WSBK – The 2006 champions miss their start … –

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The 2006 champions miss their start…

WSBK - The 2006 champions miss their start ... -

Neither Bayliss nor Charpentier shone on Saturday at the opening of the 2007 Superbike and Supersport championship. In 1000, Biaggi and Toseland impressed while in 600 Sofuoglu, Curtain and Foret stood out. Report and video interviews.

If the weather conditions were perfect this weekend on the Qatari track, the very abrasive surface played a lot of tricks on the drivers and their mechanics….

So to complete their Superpole lap, Corser and Haga preferred to wear race tires rather than soft qualifying tires! An astonishing choice but paying off since Troy signs the best time in 1 ‘58.402 and Nitro Nori the fourth time..
Losail, 02/24/2007 – Regis Laconi does his mea culpa before the second round. Video Site.

Behind the king of pole – his 39th, a record – will set off Max Biaggi who has adapted perfectly to this new mode of qualification: a single lap against several in MotoGP. The third place is occupied by the fastest driver on all the tests: James Toseland.

The second row includes in order the two Ducatis from Lanzi and Bayliss and the two Suzuki from Kagayama and Neukirchner. Troy Bayliss, yet very fast during winter tests (read) will therefore have to get off to a good start to not get stuck in traffic !
Losail, 02/24/2007 – Fabien Foret, 4th in the race, regrets his bad start. Video Site.

In third row we find Nieto, Rolfo, Xaus and Fabrizio and we have to wait for the 13th position to find Regis Laconi, disturbed by the "feeling" given to him by the front axle of his Kawasaki Ninja.

Supersport side, the French are more in the spotlight even if it is Kevin Curtain who achieves the Pole Position: Sebastien Charpentier is only one tenth behind the Australian, ahead of two other Honda riders: Fujiwara and Sofuoglu.
Losail, 02/24/2007 – Sebastien Charpentier’s hot reaction, 15 minutes after his fall… Video Site.

In the second row, Fabien Foret is ahead of his teammate Riba as well as Parkes and Nannelli, the only Ducati rider apart from the Austrian Polzer who starts from 33rd place…

Tiberio for his part is at the top of the third row ahead of Roccoli and the two Suzuki riders: Veneman and Kallio. Leblanc, Checa and Gimbert make a group shot unfortunately too low – 23, 24 and 25th – and Enjolras signs the 31st fastest time.

First Superbike race

Biaggi takes the first turn in the lead but swerves the next curve, letting the two official Yamaha of Corser and Haga pass.

Toseland therefore finds himself in the wheel of the Roman Emperor and even ends up touching it during particularly heavy braking. !

In the turn which commands the straight line, James goes inside for Max and very quickly joins the two R1s installed in the lead: the 2006 vice-world champion is in great shape. !

In 5th position, reigning champion Troy Bayliss seems unable to keep up with the pace set by the leading quartet. Toseland, on the other hand, is very comfortable and double back-to-back the two Yamaha.

The Briton continues to brutalize his CBR1000RR and begins to widen the gap on his pursuers. Biaggi, in a less aggressive style but just as effective, also manages to get rid of Haga and then Corser.

The two drivers of the brand with tuning forks fight but Kagayama, passed in front of Neukirchner, Lanzi then Bayliss, is too far to take advantage of it..

Halfway through the race, Max Biaggi took command of the race but Toseland responded a few bends later. Eight memorable laps then followed during which the two leading men played cat and mouse … A treat for the spectators !

Bayliss, for his part, is isolated and even leaves the track momentarily, illustrating the trouble of No.21, not used to playing supporting roles. In the 10th lap, Kagayama took 3rd place at the expense of Haga whose lap times dropped significantly.

On the 12th lap, Laconi collided with Nieto causing the fall of the two ZX-10Rs … The drivers’ classification therefore slipped two places from Rolfo, who thus inherited 9th place..

At the same time, the situation of Yamaha is deteriorating further: Lanzi and Bayliss pass an unarmed Haga while the young Neukirchner on a 2006 model GSX-R drops off the 2005 world champion Troy Corser.

The fight continues for 1st place and even if travel is scarce, Biaggi and Toseland are putting on a show! Max remains cleaner than James in terms of driving whose CBR – cause or consequence? – moves more than the GSX-R.

In the 14th loop, it’s Noriyuki Haga’s turn to let Max Neukirchner pass. Three laps later, his compatriot Kagayama was overwhelmed by Lanzi who climbed to the 3rd step of the podium..

In the last lap, Max Biaggi was one second ahead of James Toseland. The ardor of English can no longer help: the Italian offers himself the victory for his very first participation in the SBK World Cup !

Kagayama is classified 4th and Bayliss fails in 5th place, ahead of Neukirchner, Rolfo, Haga, Corser and Xaus.

