Fabien Foret and Broc Parkes, both from the Yamaha World Supersport Team, were tantalisingly close to a podium finish apiece at Assen, after a classic high-speed multi-rider battle for the win, which finally went to Andrew Pitt. Foret was only 0.201 seconds from victory itself, in fourth place after 21-laps. He had fought through from a bad start, completing the first lap down in 13th place.
Parkes finished only 0.283 seconds from the win and his fifth place means that both riders scored good points in the championship chase, after starting from the front row of the race. Parkes had to ride with a fractured left hand, after a Friday practice crash, and battled manfully in the first few places for almost the entire race, even after losing power from his left hand as the race progressed.
In the championship Parkes is third on 49 points, Foret is fourth on 46 points, with leader Joan Lascorz on 70, after taking third place today.
Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) fell from his machine on lap two, while sitting inside the top ten places.
Yamaha Spain riders Angel Rodriguez and David Salom left Assen without any points, as Rodriguez crashed on lap 9, while ranked 11th, and Salom just missed a point by finishing 16th.
Fabien Foret (4th - +0'0.201 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)"I had another bad start and my fault, I don't know why. I had to push very hard and that made the tyres wear more. I don't think I found the perfect machine settings, and I am not sure if I made the right choice of front tyre. It may have been better with the other one I considered today, but it is always easy to speak about what could have been after the race. The fourth place is not so bad, and the championship is long. It will be better in the next tracks. No big drama today but I expected something better."
Broc Parkes (5th - +0'0.203 - Yamaha World Supersport Team)"It was chaos out there today and everyone just wanted to go at each other. At one stage, lap ten maybe, I felt not too bad then after that my hand just started to get more and painful and once the tyres started to go I couldn't move around like I wanted to, I just had to sit on and ride it. Even with a painkiller you just can't use your hand properly when it's injured. The worst parts were during braking. I just couldn't do what I wanted to. A good race, but we always want to be on the podium. I actually thought there were a couple of more laps to go because everyone had their pit boards out at the same time, so I could hardly see my own one!"
Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team)"Some race for sure, and a there was a big line up of riders fighting for the win. We are little bit disappointed not to be on the podium, but our main rivals were fast all the time in the whole race so we have to accept that we were fourth and fifth. Fabien still struggled a bit settings wise, and Broc with a broken hand, so what can we say about finishing so close to the podium places? A lot of good riders finished behind us.
David Salom: (16th- +0'27.619 - Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team)"In the start I´ve been beaten by two riders. It was like starting all over again from the 19th position. I didn´t feel comfortable during the race, I couldn´t find my rhythm. It´s a pity because this is my third race just out of the points"
Massimo Roccoli (DNF - Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni)"I was happy with the way the bike was set-up after the warm-up this morning. I was running well after the first lap and feeling calm and ready for a long race. Then I lost the front on one of the fast right-handers and that was me finished, because the bike went ever and over in the gravel."
Angel Rodriguez: (DNF - Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team)"My start was not so bad, I was fighting with the riders ahead but in the final line I´ve braked too strong and I crashed. It´s a shame because I had a good rhythm and my bike, my tyres and team had worked very strong to achieved a better result"
Round 4: Assen, Netherlands
Track length: 4555m
Opened: 1955
Fastest Supersport lap: 1:40.130 (Gianluca Viziello, Honda)
Lap record: 1:42.096 (Kenan Sofuoglu, Honda)
Last year's winner: Kenan Sofuoglu, (Honda)
Circuit Length: 4555
Temp: 20
Weather: Dry
Race 1 - 21 Laps - WSS The Netherlands - Assen:1. Andrew Pitt - Honda - AUS 36'10.751
2. Jonathan Rea - Honda - GBR 0'0.014
3. Joan Lascorz - Honda- ESP 0'0.150
4. Fabien Foret - Yamaha - FRA 0'0.2015. Broc Parkes - Yamaha - AUS 0'0.2836. Joshua Brookes - Honda - AUS 0'0.447
7. Barry Veneman - Suzuki - NED - 0'2.050
8. Gianluca Vizziello - Honda - ITA - 0'2.346
9. Craig Jones - Honda - GBR - 0'2.714
10. Matthieu Lagrive - Honda - FRA - 0'3.073
11. Mark Aitchinson - Triumph - AUS - 0'4.070
12. Chris Walker - Kawasaki - GBR - 0'4.863
13. Robbin Harms - Honda - DNK - 0'5.088
14. Ivan Clementi - Triumph - ITA - 0'16.644
15. Ilario Dionisi - Triumph - ITA - 0'21.630
16. David Salom - Yamaha - ESP - 0'27.619Best Lap: Gianluca Vizziello - Honda - ITA 1'42.130
Rider Standings: 1. Joan Lascorz - Honda - ESP 70
2. Andrew Pitt - Honda - AUS 50
3. Broc Parkes - Yamaha - AUS 49
4. Fabien Foret - Yamaha - FRA 465. Joshua Brookes - Honda - AUS 43
6. Jonathan Rea - Honda - GBR 41
7. Craig Jones - Honda - GBR 39
8. Robbin Harms - Honda - DNK 28
9. Gianluca Vizziello - Honda - ITA 26
10. Matthieu Lagrive - Honda - FRA 20
11. Chris Walker - Kawasaki - GBR 20
12. Barry Veneman - Suzuki - NED 19
13. Gianluca Nannelli - Honda - ITA 17
14. Massimo Roccoli - Yamaha - ITA 16
15. Mark Aitchinson - Triumph - AUS 15
19. David Salom - Yamaha - ESP 8Manufacturer Standings:1. Honda 95
2. Yamaha 713. Triumph 25
4. Kawasaki 20
5. Suzuki 19
