Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB) scored a fantastic double win at the Nurburgring on World Superbike’s return to the German track for the first time in ten years. Just two weeks after breaking his collarbone in the USA, Haga fought off Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) to win race 1, and then got the better of his team-mate Troy Corser in a rain-shortened second encounter to take the double. Max Neukirchner (Alstare Suzuki) took two thirds in front of his home crowd. Despite unfavourable weather conditions, the German Round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship, reached a satisfactory overall attendance of 41,000 over the 3 days.
Race 1: Haga was in terrific form on the Yamaha and with a perfect race strategy the Japanese rider got the best of a determined Troy Bayliss (Ducati), who tested him until a couple of laps from the flag before making a mistake. Third place went to local hero Neukirchner, who held off Corser. Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) got a bad start but made a good recovery to pass Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) for fifth place on the final lap. Seventh went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), who faded in the final stages after running with the leading group for much of the race. Behind the Italian were Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki Alstare) and Makoto Tamada (PSG-1 Corse) on the first Kawasaki to finish. Max Biaggi (Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati) concluded in a disappointing 14th place.
Noriyuki Haga: “Ten days ago I was a disaster and I am very happy for this win, just fourteen days after breaking my collarbone. Everyone has helped me and I felt very comfortable in the riding. I want to say ‘thank you’ to the Clinica Mobile and my team and all the fans. Congratulations for Troy and Max and I hope Yukio comes back very soon!”
Troy Bayliss: “I saw after the warm-up that Nori was looking really consistent, and Max was going to do a good job and maybe Carlos, but Nori proved to be the strongest in the race. At about two-thirds distance I was doing everything I could to stay with Nori but thought that second place was good and I would increase my lead. Nori won fair and square, congratulations to him.”
Max Neukirchner: “I’m happy with third place, it was a really hard race for me to catch Troy, and Noriyuki was a little bit too fast for me. I lost a bit in the first split, my tyres and my chassis were really good, but I think we need a bit more handling in the second race.”
Results: 1. Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 39'19.427 (156,76 kph)
2. Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 2.025
3. Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 2.792
4. Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 5.458
5. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 10.225
6. Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 10.462
7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 17.018
8. Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 20.520
9. Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 21.162
10. Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 22.650
11. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098 RS 08 22.845
12. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 25.555
13. Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 25.879
14. Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 26.288
15. Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 32.824
16. Rolfo R. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 42.157
Race 2:Haga took his second win of the day in race 2, and his first double of the year. The race was stopped with five laps remaining while Corser was in the lead but the previous lap’s classification stands and so the win went to Haga, who completed a triumphant day for Yamaha, which was really competitive on the German track. Third place again went to Neukirchner, ahead of Bayliss, who actually managed to increase his points lead in the table. Checa scored another fifth place, after holding off the three Ducatis of Michel Fabrizio, Max Biaggi and Ruben Xaus. Both Kawasakis were in the points, Regis Laconi in 10th and Makoto Tamada in 13th.
Noriyuki Haga: “During the race my collarbone gave me no problem, it was just muscle pain. I was actually a bit disappointed about the bike’s setting because I changed something from the first race that gave a little bit less traction, but we had a big battle with Troy and it was very exciting. I forgot to say after the first race a big thank you to Dr Ting, who made a great operation on my collarbone. Thanks to everyone once again!”
Troy Corser: “It was completely dry at the top part of the circuit but raining down the bottom for the last two laps before I actually put my hand up and it was getting wetter and wetter all the time. Although I wanted to win the race I just wanted to stay on the bike as well. A big thanks to the boys in the team and Nori as well because I actually copied a bit of his engine mapping and it worked fantastic for me. Hopefully we can get some more results like these in the rest of the season.”
Max Neukirchner:“It was not possible to win here today, Troy Corser and Noriyuki Haga were a little bit faster but I’m happy with two third places. We changed something from the first to the second race but it was a little bit worse, but I’m satisfied with two good results at my home race.”
Results: 1. Haga N. (JPN) Yamaha YZF-R1 27'26.594 (157,237 kph)
2. Corser T. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R1 0.150
3. Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R1000 5.316
4. Bayliss T. (AUS) Ducati 1098 F08 7.651
5. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 7.951
6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 F08 9.027
7. Biaggi M. (ITA) Ducati 1098 RS 08 9.420
8. Xaus R. (ESP) Ducati 1098 RS 08 9.916
9. Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R1000 12.862
10. Laconi R. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13.559
11. Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 13.960
12. Muggeridge K. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 16.172
13. Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-10R 17.946
14. Lavilla G. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 22.815
15. Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF-R1 23.758
16. Gimbert S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R1 24.127
Points (after 7 of 14 rounds): Riders 1. Bayliss 227
2. Checa 188
3. Neukirchner 176
4. Haga 172
5. Corser 154
6. Nieto 141
7. Xaus 110
8. Fabrizio 106
9. Biaggi 97
10. Kiyonari 89, etc
Manufacturers1. Ducati 282
2. Yamaha 251
3. Suzuki 223
4. Honda 207
5. Kawasaki 64
FIM Supersport World ChampionshipAustralia rules in round 6 of the Supersport World Championship at the Nurburgring. The victory went to Andrew Pitt (Hanspree Ten Kate Honda), who held off Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motorsport Honda) in an exciting final couple of laps. With the win, his third of the season, Pitt moves into the lead of the championship. Third went to Broc Parkes (Yamaha World Supersport), who led for most of the race and he was followed by Yamaha team-mate Fabien Foret, Craig Jones (Parkalgar Honda) and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda).
Former points leader, Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard.com Honda) from Spain, could only finish 12th. The unluckiest rider of the day was Britain’s Tommy Hill (Hannspree Honda Althea), who returned to racing at the German round after recovering from serious pre-season testing injuries, but who broke his right leg again in the first corner crash sparked off by Tode (G-Lab Racing Triumph). Hill is returning to the UK where he will be operated on tomorrow.
Results: 1. Pitt A. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 38'26.584 (152,334 kph)
2. Brookes J. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 0.387
3. Parkes B. (AUS) Yamaha YZF-R6 1.379
4. Foret F. (FRA) Yamaha YZF-R6 10.279
5. Jones C. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 11.624
6. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 19.211
7. Van Keymeulen D. (BEL) Suzuki GSX-R600 28.775
8. Tode A. (GER) Triumph 675 28.890
Superstock 1000 FIM CupThere was a spectacular end to the fourth round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with a three-way sprint to the line. The win went to Brendan Roberts (Ducati Xerox Junior Team), who got the better of Davide Giugliano (Cruciani Moto Suzuki) and Xavier Simeon (Suzuki Alstare), who holds on to his championship lead.
Fourth place went to Italian Michele Pirro (Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni), who was unable to keep up with the leading trio after a good start. Matej Smrz (MS Racing Honda) recovered from a poor start to pass Claudio Corti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) for fifth two laps from the end. Maxime Berger (Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda) went wide at the first corner to avoid the crashing riders ahead of him (Perotti, Schouten and Barrier), but then recovered from 21st to finish seventh.
