WSBKA N?rburgring

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THE DUCATI XEROX TEAM RETURN TO THE RACETRACK THIS WEEKEND IN GERMANY

The N?rburgring (Germany), Tuesday 31st August: after a month?s break, the World Superbikes are ready to restart their engines and return to the racetrack; the next stop for the Ducati Xerox Team is Germany, and the historic N?rburgring.

Noriyuki celebrated podium success last season in Race 1 at the Ring but it was the previous year, 2008, that brought the most satisfaction, with a double win for the Japanese rider at the German track, in spite of his riding with a broken collarbone! Michel on the other hand is yet to step up to the Ring?s rostrum, his best result thus far a sixth place finish in 2008. Having returned to the SBK calendar in 2008, after an eight year break, the circuit has been characterised by some very unpredictable weather conditions that have delayed and cut short races in the last two seasons. The historic Ring, located in the heart of Germany?s Black Forest, has played host to motorsport events for more than eighty years; this will be the fifth time that the World Superbike circus visits the track.

As the 2010 edition of the championship charges rapidly towards the home straight, with only two rounds left to run after the coming weekend?s German round, Nitro-Nori lies in 7th position while Uragano Mich is 9th in the overall standings. Ducati holds third position in the constructors championship.

Noriyuki Haga (7th in championship, 177 points)

"I had a great time here in 2008, taking a double win despite some terrible conditions that messed up the smooth running of race day, but then last season didn?t go to plan as I started in pole but crashed out of race 2 in a race I was sure I could have won. The problem at the N?rburgring is that no-one can predict the conditions ? we?ve seen the sun come out just minutes after a hail shower so mixed conditions like those make it hard to prepare for race day.?

Haga?s Superbike form at the N?rburgring:
2009: Race 1 ? 2nd, Race 2 ? DNF
2008: Race 1 ? winner, Race 2 ? winner
1999: Race 1 ? DNF, Race 2 ? 6th
1998: Race 1 ? 5th, Race 2 ? 7th


Michel Fabrizio (9th in championship, 160 points)

?I was disappointed to miss out on the podium at Silverstone so I?ll be trying my best to get there at the Nurburgring. I really like the track but haven?t managed to reach the podium before. The weather is so mixed of course and that can really mess up a weekend if conditions change dramatically each day. Anyway, we?ll be looking to take as many points as possible, and I?ll have my eyes on a top three finish.?

Fabrizio?s Superbike form at the N?rburgring:
2009: Race 1 ? 7th, Race 2 ? 9th
2008: Race 1 ? 7th, Race 2 ? 6th

CIRCUIT DATA:

Country: Germany
Name: The N?rburgring
Circuit length: 5.137 km
Pole position: left
Curve a sinistra: 6
Curve a destra: 11
Race distance: 20 laps = 102.74 km

LAP RECORDS: Best lap ? Rea (Honda) 1?56.234 (2009). Superpole ? Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1'55.471 (2008).

2009 RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Spies (Yamaha); 2. Haga (Ducati Xerox); 3. Checa (Honda) Race 2 ? 1. Rea (Honda); 2. Spies (Yamaha); 3. Checa (Honda)

 

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Hannspree riders prepare for German challenge

After a month away from the World Superbike championship, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders Jonathan Rea and Max Neukirchner have been preparing themselves for this weekend?s (3-5 September) 11th round of the series at Nurburgring in Germany.

The Dutch-based squad completed a day?s testing of suspension and electronics components at their local circuit of Assen yesterday, allowing both riders to get back to speed following a period of more than four weeks away from the team?s Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades.

Jonathan Rea, 23, currently lies in third place in the world championship standings but returns to the historic 5.137km Nurburgring as a previous race winner, having emerged on the top step of the podium in race two last year, after placing fourth in race one. The Northern Irishman beat 2009 champion Ben Spies to the race victory, breaking the Nurburgring lap record on the final lap.

Rea enjoyed his return to track act ion during the Assen test and, despite rain interruptions, was quickly back up to speed and close to the race pace that netted him a double victory at the Dutch circuit back in April.

Max Neukirchner hasn?t had quite as much time away from the track as his Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, having competed in the IDM German Superbike championship round at Assen two weeks ago. Neukirchner won the opening race and finished third in the second outing on a Honda CBR1000RR prepared by Ten Kate Racing Products.

The 27-year-old German left the last WSBK round at Silverstone in the UK in a positive frame of mind, despite a difficult return to the 2010 championship after missing most of last season through injury. For Silverstone raceday, Neukirchner returned to a setting that had served him well earlier in the season, allowing him a greater degree of comfort and control on the bike and giving him an ability to challenge more positively during the races, which he firmly intends on carrying through to Nurburgring this weekend.

Jonathan Rea

It?s been good to have some time off, but I couldn?t wait to get back on the bike. The test at Assen couldn?t have come at a better time because it gave us a chance to shake off some cobwebs before Nurburgring and to try a whole load of new stuff for the bike. The development has carried on during the break and the team is continuing to make a big effort right through to the end of the season. It?s good to get my head back up to 180-190mph in preparation for Nurburgring, which I?m really looking forward to. I like riding there and managed to get a win last year. However, I?m under no illusions that everyone else will also be coming back strong after the break, so it?s definitely not going to be an easy weekend. We?ll have to work hard to optimise the bike?s setting to give me something to challe nge up front with, but I?m sure the guys can give me that.

