ARCHIVE FEBRUARY 2009

WORLD SUPERBIKES 2009 - ROUND ONE - PHILLIP ISLAND

RESULTS

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) took his 1098R to the win in his first race for the factory Ducati squad in the opening round of the Hannspree FIM Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island, Australia. The Japanese rider got the better of German Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare) on the final lap to score his 34th win. The second race saw a sensational maiden triumph for WSB rookie Ben Spies from Texas, who took his Yamaha R1 to the win over Haga. The Australian Round of the championship was watched by a record 69,300 spectators, 6% up on last year's figure.

Race 1:
The first race, declared ‘wet', was held on a totally dry track, and all riders opted for slicks but a few drops of rain did fall in the final stages. The potential of the K9 Suzuki GSX-R was confirmed with third place for Yukio Kagayama, who finished ahead of Michel Fabrizio on the second Ducati Xerox machine. Spies, who started from pole, ended up on the gravel at the second turn, but returned to the track to finish just outside the points in sixteenth. Max Biaggi, second on the grid with the brand-new Aprilia RSV4 machine, finished in eleventh place. The other rookie manufacturer BMW, also had a positive debut after Troy Corser recovered from the fifth row to finish eighth, the Australian setting fastest lap of the race.

RACE 1 WINNER NORIYUKI HAGA ON THE XEROX DUCATI

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox): "One thing that I have is great experience because in 2005 I was in 16th and won a race, so now everybody knows it doesn't matter where the start position is, we don't need qualifying! I'm very happy for the win, I have just switched to Ducati, I already had four crashes with the bike, but our team did a great job. In the last two laps it started to rain a bit then on the last lap Max passed me but I put big pressure on him thinking where to pass him. He made a mistake and I won."

Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare): "I was very happy with the first race and thought I could win it after a big fight with Nori. But I made a little mistake on the last lap and that was enough for Nori to take the chequered flag and push me to second. But for me, second is a great start to the season and it is a good way to say thank you to my team for all the hard work over the winter. I had some problems with chatter in race two and also got caught up in a lot of traffic and found it not easy to get through it. I lost three seconds on the front group and that was too much to make up. The grip level seemed quite a bit down in race two and it was not possible to go any faster. If I had gone any quicker, I may have crashed and I didn't want that as Yukio and I have not had a single crash all weekend!"

Yukio Kagayama (Suzuki Alstare): "I am so happy to be on the podium again because the last time was a very long time ago - Brno in 2007. I am a racer and I like to win, so the first race was a good feeling for me. The bike was almost the same in race two, but the grip level was much different and I had some chattering and many slides. Also, I had a problem with my left boot and it was not so easy to use the shifter. If I didn't have that problem, I'm sure I could've caught and passed at least two riders in front of me. But it's a good feeling to be on the podium again and also good because I didn't crash this weekend."

Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike Team):
"The first race was pretty rubbish for me, but I knew I could come back in race two and fight it out. Unfortunately the incident with Biaggi and Haslam left me no option and forced me off, a double blow to be forced off again shortly after with the Xaus incident! I almost made it into the points and had the pace to do it. Congratulations to Nori for that one. The second race was really tough, I had a couple of attempts to break the lead, and watched Nori as much as possible to see where the opportunities were, we were both keeping the pace really high. I tried to stay as close as possible to him and waited for his grip levels to come down. With four laps to go I felt it was the right moment so I put my head down and charged and just kept going! The Pirelli tires were really good and as it was the first weekend for the new R1 it was really great. We got it done in the end, it was a really clean race and Nori was excellent to race against. There are a few more of these to go so looking forward to the next one in Qatar."

Tom Sykes, (Yamaha World Superbike Team):
"It's not easy in the first couple of turns with the whole pack! I got off line going in to turn one in the first race and got pushed wide, there were people everywhere! Then going into the Honda hairpin, I was just going underneath Xaus and someone came up the inside and took him out and that pushed me back. The incident lost me three or four seconds, I couldn't believe it, I guess that's the nature of Phillip Island! The most positive thing for me was that we made changes with the bike this morning and found a really good setting so I know now I can run race pace and keep at the sharp end, the bike is awesome, especially down the start finish straight. Because the bike was working so well I felt really fresh and able to keep pushing on, I was sure I could get to eighth but I ran out of time. The second race was much of the same, a frustrating start for me, dropping back to 19th place initially, but I got my head down and stuck to my pace and worked back up, taking nine places to finish tenth. I was forced to overuse the tires for the first few laps which meant my race distance suffered a bit. On a positive note I know I'm capable of running consistent times for the front of the pack."

Race 2:
The second encounter was all about Haga vs Spies as the Yamaha rider unleashed the R1's potential. The duel went on until a few laps from the end when the Texan pulled out a slight advantage and powered to the flag. The runner-up slot put Haga, who turns 34 tomorrow, into the lead of the championship on 45 points. Britain's Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda) had a great race for the final podium place, beating the two Ducatis of Règis Laconi (DFX) and Fabrizio to the line. The group also included Biaggi, who ran third for much of the race; on the final lap however the Italian slid off into the gravel, recovering to finish fifteenth. However Aprilia, on their return to SBK after six years, are already looking a competitive force.

Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike):
"The first race was not picture perfect for us. The second one was really tough, we had a couple of goes in the lead and tried to break but couldn't do it so I sat and watched Nori. We were strong in the first half but really slow in the back two corners and I couldn't stay with him, then when the tyres went off we just went to the front with four to go and I put my head down. WSB was rough but good in the end, the new R1 was great in the first weekend for the big-bang motor. It's such a new machine for the team, hopefully we can get more out of it but for sure it's a front-running bike. WSB is so tight, people don't understand how many fast riders there are here, and it was really great out there today."

Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox):
"I did a nice start again and then during the race I really enjoyed fighting with Ben. It was hard to pull away from him but in the last five laps my tyres were finished and I couldn't push anymore and I just kept the second position. I think this weekend we did a good job except for qualifying and now I'm in the lead of the championship."

Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda):
"It's a big credit to the team, three months ago they were just building the bike. It's the first round and we're already on the podium. There's been a big effort and we've kind of repaid all that effort. There was a bit of argy-bargy with Fabrizio, I had a tyre mark from him from the first lap and later on in the race we had a bit of a tussle but that's what World Superbike is all about, it's a fantastic result."

HAGA, SPIES AND HASLAM ON THE PODIUM IN RACE 2

Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport):
"That was an up and down day for sure, but I’ll take the positive - my eighth place in the first race. I made a good start and just kept at it. It ended up being one of the hardest races of my life, but I was determined to give it everything I had. I think we showed that the S 1000 RR has potential and I’m sure that there is quite a bit more to come, once we have got further along with its development. As I said before, the team have done a great job to get the bike where it is now so soon and although there’s more work to do, all the signs are good and I am excited about the prospects. It’s just a shame that I had to start from the fifth row of the grid and fight my way through so much traffic. If I’d been higher up the grid, I’m sure the result would’ve been even better. Regarding race two: Probably the less said, the better. The tyres were gone after just one lap or so and from then it was just case of hanging on as best I could and not crash. I don’t know what the problem was because it was the same bike and the same set-up - the only difference was the tyres. I could’ve pulled in (and probably should’ve done!) but I wanted to try and finish the 22 laps and give my team as much information and data as possible, so that’s what I did. The ‘moment’ on the last lap was a big one! I was out of the saddle, in the air and I thinking that this could end in tears. But I was lucky because the bike was pointing forwards and when I came down the bike was under me somehow. I’m still not sure why I didn’t crash, but I’ll take that piece of good luck and not worry about it. I am happy with the bike and know that it has a lot of potential. We’ve just got to keep working hard and the results will come for sure."

Points (after 1 round of 14): 1. Haga (Ducati) 45; 2. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 30; 3. Haslam (Honda) 26; 4. Spies (Yamaha) 25; 5. Kagayama (Suzuki) 24; 6. Fabrizio (Ducati) 24; 7. Laconi (Ducati) 22; 8. Rea (Honda) 18; 9. Smrz (Ducati) 16; 10 Sykes (Yamaha) 12 etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 45; 2. Yamaha 31; 3. Suzuki 30; 4. Honda 27; 5. Bmw 13; 6. Aprilia 9.

FIM Supersport World Championship:

Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) won a superb opening World Supersport race in a three-way sprint to the line. The Turk, 2007 champion in the category, took the flag ahead of Australian riders Andrew Pitt (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Anthony West (Stiggy Racing Honda). Honda, winners of the mid-range Supersport category for the last seven years, begin the new season with four CBR-RR machines in the top 4 places, with fourth going to Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) of Ireland. For 24 year-old Sofuoglu, the win is his eleventh in the series, while Honda celebrate their 63rd win out of 117 Supersport races. The Yamahas, which looked good in qualifying, finished fifth in the hands of Cal Crutchlow and seventh with Fabien Foret, who raced with a partially dislocated right shoulder following his crash on Saturday. Spain's Joan Lascorz made his debut for Kawasaki with an encouraging seventh place. The new Triumph 675 also had a positive start, with Gianluca Nannelli finishing tenth and Garry McCoy fourteenth.

KENAN SOFUOGLU BACK IN WORLD SUPERSPORT AND BACK WINNING

Points (after 1 round of 14): 1. Sofuoglu (Honda) 25; 2. Pitt (Honda) 20; 3. West (Honda) 16; 4. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 13; 5. Laverty (Honda) 11; 6. Aitchison (Honda) 10; 7. Foret (Yamaha) 9; 8. Lascorz (Kawasaki) 8.

SECOND QUALIFYING

FIRST QUALIFYING

2009 WORLD SUPERBIKE AND WORLD SUPERSPORT RIDERS - THE FULL MONTY

After Ben Spies took the initial first place advantage in free practice, Jakub Smrz powered to the top of the timesheets in first qualifying for the Australian Round of the 2009 Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island. The 25 year-old Czech rider was quickest around the spectacular 4.445 km circuit with a time of 1 minute 32.312 seconds on a ‘customer' Guandalini Ducati, a fraction ahead of Noriyuki Haga, replacement for world champion Troy Bayliss in the factory Ducati Xerox team. An excellent third place was notched up by Britain's Leon Haslam on a private Stiggy Racing Honda, while the Suzuki Alstare pairing of Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama looked strong in fourth and fifth.

No.96 JACOB SMRZ ON THE GUANDALINI DUCATI

Smrtz: 1'32.312 "For me, Phillip Island is almost the best circuit in the world. It is easy for me to make a good lap here. The bike is a good bike and 95% similar to last year's so I have been able to get on the pace very quickly. For sure, I have a lot of confidence with the tyre, even in these hot conditions."