SBK Qatar results first round:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Biaggi M. Suzuki Alstare Corona 36 ‘10.115 18
2 Toseland J. Honda hannspree 36 ‘11.598 18
3 Lanzi L. Ducati Xerox 36 ‘24.021 18
4 Kagayama Y. Suzuki Alstare Corona 36 ‘24.934 18
5 Bayliss T. Ducati Xerox 36 ‘27.420 18
6 Neukirchner M. Suzuki Germany 36 ‘35.046 18
7 Rolfo R. Honda hannspree 36 ‘35.280 18
8 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 36 ‘37.435 18
9 Corser T. Yamaha Motor Italia 36 ‘41.352 18
10 Xaus R. Ducati Sterilgarda 36 ‘41.784 18
11 Martin S. Honda DFX Corsica 36 ‘52,470 18
12 Nakatomi S. Yamaha YZF 36 ‘56.960 18
13 Polita A. Suzuki Italia Celani 37 ‘09.322 18
14 Smrz J. Ducati SC Caracchi 37 ‘10.411 18
15 Elison D. Ducati Pedercini 37 ‘10.411 18
18 Laconi R. Kawasaki PSG-1 22 ‘19.919 11

Best round of the round: 1 ‘59.275 – Biaggi
Best lap in previous race: 2 ‘00.061 – Haga (2006)

Supersport Race

In Supersport too, the 2006 world champion misses his entry: "I think we could have done a double for the team, but unfortunately I made a mistake in the pin. It’s a shame but it’s the race", relativizes Sebastien Charpentier who was playing for victory before losing the front of his CBR on the penultimate lap…

"The good thing is that the new Honda is proving to be very competitive and I tell myself that there will be many more opportunities this year to prove it.", concludes General Seb who starts again the counter at zero unlike his teammate Sofuoglu who pockets 25 points.

The Turkish therefore administers the first victory of the year ahead of Kevin Curtain, again and again there despite a choice of rear tire that could be improved: "the bike was skating everywhere so under these circumstances, it’s a good result", explains the vice-world champion.

A consolation that his teammate Broc Parkes cannot share, forced to give up on the 5th lap because of an even more recalcitrant rear tire! The exceptional fall of Charpentier and this surprise abandonment finally made the business of Katsuaki Fujiwara, who finished this first meeting in third position after a solo race..

Conversely, Fabien Foret had to make his way through the traffic to climb from his 14th position at the end of the first lap, to his 4th place final. Well started on the grid, the French – just like his teammate Pere Riba who finished 5th at 9 hundredths! – was forced to raise his motorcycle at the entrance of the first turn to avoid another competitor.

Fabien is nevertheless satisfied: "we have shown that we are already fast and we can only go faster", warns the Charentais.

GMT side, the mood is more gloomy: in full recovery, Sebastien Gimbert tangles the fairings with Ivanov. Wanting to let David Checa pass, the Russian driver hits the Frenchman who cannot avoid his Spanish teammate…

Conclusion: the R6 n ° 94 and 194 are on the ground, and only that of David takes over again to obtain a very disappointing 23rd place. We note the same disappointment at Enjolras, Tiberio and Leblanc, who could not reach the finish line this weekend…

Qatar SSP results:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Sofuoglu K. Honda hannspree 37 ‘22.452 18
2 Curtain K. Yamaha World SSP 37 ‘25.865 18
3 Fujiwara K. Honda althea 37 ‘28.680 18
4 Drill F. Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport 37 ‘36.211 18
5 Riba P. Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport 37 ‘36.309 18
6 Harms R. Honda Stiggy Motorsport 37 ‘36.986 18
7 Roccoli M. Yamaha Italia 37 ‘41.102 18
8 Nannelli G. Ducati SC Caracchi 37 ‘41,227 18
9 Veneman B. Suzuki hoegee 37 ‘41.743 18
10 Kallio V. Suzuki hoegee 37 ‘43.047 18
11 Fores J. Honda HP Racing 37 ‘43.269 18
12 Jones C. Honda Revè Ekerold 37 ‘44.850 18
13 Alfonsi L. Honda althea 37 ‘49.355 18
14 Salom Fuentes D. Yamaha Spain 37 ‘51.020 18
15 Vizzielo G. Yamaha RG Team 37 ‘56.968 18
25 Enjolras J. Yamaha Tati Beaujolais 36 ‘23.188 17
27 Carpenter S. Honda hannspree 33 ‘10.535 16
29 Gimbert S. Yamaha GMT 94 27 ‘23.659 13
30 Tiberio Y. Honda Stiggy Motorsport 25 ‘16.521 12
34 Leblanc G. Honda Vazy Racing Team 10 ‘39.024 5

Best round of the round: 2 ‘02.949 – Carpenter
Best lap in previous race: 2 ‘03.921 – Carpenter (2006)

Provisional SSP classification:

Pilot Team Points
1 Sofuoglu K. Honda hannspree 25
2 Curtain K. Yamaha World SSP 20
3 Fujiwara K. Honda althea 16
4 Drill F. Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport 13
5 Riba P. Kawasaki Gil Motor Sport 11
6 Harms R. Honda Stiggy Motorsport 10
7 Roccoli M. Yamaha Italia 9
8 Nannelli G. Ducati SC Caracchi 8
9 Veneman B. Suzuki hoegee 7
10 Kallio V. Suzuki hoegee 6
11 Fores J. Honda HP Racing 5
12 Jones C. Honda Revè Ekerold 4
13 Alfonsi L. Honda althea 3
14 Salom Fuentes D. Yamaha Spain 2
15 Vizzielo G. Yamaha RG Team 1
– Enjolras J. Yamaha Tati Beaujolais –
– Carpenter S. Honda hannspree –
– Gimbert S. Yamaha GMT 94 –
– Tiberio Y. Honda Stiggy Motorsport –
– Leblanc G. Honda Vazy Racing Team –

Second Superbike race

For the second start of the day, Corser is once again the first to take off but it is indeed Max Biaggi who takes the lead at the first corner. If the Italian keeps his 1st place a little longer than in the first heat, he ends his first lap in 4th position behind Toseland, Haga and Corser.

The Briton then took the opportunity to escape and instantly sticks to his opponents for a second. Nieto in 5th position does the same with the rest of the peloton, led by Bayliss, Laconi, Kagayama and Xaus.

In the 3rd lap, James is joined by the two Yamas of Troy and Nori, while Max takes a little longer to get back into the rhythm. It is at the start of the 7th lap that at the end of the straight line, Biaggi brakes at the two R1 simultaneously !

Posted in second position for two and a half laps, the Italian could not let go of the Australian and the Japanese who passed him again at halfway. But from the 11th lap, Max’s excellent lap times got the better of Corser and Haga and the Italian therefore concentrated on the English who took the lead..

Meanwhile, Regis Laconi is fighting for 8th place with four other riders: Bayliss, Xaus, Neukirchner and Fabrizio. In front, Haga, Nieto, Kagayama and Lanzi are also held in a pocket square !

Three laps from the checkered flag, Toseland is still two seconds ahead of his rival. The CBR seems less docile than the GSX-R of Biaggi … unless it is the aggressiveness of James that shows itself more than the application of Max ?

In the last two laps, the famous n ° 3 regains a full second from n ° 52, but James Toseland holds on and wins the second round ahead of Max Biaggi and Troy Corser isolated in 3rd position !

In the championship, Biaggi and Toseland are tied on points but angalis is in first place, having won the last round. Lanzi ranks third with 25 points, just ahead of former teammates Corser and Kagayama (23 points).

Regis Laconi is in 12th position on the table with 5 points but the season has only just begun … To get back in the saddle, the French will not have long to wait since the next meeting is fixed this weekend in Phillip-Island !

SBK Qatar results second round:

Pilot Team Time Tours
1 Toseland J. Honda hannspree 36 ‘09.433 18
2 Biaggi M. Suzuki Alstare Corona 36 ‘10.171 18
3 Corser T. Yamaha Motor Italia 36 ‘16.819 18
4 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 36 ‘24.417 18
5 Nieto F. Kawasaki PSG-1 37 ‘24.466 18
6 Kagayama Y. Suzuki Alstare Corona 36 ‘25.344 18
7 Lanzi L. Ducati Xerox 36 ‘26.097 18
8 Bayliss T. Ducati Xerox 36 ‘32.682 18
9 Xaus R. Ducati Sterilgarda 36 ‘33.715 18
10 Neukirchner M. Suzuki Germany 36 ‘42.913 18
11 Laconi R. Kawasaki PSG-1 36 ‘43.437 18
12 Fabrizio M. Honda DFX Corsica 36 ‘46.730 18
13 Brookes J. Honda Alto Evolution 36 ‘51.497 18
14 Muggeridge K. Honda Alto Evolution 36 ‘51.792 18
15 Polita A. Suzuki Italia Celani 36 ‘55.639 18

Best round of the round: 1 ‘59.194 – Biaggi
Best lap in previous race: 1 ‘59.275 – Biaggi (2007)

Provisional SBK classification:

Pilot Team Points
1 Toseland J. Honda hannspree 45
2 Biaggi M. Suzuki Alstare Corona 45
3 Lanzi L. Ducati Xerox 25
4 Corser T. Yamaha Motor Italia 23
5 Kagayama Y. Suzuki Alstare Corona 23
6 Haga N. Yamaha Motor Italia 21
7 Bayliss T. Ducati Xerox 19
8 Neukirchner M. Suzuki Germany 16
9 Xaus R. Ducati Sterilgarda 13
10 Nieto F. Kawasaki PSG-1 11
11 Rolfo R. Honda hannspree 9
12 Laconi R. Kawasaki PSG-1 5
13 Martin S. Honda DFX Corsica 5
14 Fabrizio M. Honda DFX Corsica 4
15 Nakatomi S. Yamaha YZF 4

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