Max Neukirchner

All is good, and it was very interesting going back to Assen so soon after the IDM race on a completely different bike! Everything went pretty well yesterday and we were concentrating mostly on engine and electronics to get a good level of smooth power which is what we?ll need for this weekend in Nurburgring. I?m really looking forward to the races and the IDM results have given me a big boost and a motivation to do well. It?s a home race, of course, but there won?t be quite so many of my own fans as there were at Brno because it?s a bit further away for them. However, we?ll start with something close to where we left Silverstone and I?ll try to give the German race fans something to cheer about!

Ronald ten Kate

Despite a couple of showers of rain, we got a lo t of track time at our Assen test and we were able to test some new electronics and suspension settings. It was also a good opportunity for Jonathan and Max to get up to speed again and boost their confidence for Nurburgring this weekend. Jonathan managed to match his race pace from earlier in the season, despite track conditions being much worse than they were in April. We had a good couple of races before the break, too, at Brno and Silverstone, and we hope that Max can benefit from a home race advantage in Germany. His IDM championship race at Assen gave him a taste for podium champagne again and certainly lifted his spirits, so we?re ready to go!

 

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Crutchlow and Toseland get back to business in Germany

The warm weather may well be nearly over but the heat is definitely on for the Yamaha Sterilgarda Team as they head to the Nurburgring in Germany after the summer break. Fresh from a month off the team will be looking to capitalise on the sensational double victory scored by British rider Cal Crutchlow on home ground at Silverstone in early August. The two race wins catapulted Crutchlow up the championship standings to fifth place, just in front of his team mate James Toseland in sixth. With three rounds and six races left to run there's a potential 150 points for each rider out there to take the British duo up to a potential top 3 place in the standings.

Crutchlow's last visit to the infamous Nurburgring in the Eiffel mountains in the 2009 World Supersport championship saw him dominate the weekend, taking pole with an incredible 1.3 second lead over his closest rival before going on to take his fifth race win of the season on the Sunday. Team mate Toseland hasn't turned a wheel on the track since his Supersport days in 1999 but comes to Germany focused on delivering results and fighting for the third position spot in the championship.

"I can't wait to get back on the bike again", said Cal Crutchlow. "Finally winning two races at Silverstone was the result of lots of hard work by the team and I, I want to get straight to Germany and hope to do it again. I always find the summer break too long and really miss racing so I'm happy it's time to go again. I had a brilliant result at the Nurburgring last year, it would be perfect to repeat the success I had on the R6 Supersport bike on the R1 Superbike. I managed to dislocate my knee riding my bicycle over the holiday but it is pretty much back to normal now and will be fine for the races!"

"The last time I was at the Nurburgring I was 18 years old, so it's been a couple of years!" James Toseland commented. "Since then I've been to Oschersleben in Germany but not back to the ring so I'm really looking forward to it. There are only three rounds left now, we were close to the podium at Silverstone but due to my unfortunate fall in qualifying I was held up. I have had a good holiday and I'm now raring to go to get on with it. I can't wait to get to the track and get stuck in on Friday morning."

Nurburgring Technically speaking according to Marcus Eschenbacher, Cal Crutchlow's Crew Chief
"We will arrive in Germany having not touched the bikes since Silverstone so will start on Friday with the same settings from the UK. We developed a setting that worked very well there and as Cal already knows the German circuit well we will get straight down to fine tuning it for the corners and elevation changes of the Nurburgring. We should be ready with the setting by Saturday so will then focus on making sure we have the right tyre choice for the two races on Sunday.˝

Nurburgring technically speaking according to Frankie Carchedi, James Toseland's Crew Chief
"Silverstone was a great weekend for all the team with Yamaha's first win of the season. We will be looking to build on that result for the rest of the season. Nurburgring is a circuit that demands many aspects of a bike set-up, slow and fast corners, rises and falls. We will start with a bike as we finished Silverstone so that James can learn the track. Once up to speed we have prepared a different set-up on his second bike for him to try. It is to help him out of the slower corners by keeping the front down more, maybe allowing us to use a little more torque."

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
"We've been waiting for this weekend after a long break and are optimistic after the great weekend we had in Silverstone. I think we can achieve some good results again in Germany. We have had a break as a team so the bike will be the same as it was when we left the UK. The characteristic of the circuit suits our bike and after Cal's performance last year we are confident for the races. James has not raced here for some years but I believe he will pick up the circuit again quickly."

 

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Return to the ?Ring

After its traditional summer break, the Superbike World Championship returns to action over the weekend of 3 to 5 September at the challenging N?rburgring circuit in Germany.

With 10 rounds of this series already complete, and just three remaining, BMW Motorrad Motorsport are looking forwards to their ?home? round with excitement and anticipation. After being forced to sit out this round last year because of a broken femur sustained at Brno, Ruben Xaus is relishing the opportunity of racing at the demanding 5.137 km circuit.

?I have a lot of confidence at the minute,? said the determined Spaniard. ?Since Brno I feel like we have made a huge step forward and if we have the grip I can definitely run close to the podium. As long as we find a good setting early on in the weekend I do think we can perform well. Obviously N?rburgring is a home round for BMW and it?s a track I like, so I hope we can show the home fans our true potential. To be competitive you need to focus a lot on braking and have a lot of power to cope with the run uphill. I am focused and I want to finish the year with a good feeling.?

Team-mate Troy Corser will be hoping to improve upon his eighth and sixth place finishes achieved here in 2009. The 1999 N?rburgring WSBK race winner currently lies 10th in the points on 155, but with only 30 points separating 10th and fifth place in the rider standings, there is everything still left to play for ? especially with 150 points still up for grabs.

