KUCIAR666
Registered User
Track length: 5792m
Year opened: 1922
Superbike lap record: 1'47.434 (Troy Bayliss, 2002)
Last year's winners: Troy Corser (Suzuki) and Chris Vermeulen (Honda)
Circuit website: www.monzanet.it
[Quote}Round four of the Superbike World Championship sees the series move to
the historic Monza circuit in Italy, the fastest racetrack on the
entire calendar.
With top speeds often exceeding 300kph down the long home straight, the
first of three Italian races this year is always an exciting slipstream
battle on this unique circuit.
For the Yamaha Motor Italia world superbike team this race takes on an
extra importance, as their headquarters is based just a few kilometres
from the circuit. While the points on offer are exactly the same as at
the 12 other rounds of the championship, the emotional boost of a good
result in their backyard will provide extra motivation for the team and
their riders - especially after a difficult weekend at the last round
in Valencia.
Both the team's riders struggled for traction at the Spanish circuit,
with a pair of fifth places for Noriyuki Haga and a couple of top tens
for Andrew Pitt, keeping both riders in the top six of the championship
- Haga fourth and Pitt sixth.
And while historically the Monza circuit may not be one of the
strongest for Yamaha's YZF-R1, both riders are confident that they can fight up
front this weekend.
Fans' favourite Haga had a difficult time in Monza last year, finishing
ninth and 11th in the two races. This season the Japanese rider has
consistently been among the frontrunners, finishing third once, fourth
twice and fifth twice in the five races he has finished. Surprisingly Haga
has never won in his adopted homeland. The Japanese star has won 19
races in his illustrious superbike career, but his best results in Italy
are two third places (Monza 2002 and Imola 2005).
Despite this, Haga still looks forward to Monza, as he explains: "Monza
is not such a difficult track and good fun... if you have a fast bike!
Valencia was difficult for us in many ways but now we must put it
behind us and look forward to the championship. Monza is a very important
race for the team and I will be doing my best to get a good result for
them. Monza was my worst race of 2005 but our bike is definitely much
better now than it was this time last year and our top speed is generally
quite good, so if we can find a good setting and get away with the
front group then anything can happen."
With fifth and sixth place finishes, team-mate Pitt was the highest
placed Yamaha rider at Monza last year. "Front end grip was the big
problem at Valencia but it shouldn't be a factor in Monza. At Valencia you
are leaned over on the side of the tyre for so long but Monza is
completely different, mostly long straights and slow corners. Because of the
slipstreaming it is important to get away with the leading group at
Monza. Our starts have been pretty good this year so there is no reason why
we can't be up there in the races."
Yamaha will also be represented by the Yamaha Motor France team in
Monza. The squad travel to Italy in high spirits after gaining their best
results of the season in Valencia, where Norick Abe scored two fourth
places and fellow Japanese rider Shinichi Nakatomi scored his first world
championship points with a pair of 12ths. The team's other rider,
Sebastien Gimbert, returns at Monza after missing Valencia due to his world
endurance commitments.
As always, Yamaha will be well represented in the supporting classes at
Monza. In the Supersport World Championship, Yamaha Motor Germany
riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes lie second and fourth in the points
after three rounds. Italian young guns Massimo Roccoli and Gianluca
Vizziello are both running in the top ten of the series and go to Monza
having finished first and second in the Italian championship round there
last weekend. One rider who will not be present in Monza is last year's
FIM Superstock 1000 champion Didier van Keymeulen. The Belgian had been
riding a Yamaha YZF-R6 for the Moto 1 squad in world supersport but has
split with the team following irreconcilable differences regarding
machine and team set-up.
