Fédération Internationale de Motocyclisme : FIM Supersport World Championship

Superbike and Supersport: provisional Entry lists

Thu, 19 Jan 2012 09:32:00 +0100

The FIM is pleased to announce the 2012 provisional 2012 Entry lists of the FIM Superbike et Supersport World Championships as follow:

SUPERBIKE

N°	RIDER	NAT.	MOTOCXCLE	TEAM NAME
3	Max Biaggi	ITA	Aprilia RSV4 1000 F	Aprilia Racing Team
58	Eugene Laverty	IRL	Aprilia RSV4 1000 F	Aprilia Racing Team
7	Carlos Checa	ESP	Ducati 1098R	Althea Racing
34	Davide Giugliano	ITA	Ducati 1098R	Althea Racing
50	Sylvain Guintoli	FRA	Ducati 1098R	Team Effenbert Liberty Racing
96	Jakub Smrz	CZE	Ducati 1098R	Team Effenbert Liberty Racing
33	Marco Melandri	ITA	BMW S1000 RR	BMW Motorrad Motorsport
91	Leon Haslam	GBR	BMW S1000 RR	BMW Motorrad Motorsport
4	Hiroshi Aoyama	JPM	Honda CBR1000RR	Honda World Superbike Team
65	Jonathan Rea	GBR	Honda CBR1000RR	Honda World Superbike Team
84	Michel Fabrizio	ITA	BMW S1000 RR	BMW Motorrad Italia GOLDBET SBK Team
86	Ayrton Badovini	ITA	BMW S1000 RR	BMW Motorrad Italia GOLDBET SBK Team
78	Lorenzo Zanetti	ITA	Ducati 1098R	PATA Racing Team
17	Joan Lascorz	ESP	Kawasaki ZX-10R	Kawasaki Racing Team
66	Tom Sykes	GBR	Kawasaki ZX-10R	Kawasaki Racing Team
36	Leandro Mercado	ARG	Kawasaki ZX-10R	Team Pedercini
44	David Salom	ESP	Kawasaki ZX-10R	Team Pedercini
21	John Hopkins	USA	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Crescent Suzuki
	Leon Camier	GBR	Suzuki GSX-R1000	Crescent Suzuki
	Mark Aitchison	AUS	BMW S1000 RR	Grillini Progea Superbike Team
121	Maxime Berger	FRA	Ducati 1098R	Liberty Racing - Team Effenbert
19	Chaz Davies	GBR	Aprilia RSV4 1000 F	ParkinGO Aprilia Racing Team
35	Raffaele De Rosa	ITA	Honda CBR1000RR	Pro Ride Motorsports
59	Niccoló Canepa	ITA	Ducati 1098R	Team Ducati Roma

SUPERSPORT

N°	RIDER	NAT.	MOTOCYCLE	TEAM NAME
23	Broc Parkes	AUS	Honda CBR600RR	Ten Kate Honda
9	Patrick Jacobsen	USA	Honda CBR600RR	PTR Honda
34	Ronan Quarmby	RSA	Honda CBR600RR	PTR Honda
32	Sheridan Morais	RSA	Kawasaki ZX-6R	Kawasaki Deltafin Lorenzini
54	Kenan Sofuoglu	TUR	Kawasaki ZX-6R	Kawasaki Deltafin Lorenzini
11	Sam Lowes	GBR	Honda CBR600RR	Bogdanka PTR Honda
20	Mathew Scholtz	RSA	Honda CBR600RR	Bogdanka PTR Honda
55	Massimo Roccoli	ITA	Yamaha YZF R6	Bike Service by WTR TEN 10
98	Romain Lanusse	FRA	Kawasaki ZX-6R	Kawasaki Intermoto Step
99	Fabien Foret	FRA	Kawasaki ZX-6R	kawasaki Intermoto Step
10	Imre Toth	HUN	Honda CBR600RR	Racing Team Toth
38	Balazs Nemeth	HUN	Honda CBR600RR	Racing Toth
31	Vittorio Iannuzzo	ITA	Triumph Daytona 675	Suriano Racing Team
69	Ondrej Jezek	CZE	Honda CBR600RR	SMS Racing
27	Thomas Caiani	SUI	Honda CBR600RR	KUJA Racing
24	Eduard Blokhin	RUS	Yamaha YZF R6	RivaMoto
73	Oleg Pozdneev	RUS	Yamaha YZF R6	RivaMoto
19	Pawel Szkopek	POL	Honda CBR600RR	Bogdanka Racing
95	Robert Muresan	ROU	Honda CBR600RR	East European Racing
119	Janos Chrobak	HUN	Honda CBR600RR	East European Racing
52	Lukas Pesek	CZE	Honda CBR600RR	PRORACE
40	Martin Jessopp	GBR	Honda CBR600RR	Riders PTR Honda
71	Thomas Berghammer	AUT	Honda CBR600RR	Team Berghammer
64	Joshua Day	USA	Kawasaki ZX-6R	Team GOELEVEN
8	Andrea Antonelli	ITA	Honda CBR600RR	Team Lorini
22	Roberto Tamburini	ITA	Honda CBR600RR	Team Lorini
33	Yves Polzer	AUT	Yamaha YZF R6	Team MRC Austria
13	Dino Lombardi	ITA	Yamaha YZF R6	Team PATA by Martini
3	Jed metcher	AUS	Yamaha YZF R6	Team RivaMoto
28	Giacomo Micheli	ITA	Yamaha YZF R6	VFT Racing
61	Fabio Menghi	ITA	Yamaha YZF R6	VFT Racing
65	Vladimir Leonov	RUS	Yamaha YZF R6	Yakhnich Motorsport

Chaz Davies wins BBC Cymru Wales Sport Personality title

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:34:00 +0100

FIM Supersport World Champion Chaz Davies has been named 2011 BBC Cymru Wales Sports Personality of the Year as the result of a public vote.

The 24-year-old motorcyclist became the first Welshman to win a FIM World Supersport class title when he secured the overall crown in the 12-match series.

Davies succeeds Gareth Bale to win the BBC Cymru Wales award.

He beat boxer Nathan Cleverly, hurdler Dai Greene, triathlete Helen Jenkins, and Paralympian Nathan Stephens to win.

Davies, who won the BBC Wales Young Sportsman of the Year in 2005, was named as the 58th winner at an awards ceremony at Swansea's Liberty Stadium, which celebrated the past year in Welsh sport.

The Welshman won six races in the 2011 Supersport Championship - the competition below the main World Superbikes Championship - at Assen, Monza, Aragon, Silverstone, the Nurburgring and the final race in Portugal.

The Yamaha biker also enjoyed a second and a third-placed finish so was pleased with his "consistency" in his second year for the team.

Davies became just the second Briton to win the World Supersport title since its inception in 1997, following Cal Crutchlow's win in 2009 as Davies beat Spain's David Salom by a huge 50-point margin.

He has earned himself a promotion to the FIM Superbike World Championship next season to compete alongside the likes of Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa.

Davies has already tested for Ducati and is now testing with Aprilia ahead of his first season in the top flight of Superbikes.

World Triathlon champion Jenkins finished second behind Presteigne-born Davies, while paralympic F57 javelin world champion and world record holder Stephens was third.

Golfer Rhys Pugh, the Irish Amateur champion who won all three of his matches in Europe's 2011 Walker Cup victory, won the BBC Cymru Wales Carwyn James Junior Sportsman of the Year honour.

Gymnast Angel Romaeo won gold, silver and bronze at the Commonwealth Youth Games and she won the BBC Cymru Wales Carwyn James Junior Sportswoman of the Year award.

Swansea City won the team of the year honour after securing promotion to the Premier League just eight years after surviving relegation from the Football League.

Anne Ellis was rewarded with a Lifetime Achievement Award in recognition of her 50 years in Welsh sport as a hockey player, coach and administrator.

Scassa wins, Davies crowned

Sun, 02 Oct 2011 16:27:00 +0200

Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) took the overall victory in the FIM Supersport World Championship after finishing sixth at Magny-Cours, in a race won by his team-mate Luca Scassa. Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) was second today with long-time leader Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) just holding off his rapidly advancing team-mate David Salom for third. James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) was fifth, as Davies eased to the title and a new total of 181 points with one round left to run. Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was only eighth today but remains second overall, in 144 points. Parkes is third in the points, on 136, tied with Salom.

Rea wins his first pole of the year

Sat, 01 Oct 2011 20:47:00 +0200

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) made the best of perfect weather conditions to take the Tissot-Superpole win in France with a 1 minute 37.490 second lap – a new track best. It was his first top starting place this season, and only the second in his career. Second overall after the three-part contest, which determines the top 16 starting positions, was Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike) from championship leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) and Aprilia Alitalia rider Leon Camier. Checa only just made it into Superpole 3 but still starts from the front row tomorrow, on what is almost certain to be the day he wins the championship outright.