?I really like the N?rburgring as a track and I have always gone really well there, regardless of the bike I have been riding,? said Corser. ?It is a circuit that I really enjoy riding. We had a few issues in Silverstone but we are confident that we have the package to do well in Germany ? the team?s home round. I think the engine and the chassis configurations that we have with the BMW will work really well in Germany and I am hopeful for some good results. If we find a good tyre earlier on in the weekend that works with the track and the bike, then we have a real chance to run at the front.?

For Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Berthold Hauser, the challenge of the Nurburgring can?t come soon enough for the team members, who are all ready for the return to action this weekend:

?The whole team are extremely looking forward to the next race at the N?rburgring,? said Hauser. ?Silverstone was a weekend to forget for us but as a professional race team we have taken onboard the information and we are confident going into the next round. The team will not be affected by the poor performance at Silverstone as we all fully believe that we have the package to compete at the front, regardless of the track. Everyone is focused and ready for the weekend ahead. It will be a great occasion for everyone associated with BMW.?

 

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BOTH DUCATI XEROX RIDERS FINISH FIRST QUALIFYING IN THE TOP FIVE AT THE NURBURGRING

The N?rburgring (Germany), Friday 3rd September: after the month long summer break the World Superbike riders returned to the track today and, at the end of first qualifying, the Ducati Xerox team and its riders Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga can be satisfied with the results, Michel having concluded in third position and Noriyuki in fifth.

In the first free practice session, the two factory riders made a strong start, particularly Fabrizio who, having identified the best rear tyre, was able to lap consistently fast, recording interesting lap times. The Italian riders closed the session in second position, a fraction of a second behind Max Biaggi. Noriyuki also made constant progress throughout the free practice session, to close in fourth, two tenth of a second behind team-mate Michel.

Later in the day, Noriyuki made an even more determined start to first qualifying, recording a 1m56 flat almost immediately. Despite fast lap times, he was unable to improve on that time but nonetheless closed in fifth position, satisfied with his pace. Michel was victim of a crash mid-way through the 60-minute session but was fortunately unhurt and able to return to the track minutes later. In the final phase Fabrizio finally ducked under the 1m56 barrier with a time that projected him to third in the standings, a position he held until the close of the session.

Michel Fabrizio 1m55.7s
?I?d say we made a good start today. I immediately had a good feeling with the tyre and we were able to do almost race distance during free practice which boosted my confidence. It?s a pity I crashed; we?d made some changes to the rear of my bike which improved feeling and meant that I was pushing, perhaps a little too hard as I lost the front. Anyway we have good race pace, the tyres are working well and I?m pretty happy.?

Noriyuki Haga 1m56.0s
?The N?rburgring is a track that I really like and I hope to do well here on Sunday. We haven?t had any particular problems today but there are certain corners where the level of feeling is lacking compared to last year so we will make some more modifications tomorrow, to the front fork especially, to see if we can improve. I?ve tried the new rear tyre and I like it but I?m still not sure as to the front tyre; we need to carry out a long-run tomorrow and then we?ll see??

TIMES: 1. Checa (Ducati) 1m55.2s; 2. Corser (BMW) 1m55.4s; 3. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1m55.7s; 4. Byrne (Ducati) 1m55.9s; 5. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1m56.0s; 6. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1m56.0s; 7. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1m56.1s; 8. Rea (Honda) 1m56.2s

 

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Work in progress in Germany

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, Jonathan Rea and Max Neukirchner, have some work to do with their technical crews tonight in order to improve their provisional positions after today?s opening World Superbike championship qualifying session at Nurburgring in Germany.

The duo finished in eighth and 12th places respectively in preparation for Sunday?s two eleventh round races at the 5.137km circuit set alongside the historic Nordschleife in Germany?s Eiffel Mountains.

Provisional pole position was taken by veteran Spanish rider, Carlos Checa, as Rea ran close to the lap record time he established on the final lap of his victorious second race at the corresponding round last year.

Neukirchner used today?s two settings first to establish a base setting and then to fine-tune his riding style to suit the flowing and undulating Nurburgring circuit.

Jonathan Rea ? P8 1m56.253s
< br />We spent a lot of time on old tyres today, and when we eventually put in a new tyre it was like a completely different world! We?re not really sure why it didn?t work as we expected, so we tried another and that one seemed to work pretty good, but I only managed to get a couple of laps on it at the end of the session. We?re still quite a long way away from a good and comfortable setting. We need to work a lot on engine braking and corner entry stability where the rear is a little bit off line and upsetting the bike. So, we?ve got a lot of work to do tonight ? especially looking at the pace of the guys out front. I?m pretty close to lap record pace but there are seven guys in front of me who are under it, which just shows how competitive it is.

Max Neukirchner ? P12 1m56.617s

I only used one set of tyres in the free practice this morning so, although the position and the time we re not very good, I knew that we would be able to improve this afternoon. In the qualifying session this afternoon we concentrated more on riding style and the times came more easily. I am quite sure we can improve even more tomorrow, so I think you can say I am very happy with this first day at Nurburgring.

Ronald ten Kate ? team manager

Well, we?re not in the positions we were hoping for but I think we?ve found a direction to go for tomorrow. Towards the end of the session both riders made quite a jump forward but we are still quite a bit away from the front runners so we definitely need some bigger changes for tomorrow.

2010 World Superbike championship ? round 11
Nurburgring, Germany (5.137km) ? first qualifying results:
1. Carlos Checa (ESP) Ducati 1m55.232s
2. Troy Corser (AUS) BMW 1m55.447s
3. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Ducati 1m55.753s
4. Shane Byrne (GBR ) Ducati 1m55.998s
8. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1m56.253s
12. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1m56.617s

 

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Front row for Rea at Nurburgring

Jonathan Rea will start tomorrow?s two 11th round World Superbike championship races from the front row of the grid after today?s qualifying and Superpole sessions at the historic Nurburgring in Germany.