The starting grid for Sunday's two races will be assigned tomorrow with the new Superpole ‘knock-out' formula for the top 20 qualified riders over three 12-minute sessions. The first day of the 2009 campaign, which will see 14 rounds held in 5 continents, took place in ideal weather conditions, with air/track temperatures of 33°/55°C at the start of Q1. In the cooler conditions of the morning's free practice session (25°/35°C), the quickest time was set by Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) in 1'32"752. The afternoon session saw the Suzukis move to the front, while Spies finished in eighth place, behind Shinya Nakano, making his WSB debut for Aprilia, and Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox). Max Biaggi's eleventh place doesn't reflect the true potential of the Italian rider as his time was set on used tyres to simulate a race distance. As well as the return of Aprilia after seven years, today saw the first day of true championship activity for BMW in its debut season in Superbike. The German manufacturer finished the day in sixteenth position with Troy Corser and in twentieth with Ruben Xaus, but with the Australian just over a second off the pace of the provisional pole-sitter, the result is encouraging. Today's first qualifying session saw the top 14 riders separated by just under a second, with less than two between Smrz and Tommy Hill (Honda Althea), twenty-first on the provisional grid.

The first fallers of the new season were David Salom (Kawasaki Pedercini) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Honda) in the morning session, with Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Pedercini), Corser and Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati) all going down in qualifying, but without any serious consequences.

Both Ducati Xerox factory riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio registered consistently fast laps on their Ducati 1198 machines throughout the day, to conclude today’s proceedings in second and seventh place respectively. The only really difficulty faced by the riders in red was tyre-wear due to the elevated temperatures in the afternoon. As expected there were many fast riders on track today with the first eleven lapping in under 1m33s, despite the conditions. The Ducati Xerox squad declared that a very positive start has been made here today although Noriyuki, Michel and their teams hope for slightly cooler temperatures for the second qualifying session of tomorrow morning and for Sunday’s races too.

Noriyuki Haga: 1m32.5s
“This morning we checked that everything was still ok after the tests and we modified one bike slightly, with good results. This afternoon I completed a long run of about fifteen laps but the tyres were a problem as they began to wear after a while because of course it was very hot. Having said that, the feeling I have with the bike is very good and so far I’m happy with my performance and with the bike’s setting. We hope it will be cooler tomorrow and on Sunday and I should be able to improve on my qualifying times but I think that on Sunday everything will depend on the temperature, the weather and on the tyres…”

Michel Fabrizio: 1m32.9s
“We tried the race tyre and set-up today and I would say that we are up to race pace. I went quite well on the same tyre that Nori was using and didn’t have too much difficulty but, having said that, I didn’t complete a long-run as he did and so I can’t predict the tyre-wear if it were to be this hot for Sunday’s races. Tomorrow morning should be cooler and so in the second qualifying I want to be faster. I still have tyres at my disposition and so I’m feeling quite confident about being able to achieve that goal in the morning.”

Suzuki Alstare riders Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama were well on the pace, finishing with the fourth and fifth fastest lap times respectively.

Max Neukirchner: 1:32.673:s "My general feeling is that the afternoon went much better than the morning. We worked hard in the morning, but we didn't seem to make much improvement. In the afternoon we made some changes to the rear suspension and the bike improved. For me the grip level was better last weekend, but I am sure it will get better over the next two days."

Yukio Kagayama: 1:32.704s "This afternoon it was not so good for me because I felt that the grip level was down compared to the morning, but that was probably because the track temperature was much higher. We started off with the settings from the test last weekend and just tried to fine tune the bike for the race on Sunday. We had some small gearbox problems this morning but solved them in the afternoon session. I think that the track temperature may have a significant effect on how the bikes behave and for me, it would be better if it would not be so hot on Sunday as it was this afternoon."

BMW Motorrad Motorsport riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus ended the first day of qualifying at Phillip Island with the sixteenth and twentieth fastest times respectively. But lap times are very close and Troy was only a second slower then today’s quickest rider, Jakob Smrz (Ducati), with Ruben just seven tenths of a second further behind. Since the test last weekend, some new parts have arrived for the team to evaluate and the work carried out in this area meant that neither Troy nor Ruben were able to chase any lap times.

Troy: 1:33.377 "Since the test last weekend we received some new parts to try out and today that’s what we did. The new parts affected the way the bike’s chassis worked, so we had to find out what was going, what we had to do and then try and do it. But, I think we did a lot of good work today and definitely got some info and ideas that we can work on tomorrow. Considering what we were doing today, I think that it’s pretty good to be only one second off the pace. All day, I was just working on evaluating the new stuff, improving the bike and not chasing any lap times. I had a little tip-off this afternoon when I lost the front end in Honda corner, but it was a very slow speed crash and I didn't hurt myself at all."

Ruben: 1: 34.080 "It’s going good here and we were able to solve some problems we didn’t get round to solving last week. This morning was not so easy, but we made some changes to the bike and the afternoon was better. We are trying to get both my bikes set up well for the race, but one bike is working better than the other one and so we have some work to do. I know that this is the first day of a race weekend and there is a lot to do, but I know that we are improving every time out and as long as we do that, I think we are all happy."

The Supersport runners also got their 2009 campaign underway, with little change from the previous years as Hannspree Ten Kate Honda set the early pace. Quickest time of the day went to reigning champion Andrew Pitt, who powered to an impressive 1 minute 34.833 seconds; the other champion within the Dutch team's ranks, Kenan Sofuoglu, was just 0.006 seconds behind. The provisional front row is completed by Frenchman Fabien Foret on the first Yamaha, and evergreen Australian Garry McCoy, who looked impressive on his home track with the three-cylinder Triumph. Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), McCoy and Massimo Roccoli (Intermoto Czech Honda) all had crashes today.

There are still some riders missing from this years' line-up, as the credit crunch and lack of bike availability for testing has meant that No.94 David Checa/GMT94 Yamaha, No.88 Roland Resch/TKR Suzuki, No.53 Alessandro Polita/Sterilgarda Ducati and No.36 Gregorio Lavilla/Pro Ride Honda will be joining the Championship when it gets to Europe.

SAD NEWS - WE'VE LOST ONE OF THE TRUE GENIUSES OF THE SPORT.

It was a few days ago that I heard a rumour which has sadly been confirmed. One of the best biking engineers in the business passed away on the 15th of February - James Campbell Wilson BSc. M.E. of Setup Engineering in Wandsworth, London wasn't just the guy you went to for the best suspension and race set up in the business, he loved his craft and would send you away with far more information and pure racing wisdom than you could ever pay for, along with a motorcycle that was invariably transformed from "just a bike" into your own personal Iron Man power suit. It fitted you like a glove and responded with a new lover's enthusiasm to every demand. He was the brilliant engineer who made flesh the obtuse mathematics and mechanics of the design of the Tech2000 suspension unit I fell in love with, a fount of esoteric setup knowledge...and a good mate to all who knew him. He is VERY sadly missed.

Here is an article I wrote a few years ago about the work he did on the Race Corporation Aprilia RSV1000

The funeral will take place as a ride-out from Set-Up Engineering, 1 East Hill, Marcilly Road, Wandsworth, London, SW18 2HT, at 14:00 on the 6th March to Putney Vale Cemetery.

www.setupengineering.co.uk

WORLD SUPERBIKES...AND ALL OF A SUDDEN...IT STARTS!

BMW:
BMW Motorrad Motorsport’s World Superbike team successfully completed their two day test at Phillip Island and are now looking forward to the first race of the year, which will take place next week at the same circuit. During the two days there was a mixture of sunshine and cloud, together with strong gusty winds on day one. But although there were a few spots of rain on the first day, the track remained dry throughout.
Troy finished the test early, thanks to a collision with a bird early in the afternoon of day two. He was going about 230 kph, when he hit the bird and the force of the impact on Troy’s left bicep was enough to wrench his left hand off the handlebars. Somehow Troy managed to keep the control of the bike and not crash, but the doctors advised him to sit out the rest of the day, rather than risk further in jury. Ruben continued his learning curve and was happy to end up far more comfortable with his S 1000 RR by the end of the test.

TROY CORSER - PRE-BIRDSTRIKE (Photo-Kel Edge)

Troy Corser: (97 laps, best lap 1:32.9)
"The tests went very well, though it’s a real shame that I had to finish early because we still had lots more to try out. But, I guess I’m lucky that I didn’t crash and hurt myself badly when I hit the bird. I’m really not sure how I managed to stay on the bike, because it’s not easy when you’ve only got one hand on the bars, but somehow I was able to recover. I had seen the bird on the track and tried to avoid it by going up the inside. But instead of staying put, or flying away from my bike, it flew up right in front of me. Hitting a one kilo or so bird at over 230 kph is like hitting a brick wall, so I’m lucky that my injury isn’t any worse. The left bicep was already swollen so I paid a trip to the doctors and was told not to get on the bike again and rest the arm as much as possible. We have learnt a lot in these two days and I’ve been able to get a better idea of how the bike works in different conditions and set-ups. What I can say though, is that my S 1000 RR feels as good as any other bike I’ve ever ridden round here."

Ruben Xaus: (114 laps, best lap 1:33.5)
"Generally I’m happy with the tests and how they went and it’s been really good to get more kilometers under my belt. I’m getting used to the S 1000 RR and it’s becoming more and more comfortable for me. We’ve done a lot of work here and made good progress so I’m pleased about our prospects for next weekend. We tried many different set-ups and have given the technicians lots to think about. Now we need to put everything together and keep on improving, but I am confident that this team will get better and better each time we go to the racetrack."

YAMAHA:
The Yamaha World Superbike team has enjoyed a  successful final pre-season test at the Phillip Island circuit in  Australia. The two day test was the final shakedown for the 2009 YZF-R1  in advance of the season opening race this coming weekend and was a  valuable opportunity for both riders to get to know the track. Three-time AMA Superbike champion Ben Spies ended the final  day of testing with a quick 1.32”36 lap time, a mere 0.2 of a second off fastest rider Michele Fabrizio. Fellow Yamaha World Superbike team  rider Tom Sykes had a crash on the start of the second day of testing  and spent a large part of the day resting before going back out again for a final run. He too stepped up the pace and finished the day with an overall time of 1.32”10, a great result considering he missed most of the day’s track time after his fall.

Ben Spies: (160 laps, 1.32”36)
“It was a good test for me. We worked on a lot of race stuff, we had some tyres to test and get through for Pirelli then we got up to speed on the track and did some longer stints getting the bike to work on race setup. We were looking good for race pace, we did a race simulation and it felt really good. For sure we only got two days testing on the track and the whole race weekend is going to add some adrenaline. I’m extremely happy with the bike and the team is working really well so I can’t wait to get started.”