Jonathan Rea: "My Superpole lap was very strong and very good for the team. It looked like the pace was close all weekend, and we knew that the team needed to make that extra step to make Sunday more comfortable. My guys gave me a great bike in FP2, they transformed some things, changing the balance which gave me more confidence to push. I expected to be near the front but didn't expect the lap time to be so fast."

Eugene Laverty: "This was the first track where I rode the R1 last year and I went strong immediately so I was looking forward to coming back to a track I've already ridden the bike at. I was hoping to fight for pole position, but Johnny beat me to it. I've been second so many times on the grid this year so I've accepted I'm not going to get a free Tissot watch! It would be good to win again after Monza, I'll try for it but more important is two finishes on the podium."

Carlos Checa: "I think our rival is now myself, in the sense that I must keep my concentration, do one more race and keep the emotions for after. Today has not been easy, but finally we concluded with a satisfactory qualifying position considering the situation and we are quite happy. In the box the Althea team is very professional, everyone is calm and so far we are doing perfect."

Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati) was the top French competitor in fifth, one place up on Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) even though they set identical lap times. The top two rows were completed by Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike).

Superpole 2 ended the chances of Noriyuki Haga (Pata Aprilia), Kawasaki Racing Team's Joan Lascorz, Supersonic Ducati's Maxime Berger and Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) improving on their third row starting positions.

The first four riders to exit from the Tissot-Superpole contest were Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati), Michel Fabrizio (Alstare Suzuki), Mark Aitchison (Pedercini Team Kawasaki) and Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK). Javier Fores (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK) and Roberto Rolfo (Pedercini Team Kawasaki) were the only two riders not to qualify for Superpole, with Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) already out of the running due to an injury picked up in practice yesterday.

Times: 1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.490; 2. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.600; 3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'37.932; 4. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.006; 5. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.094; 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.094; 7. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.382; 8. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.562; 9. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.137; 10. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.204; 11. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.347; 12. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.516; 13. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'38.524; 14. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'38.565; 15. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'38.623; 16. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.687; 17. Fores J. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.230; 18. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'39.982

World Supersport

Broc Parkes scored his third pole position of the year in WSS qualifying for the Kawasaki Motocard.com team, his second on the run after Imola, with a time of 1 minute 41.395 seconds. Alongside the Australian on the front row of the grid will be two top Italians, Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) in second and Friday pace-setter Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) in third. The front row is completed by Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda).

Points leader Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) will only start from the eighth slot on row 2, with James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda), David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) ahead of him.

Times: 1. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'41.395; 2. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'41.397; 3. Roccoli M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'41.490; 4. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'41.586; 5. Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'41.588; 6. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'41.614; 7. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'41.916; 8. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1'41.952; etc.

Superstock 1000

Once again there will an all-Italian front row for the Superstock 1000 race tomorrow, with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) ahead of title chaser Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati), the former also setting a new best lap for the category. Third quickest was Niccolò Canepa (Lazio Motorsport Ducati) while Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) completed the front row.

Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock), who crashed again in the final session, will start from row 2 followed by Lorenzo Baroni (Althea Racing Ducati), Lorenzo Savadori (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) and the returning Loris Baz (Ten Kate Junior Team Honda).

Times: 1. Petrucci D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'41.335; 2. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'41.372; 3. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'41.680; 4. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'41.690; 5. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'41.828; 6. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'41.929; 7. Savadori L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'42.328; 8. Baz L. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.373; etc.

Superstock 600 - Race

A thrilling 12-lap race saw Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Motorsports Yamaha Team) move further ahead in the championship battle by taking second place behind race winner Michael Van der Mark (Ten Kate Junior Team). This was the Dutch Honda rider's third win of the year and puts him third overall in the championship rankings, 25 points behind Metcher but with a better win ratio, which may be crucial at the final round in Portugal.

One-time race leader and pole man Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) was third in the race and is now 19 points behind Metcher in the table, with one race remaining. Tony Covena (Nito Racing Yamaha) was fourth today, eight seconds back, with Robin Mulhauser (RRT Racing Yamaha) fifth.

Results: 1. Vd Mark M. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 21'05.878 (150,532 kph); 2. Metcher J. (AUS) Yamaha YZF R6 1.699; 3. Day J. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1.743; 4. Covena T. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 8.642; 5. Mulhauser R. (SUI) Yamaha YZF R6 8.997; 6. Beretta D. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 11.345; 7. Marchal M. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 17.331; 8. Cocco F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 19.447; etc.

Points (after 9 of 10 rounds): 1. Metcher 137; 2. Day 118; 3. Vd Mark 112; 4. Lanusse 101; 5. Lombardi 86; 6. Russo 83; 7. Duwelz 67; 8. Covena 50; etc.

Checa on the verge of Magny-Cours title celebrations

Thu, 29 Sep 2011 11:04:00 +0200

Spain's Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) will need to pick up just three points in this weekend's penultimate round at Magny-Cours to become the first Spanish rider to take the World Superbike title in the championship's 24-year history. Once again therefore the circuit on the outskirts of Nevers in central France becomes the venue for the deciding round, even though the outcome is bordering on certainty for Checa.

With Max Biaggi abdicating his 2010 title at Imola, the only rider now left with a mathematical chance of eclipsing Checa is Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team), but the Italian was in difficulty last weekend and is coming to a circuit that he has never ever seen before. For his part Biaggi will again miss a race, his second in just one week, due to the as yet unhealed bone fracture in his left foot.

The Ducati machines traditionally go well at Magny-Cours and Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert – Liberty Racing) will be doing his best to bring home a maiden WSB win in front of his home crowd. The Frenchman was just beaten for the podium by Michel Fabrizio last year on his Suzuki.

All eyes will again be on Imola race 1 winner Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) after the young Northern Irishman showed last week that he has fully recovered from his Misano crash injury and that his Honda CBR machine is still a winning performer, especially with the new ride-by-wire system. Another British rider in great form is Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike), who won at the Nurburgring and then set pole at Imola, while Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), following an encouraging fifth place last week, is now looking to finish off the remaining four races with the best possible results.

In Biaggi's absence, Melandri's team-mate Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) now has every chance of fighting for the overall third place slot. But the competition for the top positions will be tough this weekend, starting with Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) who has now re-emerged as a race win contender on a superbly prepared Aprilia machine in this final part of the season. Two second places at Imola were an excellent example of Haga's fighting spirit and the Japanese rider is a wily veteran of the Magny-Cours track.

Points (after 11 of 13 rounds): 1. Checa 417; 2. Melandri 320; 3. Biaggi 281; 4. Laverty 256; 5. Haslam 187; 6. Camier 171; 7: Guintoli 158; 8. Haga 155; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 441; 2. Aprilia 376; 3. Yamaha 375; 4. BMW 232; 5. Kawasaki 192; 6. Honda 162; 7. Suzuki 158.

World Supersport

After Chaz Davies' WSS title hopes went up in a plume of smoke, Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) took his first win of the season at Imola, a result that takes him into his home round with an outside chance of battling for the crown with the Welshman. 35 points is the current difference. Davies has no need to win to be on the safe side but he will be aiming for his sixth victory of the year at a circuit where he was on the podium just twelve months ago. Team-mate Luca Scassa looked to be back to his early season form at Imola and will surely provide vital support.

Over in Parkalgar Honda Sam Lowes added another podium to his rookie season one week ago with a fighting performance, while a pole by Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) at Imola was no guarantee of success for the combative Australian.

Points (after 10 of 12 rounds): 1. Davies 171; 2. Foret 136; 3. Salom 123; 4. Parkes 120; 5. Lowes 109; 6. Scassa 96; 7. Ellison 72; 8. Marino 71; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 201; 2. Honda 194; 3. Kawasaki 161; 4. Triumph 30.

Superstock 1000

Settling for the runner-up slot at Imola in the battle for the win with Petrucci was a wise move for Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati), whose advantage is now 41 points, with just two rounds of the FIM Cup remaining. Barni Racing's Danilo Petrucci won his second race of the year to move into the second slot and whatever the outcome this weekend, both young Italians have done more than enough to impress this year.

With the score four to two in Giugliano's favour, the other contenders for victory will again include Lorenzo Zanetti (BWM Motorrad Italia STK) and Niccolò Canepa (Lazio Motorsports Ducati), while an outside chance also goes to the promising young Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia STK), already a winner this year, in front of his home public.

Points (after 8 of 10 rounds): 1. Giugliano 160; 2. Petrucci 119; 3. Zanetti 117; 4. Barrier 96; 5. Canepa 96; 6. Baroni 70; 7. Reiterberger 62; 8. Antonelli 58; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 190; 2. BMW 153; 3. Kawasaki 75; 4. Honda 66; 5. Yamaha 16.