The 23-year-old Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider made improvements to the engine braking and overall set-up on his CBR1000RR Fireblade overnight and was able to improve his lap times around the 5.137km Nurburgring circuit by more than a second over yesterday.

His team-mate, Max Neukirchner, will start his home race from the fourth row of the grid after setting the 15th fastest time today. The German was disappointed that grip levels from his first qualifying tyre seemed to offer no more than the race rubber he had used earlier.

However, Neukirchner is confident that improvements to both his bike and riding will allow him to push hard in tomorrow?s two 20-lap races at the Nurburgring.

Jonathan Rea ? P4 1m55.138s

Bit of an eventful Superpole 3 that one! I think a front wheel speed sensor broke and sent the traction control flat out and it wouldn?t let the bike push forward. I even thought it might be running out of petrol because I was struggling to get back to the pits. So I came in but we didn?t have any more tyres left so we put the old set into the spare bike, which still had an experimental setting from free practice. But all in all I think our pace is OK, I?m really enjoying riding and the bike?s good. And I think we?ve got pace at the end of the race, which is important. There are some guys who are very fast over one lap, but it?s the race that counts and that?s tomorrow. I think I did that time on a qualifier that had six laps on it, so I?m pretty happy with the front row.

Max Neukirchner ? P15 1m55.735s

It?s been a good day fo r me, even though Superpole was pretty bad. I was pushing hard but I just couldn?t get any faster and the first qualifier that I used gave me no more grip than the race tyre. The second one was a little better but it still was not enough. I made some consistently fast laps in the free practice before though, so I am quite confident about our set up and I think I can ride like that in the race. The main problem we have is not being able to go as fast as other riders in the middle of the corner. Our braking points are the same, but it seems that they can release the brake and get back on the throttle a little earlier. When I try to do the same it?s not possible and I lose a lot of time ? maybe we have a bit too much weight on the front. I am looking forward to tomorrow though, and I hope I can push as hard as I want to in the race.

Ronald ten Kate ? team manager

I think that the front row for Jonathan is a good reward for the methodical way that he and his crew have gone about improving the setting after yesterday. It?s also a good performance considering he had to switch to his number two machine after just one lap in Superpole 3 after a problem with the electronics on his first choice bike. He has also done some good times on very old tyres today, so we are confident about his race pace. Max, too, has made good progress today, although his first qualifier didn?t quite give the levels of grip he was looking for. All in all, we?re looking forward to two good races tomorrow.

2010 World Superbike championship ? round 11
Nurburgring, Germany (5.137km) ? final qualifying results:
1. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia 1m54.595s
2. Carlos Checa (ESP) Ducati 1m54.621s
3. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) 1m54.934s
4. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1m55.138s
15. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 1m55.735 s

 

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NORIYUKI HAGA (DUCATI XEROX) TO LINE UP ON THE SECOND ROW TOMORROW AT THE RING

The N?rburgring (Germany), 4th September 2010: today?s Superpole took place in relatively warm conditions (air temperature 16?C, track 28?C) but for the Ducati Xerox riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio it was not an easy afternoon; at the end of the three hard-fought phases, Haga took sixth position and Fabrizio, having registered some almost identical lap times, ninth.

The morning?s second qualifying turned out to be fairly positive for both Ducati Xerox factory riders. Noriyuki immediately improved on his best time set yesterday, by recording an impressive 1m55.4. He made a string of laps with similar times and closed the session in second position, which meant an overall qualifying position of third for this afternoon?s Superpole. Michel was able to improve by a tenth of a second which left him with the fifth fastest time ahead of the Superpole.

Superpole 1: the two factory riders chose different strategies for phase 1, Norikyuki taking to the track on race rubber, Michel opting for the first of two qualifiers. Both strategies worked, in that neither rider needed to make a second exit and at the end of the first mini-session, Michel was in fifth and Noriyuki tenth, results that allowed both riders to progress to the next stage.

Superpole 2: this time Haga went for a ?Q? while Fabrizio used a race tyre. The Japanese rider recorded a very fast lap which put him well within the top eight but nevertheless decided to make a second exit, as did his Italian team-mate. By the end of the session, both riders had recorded almost identical best times (Nori ? 1m55.233s, Michel ? 1m55.264s) but it was Haga who obtained eighth position and a place in the final phase, Michel pushed out by a fraction of a second, to close today?s Superpole in ninth position.

Superpole 3: taking advantage of the second qualifying tyre, Haga made two strong laps to ensure himself of a spot on the second row of the grid, in sixth, for tomorrow?s races.

Noriyuki Haga
?I had a better feeling with the bike this morning compared to this afternoon?s session, so tomorrow I think we?ll make some changes that take us back in that direction regarding set-up. I was a bit disappointed with the Superpole result because I did my two laps in the final phase but maybe I should have stayed out there and done one more because the situation changed dramatically in the last two minutes and I dropped from fourth to sixth. Having said that, a place on the second row isn?t bad and after two positive days we?ll be aiming to make two equally positive races tomorrow.?

Michel Fabrizio
?After all the team?s hard work and the positive results so far this weekend, I of course hoped to take part in the third part of the Superpole but unfortunately a couple of mistakes proved costly and I finished ninth, outside of the top eight for just a fraction of a second. Tomorrow will be very difficult because this is one of those tracks where it?s not easy to pass, added to the fact that there are more than a few strong riders??