Tom Sykes, (100 laps, 1.32”10)
“I was more than happy with day one, having never seen Phillip Island before, I went out and pulled a 1.33”2, which wasn’t too bad considering it’s a new track for me. We worked on some minor adjustments and worked on getting a good base setting for the bike. I’m more than confident in its capabilities and set up, we’re pretty much on the times. Going into day two I knew I could improve, but unfortunately on my first run, getting up to speed I had a fall. I wasn’t even busting myself and not sure how it happened, got on it a bit too soon at the exit of turn 2, ran wide by two feet and where the tarmac ripples slightly the rear end low sided, I caught it then high sided the other way! Luckily I have no serious injuries so will be fighting fit and raring to go at the weekend. I went back out
again at the end of the second day and found my pace again easily so am still confident to fight for the podium.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager
“The test went well with the exception of Tom’s crash. We didn’t have so many problems and it was very important that the guys learned the circuit as it’s a new one for them. By the end of the first day they were making good laps with great pace. By the end of the last day, Ben was up with the fastest riders, Fabrizio and Haga. Tom had a big crash in the morning of the second day, the doctor said to stay in the clinic until the afternoon to rest. In the late afternoon he came back out for one and a half hours time on track, it was impressive as with his last lap he made his fastest lap of the test. In the end the test was also a big running in for us as the bike is still new, we tried to find the best set up, and tried some different tires. We’ve answered all our questions and feel really good about going into the first race weekend in a few days time, we’re ready to fight!”

ALSTARE SUZUKI:
After two days of intense testing at Phillip Island in Australia, Team Suzuki Alstare riders Max Neukirchner and Yukio Kagayama are now ready for the opening round of the World Superbike Championship there next weekend. Conditions remained dry throughout and the team were able to try out a lot of different things and find good set-ups for both riders. Neukirchner was the quickest rider on day one, but ended fifth fastest overall with Kagayama just behind him.

Max Neukirchner:(190 laps, best lap 1:32.5):
"My general feeling is that these two days went well and we've been able to find a good set-up for the bike for next weekend. We had some rear grip problems yesterday but managed to solve the problem today and make further progress. I think we are in a good way with the bike and feel positive about next weekend's race. Phillip Island is a very good track for testing because of its variety: It has fast corners, slow corners and changes of elevation. Everything we've done in these two days is going to be very helpful next week."

MAX NEUKIRCHNER

Yukio Kagayama: (171 laps, best lap 1:32.8):
"I'm happy, because I did not crash and many other riders did! I rode quite safely during these days because I knew there was a lot of work to do and I did not want to make any mistakes so close to the first race. We tried many things and many different set-ups and the biggest problem for me was the variations in tyre level performance. But we found a good set-up for next week's race and I hope I can start the season with a good result and keep up a good level throughout the year."

XEROX DUCATI:
Both Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio spent their time testing various tyres and set-ups and both completed long runs on their Ducati 1198 machines under clear skies. The lap times of both Noriyuki, in the morning session, and Michel, in the afternoon, were faster than those recorded on Day 1, with Michel recording the fastest time of the day (1m32.1s). It was unfortunate that Noriyuki experienced another fall, the photocopy of yesterday’s fall, but he was unhurt and was able to continue to work until the end of the day’s session. The Ducati Xerox Team now takes a few days off and will return to the track Friday for the first day of the Round 1 race weekend. Noriyuki, Michel and their teams are confident that they are ready to confront the first challenging round of the 2009 season.

NORI HAGA FOLLOWS MICHEL FABRIZIO

Michel Fabrizio:
“We have worked mainly on getting up to race pace today and it’s gone pretty well. In the late morning I completed a long-run with lap times that were similar to those I recorded during last year’s race here so I was pleased with that. It’s all looking good for next weekend and I’m feeling quietly confident.

Noriyuki Haga:
“I’d say overall that it has been a productive day. We have once again tested many different things and I feel I’m starting to know the bike better but we still have work to do in order to test all the configurations that the bike permits. I rode race distance which was a useful exercise and I was quite happy with the wear of the tyres, especially the front. On Friday we want to test some different suspension settings as I am not yet totally comfortable with the front. I’m sorry that I crashed again in exactly the same way and place as yesterday but accidents happen and overall I’m happy with the work we’ve done here.”

Yamaha's new signing Ben Spies made a big step forward, the Texan setting an excellent time of 1'32"36 on a track he experienced for the first time on Saturday. Earlier on in the week Max Biaggi had lapped in 1'32"59 on his Aprilia RSV4: the Italian machine, which is the other major new entry in 2009 together with BMW, could be on the pace right away come next weekend. Carlos Checa (Honda Ten Kate) had to miss the final day of testing after suffering concussion in his crash at the hairpin on Saturday. Sunday also saw crashes for Jonathan Rea (Honda Ten Kate) and Tom Sykes (Yamaha), but neither rider suffered any consequences and both will be at full strength for next Friday's opening practice sessions.