Carlos out front in Tissot-Superpole at Imola

Sat, 24 Sep 2011 20:19:00 +0200

Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) took his sixth Tissot-Superpole win of the season on his Ducati at Imola, heading off Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) with a new track best of 1 minute 47.196 seconds. Rea came within a tenth of Checa in the final session, with Aprilia rider Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team) third and fastest man from combined qualifying, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) fourth, and the last rider on the front row.

Carlos Checa: "Jonathan has been very strong all weekend and we knew it was going to be hard to beat him. Basically we've been struggling with the qualifying tyres, and in the end we put on the race tyre and improved. I did a really good clean lap with no mistake, and when I saw the time, I was pretty sure that no one was going to beat it."

Jonathan Rea: "It's been such a big journey to get here on my side with my family, the physio and the doctors, and on the team's side because they've worked so hard with the new ride-by-wire system and Cosworth are helping us a lot so I can't thank everyone enough for their belief in me. I think we can be really competitive tomorrow but at this point I'm really looking forward to 2012!"

Noriyuki Haga: "I'm really happy for this position, especially because I made a little mistake in the second exit of Superpole, but finally I got third position with a race tyre and the front row and I'm feeling good."

Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) was fifth, Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) sixth, Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) seventh and Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati) in eighth place.

Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team), Checa's championship rival, exited in Superpole 2, and he now starts from ninth place on the grid, at the head of the third row. Behind Marco is a bunch of potential top finishers come raceday, with Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) tenth, and perennial hard trier Michel Fabrizio Suzuki Alstare) 11th. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati) is the final rider on row three, on his privateer machine.

The riders who exited Superpole in the first of three sessions were Jakub Smrz (Effenbert Liberty Racing Ducati), Federico Sandi (Althea Racing Ducati), Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) and Alessandro Polita (Barni racing Ducati). In all 22 riders qualified, with 21 of them within 1.869 seconds of each other.

Times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'47.196; 2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.274; 3. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'47.442; 4. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'47.468; 5. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1'47.929; 6. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'48.081; 7. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'48.234; 8. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'48.416; 9. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'47.781; 10. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'47.858; 11. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'48.126; 12. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'48.334; 13. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'48.741; 14. Sandi F. (ITA) Ducati 1098R; 1'48.812; 15. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'48.89; 16. Polita A. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.091; etc.

World Supersport

Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) held off the challenge of Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) to take pole at Imola, earning his second top starting position of the season. Parkes also set a new track best of 1 minute 51.592 seconds on his way to pole, in a session twice interrupted by red flag incidents. Florian Marino (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was in sparkling form and went third, one place up on Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO). David Salom, Parkes' team-mate, was fifth with Yamaha rider Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service RT) sixth. Massimo Roccoli (Kawasaki Lorenzini by Leoni) and Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) completed the second row.

Times: 1. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'51.594; 2. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'51.669; 3. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'51.737; 4. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6; 1'51.852; 5. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'52.120; 6. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'52.140; 7. Roccoli M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'52.353; 8. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'52.543; etc.

Superstock 1000

FIM Cup leader Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) set the quickest time in Superstock 1000 qualifying, putting almost four-tenths of a second between himself and his chief rival Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati). Alongside the two Italians in third can be found Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia STK), who crashed towards the end of the session, while the front row will be completed by Lorenzo Baroni (Althea Racing Ducati). Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia STK), currently lying second in the FIM Cup 23 points behind Giugliano, set the fifth quickest time, followed by Niccolò Canepa (Lazio Motosport Ducati).

Times: 1. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'50.016; 2. Petrucci D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'50.402; 3. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'50.588; 4. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'50.768; 5. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'50.794; 6. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'50.940; 7. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'51.220; 8. Reiterberger M. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 1'51.396; etc.

Rea cooks up a sizzler on day one

Fri, 23 Sep 2011 20:02:00 +0200

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) was the man to watch in Friday's first qualifying session at Imola as the Northern Irish rider powered to a time of 1 minute 48.241 seconds, just a fraction away from the 2010 best lap set by Carlos Checa. On a hot day of qualifying, with temperatures almost reaching 30 degrees C, there wasn't much in it at the very top, however, as Althea Racing Ducati man Checa (last year's double winner and favourite for this year's title) finished just a tenth away from Rea, and in second place. For the first time this season Rea was running a ride-by-wire throttle control system on his Honda machine, after a recent change to the technical rules in the Superbike class.

Third place on the provisional grid went to Britain's Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), who took his S1000RR close to the leading duo after looking competitive right throughout the hour. Leon was followed home in fourth by Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare), who also looked at ease on the newly resurfaced Imola track.

Fifth was the other title contender Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike), who got home ahead of Nürburgring winner and last year's Imola poleman Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike). Frenchmen Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati) and Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati) completed the provisional second row.

The virtual third row after the first qualifying session featured four riders who were all within a second of leader Rea, the first of them being Noriyuki Haga (Pata Racing Aprilia), followed by Guintoli's team-mate, Jakub Smrz. Local wildcard Federico Sandi (Althea Racing Ducati) was an impressive 11th fastest, followed home by another local for the Barni Racing Ducati team, Alessandro Polita.

Lone works Aprilia Alitalia rider Leon Camier was 13th, but still only just over a second from Rea out front. BMW Motorrad Italia SBK's replacement for the recently retired James Toseland, Javier Fores, was 22nd in his first ever WSBK ride.

Times: 1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'48.241; 2. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'48.400; 3. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'48.701; 4. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'48.726; 5. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'48.844; 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'48.884; 7. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.003; 8. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.023; 9. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'49.041; 10. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'49.072; 11. Sandi F. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.125; 12. Polita A. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'49.134; 13. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'49.282; 14. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'49.394; 15. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'49.665; 16. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'49.781; etc.

World Supersport

Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) returned to the top of the timesheets at home at Imola with a time of 1 minute 52.375 seconds to head the overnight Supersport grid positions. The Italian was a fraction ahead of Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and title favourite, team-mate Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO).

Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) ran top for some of the session but eventually finished fifth, while Sweden's Alex Lundh (Cresto Guide Honda) put in one of his best performances so far to take the next slot. Britain's Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) was fastest at one point in the session but a crash dropped him down to tenth.

Times: 1. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'52.375; 2. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'52.553; 3. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1'52.736; 4. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.056; 5. Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.301; 6. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'53.329; 7. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'53.432; 8. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'53.471; etc.

Superstock 1000

All the main runners were up at the top in the Friday qualifying run, with newly-crowned Italian CIV Superstock 1000 champion Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Ducati) holding a slight edge over points leader Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) with a time of 1 minute 51.046 seconds.

The two Ducati men were followed by another of this year's race winners, Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) just a fraction behind, while Niccolò Canepa (Lazio Motorsport Ducati) completed the provisional front row. Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia STK team) in fifth was followed by three more Italians, Lorenzo Baroni (Althea Racing Ducati), Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda) and Michele Magnoni (Baru Racing Team BMW).

Times: 1. Petrucci D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'51.046; 2. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'51.204; 3. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'51.220; 4. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'51.674; 5. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'51.904; 6. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'51.959; 7. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'52.511; 8. Magnoni M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'52.702; etc.

Nurburgring: WSBK title rush under way

Wed, 31 Aug 2011 08:42:00 +0200

Just one month after the last round, held at Silverstone, the 2011 Superbike World Championship gets down to the usual hectic action once again with the first of four rounds in a month and a half that will lead to the crowning of this year's champion. The first of these rounds will be held on Sunday at the 5.137 km Nurburgring, a famous name for all two and four wheeled motorsports fans and a worthy modern heir to the legendary and historic Nordschleife track.

In the last three editions of the German Round since the circuit returned to the WSBK calendar the points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) has never been able to take a win, although last year he did finish runner-up to race 1 winner Rea. The same can be said for Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team), another rider still to open his scorecard in Germany: in his victorious 2010 season, the Italian started from pole, but could only finish fourth and fifth. These two are the two main contenders for the 2011 title, with the Spaniard currently holding a 62 point lead.

Still in with a slim chance of final honours is Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team), but the Italian will maybe also now have to focus even harder following the announcement of the retirement of the Japanese manufacturer's official team from the series.

Two hundred points are still up for grabs in this year's championship, but it is clear that none of the top contenders can afford to miss out at the Nurburgring. Should Checa increase his lead in Germany, the title race can virtually be considered as cut and dried. But further elements to be added to the end-of-season mix will surely include contract renewal, the search for a competitive ride for the following season as well as a desire to finish this year on a high.

