PROVISIONAL ASSEN ENTRY LIST REVEALED...HERE

MORE GIRLS AT LE MANS IN 2006

Motociclismo Test Team rider Samuela De Nardi has signed a contract to be one of the factory riders for Aprilia in 2006, a result earned on the track thanks to outstanding results on the RSV 1000 Factory machine in 2005. Samuela finished the season as the European Womens Champion, second in the Italian Championship and did excellent work in Japan at the legendary 8 Hours of Suzuka. Samuela, once again on the RSV, will again contest the two female championships (European and Italian) and race at the Suzuka 8 Hours in 2006...and she also has the chance of competing in the GP250's...

We have also heard that she'll also be competing with a much-strengthened Aprilia Motociclismo Test Team at the Le Mans 24 hour race in April - again in the Stocksport category on the RSV1000R.

Samuela - “2005 was a season that exceeded my expectations in every way. We did some great work with Aprilia and I got on very well with the RSV1000. To sign today in the presence of Aprilia Brand Manager Leo Francesco Mercanti is very satisfying - and it's a bonus for me to be able to show that a girl can do well in a predominantly masculine sport. I've also been asked to go GP250 testing, even though my career ambitions are in 4-strokes and Superbikes“

“Samuela has shown she's fast" said Leo Francesco Mercanti, "and has a strong and determined character. She is also famous, which has helped spread the sporting image of Aprilia to the female fans. But she's also had prestigious results, sometimes unexpected, like winning the Stocksport category in Suzuka. I believe she absolutely deserves becoming the first female rider with an official Aprilia contract. Now we'll go testing with GP250. For Superbike…it's a little soon to say...who knows what lies in the future?"

Samuela's website is HERE

WORLD ENDURANCE TESTING - PHASE ONE ALBACETE TEST - 15, 16, 17th March.

WARWICK NOWLAND
"My week started off with a small glitch as my gear bag was left behind at Gatwick airport on Tuesday morning. It finally arrived on Thursday morning. This meant Wednesday was more like a race school for me, no riding just helping my team mates Damian Cudlin and Christer Minin with bike set up.

Several things were holding the team back from using our new bikes so the test was carried out aboard our 2005 bikes. We also used a standard engine as the new engines are still being prepared at the team’s headquarters. The mechanics told me the engine was from a Motorcycle Wreckers in Bristol and had about 20,000 miles on it! I don’t know what to think but it did feel like a 600!

No matter what, it was fantastic to be back on the bike and back with the team. During Thursday and Friday, we managed to get through a lot of work with Dunlop, SBS brakes and our new 2D Data logging system. The first thing I noticed about the bike was the swing-arm. Yamaha have supplied us with the same swing-arm that Noriyuki Haga uses in World Superbike. The drive out of corners was not perfect but a big improvement on last year and this is exactly where the Factory Suzuki team had an advantage. I tried many things and completed many laps and at the end of Thursday, my best time was 1.34.6. During last year’s race, my best lap time was 1.34.8.

Friday’s forecast was for rain but instead it remained dry and cool. I did feel like I had come to a halt on Thursday with the rear suspension and we all started looking for answers. The bike is not far away from winning but there are just a few annoying things holding me back. In the middle of a corner, on maximum lean, the rear tyre and suspension are too sensitive and you have to be so smooth with the throttle and with your body weight. If the bike hits a small bump or the circuit has a slight rise or drop, the rear tyre looses traction too easily. This also makes it hard to increase throttle opening as you roll around the corner. Gregorio Lavilla, on the GSE Ducati, was behind me on one occasion and had trouble getting past. Our bike is great getting into corners and hitting the apex but once I open the throttle, we loose time on the others. He eventually passed me and when we both got into the next corner, he opened the throttle so early and accelerated around the corner whilst I could only use part throttle until I could lift the bike up. It’s ok though, we know what we need to do.

Steve Male from Dunlop gave me a great race tyre that I could be consistent on but we still need to find a bit more. Steve wasn't worried - he said, “We knew we didn’t have a race tyre here this week but now we now what to build before we come back”. Having their support is great, Steve is Dunlop’s Motorsport Manager and was a big help to me. Having him and his experience beside us this year is a great head start.

At the end of Friday both my team mates and I had managed to improve. Our fastest lap times were:
Christer – 1.35.3
Damian – 1.34.8
Warwick – 1.33.8

Christer was happy as he improved every day while learning the Yamaha but Damian was not 100% comfortable on the bike. I wanted to go faster as well but we still have work to do. I achieved my goal though and that was to do 1.33’s. That’s the fastest I have lapped the Albacete circuit and I know there is more to come. It was a great start to the year.
The team will spend the next 2 weeks at the workshop finalising everything for our next test at Le Mans on the 4th and 5th of April where we will use our 2006 bikes."

