WSBK – Leaders are down –

Posted on by admin

Leaders are slipping down

WSBK - Leaders are down -

The Czech Republic hosted the World Superbike this weekend for another spectacular show. In 1000, Bayliss, almost assured of the title, was not immune to a fault and in Supersport, Charpentier regained the track … and the race ? Report.

Sunday was the seventh round of the World Superbike. After four weeks of rest, all the pilots therefore arrived fresh – despite the heatwave that is also raging there – and ready to fight on the undulating and fast track of Brno….

In the premier class, Bayliss’s fall at Misano not only ended his crazy winning streak – eight in all – but above all allowed his competitors to regain some confidence. The latter will therefore try everything to beat the undisputed master of the season, even if the hopes of stealing the 2006 crown from him are very slim..

But while we are waiting for a demonstration from Troy Bayliss to make people forget his Italian disappointment, it is Noriyuki Haga who completes the fastest lap during the Superpole. He will start in front of Toseland and the two official Ducatis with, once is not custom, Lanzi in front of Bayliss…

The second row consists of the two official Suzuki – Corser then Kagayama – and two Australians: Pitt and Muggeridge. At the head of the third row is Regis Laconi ahead of another Kawasaki – that of Nieto -, the Suzuki of Fabien Foret and the Honda of Michel Fabrizio. The third and last French, Sebastien Gimbert, is in 17th place.

In World Supersport, the Czech stage marks the great return of the leader of the championship: our national Sebastien Charpentier! Not having the same lead as his counterpart in 1000 cc, the reigning world champion must quickly return to the podium or be joined by Kevin Curtain…

But the Australian is so recovered that he takes pole – his first in 59 participations! – ahead of Sufuoglu, Parkes and Yoann Tiberio. General Seb will start at the head of the second row with Sanna, Stigefelt and Roccoli after him, winner of the last race.

The "Franco-Spanish" David Checa obtains the 12th time while Lagrive, Leblanc, Berger, Chambon and Enjolras are held in a pocket handkerchief, respectively 16th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 23rd of the qualifying sessions. The points are not far !

First Superbike race

The first race saw the victory of a pilot in the process of remission: Yukio Kagayama. Author of a podium a month ago, the Japanese had not won for 33 races, or exactly 533 days for Rain Man’s friends (read).

From the start, the Suzuki Alstare rider took the wheel of the leader James Toseland, patiently biding his time before overtaking it 6 laps from the end. A method that does not look like him but that pays! There followed a series of loops worthy of the most beautiful qualifying sessions and a well-deserved lead under the checkered flag !

Briton Toseland is relegated to almost 4 seconds: "I couldn’t do anything when Kagayama walked past me", he humbly admits. Even Corser, the reigning world champion with the same Suzuki, had to bow.

Troy fought the battle of the race in the company of Nori Haga and Michel Fabrizio, all deserving a big hat. The only downside is the young Italian’s final attack on the old guys in the category…

"Racing is racing, but he shouldn’t run into other drivers when overtaking"Nitro Nori thunders about Fabrizio. And the finish could have been even more thrilling if Pitt’s R1 hadn’t had a mechanical problem..

Well wedged behind his leader Haga, the Australian even allowed himself to overtake him at halfway. Unfortunately, from the 16th lap, the Yamaha "coughs and loses rpm"explained Andrew, who lost ground before retiring with two laps to go..

Pitt’s bad luck therefore benefits two rookies, Nieto and Nakatomi, who ultimately rank 6th and 8th. Both cap their respective team leaders Walker and Abe on the post, Shinichi Nakatomi occasionally signing his best race result on the handlebars of his R1 Yamaha Motor France !

Sebastien Gimbert – from the same team as Nakatomi – finished in points, the only one of the three French to complete the 20 laps of the race. While he occupied a satisfactory 13th place, Fabien Foret made a mistake in the same turn as Toseland during the warm-up. "Maybe I drove on some oil that hadn’t been cleaned up properly, I don’t know", asks the Charentais again.

As for Regis Laconi, he is not too upset either: "it’s disappointing but i couldn’t do anything about the fall", summarizes the French to whom Troy Bayliss reciprocally reproaches for having caused his fall … Fortunately, the World Superbike offers a second chance !

SBK Brno first race results:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Kagayama Y. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 41 ‘27.271 20
2 Toseland J. Winston Ten Kate Honda 41 ‘31.171 20
3 Fabrizio M. D.F.X. Honda Treme 41 ‘33.526 20
4 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 41 ‘33.703 20
5 Corser T. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 41 ‘34.734 20
6 Nieto F. PSG-2 Kawasaki Corsica 41 ‘49.238 20
7 Walker C. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 41 ‘49.260 20
8 Nakatomi S. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 41 ‘54.153 20
9 Abe N. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 41 ‘54.445 20
10 Chile P. D.F.X. Honda Treme 41 ‘54.712 20
11 Muggeridge K. Winston Ten Kate Honda 41 ‘55.570 20
12 Rolfo R. Ducati SC – Caracchi 41 ‘59.383 20
13 Gimbert S. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 42 ‘03.698 20
14 Iannuzzo V. Celani Team Suzuki Italia 42 ‘11.520 20
15 Clementi I. Team Pedercini Ducati 42 ‘28.249 20
26 Drill F. Alstare Eng. Corona Extra 10 ‘28.750 5
30 Laconi R. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica –

Supersport Race

In 600 cc, the championship is relaunched! While Sebastien Charpentier was unable to defend himself last month at Misano due to injury, this weekend it was his rear tire that prevented him from collecting many points…

The reigning world champion no longer suffering from his collarbone or his hip, nothing foreshadowed such a disappointment: 11th in the race! For his 70th event in the Mondial Supersport – a participation record that only Chambon beats with 89 starts – the Frenchman was forced to save the furniture…

"More than my fall in the warm-up, in which I didn’t hurt myself, I especially had to deal with a grip problem at the rear during the race. In absolute terms, I am not too disappointed with the result, which could have been much more catastrophic", reassures the Charentais.

It is therefore the business of Kevin Curtain, who wins his first victory of the season and comes only ten lengths behind the French leader. His rear grip also disappeared early but he was able to cope with it and contain the repeated assaults of his teammate Broc Parkes as well as those of General Seb’s teammate: the Turkish Kenan Sufuoglu.

French honor remains safe, however, since Yoann Tiberio signs a fine 4th place, even though he is 15 seconds behind third. "I would have liked to follow the three in front but it was impossible! It was better to finish 4th rather than fall", explains the young Frenchman wisely, who remains in 6th place in the championship.

Finally, on his Team GMT94 R6, David Checa obtains an 8th place which fully satisfies Christophe Guyot: "it should be noted that David finishes first of the pilots who could not carry out tests in Brno", remarks the team manager."The second reason is even more obvious since the Brno circuit has many straights. It was out of the question to take any risks on the engine side because our priority is to finish among the top ten teams at the end of the season. Finally, if David had a magnificent race and his fighter temperament stands out without ever weakening, we must help him progress to get better starts.", concludes the team manager.

In the general classification, Curtain (111 points) approaches dangerously Charpentier (121) leaving Parkes isolated in 3rd place (94). The white results of Harms (74 points) and Roccoli (73) allow Tiberio (63) to pick them up while Checa continues his ascent (11th with 29 points).

In the constructors’ championship, Honda (161 points) has a good lead despite Yamaha’s two consecutive victories (143). As for Ducati (40), Kawasaki (35) and Suzuki (11), they evolve in another world…

SSP Brno race results:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Curtain K. Yamaha Motor Germany 38 ‘23.594 18
2 Parkes B. Yamaha Motor Germany 38 ‘25.129 18
3 Sufuoglu K. Winston Ten Kate Honda 38 ‘27.354 18
4 Tiberio Y. Megabike Honda Team 38 ‘42.990 18
5 Viziello G. Yamaha Team Italia 38 ‘45.089 18
6 Stigefelt J. Dark Dog Stiggy Mr. Honda 38 ‘45.652 18
7 Sanchini M. Bikersdays Yamaha Moto 1 38 ‘48.552 18
8 Checa D. Yamaha – GMT 94 38 ‘49.389 18
9 Sanna S. Megabike Honda Team 38 ‘50.278 18
10 Zaiser C. LBR Ducati Racing 38 ‘56.034 18

11

 Carpenter S. Winston Ten Kate Honda 38 ‘59.700 18
12 Fores J. SLM Racing Yamaha 39 ‘15.023 18
13 Chambon S. Gil Motor Sport Kawasaki 39 ‘15.253 18
14 Lauslehto T. Dark DogStiggy Mr. Honda 39 ‘16.031 18
15 Andersen K. Hoegee Suzuki 39 ‘20.160 18
16 Enjolras J. Tati Team Beaujolais Yam 39 ‘22.957 18
29 Lagrive M. Intermoto Klaffi Honda 4 ‘25.420 2
37 Berger M. Gil Motor Sport Kawasaki – –
38 Leblanc G. Vazy Racing Team Honda – –

Provisional general classification SSP:

Pilot Team Points
1 Carpenter S. Winston Ten Kate Honda 121
2 Curtain K. Yamaha Motor Germany 111
3 Parkes B. Yamaha Motor Germany 94
4 Harms R. Stiggy Motorsports Honda 74
5 Roccoli M. Yamaha Team Italia 71
6 Tiberio Y. Megabike Honda Team 63
8 Stigefelt J. Dark Dog Stiggy Mr. Honda 52
9 Sufuoglu K. Winston Ten Kate Honda 51
7 Fores J. SLM Racing Yamaha 49
10 Vizziello G. Yamaha Team Italia 37
12 Checa D. GMT 94 Yamaha 29
14 Sanna S. Megabike Honda Team 27
11 Fujiwara K. Megabike Honda Team 22
13 Brookes J. Ducati SC – Caracchi 21
15 Zaiser C. LBR Ducati Racing 21
20 Lagrive M. Intermoto Klaffi Honda 11
23 Chambon S. Gil Motor Sport Kawasaki 9
24 Berger M. Gil Motor Sport Kawasaki 9
– Enjolras J. Tati Team Beaujolais Yam –
– Leblanc G. Vazy Racing Team Honda –

Second Superbike race

The second race takes place in even more oppressive heat and tests both the drivers and their equipment, especially the tires….