Riders amidst in the latter category undoubtedly include Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), a two-times winner at the Nurburgring in the last couple of years, who returns to the pack after his Misano crash and injury and an appraisal of his physical condition in two days of testing at Assen last week. Alongside Rea will be an old hand of the Superbike World Championship, the expert Japanese rider Makoto Tamada, who has been called in as a replacement for the still convalescent Ruben Xaus following the Spanish rider's own crash and injury at Brno.

Also aiming to cut a fine figure in Germany at their home race will be the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team, which is still searching for the big breakthrough. Leon Haslam and Troy Corser, who won race 2 back in 1999, will try and turn BMW's season around this weekend. And still with BMW, this time in the Motorrad Italia team, expectations are high for the performance of Ayrton Badovini, and above all James Toseland, who celebrates his 200th World Superbike race in Germany.

A surprise could also come from Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia), who has won three of the six races held in the last few years at the Nurburgring and who last year was the protagonist of a superb race 2, which he won from Jonathan Rea.

All eyes will be on Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team), Supersport winner here in 2010 and also on the lookout for a new team next year. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) on the other hand will be aiming for a couple of good results following his disappointment last year.

Points (after 9 of 13 rounds): 1. Checa 343; 2. Biaggi 281; 3. Melandri 272; 4. Laverty 208; 5. Haslam 158; 6. Camier 146; 7: Fabrizio 141; 8. Badovini 118; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 355; 2. Yamaha 320; 3. Aprilia 320; 4. BMW 194; 5. Suzuki 158; 6. Kawasaki 137; 7. Honda. 113.

World Supersport

After his win at Silverstone – the fourth this year - Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) will be going for a fifth triumph this weekend, strong in the knowledge that he has a 42 point lead over David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and 45 over Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).

Australian Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) is not that far behind either, 51 points down, but early season frontrunner Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) now appears to be out of contention in the title battle.

The German Round might end up by being decisive for the title, given the Welshman's lead, but both Kawasaki and Honda – the former with Parkes and Salom, and the latter with Foret, Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) and Gino Rea (Step Racing Team) – will be trying to put a spanner into the works and the outcome, as so often happens in Supersport, is anything but certain. Two more contenders for the top placements are likely to be Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha) and Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki).

Points (after 8 of 12 rounds): 1. Davies 146; 2. Salom 104; 3. Foret 101; 4. Parkes 95; 5. Scassa 83; 6. Lowes 73; 7. Rea 62; 8. Harms 59; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 176; 2. Honda 149; 3. Kawasaki 134; 4. Triumph 23.

Superstock 1000

The 17-year-old German Markus Reiterberger (Garnier Alpha Racing Team BMW) could be the surprise of the weekend at his home round, given his rapidly improving form, but the favourites for the win will surely be the Italians, who occupy seven of the top 10 positions in the FIM Cup.

Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) has put behind him his memories of Silverstone, when he crashed out, thus allowing Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) and winner Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) to move closer in the points. Other candidates for the top slot include Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) and Niccolò Canepa (Lazio MotorSport Ducati) with Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda), third here last year, another man to watch.

Points (after 6 of 10 rounds): 1. Giugliano 115; 2. Zanetti 104: 3. Petrucci 94; 4. Barrier 65; 5. Canepa 64; 6. Baroni 46; 7. Antonelli 44; 8. Reiterberger 42; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 140; 2. BMW 122; 3. Kawasaki 58; 4. Honda 52; 5. Yamaha 15.

All eyes on Supersport and Superstock classes at Silverstone

Thu, 28 Jul 2011 09:50:00 +0200

World Supersport and the two Superstock classes will make up what promises to be an exciting weekend of racing at the 5.902 km Silverstone circuit in the UK at this crucial point in the season for the three championships.

World Supersport

The home crowd will certainly be lending their support to British rider Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO team) who is currently leading the World Supersport championship, with a 36 point advantage over Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). Both the Aussie, winner at Misano but a non-scorer in the following two races, and the Frenchman, who has three runner-up finishes to his name this year, will be trying to cut the gap to the points leader.

Meanwhile one point behind these two can be found David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com), who has always been a points-scorer in the first seven races of the year. Fifth place is currently in the hands of former leader Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO team), who after winning the opening two rounds has accumulated a series of poor results and has slipped down the table. At Brno he could only manage seventh and Silverstone could be a good time for him to make up ground in the championship race.

One British rider who will not be needing much motivation in front of his home crowd following a sensational win at Brno will be Gino Rea (Step Racing Team Honda), while other Brits anxious to prove themselves at Silverstone will be Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) and James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda).

Points (after 7 of 12 rounds) : 1. Davies 121; 2. Parkes 85; 3. Foret 85; 4. Salom 84; 5. Scassa 79; 6. Lowes 73; 7. Harms 59; 8. Rea 57; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 151; 2. Honda 133; 3. Kawasaki 114; 4. Triumph 21.

Superstock 1000

The Silverstone circuit will see another chapter in the ongoing Italo-German battle between Ducati and BMW. It will also be interesting to see if the win for Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team) at Brno is the start of the resurgence for the German manufacturer or if Althea Racing's Davide Giugliano can maintain the form that has taken him to three wins already this season. Monza winner Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati), currently lying second and third in the FIM Cup standings, will also be up amongst the front-runners once again. Niccolò Canepa (SS Lazio Motorsport Ducati) has also been up amongst the leaders since the Misano round.

All eyes will be focused on the promising young German Markus Reiterberger (Garnier Alpha Racing Team BMW), who finished an excellent fourth at Brno, as well as Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda), who scored a CIV domestic win at Mugello and who stepped onto the podium last year at Silverstone. The current British Superstock points leader Danny Buchan (Goeleven Kawasaki) returns home and is sure to be a contender.

Points (after 5 of 10 rounds) : 1. Giugliano 115; 2. Zanetti 84; 3. Petrucci 69; 4. Barrier 65; 5. Canepa 48; 6. Massei 36; 7. Antonelli 35; 8. Baroni 33; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 115; 2. BMW 102; 3. Kawasaki 47; 4. Honda 43; 5. Yamaha 9.

Superstock 600

A win for Dino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) at Brno has helped to give the impression that Romain Lanusse (MRS Yamaha Racing France) can be beaten, and the Frenchman now only has a ten points lead in the standings. But the Italian and his rival are not the only candidates for victory: Australian Jed Metcher (MTM-RT Motorsports Team Yamaha) and American Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki) hope to continue their positive form, along with two other young pretenders Riccardo Russo (Trasimeno Yamaha) and Francesco Cocco (Martini Corse Yamaha).

Points (after 5 of 10 rounds) : 1. Lanusse 81; 2. Lombardi 71; 3. Metcher 61; 4. Vd Mark, Day, Duwelz 51; etc.

Brno Battle Royale expected in Supersport and Superstock

Thu, 07 Jul 2011 11:49:00 +0200

The Automotodrom Brno, the venue for the Superbike World Championship round this weekend, has always offered spectacular racing not only in the top class but also in the other classes that make up the weekend's event programme.

World Supersport

The only rider who has won at Brno in recent years present in this season's race is Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). The Frenchman was victorious in 2009, while Superbike's Jonathan Rea, who scored the win in 2008, is currently out of action with a crash injury, and last year's winner Kenan Sofuoglu has moved on to another category.

Attention in the Czech Republic round will be mainly on the ParkinGO Yamahas, which have won five of the six races held so far, three wins going to points leader Chaz Davies and two to Luca Scassa, but the Italian has had a series of setbacks that have slipped him down to fourth place in the table. The other team in the limelight at the moment are the Spanish-run Kawasaki Motocard.com outfit, with Broc Parkes and David Salom currently lying second and third in the standings. The Australian won at Misano but he then crashed at Aragon, leaving the win to Davies.

The third major players are Honda, and after two positive results at Misano and in Spain, sixth-placed Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) is another man to watch. He has a second and two thirds to his name and lies just behind Foret, who has twice finished second.

Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) and Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha) have both been close to the leaders on occasions, while Britain's Gino Rea is still waiting to kick-start his season into life for the Step Racing Honda team.

Points (after 6 of 12 rounds): 1. Davies 105; 2. Parkes 85; 3. Salom 71; 4. Scassa 70; 5. Foret 65; 6. Lowes 63; 7. Harms 59; 8. Roccoli 39; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 135; 2. Honda 108; 3. Kawasaki 101; 4. Triumph 16.

Superstock 1000

With four wins in four races for Italian riders, as well as last year's victory for Ayrton Badovini, all signs point to more of the same this upcoming weekend. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) is currently in control of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup with a 26 point lead over Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) and 27 over Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team), who was second here last year. The Spanish race saw a return to the front for Niccolò Canepa (SS Lazio Motorsport Ducati), while both Andrea Antonelli (Lorini Honda) and Fabio Massei (Piellemoto BMW) cannot be counted out in the fight for the podium places. The foreign interlopers hoping to spoil the Italian party will undoubtedly include Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team), Australian Bryan Staring (Pedercini Kawasaki) and the young German Markus Reiterberger (Garnier Alpha Racing Team BMW).