KAWASAKI:
The official Ninja ZX-10R WSB riders have recently completed successful tests at the 4.445km circuit on the south coast of Australia, with Parkes setting a best of 1’32.9 and Tamada just behind on a 1’33.5. Each rider completed over 130 laps during their two-day test and thanks to a consistently strong engine package they concentrated their efforts on chassis and set-up work in readiness for the two 22-lap WSB races. The team tasked with spearheading Kawasaki’s official WSB effort in 2009 is Paul Bird Motorsport, based in the UK. Great strides have been made during this new partnership in the past few months, building confidence to a new high for Broc’s home round in Australia. Neither Parkes nor Tamada is a stranger to World Superbike, with Tamada returning for his second year in Kawasaki colours, while Broc moves back up to the class he first competed in before embarking on a successful World Supersport career. There will be some new experiences for all the WSB riders to deal with in Australia, including a new Superpole final qualifying system. Superpole now sees the top 20 riders starting out in a shootout style format, then the slowest four riders are eliminated after stage one and the next eight slowest rider eliminated after stage two. In the final stage, the remaining eight riders fight it out for the Superpole win and final grid positions on rows one and two.

Broc Parkes: “I’m really excited to be making the step-up to the Kawasaki World Superbike team after five years racing in Supersport. I’ve started the pre-season testing adapting to the Superbike so our expectations haven’t been too high at this early stage. The testing has been really productive, particularly at Phillip Island, as we discovered a lot about the bike which we wouldn’t have found until the race weekend, had we not tested. I’m really happy with the new team and my guys are working hard on developing the bike so we can hopefully get in the points come Phillip Island. I’d love to walk away with a top 10 finish for my home race, but we’ll wait and see. I’ll be giving it my absolute best.”

Makoto Tamada: “I’m feeling comfortable with the new structure and set-up for 2009 and I believe the team and I have a mutual understanding of what we need to achieve, and where we are headed. We share the same problems and I think we will progress in a positive direction in order to get the bike to its highest potential. We have done intensive testing in the winter, and the bike development is heading in a good direction. I also feel comfortable with my new chief mechanic, Katsu Yanagawa. Although it will take some more time, I am pretty confident that I will be on the podium in the very near future. Phillip Island is one of my favourite tracks from my GP days, except when it’s windy, and I love the enthusiasm of the Australian crowd. I’m really looking forward to the race weekend.”
 

In Supersport the quickest time was set by 2007 champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda) ahead of Garry McCoy with the increasingly competitive three-cylinder Triumph 675: the Australian also crashed out today, but without problems.

TIMES:
Superbike - 1. Fabrizio (Ducati) 1'32"19; 2. Haga (Ducati) 1'32"30; 3. Spies (Yamaha) 1'32"36; 4. Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1'32"59; 5. Kagayama (Suzuki) 1'32"78; 6. Corser (BMW) 1'32"93; 7. Rea (Honda) 1'32"96; 8. Sykes (Yamaha) 1'33"10; 9. Xaus (BMW) 1'33"53.

Supersport - 1.Sofuoglu (Honda) 1'34"7; 2. McCoy (Triumph) 1'34"8; 3. Pitt (Honda) 1'34"8; 4. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1'35"3; 5. Foret (Yamaha) 1'35"8; 6. Nannelli (Triumph) 1'36"3; 7. Pradita (Yamaha) 1'37"3.

WORLD ENDURANCE RUMOURS...

Ok, let's start things off...with the now non-participation of the Spanish Folch team, their riders were on the market and, due to their high profiles, were prime targets for any and all teams with a bit of budget to spare...Valcaneras to Phase One and now it's confirmed that Daniel Ribalta joins Jason Pridmore at the Maco Moto team, with Martin Kuzma riding for yet another year in the team he runs...a true competitor with an unquenchable desire to race, he's still quick enough for the World Championship. There is also the possibility of Martin letting an (as yet unnamed) "extra" rider in for a chance...

With the bite of recession, rides are getting tougher to find and some top racers are still looking around - never before have there been so many top riders still "unaccounted for" in confirmed team lists. Some riders feel that it doesn't look good to be seen to be without a ride this late before the season starts and would not like their names mentioned in this regard. Then there are those with confidence enough to say "Hey we all know it's tough but I'm going to do everything I can to get a ride this year - I am DEFINITELY not going to sit out a perfectly good racing season!"
One of these is the redoubtable Damian "Demon" Rowley, still without a ride for 2009 after team cutbacks this year. He hasn't asked...but I'm putting his name in the public eye anyway, because if there's somebody most likely to give promotional value to a team, it's definitely the "Demon" - he's the one who nearly ran me down with a monster truck in Vallelunga, maybe he would be more in your favour if he had succeeded, I dunno...:)

To get in touch with Damian, email me HERE

If anyone has any other rumours, I'm all ears...

WORLD SUPERBIKES - BMW OUT TO WRITE MORE HISTORY

RUBEN XAUS AT VALENCIA (Photo- Kel Edge)

The 2009 Superbike World Championship promises to be more exciting than ever, with BMW Motorrad Motorsport making its debut in the ultra-competitive series and taking on no less than six other manufacturers, four Japanese and two European. Although this is BMW’s first attempt in World Superbikes, their racing heritage goes back 86 years, starting with their R 32 motorcycle in 1923. Since then BMWs have raced successfully on the Isle of Man and at other world-famous racetracks and have enjoyed many successes. The last success of the official BMW factory team was Walter Zeller’s runner-up place in the 1956 World Championship. BMW officially returned to road racing in 2007 with the HP2 Sports Boxer taking part in the Endurance Championship 24 hour classics in 2007 and 2008. BMW’s first ever ’Superbike’ success took place at Daytona, USA, in 1976, when American Steve McLaughlin won the AMA Championship Superbike race in a thrilling photo-finish with team-mate Reg Pridmore. Both were riding R 90 S BMWs prepared by Butler & Smith, BMW’s American importers.