TIMES (Superpole): 1. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1m54.5s; 2. Checa (Ducati) 1m54.6s; 3. Guintoli (Suzuki) 1m54.9s; 4. Rea (Honda) 1m55.1s; 5. Haslam (Suzuki) 1m55.1s; 6. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1m55.2s; 7. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1m55.3s; 8. Toseland (Yamaha) 1m54.9s; 9. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1m55.2s

 

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Rows three and four for defiant duo

2010 Superbike World Championship, round eleven Superpole qualifying report, N?rburgring, Germany.

Despite setting the fastest lap in today?s final free practice session, BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory rider Troy Corser and team-mate Ruben Xaus will start further down the grid than expected for tomorrow?s two 20-lap races at the N?rburgring.

Just one lap after setting a new record and the fastest time of the session with a time of 1.55.081, Troy Corser crashed out of free practice at turn one and was unable to complete the session. Troy was uninjured and continued into the Superpole sessions on the 5.137km circuit.

However, further bad luck followed for the S 1000 RR rider with Troy once again crashing out at the same place on the track during Superpole 1. He made it through to Superpole 2 in 14th position with a time of 1.56.065, six places behind team-mate Ruben in eighth place with a time of 1.55.673.

In SP2, both of the BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory riders suffered misfortune in front of the team?s home crowd with Ruben losing the front of the S 1000 RR at turn one and Troy once again laying down the bike, this time at turn two on the German track.

The incidents saw both riders eliminated from SP3 and determined their grid positions for tomorrow as 11th and 14th for Ruben and Troy respectively. Xaus recorded a time of 1.55.375, less than a second off eventual fastest rider Max Biaggi. Corser was unable to match his previous scorching pace with a final qualifying time of 1.55.599. The team however reamain motivated for tommorow.

Troy Corser: ?In the first two crashes, I just lost the front going in the first corner with no real warning. Unfortunately, we struggled for grip with the qualifying tyre, compared to the race tyre. There was nothing I could do. It is a little disappointing because I feel we had a good balance of the bike, a good setting and I could have easily finished on the first row. But we never give up. The lap times that we can do are fast enough, so we must try to have a good start and make our way through the field tomorrow.?

Ruben Xaus: ?I have been struggling today with grip. Going into Superpole I thought that I could make it onto the second row, but sadly I have to settle for a row three start. The bike feels good; we just need to work on a few things to ensure the grip levels are consistent. I never rode the S 1000 RR here last year so I am relatively happy with the progress we have made so far. I am not setting any goals for the races tomorrow, I am just going out there to do my best and hopefully the set-up we have for the race will work well. I am looking forward to the races for sure.?

Davide Tardozzi: ?The entire team thought we had a great chance to make Superpole 3 today as both Ruben and Troy have been doing some great times all weekend. Unfortunately, Superpole didn?t go to plan for us, we now have to work to get the bikes ready for tomorrow and ensure we don?t suffer from the same issues in the race. There are a lot of positives to take into tomorrow and I still believe that Troy has the capability and the race pace to go for the podium. The team are confident and looking forward to tomorrow.?

 

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QUALIFYING 2 REPORT 04/09/2010

Toseland and Crutchlow take second and third row grid starts for the Nurburgring
The second day of qualifying at the Nurburgring saw Yamaha Sterilgarda riders James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow deliver grid positions for tomorrow's races that did not reflect the impressive performance of the British duo through the sessions. Toseland made quick progress from yesterday, improving his set up to finish 12th in the second qualifying session. The subsequent Superpole heats saw him on the pace immediately, passing through the first heat easily in fourth with a 1'55.486 on a race tyre. Toseland then used both qualifier tyres in the second heat, passing through in seventh to the final stage. Superpole three saw an impressive run as he took his second front row start of the season with a third position on the grid. Unfortunately Toseland left the pit lane several seconds before the start of the final session so was penalised and dropped to eighth on the second row of the grid for the races.

Team mate Cal Crutchlow had also shown consistent fast pace through today's sessions and also passed through the first Superpole heat easily in third, just in front of his team mate with a 1'55.442 on a used race tyre. Midway through the second heat Crutchlow switched to his qualifier but was unable to get the performance needed from it to graduate through to the final stage. As a result he will start from tenth on the grid tomorrow.


James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (8th, 1.'54.909)
"I've really enjoyed riding around the Nurburgring, it's pretty new to me as I've not been here for eleven years. Unfortunately I exited the pit lane apparently on a red light, I didn't do that intentionally but I've been penalised so my third position grid start has been taken away and I've been put back to eighth on the second row of the grid. The first two rows are really important here because the first corner is very tight. I'm obviously disappointed about that but the officials have taken that stance, I can't really argue with it I just have to comply, that's the rules. I'm still looking forward to two good races tomorrow."


Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (10th, 1'55.295)
"We struggled a bit today with the lack of grip from the tyres. I seemed to go faster on my race tyres than my qualifiers which was frustrating. I think we are up there with top five race pace, but it's not easy to pass here so getting through the field is difficult, everyone is on the same sort of line and times are really similar. It's going to be difficult to make some moves so I'm hoping for a good start off the line."

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
"The weekend is a typical weekend for us . Yesterday, probably due to the long break we lost some time in setting up the bike as the riders got back onto their pace again. Today both the riders and the bikes were better and better but unfortunately things outside of our control prevented us from achieving more. For Cal his Qualifier didn't seem to perform well and I'm very sorry for James as he achieved the first row for the second time this season but a little mistake leaving the pits a few seconds before the start of the final Superpole heat means he has to start from the second row. The pace that both riders showed in free practice today was ok so tomorrow I am expecting both of them to be up there."