Points (after 4 of 10 rounds): 1. Giugliano 95; 2. Petrucci 69; 3. Zanetti 68; 4. Barrier 40; 5. Canepa 37; 6. Antonelli 28; 7. Magnoni 26; 8. Massei 26; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 95; 2. BMW 77; 3. Kawasaki 39; 4. Honda 36; 5. Yamaha 9.

WSBK Monza: from the Cathedral to the Temple

Wed, 04 May 2011 11:01:00 +0200

The FIM Superbike World Championship moves on from Assen's Cathedral of Motorcycling to the Temple of Speed this weekend, with the upcoming round at the Autodromo Nazionale di Monza, with its legendary slipstreaming battles and its 200 km/h average lap speed.

Despite not winning at Assen, the reigning World Champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) hauled himself back into overall second behind leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) with a brace of second places. The Spaniard, who has won four of the six races held so far this season, now comes to a circuit that on paper does not appear to be favourable to his Ducati. The last win for the twin-cylinder machine was in 2009, when Michel Fabrizio won race 1, but the 1098R could struggle on the long Monza straits, where the fours appear to have the upper hand. However Checa's superb form and the excellent overall performance of the Ducati in this early part of the season might help to tip the balance in his favour. For his part Max Biaggi, after a double win here last season, is raring to cut loose at Monza as last year the Italian set an all-time record top speed of 330.2 km/h down the long straights.

Just a stone's throw from the parkland track can be found the base of the Yamaha World Superbike Team, which has always had good results there. In the last four years at Monza, the R1 has won four times, three with Noriyuki Haga and one with Ben Spies. These results are a boost for Marco Melandri who will be aiming to go considerably better than a fourth place in race 1 at Assen and not lose too many points to Checa.

And still with the fours, the favourites at Monza could also include the three Brits: Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) and Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team). Honda however has not won here since 2005, when Vermeulen took the spoils but Rea comes off the back of a win and a podium in the Netherlands. BMW are still looking for their first WSBK win and Haslam is giving his utmost to achieve it for the German outfit. Unfortunately Leon has only stepped onto the podium once, at Phillip Island, but last year he was second here for Suzuki. Camier is also on the right path this year and at Monza 2010 scored a couple of good results.

A return to Monza awaits BMW Motorrad Italia's former champion James Toseland (second last year), while Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) will be counting on his GSX-R1000's previous glorious form - first with Neukirchner in 2008 and Corser in 2005, as well as Haslam's 2010 podium - to help project him to the top. The other men to watch on official machinery include the Kawasaki Racing Team trio of Chris Vermeulen, Joan Lascorz and Tom Sykes, with top privateers Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Ducati) and Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) also anxious to get amongst the spoils.

The grid will be completed by Kawasaki Pedercini machines for Mark Aitchison and Roberto Rolfo, Italian Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK), Maxime Berger (Supersonic Ducati) and the only wild-card entered at Monza, Fabrizio Lai (Echo Sport Racing Company Honda).

World Supersport

A crash at Assen for Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) brought an end to the Italian's winning streak but has failed to dent his confidence. Scassa is still on top of the points stack, but now has an advantage of just three over Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and five over team-mate Chaz Davies, who scored his first win in the last race. Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Team Honda) is lying fourth and David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) fifth. Monza could see the return to the top of the Hondas, which so far this year have not won a race. The most successful Supersport team ever, Hannspree Ten Kate, have had some up and down results with Fabien Foret and Florian Marino, Frenchmen both, occasionally fighting for the top positions. Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki) hopes for a further improvement to move up on his seventh place, while two Brits who promised much at the start of the season, Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) and James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) have both been knocked about somewhat by injuries and are yet to get into full Supersport flow.

Superstock 1000

Last Sunday's win by Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock Team) in the CIV domestic championship has given fresh impetus to the team in view of the second round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup. Last year BMW dominated with Ayrton Badovini and this year they will try and repeat the feat with Zanetti and Sylvain Barrier, third at Assen. Other BMW S 1000 RR machines will be in the hands of wild-card Michele Magnoni (Baru Racing Team), second in 2010. In the Netherlands the win went to the Ducatis, which finished first and second in the hands of Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team), while Lorenzo Baroni (Althea Racing) finished fourth. Monza should also see a return to form by Kawasaki and Honda, with all eyes focused on the talented Australian Bryan Staring and Italian Marco Bussolotti (Pedercini Kawasaki).

Anti-Doping – The FIM meets the Superbike riders

Tue, 19 Apr 2011 14:57:00 +0200

Following the successful anti-doping briefings for riders at the FIM Road Racing World Championship Grand Prix in Jerez, Spain, the FIM International Medical Commission Director, Dr David McManus and Evelyne Magnin, the FIM Medical & Anti-Doping Coordinator met with the riders from the FIM Superbike/Supersport World Championships & the FIM Superstock 1000cc World Cup, in Assen, the Netherlands.

Dr David McManus stated: "This is another important opportunity to meet with the riders at the highest level of our sport because we are aware that there is concern, anxiety and uncertainty about aspects of anti-doping. It is an opportunity for us to clarify a lot of the issues, provide explanations and reassurance about what is the FIM anti-doping programme.

Because of the health and safety and well-being of riders, it is important that we address this and as an International Sporting Federation, the FIM also has an obligation to comply with the WADA World Anti-Doping Code and we have had an opportunity to explain this to the riders, to provide them the opportunity to ask us questions, providing them with an explanation about our Registered Testing Pool, whereabouts information requirements and the ADAMS system as well as Therapeutic Use Exemptions for example because we are aware that they may need to take medication for legitimate medical problems. Perhaps most importantly we have been able to direct the riders to where they can obtain information and education material about anti-doping and to have more regular and frequent contacts with them so that they can feel comfortable about approaching us to ask us questions and for information and advice. This is so important that we hope we will have the opportunity to do these briefings and meet with the riders in all the disciplines of our sport."

Following a presentation, the riders actively participated in a very open, informative and useful discussion during which they asked many questions and requested clarification on a number of points.

Some riders said:

Superstock 1000cc

Davide Giugliano (ITA): "I think that anti-doping is a correct issue and that riders are firstly athletes who have to find a correct life without all these various doping substances in order to preserve their health."

Fabio Massei (ITA): "After this briefing, I think that we consider more that our sport has to be a clean sport and that we should take it seriously without taking doping substances. We are athletes and clean boys. We hope that our sport is a sport without doping."

Luca Verdini (ITA): "In my opinion, anti-doping is a very correct issue as every day, we can see so many athletes that have to stop or are disqualified for doping reasons. This is why I think it is right to introduce an anti-doping programme in motorcycling."

Supersport

Sam Lowes (GBR): "It has been really good to have this briefing and to understand a bit more background into what is going on. It has been a big help for me and I have the booklet now and I know the right people to talk to."

Fabien Foret (FRA): "I think that this anti-doping briefing and this system for the future is rather good for our sport in order to prove that we are clean athletes, not taking any prohibited substances. I think we should show that our sport is really a sport where we don't need prohibited substances."

Superbike

Marco Melandri (ITA): "I am very happy with this first meeting on anti-doping as I think that there is not so much knowledge among riders and that we are not very competent in this field. Also I think that it is more important for us to know better the motorbike than to take prohibited substances to be faster. This meeting was a good start. It is very important to continue to fight together for a clean sport."

Leon Camier (GBR): "I think this is really a good idea that anti-doping was brought in by the FIM. Today's talk was a good chance to learn more about it and how not to make any mistakes."

Carlos Checa (SPA): "I think that it is good information to be able to enter the world of anti-doping and to show that our sport is a clean sport. I sincerely believe that no substances can make you go faster but it is only the technical aspects such as your ability, your learning, the team, the motorbike which all together can make you go faster. I think that for the young riders who ignore the fact that substances can harm their health, this kind of information meeting is very interesting and useful."

Ruben Xaus (SPA): "There are many products on the market and we have no information. I think that this sport is a combination of men's work, engines, machines and we have not used any of the products to make us better because the technical aspects, the development of the motorbike are really what make the difference. It is important to know this as the young riders with internet access can be misinformed and could buy inappropriate products. The young riders can trust us, the old ones, who made it without anything. Eating well, keeping healthy and exercise are necessary to succeed in sports."

Photos Infront Motor Sports

World Supersport and Superstock at Assen

Wed, 13 Apr 2011 14:16:00 +0200

For the first time this season, the third round of the FIM Superbike and Supersport World Championships will be accompanied by the scheduled opening events of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup and the European Superstock 600 Championship.

