in his best position to overhaul the long-time series leader, with two rounds left to run. Crutchlow has 310 points, Laverty 208, and Sofuoglu has 153, and Kenan has now moved back into third place overall.
Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) found the set-up secrets he had been missing recently in the restarted second leg of the race, and finished overall sixth.
Anthony West (Stiggy Racing Honda CBR600RR) had a difficult race from 15th on the startline, but battled hard for eighth. He is still sixth in the championship, now tied on points with Pitt, who is ranked seventh.
Miguel Praia (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) achieved an ambition by finishing ninth, his first WSS finish inside the top ten, having qualified 13th.
Mark Aitchison (Althea Honda CBR600RR) qualified a strong sixth but fell early and scored no points. His new team-mate Flavio Gentile (Althea Honda CBR600RR) went 15th after two very different experiences, and scored a single point.
RIDER COMMENTS
Jonathan Rea: “It’s been a disappointing day, as I felt we were in good shape for a win here. At the start of race one, the pace seemed quite slow and as I drew alongside Fabrizio to line him up for a pass he must have hit a curb or something. He sat up suddenly and pushed me wide, and I had to run straight into the gravel. Race two was not so good. I got a bad start and it turned into a bit of a dogfight, with people chopping me off and letting the brakes go again when I’d passed them. I made a few mistakes after that, but something also happened with the brakes, which had a bad vibration and the power was inconsistent. I had my heart set on a win but the results aren’t the end of the world. I’ve been fast here and the package was good.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari: “Race one was very positive for me and it felt really good to be doing quick lap times a the end of the race, as well as at the beginning. Fifth was a good result for me from where I started on the grid, in 14th place. In race two, I think I got a little bit too excited. I could see Ben Spies at the back of the leading group and I pushed a little too hard trying to catch him. If I had finished where I should have finished race two, it would have been a really positive weekend.”
Leon Haslam: “Yes, it was hard work out there today. The set-up was better in race two but we went with the wrong tyre for the second race, my decision because the temperature had gone up. Plus Johnny put me across the grass about four times, and that cost us a lot of time. If we had worked together we could have got up to the back of the group that actually got to the podium. Eighth in race two was not the best of results, but sixth on race one was better. We have had a few issues this weekend, but we have overcome them and we were running as fast as the leaders in the mid-part of one race. All-in-all, we improved over the weekend.”
Carlos Checa: “The crash in race one came after a few problems on that corner, but we used a different front tyre and maybe that was the problem. Race two was better that the first, of course, but I struggled in the chicanes, the set up wasn’t quite right and I just struggled to find a way to go faster. My riding was not fluid and I couldn’t get on the pace. There were some positives from the weekend, however, and we will put these together with the good results from Brno and Nürburgring and take a better feeling to Magny-Cours next weekend.”
Matthieu Lagrive: “In the first race I cannot understand what happened, but I lost my front wheel in a curve and I was forced to end my race on the gravel. In race two starting from the middle of the race I start to feel dizzy and also a strong headache. It was too dangerous to continue race in those conditions. Now I have a high temperature and I hope Clinica Mobile will be able to help me to recover very quickly to allow me to race in Magny-Cours next Sunday.”
WSS Rider Comments
Eugene Laverty: “I wasn’t able to show our true potential this weekend because of arm and leg pains that stemmed back to Friday’s delayed timings. I have an old injury in my left arm and a problem with my leg that means I have to stretch a lot on Thursday and Friday but this weekend the sessions on Friday were so interrupted I didn’t get a chance. The result was a lot of pain and this morning I had 10-injections in my arm and leg each – I was worried about even finishing the race so to get second when I could have been much stronger is excellent. I can’t believe I am back in the fight for the title. This is the closest I’ve been all year and I’ll be going to Magny-Cours and then Portimao doing my best to win the World Championship at our home track.”
