Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner took a superb win in the first race at Misano today and seventh in race two, to move into second place in the championship behind Troy Bayliss (Ducati). After his tremendous performance in race one, when he charged from the third row of the grid to take the chequered flag, another good result was on the cards for race two. But the second race was red-flagged after one lap and Max, like most riders, changed his rear tyre. Despite the bike having the same set-up and the same type of tyre, Max had problems exiting the corners and lost time trying to catch the lead group. Nevertheless, he was happy to take his second ever World Superbike win today and leave Misano second in the championship.
Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto did not have such a good day. He crashed in the first race, but remounted to finish 12th. He used a harder tyre in race two, but the much higher temperature meant the tyre didn’t work well. He then got caught up in a group and ended tenth.
It was always going to be a difficult day for Fonsi’s team mate Yukio Kagayama. Although he had pain-killing injections in his injured left hand, the heat and two long 24-lappers meant he had to dig very deep just to finish the races. Despite the pain, he managed a superb 11th in race one and 12th in race two.
Max - Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 7th
"I am very happy to win my second race and the feeling was very good - especially as I had started from the third row of the grid. I was patient and just worked my way up though the field and once I was in front, I knew I could win. We didn’t change anything for race two, so I am a bit surprised why I couldn’t do as well. The tyre was the same, but it didn’t work the same way. I didn’t make a good start, so there was always going to be some work to do, but I was losing time exiting the turns and it was hard to pass some of the other riders. But, at the end of the day, I am happy because I am second in the championship and not so many points behind the leader."
Fonsi - Race 1: 12th, Race 2: 10th
"At the moment, I am not happy and also I have no luck. Starting from row three of the grid always makes problems and you have to push hard to catch the front runners if you are to have any chance of a good result. Maybe I was pushing too hard in the first race, trying to catch the leading group, and that’s why I lost the front and crashed. It was only a small crash and I got back on the bike straightaway, but it ruined any chance of a good result. We used a harder tyre in race two, but the higher temperature meant it didn’t work so well. The high temperature also meant that my bike’s engine was running too hot when I was in the slipstream trying to catch the other riders. The engine wasn’t getting enough cool air and its temperature went up, and when that happens you lose power. So I couldn’t catch the front guys and ended 10th. The lack of air coming into my helmet made it difficult to breathe at times, so today was very exhausting. But forget the heat, I am not happy today, because I know it should’ve been much better."
Yukio - Race 1: 11th, Race 2: 12th
"Today the bike was good, but the rider’s performance was not! I had pain-killing injections before both races and both times they worked for some laps, but nowhere close to the race distance. It was a big problem getting the bike to change direction and sometimes on the brakes. The broken bones heal quickly, but the ligaments take longer and they were causing me the problems today. After six or seven laps in both races, I began suffering with the pain, so I tried to use my right hand and arm more. But when the bike was shaking a bit, I found it difficult to hold the left side and it was not easy to push hard. Today, my left side performance was not as good as it should be and I am sorry because the bike has the potential to be on the podium. My team did a great job this weekend and I am just sorry I was not able to give them better results."
Circuit: 4.226 kms
Crowd: 68,000 (3-day)
Conditions: Hot, sunny 30-33C
Results:
Race 1:
1. Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki)
2. Corser (AUS-Yamaha)
3. Bayliss (AUS-Ducati)
4. Xaus (E-Ducati)
5. Checa (E-Honda)
6 Lanzi (I-Ducati)
7. Smrz (CZ-Ducati )
8. Lavilla (E-Honda)
9. Nakatomi (J-Yamaha)
10. Haga (J-Yamaha)
11. Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare)
12. Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare)
Race 2:
1. Xaus (E-Ducati)
2. Biaggi (I-Ducati)
3. Bayliss (AUS-Ducati)
4. Haga (J-Yamaha)
5. Corser (AUS-Yamaha)
6. Lanzi (I-Ducati)
7. Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki)
8. Checa (E-Honda)
9. Smrz (CZ-Ducati)
10. Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare)
12. Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare)
Championship Points:
1. Bayliss 259
2. Neukirchner 210
3. Checa 207
4. Haga 191
5. Troy Corser 185
6. Nieto 151
7. Xaus 148
8. Biaggi 117
9. Fabrizio 111
10. Kiyonari 94
11. Kagayama 82
Images by Kel Edge