Scassa goes for the hat-trick

After winning the opening two World Supersport rounds, Italian Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) will be aiming for a hat-trick of victories that will help him to increase his substantial 19-point advantage over Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com). As well as the Australian however, Scassa will also have to keep one eye on his team-mate Chaz Davies, who finished the Donington race just a fraction behind in second.

Another Brit, Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda), who had to retire from the European Round while challenging up at the front, wants to show some even more impressive form in his first full rookie season, while Gino Rea (Honda Step Racing Team) will be out to repeat his fantastic podium finish at Donington. And still in the Honda camp, third place overall is in the hands of Denmark's Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Team), while the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda twin French attack of Florian Marino and Fabien Foret are looking for good results in front of their team's home crowd.

Mechanical gremlins, a spate of punctures and health issues have so far conditioned a number of riders competing in World Supersport. Assen should be a good opportunity therefore for Britain's James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda), Italians Vittorio Iannuzzo and Massimo Roccoli (both on Kawasaki Lorenzini by Leoni machines), Danilo Dell'Omo (Triumph Suriano Racing Team) and the promising Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Bike Service R.T.) to produce their form.

Points (after 2 rounds of 13): 1. Scassa 50; 2. Parkes 31; 3. Harms 24; 4. Salom 23; 5. Davies 20; 6. Marino 17; 7. Rea 16; 8. Lowes 16; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 50; 2. Honda 32; 3. Kawasaki 31; 4. Triumph 7.

Superstock 1000

The entry list for the Superstock 1000 class shows that it is as popular as ever with a wide range of riders (29) and teams (22), on a variety of machinery (Ducati, Honda, BMW, Kawasaki and Yamaha) and from no fewer than 12 countries. Following Badovini's almost total domination in 2010, this year the title battle looks to be a lot more wide-open. Riders of the international calibre of Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Lorenzini by Leoni), reigning European Superstock 600 champion Jeremy Guarnoni (Yamaha MRS) and WSBK wild-card at Phillip Island, Aussie Bryan Staring (Kawasaki Pedercini) now have a true fighting chance for the win. This year's bumper crop of Italians will also be hard to beat; they include Lorenzo Zanetti (in the winning BMW Motorrad Italia team together with Sylvain Barrier), Davide Giugliano and Lorenzo Baroni (Althea Ducati) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni). Lorini Honda field an impressive trio of Andrea Antonelli, Eddi La Marra plus Daniele Beretta, with Luca Verdini on the Ten Kate Junior version. Kawasaki have the largest representation, with other Ninjas for Marco Bussolotti (Pedercini), Lorenzo Savadori (Lorenzini by Leoni) and the GoEleven versions for Nico Vivarelli and Niccolò Canepa, who returns to the category he won in 2007.

World Superbikes return to Donington

Tue, 22 Mar 2011 13:59:00 +0100

The FIM Superbike World Championship returns to Donington Park after an absence of just one year, this time for the European Round, the second event on the 2011 championship calendar. Once again Donington becomes a 'blast from the past' as the Leicestershire circuit was the scene for the first-ever World Superbike round, which was held back on April 3rd 1988. It is also worth mentioning that Donington Park was also the first permanent park circuit in England, and the first motor cycle race took place there on Whit Monday in 1931, which is exactly 80 years ago.

Recent history however shows that the slightly revised circuit that lies under the flight path of the nearby East Midlands airport, will be the venue for another fast-paced battle between the protagonists of this year's championship, starting with Carlos Checa and Max Biaggi.

On his Althea Racing Ducati 1098R, the 38-year-old Spaniard won both races in the opening round at Phillip Island (Australia) and is raring to go for the second round of the season. Checa has not obtained any outstanding results in his Superbike years at Donington, but it must be added that he has never really had a bike as competitive as the one he has been riding since the start of the season.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) on the other hand has always had a good feeling with Donington, winning there both in 250cc and in MotoGP. In Superbike, between 2007 and 2009, he was on the podium four times in six races but so far has missed out on the win. This year the reigning world champion intends to make amends for that, especially in the wake of his two second places in the opening round of the season.

Another Italian rider, Marco Melandri, also has a good feeling with Donington. Following his podium in Australia the Yamaha World Superbike Team rider is now aiming even higher on a track where he won in 250 cc in 2002. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) on the other hand has only a best result of third to his name at Donington and is focusing on getting his GSX-R1000 machine closer to the front.

But the men to watch at Donington will undoubtedly be the 'Brit-Pack' who have always been able to find that little bit 'extra' at their home event. There is always a special atmosphere at the British rounds and this will certainly help to spur on the likes of Rea, Haslam, Sykes et al. Unfortunately the number has been reduced by one as James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia), who crashed during testing at Motorland Aragón, has a fractured right wrist and will now have to miss the European Round.

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) wants to make up for the misfortune that befell him in Australia, when a nasty crash in testing forced him to reign in his natural talents in the race. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) took a hard-earned podium at Phillip Island, and the 2010 championship runner-up picked up a couple of useful results at Donington the year before, a third and a fourth. After leading for a couple of laps and going close to the podium in the opening round, Ireland's Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) aims to demonstrate that his place on the factory R1 machine that twice won here with Ben Spies in 2009 is fully-deserved, while the other two Brits to follow closely will be Tom Sykes, who was on the Donington podium in 2008 as a wild-card, and Biaggi's Aprilia team-mate Leon Camier, hopefully fully recovered from a recent debilitating illness.

Points (after 1 round of 13): 1. Checa 50; 2. Biaggi 40; 3. Melandri 27; 4. Haslam 27; 5. Fabrizio 18; 6. Rea 17; 7. Haga 16; 8. Sykes 15; 9. Laverty 14; 10. Smrz 14; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 50; 2. Aprilia 40; 3. Yamaha 29; 4. BMW 27; 5. Suzuki 18; 6. Honda 17; 7. Kawasaki 15.

SBK provisional entry list

World Supersport

Luca Scassa's last-gasp win on the Yamaha ParkinGO machine over Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) and Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) has added extra flavour to the Supersport World Championship, which is now booming in quality – following the arrival of several talented youngsters – and quantity. A return in grand style for Yamaha has also fleshed out the Honda-Kawasaki duopoly and now there are three manufacturers fighting for the win. Donington will surely see the riders who finished on the podium at Phillip Island again up at the front, with the addition of Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who raced injured in Australia, while all eyes will also be on Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda), who hopes to be fully-fit and the promising Italian Roberto Tamburini from the Yamaha Bike Service Racing Team.

Points (after 1 round of 13): 1. Scassa 25; 2. Parkes 20; 3. Lowes 16; 4. Salom 13; 5. Harms 11; 6. Ellison 10; 7. Marino 9; 8. Iannuzzo 8; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 25; 2. Kawasaki 20; 3. Honda 16; 4. Triumph 6.

SSP provisional entry list

Checa again the ace in the WSBK pack

Fri, 25 Feb 2011 10:09:00 +0100

Results of first qualifying at Phillip Island saw Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) stake his claim as number 1 favourite for the Superbike wins in the opening round on Sunday. The Spaniard stopped the clocks with a time of 1 minute 31.577 seconds, a tenth quicker than his free practice time of the morning, but slower than his best from recent testing - simply because the warmer track surface delivered less outright grip. Another man on the move was Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati Effenbert - Liberty Racing), the Frenchman doing exceptionally well to come within three-tenths of Checa, despite suffering a fall in the morning session.

Carlos Checa: "Basically, we worked with the tyres this afternoon, just to make choices for raceday. I felt good today but I think the grip was just a little bit less from the racetrack. We used the 'big' rear tyre and had similar results to the previous ones, so if we do that I prefer to continue with the existing tyres for now. Tomorrow we will just work towards raceday again, do a comparison with the tyres and then do some longer runs on the tyre we expect to use for the race.

An impressive sub-1m32s lap time was set by Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) and the WSBK rookie had the satisfaction of finishing one place ahead of 2010 world champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia). Guintoli's team-mate Jakub Smrz posted fifth best time, and Leon Haslam overcame some early set-up issues to go sixth. He was the top BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider today, as Troy Corser went 11th.

Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) had a harmless crash towards the end and finished seventh, one place up on impressive new WSBK talent, Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team). Lascorz, a top runner in WSS until his promotion to Superbike this year, was only just over half a second from Checa. Castrol Honda rider Jonathan Rea, who is still battered and bruised from his big testing get offs, was ninth fastest, placing all the competing manufacturers in WSBK this season in the top nine places in the first qualifying session.

Yoshimura Suzuki rider Josh Waters, a wildcard at this event, was an impressive tenth on the exquisitely prepared GSX-R machine, leading his fellow countryman Corser, while Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) was 12th, and one of many top names who ended up in the gravel at one point or other today.