Kenan Sofuoglu: “I am happy to have made my record number of wins, but I am much happier to have won this race. It seems we have made another step forward with the set-up, and finally we made a race win. Cal was very fast today and when he passed me he was pushing so hard and then finally he fell. The bike has improved a lot and my goal now is to make the best possible races in the last two events of the year and prepare for the 2010 season.”
Andrew Pitt: “In the second part of the race we got to where we need to be and I got a bit of confidence back in the set-up, so the lap times got better. We improved the balance on the bike as well, so the boys have worked hard. It was nice to be setting good times again, even if we finished further back on the aggregate results.”
Anthony West: “I am not sure what is wrong with the set-up and the two chicanes I was losing most of the time. It is two silly sections that held us up most and starting from 15th place made things worse.”
Miguel Praia: “I am happy, ninth is my best ever result. I actually crashed on the oil on the circuit when the first part of the race was red-flagged but got back on and to the garage. The second part of the race was good and my lap times were only a little bit behind the leaders. I was lapping faster than the group in front and if I had made a better start, so who knows what could have happened.”
Mark Aitchison: “A very short race for me today. I had a problem with some other riders immediately after the start and in the middle of the fourth corner as soon as I open the gas I spun around and I crashed. It’s difficult for me to understand what happened. Maybe the tyre was too cold, but I don’t have an explanation at the moment. In any case we made a good job during all this weekend because my qualification was much better and my morning warm up was also very fast.”
Flavio Gentile: “It was a really chaotic race today. I had a good start in the first race and I was able to recover quite a few positions. I reached sixteenth position when the race was red flagged. My second start was not so good as the first one but overall I reached a good fifteenth position and one point for the championship standing. It was a difficult race mainly because of my bad starting position of 22nd.”
— Ducati
After two spectacular races, it was the Ducati Xerox team celebrating this afternoon after Noriyuki Haga and his Ducati 1198 stormed to victory in Race 1 and team-mate Michel Fabrizio repeated the feat in race 2. With a race victory apiece, as well as a second place finish for Haga in the second race, and third place for Michel in the first, the result couldn’t have been better for the Ducati Xerox Team at their home track. Noriyuki thus regains his championship lead with only two rounds to go.
A fantastic Race 1 saw Max Biaggi take the lead off the start line, closely followed by the Ducati men Michel and Noriyuki and Honda’s Jonathan Rea. Rea crashed out during the second lap, leaving the Ducati Xerox twosome to battle it out against Aprilia’s Biaggi. Haga got ahead on lap nine only to lose the lead again to Biaggi shortly after. In lap seventeen of twenty-one it was again the Japanese rider who led the pack, and it was he who reigned supreme, crossing the line first, ahead of Biaggi and Fabrizio who battled it out for second position until the final corner.
In Race 2 it was Michel who was fastest off the line and for the first two laps he led the pack, followed closely by his team-mate Noriyuki, Biaggi, Byrne and Spies. Noriyuki got past Michel on the third lap and from then on it became a Ducati showdown, Michel re-passing Nori mid way through the race to then hold the lead to the chequered flag, taking his second ever victory in front of Ducati’s home crowd. Haga crossed the line just 3.5 seconds behind Michel, making it a Ducati one-two, ahead of Simoncelli on the Aprilia who closed in third.
Today’s results, most importantly, take Noriyuki back into the lead in the overall championship standings. The 45 points he takes home from Imola take him up to 391 points, just 3 points ahead of Yamaha’s Ben Spies. Michel consolidates his third position, holding a total of 330 points.
Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 –winner , Race 2 – 2nd)
“It’s great to have won again, having not been in this position since Kyalami and having had some tough rounds after the Donington accident. It was a very long race, I thought it would never end, and with all that happened, I don’t even remember when I overtook Max! Over this weekend we have gradually improved and I am especially happy with the result because my father has travelled to Europe for the first time to see me race. For Race 2 I unfortunately had to go out on the second bike as we had problems with the first and we couldn’t get it fixed in time. It was a hard race and I am very tired at the end of it all. Congratulations to Michel in Race 2 of course and also to Marco (Simoncelli) and thanks to my engineer Ernesto, to my team and to Ducati. We are now back in the lead with a three point advantage but there are still four races to go so there’s still a fight ahead. We need the best possible bike for Magny-Cours and Portimao!”
Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – winner)
“What races! I really wanted a win today so I am extremely happy. In Race 1 the problem was that after just a few laps I was having problems with my left arm and it was hard to change gear, I had kind of cramps in my hand. By the end I was really hanging on by two fingers with no feeling in my arm. So all things considered third place was a good result. After the first race I got my trainer to do some work on my arm and it obviously did the trick because it wasn’t a problem in Race 2, and when I got past Noriyuki I knew I could win. I’m happy also for my son, who is here and always asks me why I don’t win more! Thanks to the whole team, to my trainer Leigh “Rok” Bryan, to Ducati, to Xerox and to the spectators who have been amazing this weekend. All of Ducati’s top management were here today too so I hope that our results demonstrate that Nori and me deserve to have had our contracts renewed for next year.”
— Suzuki
Team Suzuki Alstare riders Yukio Kagayama and Karl Muggeridge worked their hardest in both 21-lap races in today’s World Superbike 12th round at Imola, but left the Italian circuit with just six points to show for their efforts.
Today was always going to be tough, because of their lowly grid positions, but the first race started very positively, especially for Kagayama, who was up to seventh by the 10-lap stage. But soon after, he began having tyre problems and was unable to keep up the pace. The team made changes to the bike for race two, but there was no improvement and, as the race wore on, the bike began shaking and Kagayama was forced to pull out, or risk crashing.
Muggeridge suffered grip problems in race one and a rear tyre chunking in race two and although he was very disappointed with his results, he is positive that further work with the new Ohlins suspension system will pay dividends.
Yukio Kagayama – Race 1: 15th, Race 2: DNF:
“I made a good start in race one and got up to seventh by the tenth lap, but then I began to experience problems with the rear tyre. It was a very strange feeling and the bike became very difficult to ride, especially in the last five laps. After the race, we checked the tyre and found that it had a puncture! So at least there was an explanation.
“The team decided to make a change to the rear-end for race two, but it didn’t work out well: There was a lot of movement from the rear end and the bike was shaking a lot. The bars began to start shaking and I tried to keep going, but it was impossible, so I had to pull out. I am not happy at all with the results today, but I feel very positive about the future with our new suspension system and I am looking forward to developing it further and getting better results in Magny-Cours next weekend.”
Karl Muggeridge – Race 1: 13th, Race 2: 14th:
“After the morning warm-up we changed the settings of the bike, but I soon began to get a lot of chatter and a pumping feeling from the rear. I was having to fight the bike, but I just kept going and brought it home as best I could. We made a radical change to the bike for race two and there was less chatter, but the grip was not so good. The first 10 laps were OK, but when the grip level went down further, I began to lose time and I could not recover. Eight laps from the end, the rear tyre started chunking, so I had to ride steadily and just get the bike home. I am pretty disappointed today but, on a positive note, I am happy with the front end of the bike. I know that we have to do more work on the rear, but our suspension is very new to us, so it is understandable that we have to do a lot of work to make progress.
— BMW
It was a day of mixed fortunes for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at Imola today, with Ruben posting superb top thirteen positions on his comeback after injury and Troy suffering brake problems which saw him in eleventh place in race one and a DNF in race two. The weekend had started badly for all teams, when the first practice was abandoned due to a very slippery track and everybody lost valuable track time. Ruben soon settled into a groove with the new spec engine in his S 1000 RR, but then had to learn about the new changes and how they affected the bike. Despite this, and having to start from the fifth row of the grid, he rode his heart out to finish 12th in race one and 13th in race two. Race two’s result would have been even better were it not for Ruben having to take to the dirt after having to avoid hitting Fonsi Nieto in one of the chicanes. He rejoined the track, but lost four or five seconds in the process.