Circuit Length: 4556
Weather: Sunny
Fastest Lap Ever: 1'54.595 (Max Biaggi, 05/09/2010)
Last Years Winner: Jonathan Rea
2010 WSB Germany - N?rburgring 04/09/2010
Superpole
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 1'54.595
2 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 1'54.621
3 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 1'54.934
4 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'55.138
5 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 1'55.161
6 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 1'55.276
7 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 1'55.378
8 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 1'54.909
9 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'55.264
10 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 1'55.295
11 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 1'55.375
12 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'55.524
13 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'55.577
14 Troy Corser BMW AUS 1'55.599
15 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 1'55.735


Qualifying 2
Pos. Rider Nat. QUAL I QUAL II
1 Carlos Checa ESP 1'55.232 1'55.789
2 Troy Corser AUS 1'55.447 1'55.429
3 Noriyuki Haga JPN 1'56.024 1'55.493
4 Jonathan Rea GBR 1'56.253 1'55.545
5 Michel Fabrizio ITA 1'55.753 1'55.650
6 Shane Byrne GBR 1'55.998 1'55.726
7 Cal Crutchlow GBR 1'56.169 1'55.764
8 Ruben Xaus ESP 1'56.799 1'55.804
9 Leon Haslam GBR 1'56.617 1'55.812
10 Max Biaggi ITA 1'56.077 1'56.307
11 Max Neukirchner GER 1'56.617 1'56.111
12 Jakub Smrz CZE 1'56.340 1'56.188
13 James Toseland GBR 1'57.001 1'56.200
14 Lorenzo Lanzi ITA 1'56.819 1'56.238
15 Sylvain Guintoli FRA 1'56.838 1'56.253

 

[KUCIAR666]

Front row for Sylvain! Leon just behind

Team Suzuki Alstare rider Sylvain Guintoli had his best Superpole of the season and will start tomorrow?s pair of 20-lap races from the front row of the grid. The Frenchman was in tremendous form today, particularly in Superpole 2, when he ended up the fastest. It took a record lap from Max Biaggi (Aprilia) to knock Sylvain down the order, but he held on to third quickest, just behind Carlos Checa (Ducati).

Leon had struggled a little in regular practice and qualifying, but dug deep and improved in Superpole. He was the fastest rider in Superpole 1, fifth in Superpole 2 and that?s where he ended up also in Superpole 3.

Sylvain - 3rd, 1:54.934

After going fastest in the second Superpole I thought I could go even better in Superpole 3, but I had no more qualifying tyres left. I had burned one getting stuck behind people, so I had to put a used one on for the last part of the last session. But I am happy because I have a good pace and I like this track. This circuit is fantastic! I just love the whole speed thing and, considering that this is my first time here, I?m very happy with how things have gone so far.The first corner is more technical, but the rest of the track, with all the blind approaches and fast corners, is brilliant. At the moment, I do not know what my race tyres will be because I have done similar times with each main tyre. So, before making the final choice, we?ll analyse things and work out which ones we?ll use. I think tomorrow is going to be a good day and I can?t wait for races to start.



Leon - 5th, 1: 55.16

The tyres that we have here are the same concept as the tyres we had in Brno and Misano and we struggled with them there. Ultimately I feel that the new tyre has more grip and lasts longer but, at the moment, the problem is that the extra grip on the rear is hampering the way the bike is steering. That?s something we found in Brno and Misano and it is something we just have to work hard at trying to find a solution. Sylvain is getting the tyres to work well and that has helped us. I am quickest on a race tyre set-up, on the old 625 tyre. To compete against everyone else on race tyres like I did in Superpole was good. We have made some headway with the new tyre and have one more chance to make it work. Overall though, our bike works well here and I like the track. I?m sure tomorrow will be a good battle and I?m really looking forward to it.

Final qualifying & Superpole

1 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 1:54.595, 2 Carlos Checa (ESP-Ducati) 1:54.621, 3 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare) 1:54.934, 4 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda) 1:55.138, 5 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare) 1:55.161, 6 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati) 1:55.276,

 

[KUCIAR666]

Rea goes 1-2 at the Ring

Jonathan Rea enjoyed a race win, a second place finish and set a new lap record in today?s two 11th round World Superbike championship races at Nurburgring in Germany. The other race was won by Japan?s Noriyuki Haga.

Starting from the inside of the front row of the grid, Rea was first into the Nuburgring?s tight first corner in race one and, although pressed hard in the early stages by Haga and Spanish rider, Carlos Checa, the 23-year-old from Northern Ireland was never headed.

Race two was not quite so straightforward for Rea, who was fourth on the opening lap before passing series leader Max Biaggi and eventually finishing second to the hard-charging Haga after Checa crashed out on lap 10.

However, the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda rider took the fastest lap in race two to go with the new Nurburgring lap record he had established in the first outing ? itself almost a second inside the record he established in the process of winning race two last year.

Rea has now finished in first or second place in the last six World Superbike championship races and heads into the last two rounds of the series boosted by the fact that Imola and Magny-Cours are two of his favourite circuits.

His Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, Max Neukirchner, did not enjoy such a fruitful day at his home race. The 27-year-old German was in confident mood following some promising runs during practice and qualifying. However, he found his race set up working differently than expected with his Pirelli tyres and after crashing out of race one, Neukirchner could only manage a fifteenth place finish in the second.