Roccoli and Vizziello's Yamaha Team Italia team-mate Claudio Corti was
another winner in the national championship race, won the superstock
class. After taking a top 10 in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup opener in
Valencia, the European Superstock 600 champion is looking for his first
world championship win at his home circuit this weekend.[/Quote]
Year opened: 1922
Superbike lap record: 1'47.434 (Troy Bayliss, 2002)
Last year's winners: Troy Corser (Suzuki) and Chris Vermeulen (Honda)
Circuit website: www.monzanet.it
[Quote}Round four of the Superbike World Championship sees the series move to
the historic Monza circuit in Italy, the fastest racetrack on the
entire calendar.
With top speeds often exceeding 300kph down the long home straight, the
first of three Italian races this year is always an exciting slipstream
battle on this unique circuit.
For the Yamaha Motor Italia world superbike team this race takes on an
extra importance, as their headquarters is based just a few kilometres
from the circuit. While the points on offer are exactly the same as at
the 12 other rounds of the championship, the emotional boost of a good
result in their backyard will provide extra motivation for the team and
their riders - especially after a difficult weekend at the last round
in Valencia.
Both the team's riders struggled for traction at the Spanish circuit,
with a pair of fifth places for Noriyuki Haga and a couple of top tens
for Andrew Pitt, keeping both riders in the top six of the championship
- Haga fourth and Pitt sixth.
And while historically the Monza circuit may not be one of the
strongest for Yamaha's YZF-R1, both riders are confident that they can fight up
front this weekend.
Fans' favourite Haga had a difficult time in Monza last year, finishing
ninth and 11th in the two races. This season the Japanese rider has
consistently been among the frontrunners, finishing third once, fourth
twice and fifth twice in the five races he has finished. Surprisingly Haga
has never won in his adopted homeland. The Japanese star has won 19
races in his illustrious superbike career, but his best results in Italy
are two third places (Monza 2002 and Imola 2005).
Despite this, Haga still looks forward to Monza, as he explains: "Monza
is not such a difficult track and good fun... if you have a fast bike!
Valencia was difficult for us in many ways but now we must put it
behind us and look forward to the championship. Monza is a very important
race for the team and I will be doing my best to get a good result for
them. Monza was my worst race of 2005 but our bike is definitely much
better now than it was this time last year and our top speed is generally
quite good, so if we can find a good setting and get away with the
front group then anything can happen."
With fifth and sixth place finishes, team-mate Pitt was the highest
placed Yamaha rider at Monza last year. "Front end grip was the big
problem at Valencia but it shouldn't be a factor in Monza. At Valencia you
are leaned over on the side of the tyre for so long but Monza is
completely different, mostly long straights and slow corners. Because of the
slipstreaming it is important to get away with the leading group at
Monza. Our starts have been pretty good this year so there is no reason why
we can't be up there in the races."
Yamaha will also be represented by the Yamaha Motor France team in
Monza. The squad travel to Italy in high spirits after gaining their best
results of the season in Valencia, where Norick Abe scored two fourth
places and fellow Japanese rider Shinichi Nakatomi scored his first world
championship points with a pair of 12ths. The team's other rider,
Sebastien Gimbert, returns at Monza after missing Valencia due to his world
endurance commitments.
As always, Yamaha will be well represented in the supporting classes at
Monza. In the Supersport World Championship, Yamaha Motor Germany
riders Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes lie second and fourth in the points
after three rounds. Italian young guns Massimo Roccoli and Gianluca
Vizziello are both running in the top ten of the series and go to Monza
having finished first and second in the Italian championship round there
last weekend. One rider who will not be present in Monza is last year's
FIM Superstock 1000 champion Didier van Keymeulen. The Belgian had been
riding a Yamaha YZF-R6 for the Moto 1 squad in world supersport but has
split with the team following irreconcilable differences regarding
machine and team set-up.
Roccoli and Vizziello's Yamaha Team Italia team-mate Claudio Corti was
another winner in the national championship race, won the superstock
class. After taking a top 10 in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup opener in
Valencia, the European Superstock 600 champion is looking for his first
world championship win at his home circuit this weekend.[/Quote]