In race one, Troy made a good start and was in fifth place after three laps, but then began to suffer with brake problems. He kept going as best he could, but dropped down the order and ended 11th. Brembo technicians changed the brake system for race two, but the problem was worse, not better, and Troy was forced to pull out after just four laps.
Ducati riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio dominated Imola (their home track) today, with Haga taking the win in race one, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) second and Fabrizio third. Race two was won by Fabrizio, with Haga second and Marco Simoncelli (Aprilia) third.
Troy – Race 1: 11th, Race 2: DNF
Today was very frustrating for me and the team because we had all expected more. Practice had gone well and our times on race tyres would’ve meant top seven or eight finishes for sure. In race one, the brakes started giving problems after about six laps and I was going about 20 kms faster into the turns than I wanted to whilst using much, much more brake pressure. I tried to keep out of trouble and not cause any problems to the other riders and try and keep going as best I could. In the end, I was lucky to finish 11th. Brembo and the team changed the brake system for race two, but this time the problem was worse and maybe air had ingressed. After running off the track a few times and nearly crashing, I decided it would be safer to pull in. The last thing I wanted was to crash and take somebody else out, so withdrawing was the best, and only, option. Hopefully the problem will be sorted out and everything will be OK for Magny-Cours next weekend.
Ruben – Race 1: 12th, Race 2: 13th
I am so happy to be back with my team, because I have missed them all so much in the past few weeks. I couldn’t have raced here today if it had not been for all the tremendous work by BMW’s doctor Vicenzo and Dr Llobet and physio Ricard Huelamo in Spain. It’s a shame we lost time on Friday, because the new specification of my bike means that it is like learning a new machine for me, especially as I haven’t ridden for eight weeks. So, all in all, I am pretty happy with my performance today, but I think it could’ve been better if I hadn’t had to take to the dirt to avoid hitting Fonsi (Nieto) in the second race. At that point, I was chasing a top-ten place, but things like this happen in racing. Now, I am looking forward to Magny-Cours next weekend and getting to know my ‘new’ bike better.
Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
A day of mixed feelings for us, but we must be happy because Ruben is back and, although he is not 100%, he showed his eagerness and ability to fight. To finish 12th and 13th after starting from 19th on the grid is a very good achievement. What can I say about Troy? There will be an investigation by our brake suppliers and hopefully they will find out what went wrong. We all felt that Troy could’ve finished in the top seven or eight for sure, so to have this result is very disappointing. Sometimes racing is like this and we have to put aside the problems and concentrate on the positives. Our bike is improving and the next step is not far away, so I hope that there will be no problems in Magny-Cours and we can get the results we feel we deserve.
— Triumph
Team ParkinGo Triumph BE1 Racing reached their goal as both riders rode a spectacular race and finished just one tenth of a second from each other in aggregate. Chaz Davies took fourth place at his debut in WSS, while a sore but stoic Garry McCoy finished fifth.
The race started with Mark Aitchison’s crash which made McCoy lose precious seconds and contact with the front runners. The Aussie ended lap one in ninth place, 3,6 seconds behind the leader. He later recovered a few positions thanks to a very good pace climbing up to sixth place just before the red flag was displayed and the race was interrupted due to oil leak from Lascorz’ Kawasaki.
Chaz Davies did not get a good start either as he ended lap one in seventh place before the red flag. In that same lap, McCoy slipped and sustained an index injury and a nail lift-off. He was rushed to the mobile clinic but decided to race anyway in the second heat. Despite the sore finger and multiple bruises, he managed to grab an extraordinary fifth place.
