Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto finally laid his Superpole demons to rest by setting the second quickest lap in the 16-rider Superpole shoot-out at Magny-Cours today. Fonsi had been fourth in regular qualifying, but stormed round the 4.411 kilometre circuit in 1:38.574 - a time bettered by just one tenth of a second by Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha).
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner had a big ‘moment’ on his Superpole lap, but recovered to finish with the sixth fastest lap. Team Suzuki Alstare rider Yukio Kagayama was another to give the spectators and TV fans a sheart-stopping moment, but he too managed to stay on the bike and complete his lap. Unfortunately, he lost the best of half a second in the process and now faces a hard day tomorrow from fifteenth place on the grid. His friend Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) took Superpole - his first of the season - with a lap of 1:38.444. Second is Fonsi, with Troy Bayliss (Ducati) third and Carlos Checa (Honda) fourth.
Fonsi - 2nd, 1:38.574"Superpole is not normally my best thing, so I am really happy to finish second in it today. Now I am going to be in a good position to challenge for the podium right from the start. We tried quite a few different set-ups and tyres today, as we also did a race distance and I think we have a good set-up on one of the bikes. We also did some work on the gearing and the mapping and now I am looking forward to the races tomorrow. I like this track and I feel confident that I will have a good day tomorrow."
Max - 6th, 1:39.480"In the afternoon untimed practice I had a little crash but I don’t know why. Nothing was different from the laps before, but exiting the Esses I lost the front and crashed. Fortunately there was no problem for me, but it gave my mechanics a lot of extra work! I made a small mistake in Superpole, when I had a big slide, and lost between five and seven tenths of a second, so my grid place is not so good. But I think we have a good set-up for the race and as long as I get good starts, I will be able to fight for the podium. This morning the track was never completely dry, so we have not had much dry time here. But it is the same for everybody (except the ones who tested here recently) and I will just have to put my head down and go fo it."
Yukio - 15th, 1:40.631"My position is not so good after Superpole, but that is because I had a very big slide exiting the hairpin. I almost crashed, but I stayed on somehow. I lost a lot of time and as I tried to recover I probably pushed too hard and lost my rhythm. I need two good starts tomorrow, if I am to have any chance. But I want to get some good results and I will push very hard in the races tomorrow for sure."
Conditions: Wet in the morning, dry in the afternoon, 4-13C
Final Qualifying:1 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:38.44
2 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:38.5743 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:38.666
4 C Checa (E-Honda) 1:38.765
5 Rolfo (I-Honda) 1:39.349
6 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:39.4807 D Checa (E-Yamaha) 1:39.514
8 Biaggi (I-Ducati) 1:39.606
9 Fabrizio (I-Ducati) 1:39.627
10 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:39.957,
15 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare) 1:40.631