WARWICK NOWLAND WEBSITE

DAMIAN CUDLIN SPEAKS!
"It was great to be back on the Phase One Yamaha again, although it did take a long time to get the bike to feel the same as it did last year for me."  Cudlin said. "We did get through a lot of work with Dunlop and SBS brakes during the 3 days, work that I think will be critical to our championship campaign."

"All in all I think we are in a pretty good position right now to have a crack this championship, and when I get back to full confidence on the bike I'm going to be right there. Our rider line up seems really strong this year, both Christer and Warwick were fast at the test. I think if we can get a bike set up that suits all of us, our chances of winning races this year are pretty good."

YAMAHA AUSTRIA - GWEN GIABBANI AT LE MANS 14th-15th MARCH

After a long winter preparation, Gwen was happy to finally get aboard the newPirelli-shod Yamaha Austria bike. The cold temperatures and the new machine meant starting out carefully but soon the times began to fall.

Most of the 2-day test was just to gain familiarity with the new team, parts and new-for-2006 Pirelli tyres. The first impressions of the new Pirellis was very positive, starting out with standard tyres on the first day with Day 2 testing some stickier compounds - with team enthusiasm at a high for the coming season.

Despite the cold temperatures, it was pleasant enough for the team to run all three bikes with different configurations, along with being able to test their new 2D telemetry systems.

With a positive test behind them, riders Igor JERMAN, Sébastien SCARNATO and Gwen GIABBANI came away from Le mans with times all within 0.3 of a second of each other.

A more detailed Press Release from YART follows in a few days.

WORLD ENDURANCE - ROUND TWO PREVIEW - LE MANS 24 HOURS

At least 5 teams have already been to Le Mans for practice and shake-down trials - though I can't give you the full run-down of all the teams, suffice it to say that times were very close between the major contenders.
It also looks like Britain's Steve Plater (last competed at Le Mans in 2000) will once again be a part of the Kawasaki France team. Although the No.11 Kawasaki isn't a part of the full World Championship this year, they'll definitely be at Le Mans.

...and the girls will be there again in Team 3A Racing...this is shaping up to be another all-female 24 Hour team, contesting both the Le mans and Bol d'Or races with Christelle Orsi - nicknamed "Speednénette" - alongside Magali Langlois, with a third rider yet to be decided.

WORLD ENDURANCE - ROUND ONE - ASSEN

I've already started on the 2006 Assen 500 information HERE.

...the old track...

...the new track...now 4555 meters...

SIMONE SANNA GETS THE WORLD ENDURANCE BUG!

Former 125 and 250cc Grand Prix rider Simone Sanna has joined the Italian X-One Yamaha team of Paolo Tessari and Giancarlo De Matteis on their awesome R1 for the first two rounds of the 2006 Championship - Assen and Le Mans. Sanna is no stranger to the large 4-strokers, having also raced in World Superbikes...and I remember him out-qualifying Chris Vermeulen in World Supersport when he was with Belgarda Yamaha. From what I remember, he's also an instructor at Ducati DRE racing school...with none other than Dario Marchetti.

WORLD ENDURANCE NEW TEAMS - TEAM ENDURANCE MOTO 45

I've finally found their website...HERE...and a funky one it is too!
6th in the Stocksport category (14th overall) at the 2004 Bol d'Or but at the same event in 2005 they weren't able to better that. Electrical problems suffered during the night meant that they dropped 15 places, finishing 10th in category and 25th overall. They know their stuff...let's see what they can do in the 2006 World Championship.

They've got a funky T-shirt as well (it's FLUORESCENT) - and you can get your own from their online boutique.

WORLD ENDURANCE NEW TEAMS - No. 134 TEAM ABG PERFORMANCE

...A GREEN SUZUKI!...QUELLE HORREUR!...QUELLE sacrilège!

NOT TOO SURE ABOUT THEIR BROLLY DOLLY EITHER...

Formerly known as Moto & Co Performance, the team were 11th overall at last year's Bol d'Or...but, more telling, 4th in the Stocksport class. Look out for the ABG Performance Team, starring Christophe ALLUARD, Jérôme BARD and Franck GIROGUY. They finished the 2005 Bol just 10 laps behind the Shell Endurance Academy boys on the No.3 Superproduction Yamaha R1.

...on a STOCKSPORT machine, remember...

WORLD ENDURANCE NEW TEAMS - No. 20 TEAM SRK (SARTHE RACING KART)

In 2004 the team came 8th at Le Mans (4th in class - Stocksport) and 10th (again 4th in class) at the crash-strewn Bol d'Or (if you missed it, read the report HERE) - they took a holiday in 2005 - and it looks like they've sorted their budget out early because the outfit, team and bike REALLY look good! The BIG BOSS is Jean-Francois Geslin, the riders are Giovanni Legnamme (37yrs), Eric Thomas (35yrs) and youngster Kenny Rebuttini (22yrs). Their "chequered pattern" colour scheme has been with them for years and their large French fan-base will recognize them instantly.

Their website is HERE

WORLD SUPERBIKES (ding-ding) ROUND TWO - PHILLIP ISLAND

It's Bayliss, Corser, Toseland and Martin...with Barros heading the second row.
Full qualifying results HERE

WORLD SUPERBIKES - PHILLIP ISLAND - RESULTS
RACE ONE

Bayliss got away at the start and built up a 5 second lead over Toseland, Corser and Haga with Barros pushing through, leaving the mid-pack behind and joining the leaders. On Lap 8 Toseland ran wide and allowed Corser and Barros through as Haga lost touch with the leaders...but by Lap 17 Bayliss looked to be in trouble, losing two seconds a lap to Corser and Barros who were stuck together for most of the race. Bayliss stuck his foot out, indicating to Corser and Barros that he was in trouble and took a big look at his pit box as he went along the start/finish straight, eventually finishing in 6th. With his 33rd win, Corser now leads the Championship on 63 points, Toseland on 54 and Bayliss slipping to third with 50 points.

1)	Troy Corser	Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra	Suzuki GSXR1000 K6
2)	Alex Barros	Klaffi Honda	Honda CBR 1000RR
3)	James Toseland	Winston Ten Kate Honda	Honda CBR 1000RR
4)	Nori Haga	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB	Yamaha YZF R1
5)	Roberto Rolfo	Ducati SC -Caracchi	Ducati 999 F05
6)	Troy Bayliss	Ducati Xerox	Ducati 999 F06
7)	Ruben Xaus	Sterilgarda -Berik	Ducati 999 F05
8)	Fonsi Nieto	PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse 2	Kawasaki ZX10R
9)	Andrew Pitt	Yamaha Motor Italia WSB	Yamaha YZF R1
10)	Chris Walker	PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse	Kawasaki ZX10R

WORLD SUPERBIKES - PHILLIP ISLAND - RESULTS
RACE TWO

Haga got through to lead the pack into the first corner from Toseland, Corser and Bayliss but Toseland took the lead on Lap 2. Both Corser and Bayliss then got past Haga who got involved in a dice with team-mate Andrew Pitt...then on Lap 4 Corser high-sided out of MG corner and was hit by the chasing Alex Barros, Baross' foot-rest tearing into Corsers hump on the back of his leathers. That crash ends Corsers run of 27 consecutive points finishes.
In the pack, Lorenzo Lanzi on the second Xerox Ducati tried a pass on Muggeridge for 7th and crashed, taking them both out. Lap 16 and after shadowing Toseland, Bayliss took over the lead and pulled away. Behind them, Barros had split the two Santander Yamahas and was in a battle trying to pass Haga, eventually taking third on Lap 17, around 15 seconds down on the leaders.
Bayliss pulled away from Toseland and won the race by five and a half seconds. He now has a one-point advantage over Toseland in the Championship with Troy Corser lying third.

1)	Troy Bayliss	AUS	Ducati 999 F06
2)	James Toseland	GBR	Honda CBR 1000RR	5.528
3)	Alex Barros	BRA	Honda CBR 1000RR	14.31
4)	Noriyuki Haga	JPN	Yamaha YZF R1	16.21
5)	Andrew Pitt	AUS	Yamaha YZF R1	17.66
6)	Yukio Kagayama	JPN	Suzuki GSXR1000 K6	20.83
7)	Roberto Rolfo	ITA	Ducati 999 F05	21.13
8)	Ruben Xaus	ESP	Ducati 999 F05	25.22
9)	Fonsi Nieto	ESP	Kawasaki ZX10R	25.64
10)	Chris Walker	GBR	Kawasaki ZX10R	26.01

WORLD SUPERSPORT - PHILLIP ISLAND

World Supersport...and everyone was expecting big things from Anthony Gobert, taking over on the GMT94 600 Yamaha from an injured David Checa. Early on, Gobert was up to 4th...but then slipped back down the order. There was vibration coming from the rear wheel and Gobert was worried - he had only spent 15 days with the team and wasn't in a position to fully understand what the problem was, he just felt the vibration and decided on safety over a possible major component failure.
It looked on-screen as if the GMT94 Yamaha was too slow...far from it.

Something that can happen in the larger capacity races but is a s rare as hen's teeth in the 600's had surfaced...the rear tyre had spun on the rim under the power of the new Yam. Something to think about.

Oh...Chapentier won.  Again. Just thought you should know.