Combined press release:Just a week after his debut World Superbike championship victory at Misano in Italy, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Jonathan Rea finished seventh and 15th in today’s two ninth-round races at Donington Park in the UK.
Both races were won by American Ben Spies as Rea and his team-mate Carlos Checa continued their familiarisation with new suspension components for their Honda CBR1000RR Fireblades.
Checa finished 11th in race one but crashed out of fifth place on lap six of the second 23-lap encounter around the 4.023km Donington Park circuit. Rea had slid off at the first gear Goddards left-hander three laps earlier, after charging into sixth place from 12th on the grid. The gutsy 22-year-old from Northern Ireland remounted in 28th and last place and fought his way back to 15th at the flag.
Jonathan Rea – 7th and 15th:
"I knew we were going to struggle here, but I didn’t think it would be this hard. Donington is a very difficult place to find the right set up because you have the fast-flowing first section and then a series of first-gear corners at the end of the lap. We changed quite a bit after the first race – the rear linkage and some other things. The bike was very different to ride but I was still struggling in the last sector where I’ve been having problems all weekend. And that’s where I crashed – off the brake, off the throttle, and just lost the front. I picked it up and collected a point, which could be important at the end of the season. We’ll aim to find a good base setting for this new suspension when we test at Imola in a couple of weeks, and take the rest of the season from there."
Carlos Checa – 11th and DNF:
"It’s a real shame because the bike was definitely easier to ride faster in race two. I was trying to keep the pressure on but just lost the front at Redgate and that was the end of the race. I’ve hurt my ribs a bit but it’s not too bad. The first race was very difficult also, even though the start was not too bad. We need to spend some time working on the new components, so it is good that we have the test in two weeks."
Ronald ten Kate – team manager:
"In race one we just didn’t have the pace to match the front runners, which was a bit of a surprise because yesterday, during some longer runs, we were quite a bit faster. We changed the set-up quite a bit for race two in which Jonathan showed – both before and after his crash – that he definitely had the pace to match the front runners. Now we go to Imola for a test, which will be good for us to spend some time working with the new suspension for the rest of the season."
Kiyonari Fights into Donington Top Ten
After a difficult weekend during practice and qualifying, Ten Kate Honda Racing’s Ryuichi Kiyonari scored two top ten finishes in today’s ninth round World Superbike championship races at Donington Park in the UK.
Both 23-lappers around the 4.023km circuit were won by American Ben Spies, as Kiyonari fought hard to improve on his starting position of 20th on the grid.
On 15 and 16 July, the Japanese ace will travel to the Imola circuit in Italy for a test with his team and the new suspension components that have been evaluated over the last two races.
Ryuichi Kiyonari – 10th and 7th :
"The first race here was very difficult after the problems we have had during the weekend, so we made some changes to the rear for race two. In fact, it was quite a big change and we altered three things with the rear shock. On the sighting lap it felt quite OK but during the race it was better but not perfect . I hope that the test at Imola will allow us to fully test these new parts to get a better setting for the bike so I can make better results for the rest of the season."
Ronald ten Kate – team manager:
"Kiyo-san’s setting was a little better for race two but, with the problems he had in qualifying, which gave him a difficult starting position, it was going to be hard in the races. I’m very happy for this two-day test in Imola that will allow us to test fully the Ohlins suspension in Kiyo’s CBR1000RR. This will hopefully give him a better feeling and the chance to push for better results."
2009 World Superbike championship, round nine – Donington Park, UK (4.023km, 2 x 23 laps) results:Race one:1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 34’57.230s
3. Max Biaggi (ITA) Aprilia +7.156s
3. Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Ducati +10.968s
4. Leon Haslam (GBR) Honda +18.843s
7. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +23.644s
10. Ryuichi Kiyonari (JPN) Ten Kate Honda Racing +33.192s11. Carlos Checa (ESP) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +34.535sRace two:1. Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 35’14.788s
2. Leon Haslam (GBR) Honda +6.622s
3. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Ducati +6.816s
4. Shane Byrne (GBR) Ducati +7.349s
7. Ryuichi Kiyonari (JPN) Ten Kate Honda Racing +15.751s
15. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +32.806s
Championship points after nine of 14 rounds:Haga 308
Spies 294
Fabrizio 257
Rea 177Haslam 167
Biaggi 155
Tom Sykes (GBR) Yamaha 141
Jakub Smrz (CZE) Ducati 115
Checa 114Byrne 113
Kiyonari 113