Rookie Chaz Davies finished just in front of him after improving the forecarriage setup. The Welshman already established himself as one of the best as he managed to battle with the top riders through the entire race
GARRY McCOY | Triumph Daytona 675 | 5th: “It was a very difficult race and I really had to give 110%. In the first section, everything went well and I was battling with Foret for the podium. Unfortunately, I crashed on the oil leak from Lascorz’ bike just before the red flag was displayed. I injured myself very badly and it hurt a lot but fortunately I was rushed to the mobile clinic where they assisted me in no time. It was an ordeal when I had to brake but I grit my teeth and scored an important result result which allowed me to climb to eighth place in the standings”.
CHAZ DAVIES | Triumph Daytona 675 | 4th: “I’m very happy with the result. I improved a lot this weekend and I wish to thank the entire team for a great job done. However, my goal is to do even better but for this to happen, I’ll have to do well in practice and at the start too. After two years in the U.S., it’s really hard to wait for the light to get green but it’s nice too. I can’t wait to get back on the track at Magny-Cours in four-days time”.
GIULIANO ROVELLI – TEAM MANAGER: “It was the best round of the season for the team, both riders were great. However, if it wasn’t for the injury, Garry could’ve scored another podium for us. Chaz, on the other hand, showed his skills in just three days and I’m delighted to have signed him. He’s a great addition to the team who is now stronger than ever”.
— Minor Classes
Superstock 1000
After taking the pole, wild-card Ayrton Badovini (Aprilia) went on to repeat the same form in the race, taking a lights-to-flag victory. At the start, the Italian was shadowed first by Xavier Simeon (Ducati Xerox) and Claudio Corti (Suzuki Alstare), but he managed to shake them off one by one and take the chequered flag by a large margin. In post-race scrutineering however all the Aprilias were found to have a technical irregularity and Badovini, as well as tenth-placed Federico Sandi, were disqualified. As a result the win went to Simeon, his fourth in a row, and the Belgian is now easily on the way towards the title: he needs just five points in the last two races to win, irrespective of what Corti, who finished runner-up, does. The battle for third was between Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Yamaha) and Michele Magnoni (Belvilacqua Yamaha), with the Frenchman taking the place in a sprint to the line.
Results: 1. Simeon X. (BEL) Ducati 1098R 22’40.939 (156,682 kph); 2. Corti C. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1.689: 3. Magnoni M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 4.947; 4. Beretta D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 13.727; 5. Lammert D. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 16.487; 6. Saltarelli S. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 17.403; 7. Baroni L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 17.661; 8. Jezek O. (CZE) Honda CBR1000RR 26.448
Points (after 8 of 10 rounds): 1. Simeon 180; 2. Corti 135; 3. Fores 107; 4. Berger 102; 5. Beretta 79; 6. Barrier 67; 7. Jesek 64; 8. Baz 41; 9. Giugliano 38; 10. Magnoni 35. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 180; 2. Suzuki 137; 3. Honda 136; 4. Kawasaki 107; 5. Yamaha 100; 6. MV Agusta 26; 7. Aprilia 12
Superstock 600
The Supersport 600 battle remains to be decided after Danilo Petrucci (Yamaha Trasimeno) wasted a chance to clinch the title. The Italian was in the lead at the final chicane, but came under attack from Eddi La Mara (Honda Lorini), who took his first win, and also from Gino Rea (Ten Kate Honda) and Marco Bussolotti (Yamaha Trasimeno), who finished on the podium. Luckily his chief rival Vincent Lonbois (MTM Yamaha) was unable to go any higher than sixth place, leaving Petrucci with the consolation of an 11-point cushion in the table.
Results: 1. La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 19’36.935 (150,982 kph); 2. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 0.286; 3. Bussolotti M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 0.715; 4. Petrucci D. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 0.988; 5. Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 9.605; 6. Lonbois V. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 11.034; 7. Gregorini G. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.203; 8. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.237
Points (after 8 of 10 rounds): 1. Petrucci 135; 2. Lonbois 124; 3. Rea 118; 4. Bussolotti 112; 5. Guarnoni 94; 6. La Marra 93; 7. Kerschbaumer 62; 8. Guittet 58; 9. Litjens 38; 10. Chmielewki 36