Jonathan Rea ? 1st and 2nd

We were really behind the 8-ball on Friday but did a lot of work that night and came back yesterday with a bike we could challenge with. We managed to turn that into a win in the first race today by makin g a break at the front and controlling the race, so all credit has to go to the crew for turning things around. Nori was really fast in the second race so I?m really happy with a one-two and really think that was probably the maximum points I could get today. It was a lap of two halves really and I while I was weak in the first two splits the last two were really strong. Although I could gain a little bit there, I?d just got dropped a little bit at the start and I lost my rhythm a bit when Checa went down. But I?m really happy ? I?m enjoying riding the bike and it?s fun to turn up to a racetrack and just ride the CBR. If you?d offered me a one-two on Friday I would have snapped your hand off.

Max Neukirchner ? DNF and 15th

You can imagine I am not very happy. It?s very strange because yesterday I did really well and went faster much more easily ? like one and a half s econds faster! Today it just wasn?t possible to get into the corner and turn the bike without the tyre spinning completely. The team has looked at it on the data and they confirm that there was double the amount from yesterday. We changed nothing ? just put in new tyres and went. Yesterday afternoon the bike felt perfect and today it was a completely different bike, 5kph slower and almost impossible to ride. It makes me feel like an idiot, especially at my home race and in front of a lot of my fans. It?s a big shame for them. The set up we have now is not bad for me ? not perfect, but not bad. It?s just that with the tyres changing, it?s not possible to go in the top ten.

Ronald ten Kate ? team manager

Max?s race results have been quite disappointing after some promising runs he had during the qualifying sessions, so we?ll all try to keep his chin up and see if the last two rounds can bring something half decent. On the positive side we?re seeing a very good, consistent run from Jonathan at the moment ? from the last six races he has had only firsts and seconds. The double wasn?t possible this weekend but with results like today we can only be happy and very satisfied. We go now to two of his favourite tracks so we?re looking forward to that. The aim is no longer to protect third in the championship but to attack for second place, which is still very much possible.

2010 World Superbike championship ? round 11
Nurburgring, Germany (5.137km ? 20 laps) ? results
Race one:
1. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda 38?42.460s
2. Carlos Checa (ESP) Ducati +1.126s
3. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha +10.006s
4. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia +10.716s
DNF. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda
Race two:
1. Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Ducati 38? 43.565s
2. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +3.061s
3. Leon Haslam (GBR) Suzuki +8.060s
4. Cal Crutchlow (GBR) Yamaha +8.457s
15. Max Neukirchner (GER) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda

Championship points after 11 of 13 rounds: 1 Biaggi 397, 2 Haslam 339, 3 Rea 288, 4 Checa 224, 5 Crutchlow 217, 6 Haga 177, 7 Toseland 187, 8 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Suzuki 169, 9 Leon Camier (GBR) Aprilia 164, 10 Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Ducati 160

 

[KUCIAR666]

Difficult day for BMW Motorrad Motorsport

The 5.137km N?rburgring circuit presented difficult challenges for the BMW Motorrad Motorsport factory riders today with differing issues affecting the performances of Ruben Xaus and Troy Corser.

Spaniard Xaus faced last lap battles in both of the 20-lap races, but was unlucky to lose out on both occasions, first to title chaser Leon Haslam and then to long-standing racing rival James Toseland. The determined S 1000 RR rider passed the chequered flag in seventh position in race one and finished just inside the top ten with a ninth place finish in race two.

Team-mate Troy Corser faced even more misfortune, picking up a slight arm injury in a racing incident with Haslam and Toseland on the opening lap of race one. The red flag was brought out and the experienced Australian was able to make it back to the grid for the re-started 20 lap race.

However, BMW Motorrad Motorsport?s Corser once again ran off the track on the opening lap, this time in an incident with Sylvain Guintoli. Both riders re-joined the race, but Corser was forced to retire early on lap six. Determined to ride through the pain from his injured arm, Troy lined up on the grid for race two and battled bravely throughout the full 20 laps.

It was not enough for a top ten finish in a race that proved to be ultra competitive, with Corser finishing in 12th position, more than 22 seconds behind race 2 winner Noriyuki Haga.

Better luck was bestowed on BMW Motorrad Italia?s Ayrton Badovini at the German circuit. The S 1000 RR rider, who secured the 2010 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup title at the last race at Silverstone, maintained his 100 per cent record with an eighth consecutive win from eight races earlier today.

Ruben Xaus ?It has been a really tough day for us today. In both races I fought really hard. In race one with Leon Haslam and race two with James Toseland. I was pushing on every lap, but unfortunately I was having some issues on the first section of the lap; I just couldn?t keep them behind me. But the team have done a great job yet again for me this weekend, and I feel like I rode really well considering I never raced here last year. All we need to do now is work on a few minor things with the bike, just to find that half second, and then I think we can really challenge the guys at the front. I am hopeful that we can do this for the next race in Imola.?

Troy Corser ?In the first race I crashed in an incident with Leon Haslam and I went down on my elbow pretty hard. Still, when we got back to the garage I felt like I was capable to go out and ride the bike, despite the pain. Everything felt pretty good for the first ten laps, but after that the pain got worse and I had issues with the feeling in my arm and hand. So, I decided in race two to settle into 13th place and just bring the bike home. I didn?t want to risk further injury by challenging the riders in front. This, for sure, isn?t what we were expecting coming into the weekend, but we have to look forward to the next race now in a positive manner. I am disappointed considering our positive start to the weekend, but we must move on and learn from this.?