Tom Sykes, Noriyuki Haga, James Toseland and Leon Camier rounded out the top 16.

Times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'31.577; 2. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'31.850; 3. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1'31.969; 4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.009; 5. Smrz J. (CZE); Ducati 1098 1'32.066; 6. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.082; 7. 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.108; 8. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.163; 9. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.424; 10. Waters J. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.690; 11. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.699; 12. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.700; 13. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.705; 14. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.058; 15. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'33.074; 16. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.084; etc.

World Supersport

Quickest time in the first Supersport qualifying session was recorded by former champion Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), as he continues his run of impressive form. The Fast Frenchman had to work for it however as he crashed at the start and then only came out for five flying laps, edging the young Spanish rider David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) off the top in the last few seconds. Salom has an official bike at his disposal for the first time in his career and has been making immediate good use of it.

Another up-and-coming youngster, 20 year-old Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) went third quickest ahead of fellow Brit Chaz Davies who is now getting to grips with his Yamaha ParkinGO machine after some trying times in testing recently. Good news also for the other Yamaha team on the grid, Bike Service, with Roberto Tamburini getting the better of Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) by a whisker. James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR Honda) continued his recovery with the ninth fastest time, a remarkable feat for a rider who underwent keyhole surgery on his left knee, on Wednesday.

Times: 1. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.091; 2. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'34.166; 3. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.875; 4. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.065; 5. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.203; 6. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.236; 7. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'35.297; 8. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.335; etc.

2011 FIM Superbike World Championship under way this weekend

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 11:06:00 +0100

The 24th edition of the FIM Superbike World Championship is set to get under way this weekend with the opening round held at Phillip Island (Australia). The spectacular sea backdrop venue located 150 kms south of Melbourne in the State of Victoria was the scene for two days of official tests earlier this week, and the times recorded clearly gave some indication of how the 23 riders present will go this weekend.

Following the tests, most of the Superbike and Supersport riders were able to relax for a couple of days but on the day before action gets underway, they lined up for the championship's official photo shoot on Gardner Straight.

All eyes will be on the track tomorrow however when the action gets serious. Unlike the tests, which were held in variable weather conditions, the weekend forecast is for good weather, an important element in tyre choice.

Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) dominated the tests, confirming the competitiveness of the Italian bikes even though they are run by private teams. The top four positions included three Ducati 1098R machines, with Sylvain Guintoli and Jakub Smrz in third and fourth on the Effenbert - Liberty Racing versions.

Carlos Checa: "Testing was very positive, we had a good lap time but what is more important is after Sunday. So far we focus on the work to get the right feeling with the bike because we didn't do so much testing this winter. Finally you arrive at a certain point where the bike is OK, the feelings, the reference and you put the right tyre in and do the lap time. My feeling is that this is one of the best tracks for Ducati. Now we start with a different bike and I think we have a better package than last year."

A crash in the final stages of testing will almost certainly not prevent Jonathan Rea from taking part in the opening round of the season. The man from Northern Ireland will take to the track tomorrow in first practice despite a swollen left wrist.

Jonathan Rea: "I've spent the last two days in hospital, which really frustrated me. I have a bit of swelling in my left hand, but hopefully we can get it down. Movement is perfect and my strength also. I'm looking forward to riding here, my bike's working well. Last year it wasn't perfect but the set-up over a race distance was good and I'm looking forward to banging bars and try and start the season off better than last year."

The man they all have to beat is 2010 World Champion Max Biaggi, who thanks to a prior test session at Phillip Island in December, took to the track this week only when the weather conditions improved. The Aprilia Alitalia rider should have a better pace than the sixth quickest time her set at the start of the week.

Max Biaggi: "I feel very good of course to start in the best way possible. I feel good with the bike and the team, we have all the same equipment and the bike gets a little better, but there's going to be a big question-mark for this weekend. I'll try to be there. This track looks like it doesn't suit the Aprilia like the other tracks but we will try to get a good result and the best points possible. Testing was OK and I'm quite optimistic to get a good result on Sunday."

Another Italian, Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) is rapidly recovering from the recent operation on his shoulder, as could be seen in his eighth place on day 2 of the tests, just behind a confident Michel Fabrizio on the Suzuki Alstare machine.

Marco Melandri: "I'm pretty happy to be here, everything looks very new and very difficult. It's going to be very tough for me because of my shoulder, that has taken two months to recover. Testing on Monday and Tuesday was good, so much better than at Portimao but still not 100%. I just want to try and do my best, my Yamaha is working very good and I'm very confident. My physical condition is not perfect right now, so two times 22 laps is not going to be easy!"

On the Kawasaki front, Chris Vermeulen confirmed that he will not be taking part in this weekend's round, but the team will be well-represented by Joan Lascorz and Tom Sykes. The BMWs have not yet reached their full potential after notching up the miles in winter testing, with Leon Haslam leading the group.

ENTRY LIST

World Supersport

Honda's traditional supremacy in World Supersport - eight titles in the last nine years - could come under threat this time around. Following the testing results, the Kawasaki ZX-6R machines of the Motocard.com team, in the hands of Broc Parkes and David Salom, look to have all the right cards to be able to challenge Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), top man by just 14 thousandths of a second. The Yamahas might also get in amongst the front-running action thanks to the presence of the Bike Service and ParkinGO teams: Roberto Tamburini and Luca Scassa were respectively sixth and seventh in testing. The panorama of manufacturers on the grid is completed by Triumph and Danilo Dall'Omo, who also ran well in the tests.

ENTRY LIST

King Carlos lords it up in final IMS tests

Tue, 22 Feb 2011 09:54:00 +0100

Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) was quickest overall at the end of the four SBK official test sessions held at the Phillip Island circuit, after an assured performance from rider and team on the eve of the first round of the 2011 championship. On his Ducati 1098R the Spaniard, who won one of the races here in Australia last year, put a gap of over half-a-second between himself and second-placed man Sylvain Guintoli (Ducati Effenbert - Liberty Racing). Checa was under the previous track best in the third session of the two days, posting a new record of 1 minute 30.578s.

Carlos Checa: "It was a very positive test and a fantastic lap time. I was a bit worried before because I had not done so much testing and I arrived here and was not sure if we had enough time on the bike. During the winter I did a race, then I went to the desert, then some motocross, and it was all a bit confusing. Portugal testing was not so positive because of the weather, so I arrived here without the required full confidence. But we've been able to grow up very quick from the first day, the pace of the bike at this track is good, I feel very close with the team and that's why I'm in this position."

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), who crashed in the early stages of the last session, finished the tests third fastest but he was taken by helicopter to hospital for an X-ray on his left wrist and the ring finger of his left hand. His crash left a residue of cement dust on the racing line and this contributed to the fact that only few riders were able to improve their best times in the final session, though most tried hard to do so.

Fourth quickest overall was Jakub Smrz (Ducati Effenbert - Liberty Racing), followed by WSB rookie Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) who made an impressive debut on a Superbike machine in Australia.

Reigning champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) was one of the few whose best time of the two days came in the final session, placing him sixth quickest overall. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) was seventh best in the rankings, Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) eighth and his team-mate Eugene Laverty ninth. Laverty completed a whopping 142 laps of the 4.445km circuit over these two days.

A strong showing for the new Kawasaki Superbike machine saw Tom Sykes join his fellow KRT rider Lascorz in the top ten. Top S1000RR rider in testing was Leon Haslam, in 14th place on his official BMW Motorrad Motorsport bike. Wildcard rider Joshua Waters, a recent Aussie Superbike champion, finished an impressive 12th on his Yoshimura Suzuki machine.

Several crashes marked the final stages of the two-and-a-half hour session. Fabrizio, Melandri, Sykes and Lascorz all went down as they attempted to get final information, or improve their lap times, before the end of this busy two-day test session. The riders now have two days off before track action begins again in qualifying, on Friday 25 February.

Combined times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'30.578; 2. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'31.196; 3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'31.206; 4. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'31.654; 5. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'31.866; 6. Biaggi M. (ITA)Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'31.870; 7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.113; 8. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.122; 9. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.137; 10. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.272; 11. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.299; 12. Waters J. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.394; 13. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.405; 14. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.413; 15. Toseland J. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.880; 16. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.994; etc.

World Supersport

Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) stayed on the top slot by just a fraction as the World Supersport runners completed their four testing sessions at Phillip Island. The Frenchman was put under pressure throughout by an impressive Broc Parkes on the Kawasaki Motocard.com machine. David Salom on the second Kawasaki was a further two-tenths behind but held on to the place from youngster Florian Marino (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who set one really quick lap but continues to look for repeatable race pace in his rookie season.