REG PRIDMORE (163) AND STEVE MCLAUGHLIN (83)

Back then the ‘Superbike’ class was a support race to the main event, but nine years later the first ideas for a Superbike World Championship (a world championship for production-based motorcycles) began to grow. The series was born in 1988 and since then has become the hallmark for close-fought, competitive racing, without sacrificing any of its friendly paddock atmosphere. It may be all-out combat on the track, but off it, it has an atmosphere unmatched by any other world championship. BMW Motorrad have a very long history, but they are the ‘new boys’ of the Superbike World Championship. The company has decided to enter the series at, without a doubt, the hardest and most competitive time in its 21-year history. Any new manufacturer joining the series is going to face a tough time and BMW are under no illusions about the challenges ahead. BMW are entering World Superbike because it is a championship where fans and customers identify with the brand and the bikes. And fans will not have long to wait for the S 1000 RR roadbike from which the racebike is derived: it will make its public debut in early summer 2009.

Troy Corser:
“The BMW S 1000 RR racebike has a good base and we are all working hard to be competitive as soon as we can. This is BMW’s first time in World Superbikes and none of us underestimate the challenge. But the challenge is part of the excitement and we are determined to do the very best we can. As the season progresses I’m sure we’ll improve a lot, but we are at a bit of a disadvantage because every time we go to a track we will be starting from scratch, whereas the others will have info and data from previous years. Even so, as the year goes on, I’m sure we’ll get better and better and maybe even surprise a few people along the way.”

Ruben Xaus:
“This is a great challenge and I am so happy to be riding for a factory team and working with a great bunch of guys. I think I always knew that I would probably have to modify my style (after years of riding a twin) but I am very pleased with the progress we made in this direction at the recent tests. For sure, it is not easy for any new manufacturer to enter this incredibly competitive series, but I believe that BMW can make a big impact on the championship and I am very happy to be a part of this big adventure.”

Berti Hauser - Director BMW Motorrad Motorsport:
“This great adventure began not so long ago, but now we are about to take part in our very first World Superbike Championship race and it is an exciting moment for us all. I firmly believe we have two great riders – Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus – and a very committed and enthusiastic team. Troy is the most experienced rider in WSBK and brings a lot of knowledge and information to the team. Although Ruben is not as experienced as Troy, he has so much enthusiasm for this project and I feel that he and Troy are a perfect combination. I am very pleased with the amount of progress we have all made in the past few months and now, like the whole team, I am really looking forward to this great challenge.“
 

TEAM ALF'S BRING OUT THE TOP GUN ROAD RACERS FOR LE MANS

News just in from the Worthing-based Team Alf's Kawasaki...they've been working on the new ZX-10R D8F WEC World Endurance Kawasaki which will carry similar spec and equipment as the current race bike but with dedicated race kit ECU for the new '09 bike. Confirmed as riders are Connor Cummins, Guy 'its a minter' Martin and John Crockford, which the team maintain are "a handy team to take on the Frenchies.."

Alfs will also be in the Superbike race at the 2009 Isle of Man TT races, with Ryan Farquar doing the honours. Add on the Bol at Magny Cours and probably the Macau Grand Prix again and it'll be a full season on top of running the business!. So if you want to help, give Alf a shout on the phone...or if you can't but want show a bit of support, go down to the shop and buy something, even if it's only the official team shirt!

Alfs are HERE!

HERE IT IS...THE OFFICIAL WORLD MOTORCYCLE ENDURANCE CHAMPIONSHIP 2009 TEAM RANKINGS

This is it, what you've all been waiting for! Who is who in 2009...some very strange rankings, though. Yamaha Austria at the top, that's right, Bolliger 2nd, yep...but RMT21 and QERT in front of Phase One?...and Diablo 666 so far down? One of the biggest shocks is that Michelin (with nothing else to do since they lost all their involvement with MotoGP) have decided they will enter a team in one of the few remaining World Championships that doesn't have a control tyre. No surprises that they have Daffix on their team, Daffix Honda has been a very strong player in the French endurance rounds over a number of years.

Finally...I would expect a few rider changes before the first round at Le Mans on the 18th/19th of April...live on Eurosport with Clive McNeil and Roger Bennett and including some celebrity guests, by the way!

DAMIAN "DAMO" CUDLIN JOINS A NEW TEAM!

Endurance Ace Damian Cudlin tied the knot to long term partner Amy, in a beautiful beach ceremony at Port Macquarie in Australia on the weekend. The pair basked in sunshine on the big day, before celebrating with a small gathering of their closest friends and family members well into the night.

All our best wishes to Damo and Amy as the team get off the starting line for their longest Endurance race :)

THE "SPEED QUEEN" RACE - LE MANS MOTO-GP WEEKEND 15th-17th MAY 2009

The race will be part of the organizers aim to entertain the public. After some discussion with all parties concerned the organizers have decided the format of the race will be for 600cc machines. Superstock / Supersport specification. The 600cc class will create a more exciting race where the public will see the true winner. This will be a real chance for female riders and teams to compete at the highest level, the FRENCH MOTO GP.