Berthold Hauser ? BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director ?Our home round started very well, but the final outcome is not what we expected. We were on top until Saturday, but unfortunately Superpole didn?t go to plan. Sadly, the bad luck continued into the races on Sunday and we were unable to show our true potential. Troy had a brilliant start in the first race and moved up to ninth position, but then was hit from behind. He was hurt in that crash and that also hindered him for the second race. Still, hats off to Troy for riding despite the pain. I am also really happy for Ruben, his performance in both races was really impressive and he fought until the very last lap. We had the potential for more this weekend, but now we are determined to show our capabilities at the next races.?

Race one results
1 Rea (GBR ? Honda), 2 Checa (ESP ? Honda), 3 Crutchlow (GBR ? Yamaha), 7 Ruben Xaus (ESP ? BMW Motorrad Motorsport), DNF Troy Corser (AUS ? BMW Motorrad Motorsport)

Race two results
1 Haga (JAP ? Ducati), 2 Rea (GBR ? Honda), 3. Haslam (GBR ? Suzuki), 9 Ruben Xaus (ESP ? BMW Motorrad Motorsport), 12 Troy Corser (AUS ? BMW Motorrad Motorsport)

Points: 1. Biaggi 397, 2. Haslam 339, 3. Rea 288, 11. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 159, 13. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 85

 

[KUCIAR666]

Crutchlow podiums at the Nurburgring

Yamaha Sterilgarda rider Cal Crutchlow kept his head down and got straight to business in today's two World Superbike races at the legendary Nurburgring circuit in Germany. Despite a challenging grid start position of tenth Crutchlow fought through in both races, taking a well earned podium with third in race one and finishing just off it in fourth in race two, a mere four tenths of a second behind third placed rider Leon Haslam. The first race started with some drama and a red flag, a big crash by other riders forcing both Crutchlow and Toseland off the track to avoid further incident.

Crutchlow's team mate James Toseland initially started well from his relegated eighth position on the grid following yesterday's Superpole penalty where he jumped the session start by several seconds. Unfortunately following the restart in race one the British rider crashed out whilst attempting to catch the leaders. Race two saw Toseland battling for grip and also suffering from a small brake issue. Despite this he held off the advances of Ruben Xaus to hold onto eighth position at the line.

The Yamaha Sterilgarda team leaves Germany and heads towards Imola in three weeks for the penultimate round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship with Crutchlow still in fifth having closed down the gap to Carlos Checa in fourth to just seven points from the previous gap of 16. Team mate James Toseland drops a place to seventh, fifteen points behind Noriyuki Haga in sixth.


Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team, (3rd, 4th)
"Race one was really good, I was happy to be on the podium again, especially starting from tenth and considering we spent a lot of the weekend working through some different set up issues; it was a credible finish. I was also happy with the second race, I was disappointed not to be on the podium but I think if we had a better tyre we could have challenged for it, I did the best job I could. It was still good for the championship, we are pulling up on Checa a little bit so hopefully we can go to Imola and build on this."


James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (DNF, 8th)
"When race one restarted I got a decent get away and was coming up behind Tom Sykes and accidentally lost the front. Not being on the front row makes it really difficult here, after the first few corners it gets really spread out and it's difficult to catch up. It was very frustrating to be relegated to the second row, I don't really think the punishment matched the crime in this instance. I seemed to struggle with braking power in the start of the second race and also struggled with the rear grip from the softer rear tyre. We will regroup and go to Imola and give it 100% as always."

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
"It's been an ok weekend for us in Germany. Cal proved that he can always stay in the top five and showed great intelligence in his racing to bring home points. James again had a difficult weekend. I think the crash in the first race compromised his results in the second. After yesterday afternoon the expectation was higher for today but we have to accept today's results; that is racing. The next race will be Imola, we go there with good motivation as we were fastest there on both of the test days in the summer."

Circuit Length: 4556
Weather: Sunny
Fastest Lap Ever: 1'54.595 (Max Biaggi, 05/09/2010)
Last Years Winner: Jonathan Rea
2010 WSB Germany - N?rburgring 05/09/2010
Race 1
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 38'42.640
2 Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 0'01.126
3 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'10.006
4 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'10.716
5 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'17.391
6 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'19.301
7 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'19.613
8 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'19.880
9 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'21.176
10 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'29.752
11 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 0'30.156
12 Ian Lowry Kawasaki GBR 0'53.622
13 Roger Lee Hayden Kawasaki USA 0'58.820
14 Matteo Baiocco Kawasaki ITA 1'25.906


Race 2
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 38'43.565
2 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 0'03.061
3 Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 0'08.060
4 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 0'08.457
5 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 0'09.392
6 Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 0'09.556
7 Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 0'16.819
8 James Toseland Yamaha GBR 0'20.564
9 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 0'21.040
10 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 0'21.168
11 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'21.734
12 Troy Corser BMW AUS 0'22.746
13 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 0'24.526
14 Luca Scassa Ducati ITA 0'28.218
15 Max Neukirchner Honda GER 0'38.406


Best Lap
Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'55.392

Rider Standings 05/09/2010
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Points
1. Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 397
2. Leon Haslam Suzuki GBR 339
3. Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 288
4. Carlos Checa Ducati ESP 224
5. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 217
6. Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 202
7. James Toseland Yamaha GBR 187
8. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki FRA 169
9. Leon Camier Aprilia GBR 164
10. Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 160
11. Troy Corser BMW AUS 159
12. Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 136
13. Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 85
14. Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 76
15. Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 70

Manufacturer Standings 05/09/2010
Pos. Manufacturer Points
1. Aprilia 409
2. Suzuki 360
3. Ducati 342
4. Honda 299
5. Yamaha 285
6. BMW 190
7. Kawasaki 78