Britain's Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) was next up, recovering pace and confidence after a big crash on day one, followed by Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Bike Service) in sixth. Luca Scassa was the first Yamaha ParkinGO man in the timesheets, in seventh with Chaz Davies a further five places down. Gino Rea (Step Racing Honda) was eighth, while Danilo Dell'Omo was the first Triumph in the timesheets in tenth, putting all four competing manufacturers inside the top ten.

James Ellison rode again today despite his high-speed fall on day one and the Englishman will go in for an operation on his left knee tomorrow, to allow him to race on Sunday. Aussie rider Mitchell Pirotta (Kuja Honda) scored a 23rd best time for his home race.

Combined times: 1. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'33.904; 2.Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'33.918; 3. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'34.183; 4. Marino F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.726; 5. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.019; 6 Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.249; 7. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'35.272; 8. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'35.381; etc.

Checa heads the field after Day 1 of testing

Mon, 21 Feb 2011 12:00:00 +0100

Indicated as one of the favourites at Phillip Island from the start, Carlos Checa (Ducati Althea Racing) got down to business in the afternoon, setting the quickest time in the second session of WSBK testing. The Spaniard held the top slot for most of the two-hour 20 minute run, and his time of 1 minute 31.383s was enough to put him almost one second ahead of second-placed man Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert - Liberty Racing Ducati). Checa's class leading lap time was only just short of the existing track best, with one full day of testing still to go.

Carlos Checa: "We know the Ducati works well here and this track I really like. We never tested with this bike here in the winter but from the beginning I felt comfortable. We started with the settings of last year's race and that was quite good. We changed some small things and understood some direction to take with set-up. Then it was just working with the tyres and I used three different ones. Now we need to check which one will be the best for the races. So we will try a long run tomorrow. But no matter the tyres we could do good lap times."

Third quickest today was Guintoli's team-mate in the Czech Republic-based team, Jakub Smrz, while another early front-runner Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) ran second for a while before dropping down to eighth.

After missing the first session, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) finally got down to work, the reigning world champion wasting no time in setting the fourth quickest mark, albeit one second away from Checa. Biaggi was one of several riders who had already tested at Phillip Island in the winter and found his bike as potent as it had been two months ago, despite the often windy weather conditions today.

The Italian was a fraction ahead of his fellow countryman Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare), while Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) and Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike team) were not far behind in sixth and seventh.

Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) was the top CBR rider on show today, ahead of Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in ninth and Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) tenth. Behind Checa, the next nine riders were crammed into a gap of less than 0.3 seconds, showing just how competitive the 2011 season is shaping up to be.

The local wildcard riders enjoyed day one of testing at their home circuit, with Josh Waters taking his Yoshimura Suzuki to a top 12 ranking, only 1.7 seconds from Checa, while Bryan Staring (Pedercini Kawasaki) was 19th of the 23 riders, 2.6 seconds from Checa.

In the final stages of the second session, several wild geese unexpectedly settled close to the track, causing the Race Direction to bring out the red flags three times, out of fears they would be a danger to the riders.

Times: 1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'31.383; 2. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'32.303; 3. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'32.316; 4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'32.383; 5. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'32.453; 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.466; 7. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.474; 8. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'32.532; 9. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 1'32.578; 10. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 1'32.600; 11. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.940; 12. Waters J. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'33.140; 13. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.165; 14. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'33.255; 15. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.560; 16. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'33.786; etc.

World Supersport

On a totally dry track the lap times came tumbling in the second session and after 90 minutes of testing, the quickest time had been set by Fabien Foret, the Frenchman getting back to the top end of the results sheets on his new Hannspree Ten Kate Honda machine. Foret was almost one full second clear of the two Kawasaki Motocard.com riders David Salom and Broc Parkes.

Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) looked particularly competitive, the Brit ending up fourth quickest, despite a fall late in the second session. New WSS talent Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO) was fifth ahead of Danilo Dell'Omo (Suriano Racing) riding the leading Triumph on his first appearance aboard the British three-cylinder machine. Pawel Szopek continued his encouraging run with seventh for Bogdanka PTR, ahead of Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Bike Service). Foret's team-mate Florian Marini (Hannpsree Ten Kate Honda) was ninth quickest, Kawasaki Lorenzini by Leoni rider Massimo Roccoli tenth.

James Ellison (Bogdanka PTR) had a big crash and injured his knee in the morning session, and elected to sit out the afternoon tests. He hopes to return to the action tomorrow, on the final day of the tests.

Times: 1. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 1'34.117; 2. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'35.042; 3. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'35.195; 4. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.110; 5. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.358; 6. Dell'Omo D. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'36.497; 7. Szkopek P. (POL) Honda CBR600RR 1'36.624; 8. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'36.705; etc.

IMS Official Test, Portimao, Portugal

Tue, 25 Jan 2011 12:43:00 +0100

The winter preparations for the main protagonists in the FIM Superbike World Championship in 2011 are about to be boosted by another jolt of intensity, as the official IMS test sessions start at Portimao, between 26 and 28 January. There will be one more such pre-season test, at Phillip Island on 21 and 22 February, shortly before the first race of the year takes place on Sunday 27th Feb.

All seven competing manufacturers in the 2011 championship will arrive in Portimao for testing ready to measure their relative progress against their peers, in a series which once more will have no shortage of riders capable of winning races. In terms of potential world champions, every manufacturer has at least one ready to step up to challenge all the way.

The rider everyone has to chase in 2011 is the reigning champion Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia), not only because he will be running the Number 1 plate on his RSV4, but because he fully intends to keep it in 2011. He will be joined in the works Aprilia Alitalia team again this season by rapidly rising WSBK star Leon Camier. There will be three high class Aprilia riders in 2011, as the Team Pata entry Noriyuki Haga sets out on a full season on a machine his team feels confident will be fast enough to challenge for the title itself.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport's official team is not attending the Portimao test, as the factory effort heads to its own sessions in Australia, but the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team, promoted from the FIM 1000 Superstock Cup series to full WSBK status, will have their two riders out in Portugal. James Toseland, two-times champion in WSBK racing, and new Superstock champion Ayrton Badovini have the potential to be every bit as potent as the official squad, once fully prepared for the new season.

Three Ducati teams will test in Portugal - top three runner in 2010 Carlos Checa for Althea Racing, Jakub Smrz and Sylvain Guintoli for Liberty Racing and Supersonic Racing has top Superstock competitor Maxime Berger as its lone rider in 2011.

The Japanese manufacturers are heavily represented in WSBK racing once more in 2011, and a famous name in World Superbike history returns to the fold this time around - Castrol Honda. The 2011 version is a Ten Kate operated team and they will call on the services of proven winners Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus. They have recently tested in Aragon - a new WSBK venue in 2011 - but in very cold weather conditions, so they will be particularly keen to see the Portimao tests bathed in sunshine as the outside world gets to see their new sponsors' livery in motion.

Kawasaki will be back in 2011, and back with an unprecedented number of all-new machines operating under full factory support - three. Tom Sykes is retained for another year, and he has been making extensive tests on the Ninja ZX-10R for some time now. New boy Joan Lascorz is an old Supersport hand, but a rookie in WSBK, and he is scheduled to test at Portimao as he recovers strength in his injured shoulder. Third rider Chris Vermeulen will not test until Australia, as he continues to recover from reconstructive knee surgery.

Suzuki Alstare has lone rider Michel Fabrizio on its GSX-R1000 this year, a proven race winner on a bike that challenged Biaggi almost all the way last year.

Yamaha's duo of stars who will be competing in WSBK this year will also be testing at Portimao, with Eugene Laverty already making a good transition from WSS to WSBK and Marco Melandri hoping to ride to the level he knows he can, after a recent operation to his shoulder. The WSBK scene awaits the arrival of another Italian star in its midst...

World Supersport

A resurgence of interest and entries in the FIM Supersport World Championship class means that there will be over 20 riders at the Portimao tests.

Headliners, for a number of reasons, include the Hannspree Ten Kate (Fabien Foret and Florian Marino), Parkalgar Honda riders Sam Lowes and Miguel Praia, plus Broc Parkes and David Salom (from the Provec Motocard.com Kawasaki squad). Gino Rea is also hoping to move on with his Step Racing Honda, while another rider with big credentials in many forms of racing, James Ellison, moves to Supersport with Bogdanka Honda, alongside Pawel Szkopek.

Possibly the biggest pre-season surprise is a late change of machinery for the ParkinGO Team, which will see Chaz Davies and Luca Scassa now running with Yamaha machines, the same ones which took Cal Crutchlow to the WSS Championship in 2009. Triumph as a manufacturer will be represented in WSS at this test by Marko Jerman (MD Team Jerman).

Action gets underway on Wednesday and concludes on Friday.

FIM Superbike & Supersport World Championships 2011 Provisional entry lists

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 14:00:00 +0100

Please click on the following link to see the complete 2011 entry lists.

2011 provisional entry lists