Noriyuki Haga secured a second place for his Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team after another unsettled race day for the Japanese star, with a crash in race one preventing him from a potential double points score at one his favourite tracks.
In the first race Haga fell on lap two, after colliding with Ruben Xaus at the slow De Strubben left hand corner, while Corser went on to fight in the leading group for most of the race, only dropping back to fifth in the later stages and finishing 11 seconds from the win after 22 laps.
The second race of the day was run in warmer conditions than the first, with a track temperature of 31 degrees, and it offered Haga a real chance to make up for his first race disappointments. He ran eventual race winner Troy Bayliss close, taking second place by a margin of 0.082 seconds. Corser experienced a drop in front tyre performance and slipped back from a possible podium finish to tenth. Bayliss won both races to extend his championship lead.
Corser remains third in the championship standings, thanks to his Assen scores, on a total of 89 points. Haga holds on to sixth position, with 67 points, as thoughts now turn to the team's home race in Monza.
Team YZF Yamaha rider Shinichi Nakatomi was 15th in each Assen race, scoring points both times as he battled hard in the midfield, finding a better race two set-up than he had in the opener.
David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) dislocated his hip after a heavy fall in race one. It is very likely he will need to sit out Monza race weekend and perhaps even the American round. His team-mate Sebastien Gimbert was close to two points scores, but missed out by placing 17th in each event.
Noriyuki Haga (DNF and 2nd - Yamaha Italy WSB Team)"When I overtook Ruben I touched with him and then we fell. In race two I pushed hard all through the race and when I was following Bayliss he tried to get away near the end. But I could stay with him and even caught back up with him. I was following, waiting to see where I could pass but in the last few laps he rode the corners on a tight line and had good acceleration. I am disappointed with the first race and satisfied with the second, but not satisfied enough."
Troy Corser (5th and 10th - Yamaha Italy WSB Team)"Towards the end of race one the rear tyre, maybe after two-thirds distance, lost grip on the right hand side. On the long rights, onto the back straight, it was spinning but not pushing. In race two I struggled with the front tyre a bit and used it up. I had no front left at the end. It was a bit rough with a couple of riders at one point, but that's normal, just racing."
Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team)
"After yesterday we were expecting really good results, but we did not have good fortune on raceday. Nori did a fantastic second race and he showed his true desire and ability to go for the win - and he was only 0.082 seconds away. Troy worked hard to find good settings all weekend, and he had issues with grip on race two. Now we go home and race at Monza next time. We would like to do what we did last year, take a double win…"
Shinichi Nakatomi (15th and 15th - Team YZF Yamaha)
"I had a front tyre problem after ten laps and it became impossible to push. For race two we fitted a different front tyre, and it was better, but some riders were difficult to overtake. Overall, not so good, but we took points in both races. Next event we will change the settings and go for a better position."
Christophe Guyot (Team Manager Yamaha GMT94 Team)" A difficult weekend for us on balance after some high points. Davide Checa has dislocated his hip after his crash and we will have to see how he is before the next race at Monza. Sebastien rode as hard as he could but he just missed out on points."
Round 4: Assen, Netherlands
Track length: 4555m
Opened: 1955
Fastest Superbike Lap: 1:38.355 (Troy Bayliss, Ducati, 2008)
Lap record: 1'39.395 (Max Neukirchner, Suzuki)
Last year's winners: Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and James Toseland (Honda)
Circuit Length: 4555
Temp: 19
Weather: Dry
Race 1 - 22 Laps - WSB The Netherlands - Assen:
1. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 36'50.907
2. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 0'2.132
3. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 0'2.179
4. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki - JPN 0'10.919
5. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 0'11.0516. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 0'11.979
7. Ryuichi Kiyonari - Honda - JPN 0'15.184
8. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki - JPN 0'18.395
9. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 0'18.634
10. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 0'20.699
11. Regis Laconi - Kawasaki - FRA 0'25.759
12. Kenan Sofuoglu - Honda - TUR 0'26.064
13. Ayrton Badovini - Kawasaki - ITA 0'35.582
14. Karl Muggeridge - Honda - AUS 0'36.266
15. Shinichi Nakatomi - Yamaha - JPN 0'37.21517. Sebastien Gimbert - Yamaha - FRA 0'39.037
Race 2 - 22 Laps:1. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 36'46.238
2. Noriyuki Haga - Yamaha - JPN 0'0.0823. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 0'6.336
4. Ruben Xaus - Ducati - ESP 0'7.575
5. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 0'8.011
6. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki - JPN 0'13.999
7. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 0'15.215
8. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 0'16.376
9. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki - JPN 0'17.269
10. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 0'18.38011. Fonsi Nieto -Suzuki - ESP 0'18.926
12. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 0'21.452
13. Karl Muggeridge - Honda - AUS 0'23.794
14. Roberto Rolfo - Honda - ITA 0'29.847
15. Shinichi Nakatomi - Yamaha - JPN 0'30.252
17. Sebastien Gimbert - Yamaha - FRA 0'31.328Best Lap: Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 1'39.395
Rider Standings:1. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 178
2. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 108
3. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 894. Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki - ESP 85
5. Ruben Xaus - Ducati - ESP 81
6. Noriyuki Haga Yamaha - JPN 677. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 66
8. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 54
9. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 48
10. Lorenzo Lanzi - Ducati - ITA 42
11. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki - JPN 41
12. Ryuichi Kiyonari - Honda - JPN 39
13. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati - ITA 37
14. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 35
15. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki - JPN 28
21. Shinichi Nakatomi - Yamaha - JPN 922. David Checa - Yamaha - ESP 5
23. Sebastien Gimbert - Yamaha - FRA 3
Manufacturer Standings: 1. Ducati 190
2. Yamaha 1263. Suzuki 113
4. Honda 109
5. Kawasaki 37