MotoGP is the perfect international scene for this new initiative. This unique race will bring together forty riders coming from all over Europe and as well Russia, South Africa, Canada and USA. Every country will be represented by the best of their female riders and the race will be an event not to miss. The whole event will be set in a glamorous atmosphere with the emphasis on the social side as well as the race. Around this race we plan to introduce the female riders to the public through some surprise events so it will be an ideal opportunity to promote yourself and your team. Rules and entry form will be available shortly.

The race will be on the Saturday afternoon after the final MotoGP session, this is just before all the on track entertainments, so the public / press and TV are all in place to appreciate the Speed Queen Race. Provisional price for entry fee will be 200€. You will be able to stay on Sunday to enjoy the MotoGP and your special pit pass will allow you access to the grandstands to see the races. The race is organized by PHA PROMOTEUR du Grand Prix de France, for regulations and entry form contact Sophie Smith in France:
- Phone & fax : 0033(0)4 9072 0163
- Mobile : 0033(0)6 2570 4845
Email : happyteam@orange.fr

SOPHIE SMITH: "Here the last informations about the race for women in MotoGP / Le Mans France. I would love to have more feed back from UK ????and Italy ????? Where are you girls ????"

BEN WYLIE ON THE HUNT

Former British Phase One rider Ben Wylie is out looking for a ride in the 2009 World Motorcycle Endurance Championship. After 3 years of racing is the toughest domestic race series in the World, British Superbikes, the young star is now looking to get back to one of his core loves, World Endurance racing. With top ten finishes in BSB, with the added experience of running his own team for 3 years, Ben looks like a great catch for any team that wants strength in depth. Along the way, Ben will also be racing at this years Isle of Man TT races, along with Irelands North-West 200. For contact information, go to www.benwylie.com

"THE BURNER" IS BACK - CHRIS BURNS ALSO LOOKING TO RE-JOIN WORLD ENDURANCE

Another former World Endurance front-runner is also looking to re-join the toughest road racing World Championship. The 28 year old "Geordie" has been another racer who cut his World Endurance teeth with the illustrious Team Alf's Kawasaki on a Stocksport ZX10 (finishing 12th overall and 4th in class at Le Mans in 2005, an awesome achievement, many thanks to former Team Alf's Phil Clements for 'reminding' me), also racing with the British triple World Champions Phase One , racing in Moto GP for 2 years with the WCM team, AIM Yamaha and the STP Motorsport MV Agusta team in World Superbikes, telling Race Corporation that he would "...love to have another crack at the World Endurance Championship and battle on track with (former World Champion) Warwick Nowland..." Warwick was the team manager for STP last year...so there's a real battle in the making!

Chris can be contacted through his manager BOB COOLEY

FORMER KRT WORLD ENDURANCE RACER STEVE PLATER SWAPS TWO WHEELS FOR TWO WINGS

Lincolnshire motorcycle racing ace Steve Plater swapped his wheels for wings when he took to the skies in a Tucano training aircraft with some of the RAF’s top fighter pilots stationed at Linton on Ouse. Along with HM Plant Honda teammates John McGuinness and Glen Richards, Plater was invited for a flight, which took in the scenery above the Yorkshire Dales and Lake Windermere. The Woodhall Spa star is no stranger to flying as this is not the first time he has flown with the RAF. A few years ago he flew in a two-man version of the Jaguar from RAF Coltishall in Norfolk, flying out over the North Sea and then inland above Cadwell Park and over his Lincolnshire home.

Steve is also training for his private light aircraft licence but despite his experience he still managed to accidentally set off a national RAF alert signal by activating the personal locator beacon in his life jacket - which usually signifies a downed aircrew! Steve commented: “The flight and whole day was awesome. As riders we experience physical and mental demands on our bodies as well as fast speeds, but the speed is in a relatively confined space on a circuit so it feels so different in the sky where you have no reference points as such. The forces on my body were unbelievable during the aerobatic manoeuvers we did and the whole experience is something you just can’t describe adequately. I’m learning to fly a plane at the moment so being able to bring the Tucano in to land myself was awesome.” In the capable hands of Flight Lieutenants Rich Keeling, Jim Whitworth and Chris McCann, the three Tucano RAF fighter pilot training aircraft took off from RAF Linton on Ouse in a victory formation, and flew at low level - 250 feet above ground - at approximately 300mph over the Pennines to Morecambe Bay, before turning towards and flying through the Lake District. On the return journey the formation split in to three individual aircraft and climbed to 5,000 feet in approximately 90 seconds, to practice some aerobatics to include a loop the loop, barrel roll and stall turn.

Flt Lt and basic fast jet pilot instructor, Rich Keeling, commented, “A number of the RAF personnel on the Linton on Ouse base are interested in bikes and follow the British Superbike series. So when I found myself at Croft last year in Honda’s hospitality unit it seemed a great idea for the riders and pilots to share the experience of what each other does. I thought we’d be lucky to get one of the HM Plant Honda riders so to have three join us was great, not just for having all three in the planes but also for all the RAF personnel on the base at Linton - big thanks to the guys for taking the time to do a meet and greet for everyone too. It’s been a fantastic day.” Its back to reality for Plater who is set to commence testing with HM Plant Honda in Spain at the beginning of March in preparation for his assault on the 2009 British Supersport title, the first round of which is set for Brands Hatch on April 13.

Plater will also contest the North West 200 races in Ireland in May prior for his return to the Isle of Man for the TT races in June.