But that does not worry the winner of the first round. Much less well off – 8th on the first pass against 3rd earlier – Kagayama conscientiously remakes his delay on Haga who leads by more than 2 seconds from the 3rd lap.

It was in this same 3rd lap that Yukio and his GSX-R overtook Lorenzo Lanzi who, after having resolved the front axle problems of his official 999, was penalized from behind. The following lap, Kagayama passed Karl Muggeridge victim of a "lack of rear grip"and based on three other Australians: Pitt, Bayliss and Corser.

In the 9th lap, the Japanese overtook the Australian Yamaha and Ducati. Yet Troy Bayliss admits to fighting "harder than to get a victory", thus rediscovering the joys of being in the peloton! Then two laps later, it was Corser’s turn to give in under the attack of Kagayama who had only one target: his friend Haga !

But first he has to overtake James Toseland, who seems to have heard the howls of Kagayama’s pots and upped the pace. But nothing helps: in the 14th round, the Japanese get rid of the former world champion: the hunt for Haga is on !

Nitro Nori abused his tires and watched helplessly as his compatriot came back: in the 15th lap, Yukio took a full second from Noriyuki. One more lap and Kagayama takes the Yamaha’s suction on the straight and doubles it !

But the race is not over and the other two steps of the podium remain to be distributed: once again, Michel Fabrizio is the most incisive – bleeding? – and takes his best result in Superbike: 2nd !

Corser then supports Haga’s comments in the 1st round concerning the Italian’s maneuvers: "do not confuse race and despair! He’s a kid, but it could have ended very badly. After crossing the finish line, I was so frustrated that I was sick of it. But luckily I had the time to open my helmet"…

Nitro Nori narrowly saves his third place against a disgusted – or disgusting Corser? – while 2 seconds later, Toseland retains a 5th place coveted by the young Nieto, again the first Kawasaki rider.

In the official Ducatis, Lorenzo Lanzi let Bayliss pass, who finished in 8th place. "You never know, this point could be important at the end of the season", testifies the Australian.

On the French side, the grimace soup continues unfortunately, even if all have passed the checkered flag … Gimbert thus marks the only point of 15th place while Laconi is classified 16th – victim "a traction problem, which I did not expect at all", says Regis – and Foret 20th – because of a tire"who skated on the rim", making operation of the GSX-R1000 impossible…

In the world rankings, only Kagayama stands out by practically doubling his score: he goes from 12th to 7th place when the other pilots keep their rank. On the manufacturer side, Suzuki (238 points) steals second place from Honda (236) while Ducati is almost at a standstill (+12 points for a total of 272) and Kawasaki keeps its cruising speed (+20 points with 118).

The next meeting is set for Sunday August 6 at Brands Hatch, a track that Sebastien Charpentier particularly appreciates….

SBK Brno second race results:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Kagayama Y. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 41 ‘31.118 20
2 Fabrizio M. D.F.X. Honda Treme 41 ‘33.549 20
3 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 41 ‘33.597 20
4 Corser T. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 41 ‘33.632 20
5 Toseland J. Ducati Xerox 41 ‘36.057 20
6 Nieto F. PSG-2 Kawasaki Corsica 41 ‘36.188 20
7 Muggeridge K. Winston Ten Kate Honda 41 ‘39.050 20
8 Bayliss T. Ducati Xerox 41 ‘46.559 20
9 Lanzi L. Ducati Xerox 41 ‘46.873 20
10 Walker C. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 41 ‘48.579 20
11 Barros A. Klaffi Honda 41 ‘52.665 20
12 Abe N. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 41 ‘53.170 20
13 Nakatomi S. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 41 ‘53.220 20
14 Xaus R. Sterilgarda – Berik Ducati 41 ‘58.101 20
15 Gimbert S. Yamaha Motor France Ipone 42 ‘00.667 20
16 Laconi R. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 42 ‘03.174 20
20 Drill F. Alstare Eng. Corona Extra 42 ‘18.487 20

SBK provisional general classification:

Pilot Team Points
1 Bayliss T. Ducati Xerox 262
2 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 189
3 Toseland J. Winston Ten Kate Honda 188
4 Corser T. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 173
5 Barros A. Klaffi Honda 151
6 Pitt A. Yamaha Motor Italia 128
7 Kagayama Y. Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 106
8 Lanzi L. Ducati Xerox 87
9 Fabrizio M. D.F.X. Honda Treme 83
10 Nieto F. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 81
11 Walker C. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 79
12 Xaus R. Sterilgarda – Berik 72
13 Abe N. Yamaha Motor France-Ipone 71
14 Muggeridge K. Winston Ten Kate Honda 66
15 Rolfo R. Ducati SC – Caracchi 52
16 Laconi R. PSG-1 Kawasaki Corsica 52

18

 Drill F. Alstare Eng. Corona Extra 19
20 Gimbert S. Yamaha Motor France-Ipone 15

Related articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *