2010 World Superbike Championship – Round 1

Phillip Island (Australia)
Circuit: 4,445 kms., Crowd: 65,500 (3-day)
Weather conditions: Dry, sunny/cloudy 18- 20 C.
Track temperature: 25 – 31 C.

Team Suzuki Alstare

Rider Leon Haslam recorded his first ever WSBK win in the first race of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island today. He led the race from start to finish and took the flag, just four thousandths of a second ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Ducati). Leon has been very strong in the preseason tests and today’s results showed that his performances in testing have been no fluke and well deserved.

He and his Suzuki Alstare team mate Sylvain Guintoli then disputed the lead for most of the second race, but Leon’s dreams of a superb double were dashed right at the death by Spaniard Carlos Checa (Ducati). Nevertheless, Leon’s tremendous win in race one and runner-up spot in the second puts on the very top of the Superbike World Championship, nine points ahead of his nearest rival. Leon’s performances today, followed his Superpole victory yesterday showed that he and the Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 will be a potent combination this season.

Also very encouraging, from the team’s point of view, is Sylvain’s ability to run at the front and be in contention – especially in race two. The Frenchman led his team mate eight laps out of twenty-two and did not look out of place at all. This was his first race of the year, on a new (2010) bike, with a new team, but Sylvain has also showed that he too will be a force to be reckoned with this year. Although he missed out on the podium, he did receive a trophy – for the fastest lap of race two, so he did not leave Phillip Island empty handed.

Leon – Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 2nd
I am so happy to get my first WSBK win and it feels great! I want to thank the team and all the staff back at the workshop for all their support and hard work and I’d also like to thank Francis and Patricia Batta for having faith in me.

The first race was such hard work and it was impossible to relax for a second. I knew that I had Michel and Nori breathing down my neck, but I just kept concentrating on my lines and my braking points and tried to hold them off. I realised that Michel was in my wheeltracks going into the last turn and would try and use the draft to get past me, but I kept my head down and charged to the flag. At the end, I didn’t know if I’d won or not, but when I realised that I had, I was so unbelievably happy and it was such a fantastic feeling. All weekend I knew that a win was possible, but thinking about and it happening are two different things.

In race two, I had some problems with rear traction but I still thought I could win. I had a great fight with Sylvain and when I finally got ahead of him and made it stick, I thought he might act as a buffer between me and the rest. Then suddenly, Carlos was there. He dived under me just three corners from the end, on the last lap. I tried to get it back, but he managed to hold me off and take the flag. But, it feels good to take a win and a second in my first race with the team and it feels fantastic to be leading the Superbike World Championship.

Sylvain – Race 1: 6th, Race 2: 4th
I have really enjoyed today and it’s been great fun. I can’t remember the last time I was leading a world champion ship race, so to lead quite a lot of race two was a great feeling and now I want to do it again. When I was in front, I felt comfortable and I knew I could keep up a good pace. Everything felt very smooth and it was all going to plan until I made a small mistake and Leon and then Carlos went through. Carlos and I touched in turn 8 when my elbow was in contact with his front wheel and then I tried a bit too hard to get back straightaway when perhaps I should’ve been a bit more patient and that;s where I lost ground.

I could’ve made a better result in the first race if I hadn’t had such a bad start. My pace was good, but I was too far off the leaders, but I am learning about WSBK race pace and also the fact that the races are longer than what I have been used to. I am very happy with all the work we’ve done and am enjoying riding this bike so much.

It was nice to get a trophy (for the fastest lap in race two) and I hope that it will just be the start of many to come. I am looking forward to Portimao and my next trophy.

Althea – Ducati

Cloudy sky and dry truck today in Phillip Island for the first World Superbike races of the season. The Althea racing team riders worked on the last minute adjustments of their Ducati 1198 bikes during the morning warm up, in order to be ready for the two 22-laps Superbike races. Due to yesterday Superpole upshots, today Carlos Checa lined up from the first row and Shakey Byrne from the fifth. In race one not a good start for Checa. The Spanish riders did not take advantage from his start from the first row of the grid. In the first few laps Checa was sixth and teammate Shakey, after quite a quick start, was seventeenth. Near to the middle of the race Checa was battling for fourth in a group of six riders while Byrne made up several places up to fourteenth. Checa ended the first race in seventh place and Byrne obtained the fourteenth position. Also in race two Carlos did not start quickly from the first row, ending the first lap in eighth place. Fifteenth place for Byrne in the first few laps. As the race proceed Checa was able to recover some position and near to the middle of the race he reached the first group of riders in fifth place. Also Byrne recovered quickly and in a few laps he was up tenth position, but caught up in the third group of riders, he was unable to make much progress and concluded in twelfth place. With few laps to go Checa moved up to fourth position and with some incredible overtaking he worked his way up through the field to pass Guintoli, Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead on the very last lap snatching an extraordinary first victory for Althea racing team.

Carlos Checa :”The second race was perfect. In race one we chose a tire that was perhaps too hard for the conditions and I found it hard to brake. In race two we selected a better tire and I could brake much more strongly, I also had a very good pace and was able to pass riders fairly easily. My style of riding actually seemed to mean that tire wear was less of a problem for me than for some other riders. By the last lap I was up in second and I could finally get pass Haslam. I wanted to pass him earlier but it was impossible and he didn’t leave me space to pass until the very end. I am of course extremely happy with the result, it is my first race with the Althea team and on the Ducati 1198 and we have a good package with which to fight this season. My thanks go to the entire team for their hard work and dedication.”

Shane Byrne :” The first race I made it was very difficult for myself, I knew I had to make as many passes as possible to get near the front. I pushed to pass Guintoli and Sykes and couldn’t make it, so had to go straight. A small problem with the rear brake and it was hard to turn, but anyway I recovered and had good rhythm so I was happy with it, though not so happy with the result. The first thing to say about race two is congratulations to Carlos and to the whole team for the win. Genesio and the team have put together a very competitive machine. There are too many fast riders to be able to start from 18th and expect a good finish, but I got up as far as about tenth place which wasn’t so bad, having been caught up in battles with several riders. Today we have seen that there are many riders that can fight for

Xerox – Ducati

The crowds at Phillip Island were today treated to two spectacular Superbike races, the first of which resulted in the closest ever finish in Superbike history, with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) crossing the line just 0.004 of a second behind Leon Haslam on the Suzuki. Less than a second behind Michel, in third place, was his team-mate Noriyuki Haga. Race 2 was also extremely hard fought and some very close racing which made for great viewing saw Michel battle his way to a third place finish with Nori just behind him in fifth.

This morning’s warm-up passed without incident for Michel, who registered the fourth fastest lap time but unfortunately the same couldn’t be said for his team-mate Noriyuki, victim of a 250 km/hour crash on entering in the first corner after being knocked from his 1198 by Xaus. The doctors of the circuit’s medical centre declared him fit to ride, although the Japanese rider had suffered some bruising to his back, as well as a severe blow to the right forearm which swelled to such an extent as to require an pain-relief injection before the race.

Despite the difficulties in warm-up, race 1 began very well for both Ducati Xerox riders, Michel holding second position and Noriyuki, fast as lightning in his start, making up several position, to rocket from tenth to third position through the first corners. Right from the second lap the gap between the leaders, Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga, and the chasing pack, led by Jonathan Rea, began to increase and by mid-race the top three had built a five second advantage over fourth placed Rea. In the final four laps Michel tried to find a way past the young Briton but it was not to be and a final charge to the finish line led to a photofinish, with the result being declared the closest ever finish in a Superbike race. Michel crossed the line a mere four thousandths of a second after Haslam, with Haga following less than a second behind to snatch the third spot on the podium.

Race 2 began in exactly the same way as the first, with Haslam, Fabrizio and Haga again off the line quickest to take an immediate lead. Haslam’s team-mate Sylvain Guintoli soon joined the fray, as did Carlos Checa mid-race, and a five-way battle for supremacy ensued. Nori, still suffering after the earlier crash, could not keep pace with the other four but held fifth position, taking home important points in the process. Checa, on board Althea Racing’s Ducati 1198, waited until the last lap before passing both Fabrizio and Haslam to take the lead, leaving the Italian and the Briton to battle it out for second.

A very strong start for the Ducati Xerox Team as far as the championship standings are concerned, Michel in second position with 36 points, Nori fourth with 27 and their combined performances today putting Ducati in joint first place with Suzuki in the manufacturers classification.

Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 2nd , Race 2 -3rd)
“I had a great battle with Leon in Race 1. In the last four laps I tried to understand where I could attempt to get past him but it wasn’t easy so I pushed on right to the finish line and, to tell the truth, I thought I’d done enough! Leon and I were right there together as we crossed the line, and on the big screen I could see my wife celebrating in the box – but the result was decided by the photofinish and I had to settle for 20 points this time. The great thing about the Superbike championship however is that there are two races…. My team did not make any changes to the bike before the second race and I was again able to make a good start but it was a very difficult race. I stayed there with the leading pack but I realized it would be very hard to win, and in the last four laps it became more difficult to fight. I am very happy with today’s results, which put me in second place on the leaderboard after round 1. It will be a very long and challenging season but we’ve made a good start today.”

Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 3rd , Race 2 – 5th)
“My result in Race 1 was really good as far as I’m concerned as I had had a crash during the warm-up and suffered from a bit of arm-pump during the race. I was confident that I could make a good start from 10th position and I did so and then I tried to keep up with Michel and Leon but my arm led me to make a few small mistakes. Anyway I really enjoyed the race and the points I made in the race are definitely a good start for the championship. In the second race my arm played up more and it became harder to brake, I felt very tired physically. But all in all, with regard to the classification and bearing in mind this morning’s accident, it didn’t go too badly; I finished third and fifth and we take home some good points.”

Aprilia

Race 1 of the first SBK round of the 2010 season took place against the splendid backdrop of the Australian track at Philip Island. The weather was a bit dubious, with cloudy skies and strong winds – quite different from what the drivers encountered in recent days. And it was Leon Haslam, on his Suzuki, who won this first race in a photo-finish just ahead of Fabrizio and Haga, both on Ducati Factories.

It was also a good race for Max Biaggi, who, after a slow start, moved into tenth position during the first lap. The Roman driver then set an excellent pace and caught up to Rea and Checa who were fighting it out for fourth place. The duel with the Brit continued until the end of the race, with the two drivers passing each other nonstop at the end of the straightaway and at the entrance to the final curve during the last six laps. In the end Max lost out to Rea and had to settle for fifth place.

Leon Camier also had a good run at his debut here at Philip Island. The young English driver started off well, already recovering four positions by the end of the first lap. Leon set a good pace and during the tenth lap managed to catch up with Biaggi, Rea and Checa in the little group battling it out for fourth place. Unfortunately, an error just six laps from the end of the race which caused him to overshoot the first curve left him out of the running and set him back to fourteenth position. Nevertheless, Camier managed to stay focused and kept pushing forward, crossing the finish line in eleventh place.

Something quite similar also occurred in Race 2. This time both Biaggi and Camier paid their dues for running of the track (during the fourth lap for Max and during the ninth for Leon). Despite the severe handicap, both re-entered the tight group that was following the five leaders and battling it out the sixth to twelfth positions, and managed to race once again after setting excellent paces. The race ended with Biaggi in eighth position and the young Brit finishing eleventh.

The results left somewhat of a bitter taste, but they also provide some important points in a world championship that even this early on is proving to be extraordinarily balanced.

“It didn’t go very well,” stated Biaggi. “In Race 2, I went straight for the little curve, where Camier went off the track twice, because I was at my limit, and in these situations, a mistake is right around the bend. There’s still a lot of work to be done, but I’m not going away disheartened or discouraged because we are aware of our own potential and we know we can surely do better when once we have eliminated these problems.”

“I’m very sorry about all of the mistakes I made,” said Camier. “In Race 1 I tried to pass the other drivers at the little curve, but I overshot a bit while braking and in order to avoid hitting Max, I went off track. Then I really pushed to recover as many positions as possible. During the second race, I started off quite well and I was with the lead group right behind Checa, who immediately passed Toseland. When I attempted to pass, we ended up a bit wide. Then I shifted into the wrong gear and overshot at the same curve as in Race 1. I’m disappointed because I ran with very good times and seeing how the race ended, I could have had an excellent result. We’ve improved a lot, but I wasted a good opportunity. Now we’re headed to Portimao, a track that I know well and where I intend to keep up with the leaders. But, there’s still a lot of work to do and I especially have to improve during the Superpole.”

Ten Kate – Honda

Jonathan Rea took fourth and sixth place finishes in today’s two World Superbike championship races at Phillip Island in Australia, as Leon Haslam and Carlos Checa took the wins.

After struggling to find the right set-up for the fast 4.445km circuit, Rea started both 22-lappers from the second row, moving up to fourth place in race one. The 23-year-old from Northern Ireland fought off the advances of Max Biaggi to cross the line in fourth.

Rea began race two in similar vein after his crew made some changes to the front of his CBR1000RR Fireblade. However, a mistake at turn four on the opening lap left him on the grass and Rea rejoined in last place before fighting his way back through the field.

His Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team-mate, Max Neukirchner, was relatively satisfied with 12th place in race one, having experienced problems during qualifying which resulted in 17th place on the starting grid.

The German also ran on at turn four in the second outing but was unable to make up enough places to get back into the points, eventually finishing in 16th place.

Jonathan Rea – 4th and 6th

We’ve had problems all week, really, from the test last weekend, right through this one. We knew it would be hard, so, if fourth and sixth is a bad weekend, I’ll take it. I was pretty happy with fourth, because I had to fight for it all the way. We changed the front a bit for the second race and I think it caught me out as I braked for the hairpin on the first lap. I had to let off the brake and by the time I got back on track I was last. It gave me a pretty strong motivation actually, and I really enjoyed riding through the field and passing I think maybe 16 other riders, which was a lot of fun. Now we’re looking forward to getting back to some tracks where we know the bike works and to fighting for some podiums again.

Max Neukirchner – 12th and 16th

Well, it hasn’t been a fantastic weekend and we struggled to find the right direction from the very start. We made some more progress during warm-up this morning and in race one I was able to make up some places from my grid position. We made a big change to the rear of the bike for race two and it felt pretty good for the early part of the race. I was following Biaggi quite closely in his slipstream and ended up braking a bit late for turn four and losing maybe 20 seconds. I had a bit of a lonely ride after that and it was a disappointing finish to the weekend. We came here to do a better job than this and we’ve got some more work to do to get back on course at the next round.

Ronald ten Kate – team manager

I think Jonathan probably got the maximum out of the weekend that was possible. He rode very well in race one but the bike was a little bit off and his crew did a great job for race two when it was very competitive. A little mistake at Honda corner gave Jonathan some work to do but to come back from last to sixth was a marvellous job. However, only wins and podiums count so we’ll be chasing them once again when we return to Europe. Max has had a tough first weekend and its probably one to forget. The only positive is that the changes made for race two got him up to speed but, once he had run off the track, it was a difficult race.

BMW

A dramatic opening round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship in Australia resulted in a day of mixed fortunes for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. During the final warm-up at Phillip Island circuit, team rider Ruben Xaus collided with Ducati Xerox’s Noriyuki Haga. Neither of the riders suffered any serious injuries but Ruben felt disoriented after the collision, so after consultation with team doctor Vincenzo Tota and team management, he decided not to participate in today’s races.

This left Troy Corser to fly the flag for BMW Motorrad Motorsport at his home circuit, and he did so in style, finishing both 22-lap races in the top ten, with a great seventh place finish in race two.

At the same track where he has enjoyed seven victories, Corser made an excellent start to race one on his BMW S 1000 RR, moving up to seventh place from the fourth row of the grid. However, the likeable Aussie was forced to take avoiding action on lap three, when James Toseland crashed right in front of him. This allowed several riders past and left Troy with a lot of work to do.

By half race distance, Troy was in 10th position and was only 10 seconds behind leading rider Leon Haslam. Consistently posting quick laps, Corser moved up into ninth when Leon Camier went off the track on lap 15. The BMW factory rider managed to hold this position until the end of the race, eventually finishing just 20.291 seconds behind winner Haslam, who scored his maiden victory in probably the closest finish in WSBK history, beating Michel Fabrizio by just four thousandths of a second.

Race two was equally entertaining, with Troy up to 11th place after another good start on his BMW S 1000 RR. Before long he had caught a group of seven riders and proceeded to move through the pack. He passed Cal Crutchlow on lap 6, and then gained several places in quick succession when Jacob Smrz, Leon Camier and Chris Vermeulen all made mistakes. Before long, he had James Toseland in his sights, and passed the double WSBK champion to move into sixth place, with just eight laps remaining.

With a five-way battle for the lead up front, Troy’s terrific ride on the S 1000 RR continued and he succeeded in pulling a small gap on Yamaha riders Toseland and Crutchlow. However, with just three laps remaining he was surprised by a challenge from Jonathan Rea, who slipped by and held a lead until the chequered flag. Nevertheless, Corser finished this dramatic race in seventh place – just 12.026 seconds behind winner Carlos Checa – moving himself up to eighth in the points table.

Troy Corser: “I had a good start in the first race and gained a couple of positions but unfortunately the tire dropped quite quickly and I was unable to push as much as I wanted but I was still a good result. We changed the settings on the bike before the start of the second race and things were a lot better. The grip was a lot better immediately, and it was easier to do consistent lap times. I was able to push and fight in the second race like I wanted to in race one. I had to work really hard to pass James Toseland towards the end of race two but I did and managed to pull away slightly. Overall, we can be happy with what we achieved here today at Phillip Island.”

Berthold Hauser: “The weekend was like a rollercoaster and we had a lot of difficulties to overcome. We had to manage the pressure on the team, deal with some technical issues and of course I feel sorry for Ruben who decided not to race due to his crash in today’s warm-up session. However, the team kept focussed and did a fantastic job. We are definitely closer to the top teams than last year. Thanks to everybody in the team, and thanks to Troy who had a great second race. We can now travel back to Europe with our heads held high. Also congratulations to Reitwagen Racing who did a really good job this weekend.”

Sterilgarda – Yamaha

It wasn’t an easy start for Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland today at the season opening race in Phillip Island Australia. Race one saw both riders crash out, Crutchlow losing the front having run wide on onto a dirty section of track on lap two and Toseland highsiding on the fifth lap.

Race two saw a fiercely contested battle for points with both riders fighting off riders including Biaggi, Corser and others to stay within the top ten. Combined with a less than perfect set up on both bikes and struggling for grip the riders put in an incredible ride to bring their bikes home in the points, Crutchlow in ninth and Toseland tenth.

Crutchlow moves on to round two in Portimao in 12th position in the championship on seven points, team-mate Toseland sits just behind in 13th with six points.

Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (DNF, 9th)
“Race one was unfortunate, I felt we had good pace and were running up in the top five quite comfortably, I just made a little mistake. I was a bit better than Rea into the hairpin so had to run wide to avoid him and lost the front on the dirt. The second race was hard, I felt like I had no grip from the start and still some chattering. If we had better grip we could have pulled more out of it. We need to go back to the drawing board and work some stuff out.”

James Toseland, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team (DNF, 10th)
“I really needed to finish the second race after the crash in the first. To only finish 14 seconds from the front with the issues we’ve had this weekend is not so bad. I was really disappointed with the first race, with my injury on Friday I wanted to have two good finishes today. Full credit to the team they’ve tried so hard but unfortunately we haven’t had the software here to solve the issue. We know what the problem is and I’ve given enough feedback and input to give the guys a direction to go in. We’ve got a lot of work to do, no doubt, but even with all the problems we’re not actually that far away. The package, the power, the balance and the suspension have come on leaps and bounds. On to Portimao now, it’s a long season so we can do it.”

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
“It was definitely a really tough weekend for us. We solved some problems, and some we still have to work on. As we spent the two day test and the first day of the race weekend resolving the chatter issue, qualifying and race day was our first opportunity to really test the 2010 bike set up. We’ve seen that we have the potential to do well so we will go home and start working on the solutions to be ready to fight for the Portimao races. The team have worked really hard over the last few days to try and solve the issues and both Cal and James have given 100% to meet the challenges.”

Kawasaki

Kawasaki Racing Team riders Tom Sykes and Chris Vermeulen found the opening race weekend a challenging one, but Sykes got into the points in the first leg after qualifying on row three.

Sykes was a fighting 13th in the 22-lap race, but Vermeulen fell while trying to move forward from seventh, crashing out on lap four. Tom was forced out of the second race when a small technical issue caused him to enter the pits, restart, and finally retire.

Chris fell in race two after being in fourth for a period of time, sliding off at high speed at the Hayshed corner on lap eight.

Chris was checked over by the track medics, and was found to have suffered heavy bruising to his right leg and had also damaged a finger.

The team now goes to Portimao for the next round knowing that it has made great progress in real terms on track, and hoping for a change in raceday fortunes. The team has previously tested at Portimao, which will help their pre-race preparations greatly.

Tom Sykes: “In race one we made some changes to the set-up and but it didn’t suit the tire we used. In race two we got a good launch, but got boxed in and pushed out on to the dirty stuff, along with another couple of riders. So I went from thinking I would be sixth to being 15th. The bike was feeling good but when I went into the final two corners it felt like someone was pushing me from behind. I came back in and checked the bike, then went back out again before retiring. It was just a ten cent o-ring for the steering damper, causing the steering to feel strange sometimes. Otherwise, the bike was very good and giving me a strong race pace in race two. This whole Australian experience has been a good test period for us and I know that we go to Portimao having learned a lot. I would like to thank Kawasaki and the team for the amount of effort they have put in.”

Chris Vermeulen: “I was feeling positive for the race after our two-day test and qualifying sessions. In both races I had really good starts but in the first race I lost the front early on when lying 7th and in race two I had a problem that resulted in a high-speed crash. I’m bruised and battered but am feeling OK, considering the speed of the crash. I had heavy impact on my lower right leg and my finger is pretty smashed up. The preliminary X-rays have shown no breaks but for a precaution I am heading to Melbourne for a more detailed MRI scan. I’m glad we have a month before Portimao, so I can ensure that I am back to full fitness.”

Second day of qualifications for the Althea Racing team in Australia. The morning qualifying session commenced on a dry track with grey, cloudy skies overhead in Phillip Island. Moreover this morning Carlos Checa was the fastest rider on track (1’32”227). He entered the Superpole in first position with yesterday’s fastest lap time because today’s contrary weather conditions didn’t allow Carlos to improve his yesterday’s best time. After yesterday’s big crash, today Shane Byrne showed courage and determination, ending the qualifying session in twelfth position. In afternoon free practice both Althea team riders were able to work on their bike setting and once again Checa reached first position, improving his morning best lap time (1’32”014) Shakey ended the free session in eleventh place (1’33”413). In the first Superpole outing Checa was fourth (1’32”124) while Byrne unfortunately, did not enter the second session obtaining only the seventeenth position (1’32”823). The injury that he sustained to his back during yesterday’s qualifying session remains sore, and prevented him from performing to his maximum level. In second Superpole phase, Checa scored the third lap time (1’31”748) while in the third and final session he continued to improved his lap time (1’31”671) reaching a final fourth place. First row for him and fifth row for injured Byrne in tomorrow’s first two races of the 2010 Superbike world championship.

Qualifying session : 1) Checa (Ducati) – 2) Fabrizio (Ducati) – 3) Haslam (Suzuki) – 4) Crutchlow (Yamaha) – 5) Guintoli (Suzuki) – 6) Toseland (Yamaha) – 7) Rea (Honda) …….. 12) Byrne (Ducati)

Superpole : 1) Haslam (Suzuki) – 2) Fabrizio (Ducati) – 3) Crutchlow (Yamaha) – 4) Checa (Ducati) – 5) Guintoli (Suzuki) – 6) Smrz (Ducati) – 7) Rea (Honda) – 8) Toseland (Yamaha)……….18) Byrne (Ducati)

Carlos Checa :”I’m happy with today’s qualifying sessions and with my Superpole, because we fought for the pole position since the last few minutes of the last Superpole session. Like the last test in Portimao, today as well I was not able to take advantage from the qualifying tires. Anyway I’m satisfied because we are close to the fastest riders, and because today I also found a fast rhythm rather quickly. Tomorrow I’ll start from the first row and this is an important result for me and for my team, I want to thank all of them for the great job they’re doing”.

Shane Byrne :”Obviously I’m really very disappointed. I had a big crash yesterday and today it seems difficult for me to find the rhythm of my previous test. In Superpole we used qualifying tires to try to get through, but something was wrong because the tires have less grip than the usual race tire. I know tomorrow’s races will be very difficult for me. I’ll be starting from the fifth row and it won’t be easy, but I’ll try to do my best and I hope to reach good results”.

Genesio Bevilacqua – General manager :”I’m very satisfied because it was the first Superpole for our team in the Superbike world championship and Carlos will start tomorrow from the first row of the grid. For sure without yesterday’s crash, Shakey could also have started from a better position as both our riders remained in the top position during all practices and qualifying sessions. This is the best reward for all our team for the great job done during the weekend. If we continue to work in this manner, I think we’ll be able to reach good results in tomorrow’s races and also in the championship standing”.

Phillip Island (Australia), Saturday 27th February : the first Superpole of the 2010 World Superbike season took place this afternoon at a breezy Phillip Island, and Ducati Xerox rider Michel Fabrizio was undoubtedly one of the protagonists, putting in a strong and consistent performance to snatch second place on tomorrow’s grid, and missing out on pole by just a fraction of a second. Team-mate Noriyuki Haga had a more difficult time, qualifying in tenth place for the opening races of the year. Of the first ten bikes on tomorrow’s grid, five are Ducati 1198s, yet another a demonstration of the bike’s competitiveness.

In this morning’s qualifying, and on a much cooler track compared to yesterday, the three fastest riders from yesterday, Checa, Fabrizio and Haslam did not manage to improve on their best times but they nevertheless held on the top three spots on the timesheet, qualifying first to third for the afternoon’s Superpole. Noriyuki, maintaining a similar pace to yesterday, preferred to work with a used tire than change to a fresh one in the final minutes to record a fast lap, meaning that he qualified for Superpole in fourteenth place. It is interesting to note that the fastest seventeen riders lapped within seven tenths of a second of each other, a sure sign that this year’s championship will be extremely hard fought.

As expected, Superpole was a close battle between the top eight. In the first of the three phases, 14 minutes in length, Nori immediately recorded a time fast enough for him to be able to return to the garage, safe in the knowledge that he had done enough. Michel meanwhile needed a tire change before his fastest lap propelled him up the timesheets to third place, to easily proceed to phase two along with his team-mate.

In the second mini-Superpole both factory riders went out on qualifiers, Michel making a fast lap and Nori changing tire mid-session. What seemed to be a clean lap for Haga unfortunately failed to equate to a fast enough lap, due to an apparent lack of rear grip which meant that Haga’s Superpole finished here, with the tenth fastest time of the afternoon, although only two tenths off Michel’s pace in the same session.

Michel, who still had a qualifier left to use in the final phase, pushed to the limit and it seemed that the pole position was within his grasp, but it all came down to a fraction of a second, with Michel ultimately closing in second place, just 0.016 of a second from Haslam on the Suzuki. Lining up in the first eight on tomorrow’s grid are also the Ducati 1198s of Checa (Althea Racing) in fourth and Smrz (Team Pata B&G Racing) in sixth.

Three-time world champion Troy Bayliss is once again special guest at the Phillip Island circuit this weekend and it was he who presented former team-mate Michel Fabrizio with his Superpole trophy today. Troy will continue to work as a Ducati “ambassador” in 2010.

Michel Fabrizio
“Today’s Superpole was very difficult but I am very happy with the final result. I lost out on the pole by just a fraction of a second which is a shame, but it’s not the first time that that has happened and the important thing is that I’m on the front row tomorrow. I was happy with my flying lap, a clean lap, with no-one in front of me. Tomorrow will be an equally difficult challenge, and various riders, me, Haslam, Checa, Biaggi and Nori will surely be in contention. We know we have a good race pace and I’m feeling confident for the races.”

Noriyuki Haga
“In the second phase of the Superpole I went out on a race tire but even though it felt like a clean lap, the time was not quick enough and unfortunately that put me out of the fight, and I finished tenth. Tomorrow I will of course need to make a fantastic start but I am confident that I am able to do that. I apologise to Ducati for the fact that I’m on the third row but I will, as ever, do my best in the races. Last year I started from 13th and won the race so I know it is possible to achieve a great result regardless of grid position.”

TIMES (Superpole): 1. Haslam (Suzuki) 1’31.2; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1’31.2; 3. Crutchlow (Yamaha) 1’31.6; 4. Checa (Ducati) 1’31.6; 5. Guintoli (Suzuki) 1’31.6; 6. Smrz (Ducati) 1’31.7; 7. Rea (Honda) 1’21.9; 8. Toseland (Yamaha) 1’32.0; 9. Lanzi (Ducati) 1’32.3; 10. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1’32.7

The Ducati Marlboro Team completed the second and final day of testing at Sepang, Malaysia, today with both riders extremely satisfied with the performance of their Desmosedici GP10 machines. Casey Stoner and Nicky Hayden were both in highly competitive form today, clocking the second and third fastest times of the session respectively.

Like the rest of the riders the pair used the first three hours of the session, from 10am to 1pm, followed by a further two hours from 4pm to 6pm to do the majority of their set-up work. Slightly cooler temperatures at that time of the day compared to the intense early afternoon heat provided the most suitable conditions.

Casey Stoner (Ducati Marlboro Team) 2nd fastest, 2’00.512 (33 laps)
“When we first went out this morning the track conditions were a huge improvement on yesterday thanks to the slightly cooler temperatures, which meant the track was less slippery. That allowed us to get the best out of the bike and we were able to set some fast times. We started out with the same setting we finished with yesterday, which I already liked, and we changed just a couple of things and were able to immediately set a strong pace. It is just a shame that the red flag came out right after we put the new medium tyre on. I missed out on a few laps because of that but it wasn’t a big deal. We are really satisfied with the package we have now and the progress we have made so far. If you ask me I’d say we are starting off from a stronger base than last year so now we’ll just have to wait and see if we can get straight on the pace in Qatar.”

Nicky Hayden (Ducati Marlboro Team) 3rd fastest, 2’00.703 (42 laps)
“I am obviously really happy because the changes we made yesterday afternoon that enabled me to go a couple of tenths faster despite the heat have proved to work even better today with the track in improved condition. After making small steps for the last few test sessions today we have finally taken a big leap forward and I was able to ride fast. The arm wasn’t too bad but it still isn’t as strong as before, which I can feel more than anything in the hard braking, and it was hard work today. Anyway, I am recovering well and now we move on from Sepang feeling really happy.”

Sepang Circuit Record: Casey Stoner (Ducati – 2007) 2’02.108
Best Pole: Valentino Rossi (Yamaha – 2009), 2’00.518

Unofficial lap times – Friday 26th February

1. Rossi (Yamaha) 2:00.271
2. Stoner(Ducati) 2:00.512
3. Hayden (Ducati) 2:00.703
4. Edwards(Yamaha) 2:00.988
5. Spies (Yamaha) 2:01.014
6. Capirossi (Suzuki) 2:01.320
7. Dovizioso (Honda) 2:01.439
8. Pedrosa (Honda) 2:01.478
9. Aoyama (Honda) 2:01.692
10. Bautista (Suzuki) 2:01.732
11. De Puniet (Honda) 2:01.980
12. Melandri (Honda) 2:02.078
13. Barbera (Ducati) 2:02.080
14. Kallio (Ducati) 2:02.082
15. Espargaro (Ducati) 2:02.367
16. Simoncelli (Honda) 2:03.689

After two intense winter test sessions in Portimao and Valencia, the Althea racing team faces one last two-day test session in Phillip Island before the season starts. Carlos Checa and Shakey Byrne declared themselves ready to take their Ducati 1098R into competitive action this weekend. A dry track and good weather conditions for the first day of official testing in Phillip Island. During morning free practice both Althea team riders made the best use of their recent testing experiences on this track. Byrne reached third place (1’33”121) while Checa obtained the fifth position (1’33”218). In afternoon qualifying session, both riders remained always in the first positions of the time chart. Near the end of the session with a fantastic lap Carlos Checa scored the provisional pole position (1’32”155). Unfortunately, he crashed a few minutes later, but he was able to restart with his second bike and end the qualifications. Shakey also crashed at the end of the session during his last fast lap. It was a vicious crash and he was immediately transferred to the circuit’s medical center. Fortunately, the doctors did not find any injuries or damage. The English rider reached fourth place (1’32”635) and the first provisional front row. Final qualifying and then Superpole qualifying takes place tomorrow, Saturday 26th, before Sunday’s two 22-lap Superbike races.

Free practice : 1) Haslam (Suzuki) – 2) Biaggi (Aprilia) – 3) Byrne (Ducati) – 4) Rea (Honda) – 5) Checa (Ducati) – 6) Crutchlow (Yamaha) – 7) Haga (Ducati)

Qualifying session : 1) Checa (Ducati) – 2) Fabrizio (Ducati) – 3) Haslam (Suzuki) – 4) Byrne (Ducati) – 5) Haga (Ducati) – 6) Biaggi (Aprilia) – 7) Rea (Honda) – 8) Guintoli (Suzuki)

Carlos Checa :”I’m really satisfied with today’s test. I worked very well with my technicians and we tested some different tires and settings. It’s always a good result for our team to reach the provisional pole position. Nevertheless, we have to remember that the race will be on Sunday and that probably we’ll have different weather conditions with colder temperature, but this a very good starting point. I would like to thank all the people in my team, and particularly the general manager Genesio Bevilacqua who was able to create such a competitive team. I hope Shakey will be all right tomorrow to fight for a good result during tomorrow’s qualifications and Superpole”.

Shane Byrne :”I had a big high side during my last fast lap while trying to improve my best lap time. I landed straight on my back and at the moment I’m experiencing a lot of pain. Hopefully tonight I’ll be able to rest and feel better tomorrow. I’m disappointed because the feeling with the bike was very good and without crashing I probably could have bettered my position. Now it’s important that I rest in order to be ready for tomorrow qualifying session and Superpole”.

Genesio Bevilacqua – General manager :” We are extremely pleased with Checa’s provisional pole position. He found a good setting that we hope to use also for the race. Tomorrow we’ll probably have different temperatures, but during our winter test sessions we worked with a lot of different temperatures, so I’m confident that also tomorrow we’ll be ready to compete for top positions. Shakey had a bad high side today but I know he’s a fighter, and tomorrow for sure he’ll try his best to contend for first places”.

Phillip Island (Australia), Friday 26th February : The World Superbike Championship officially got underway at Phillip Island today and, for the Ducati Xerox team and riders Noriyuki Haga and Michel Fabrizio, results of the first qualifying session were very positive, Fabrizio propelling himself to second place on the timesheets and Haga concluding in fifth.

After the very encouraging results of the recent tests held here last weekend, Michel closing fastest and Noriyuki in sixth, the team returned to work today in a motivated and enthusiastic frame of mind.

In the early afternoon the Superbike riders took to the tracks for the first free practice session. Faced with hotter track temperatures (circa 45°C) compared to those of last week’s test, both Noriyuki and Michel continued to work on the set-up of their Ducati 1198 machines. Both riders concentrated on tyre durability, trying to find the best set-up on used tyres. Michel was victim of a crash mid-session caused by an unexpected lack of grip at the front on entry into a corner, the asphalt was extremely slippery due to the heat. Having lost valuable time, the Italian rider exited on his second bike but was unfortunately unable to record a very fast lap, closing the session in 11th. Noriyuki made his fastest lap near the start of the session, closing in seventh place, but confident.

Later on, in the first qualifying session, the two factory riders significantly improved on their times , lapping consistently fast and towards the end of the session, on soft compounds, they both registered times that left them both happy and in the top five. Noteworthy performances also came from Carlos Checa and Shane “Shakey” Byrne (Althea Racing), they too riding the 1198, who finished the session in first and fourth placed respectively.

Michel Fabrizio 1m32.1s
“We tried different tyre solutions this morning and various setting solutions in agreement with my engineer. I had a fall, losing the front, but without causing myself, or my bike, too much damage fortunately. Then in the qualifying session we found a good direction with the tyre solution that may well be the one to choose for the race; the results were quite encouraging. During my fast lap I lost a couple of tenths through the last corner but I’m happy; we’ve worked well and I’m satisfied with the results. We have a good race pace but a lot will depend on Sunday’s weather.”

Noriyuki Haga 1m32.7s
“We’ve tested the different rear tyres that Pirelli make available to us this weekend but we are still undecided as to which will have the best durability in these hot conditions. Tomorrow we’ll try a different solution for the setting but overall I’m happy. The lap times have been consistent but today was very hot and although I felt I could have pushed a little more, I didn’t want to risk it, also because I saw that several riders crashed.”

TIMES: 1. Checa (Ducati) 1.32.1; 2. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 1’32.1, 3. Haslam (Suzuki) 1’32.3; 4. Byrne (Ducati) 1’32.6; 5. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 1’32.7; 6. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1’32.8; 7. Rea (Honda) 1’32.8; 8. Guintoli (Suzuki) 1’32.9…

Cupertino, Calif. (25 February 2010) – Ducati North America is excited for the beginning of the 2010 US racing season, with a record eight privateer Ducati teams entering the Daytona Superbike and Daytona 200 races.

As one of the most storied and famous names in motorcycle racing, Ducati lives and breathes the sport. This is something reflected in the DNA of its road-going performance models. Defined by the motto “Engineered by the stopwatch, designed by the racetrack,” Ducati’s Superbike range represents the ideal platform from which to build a professional racing contender.

This year, no fewer than eight privateer teams have done exactly that- with three representing Ducati in the flagship Superbike class aboard the 1198R, and another six entered in the grueling Daytona 200 aboard the middleweight 848. Ducatisti worldwide will have all eyes on the Bolognese machines, cheering them on from start to finish for their efforts in dominating the most anticipated race of the year.

Ducati is proud to announce the return of Larry Pegram -winner of three AMA Superbike Races in 2009- who is aboard his 1198R Superbike for its second full season of AMA competition. He will surely be a force to be reckoned with in the Superbike class. On the grid with Pegram in Daytona will be Floridian Barrett Long of Longetivity Racing, and Shawn Higbee aboard a Moto Forza- backed bike.

The Ducati 848 will make its Daytona 200 debut en masse, with eight bikes entered into the Sportbike class. This represents the strongest Ducati field in years, and there will no doubt be a race to the finish for these middleweight champions.

Running the full 2010 season will be Motocorsa-backed Latus Motors rider Steve Rapp- a rider with previous Ducati knowledge- and the two Crozier Roberson Motorsports bikes of Mark Crozier and Bobby Fong. They will be sharing the Daytona grid with Jake Holden, Barrett Long and Calvin Martinez. Daytona is seen in Europe as one of the world’s most exotic and appealing races, the mystique of which has drawn Andrea Padovani and Dario Marchetti of Italy over to compete.

For those who would like to see the brand new 848 Dark and 1198R road bikes; the 2010 Ducati lineup will be on display at Ducati Motorcycles of Daytona throughout the week. Many of these models will be making their US debuts. The famous Ducati Caffe will be there, and all are welcome to come by for an espresso and to enjoy the Ducati lifestyle displays.

Imola (Italy), Tuesday 22nd September: This year the Imola circuit takes the place of Vallelunga as the third Italian track on the World Superbike calendar, having not featured on the schedule since 2006. In that time various modifications have been made to the track, including the construction of a controversial new chicane just after the start line that the Superbike riders experienced for the first time during the July test session organised by Infront Sports.

During the pre-summer tests, held in extremely hot conditions, it was Michel Fabrizio who dominated the sessions; he was consistently the fastest rider on track which bodes well for the coming weekend’s racing. Noriyuki was unfortunately unable to participate in the aforementioned testing due to the injuries he had sustained earlier at the Donington Park round, and so he returns to a track that he hasn’t ridden since the 2006 event.

At the start of September the German Nürburgring hosted the eleventh Superbike round but although Noriyuki was strong in both Friday’s (wet) and Saturday’s (dry) sessions, taking too his first pole of the season, a race win unfortunately eluded him; after finishing a close second in Race 1, an incident with Honda rider Rea in Race 2 meant game-over and zero points for Nitro-Nori. As a result, Haga, having led the championship until that point, now finds himself in second place, eighteen points behind Yamaha’s Ben Spies, and 57 points ahead of third-placed rider, team-mate Fabrizio. Michel also had a difficult race day at the Ring; having finished seventh in Race 1, he was forced to change bikes before the second race but, for various reasons, found it difficult to fight for the podium and concluded proceedings in ninth place.

Although the World Superbike championship cannot be decided until at least the Magny-Cours round, there is a mathematical chance that young Belgian rider, Xavier Simeon, currently leading the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with the Ducati Xerox Junior Team, could take the title this weekend in front of the Italian crowd. There are, as last year, four riders still in the running but Xavier currently holds a 40 point advantage over second-placed rider Corti, and so would need to increase this lead to at least 50 points in order to secure victory at Imola.

Another appointment is fixed for Saturday evening, when Imola’s town council, in collaboration with Ducati and circuit managers Formula Imola, will award Ducati ambassador and three times World Champion, Troy Bayliss, with a lifetime career award. Troy Bayliss will be at the track with the Ducati Xerox Team all weekend.

Noriyuki Haga (2nd in championship, 346 points)
Noriyuki’s best result at Imola was a third place finish, scored in 2005 – this year only victory will do.
“We came away from Nürburgring disappointed, because we know we should have, and could have, taken at least one race win. Now I am in second place in the championship which means that at Imola it is even more important to finish first. There are 50 points on offer at Imola and the gap between Ben and I is only eighteen… It is of course Ducati’s home track and we haven’t been here for a few years, so, as well as needing the points for the championship, it would be great to do well in front of all the Ducatisti.”

Haga’s Superbike form at Imola:
2006: Race 1 – 4th, Race 2 – 6th
2005: Race 1 – 3rd
2004: Race 1 – 4th, Race 2 – DNF
2002: Race 1 – 5th, Race 2 – 4th

Michel Fabrizio (3rd in championship, 289 points)
Although the 2006 Superbike event at Imola didn’t go to plan for the Italian rider, Michel won the Superstock 1000 race held at the same track back in 2003.

“I was very comfortable on this track when we tested here in July, and one of the fastest, but I’m aware that it will be significantly cooler for the race and that may make a difference. The 2006 Imola event was one to forget for me but this year I am much more confident, mainly due to the fact that testing proved the 1198 can go well here. I’m looking forward to the final Italian race event of the season!”

Fabrizio’s Superbike form at Imola:

2006: Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – DNF
CIRCUIT DATA:
Country: Italy
Name: Autodromo di Imola
Circuit length: 4.936 km
Pole position: left
Corners left: 10
Corners right: 6
Race distance: 21 laps = 103.656 km

LAP RECORDS:

Fastest lap – Barros (Honda) 1′50.266 (2006). Superpole – Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 1′48.804 (2006).
2006 RESULTS:

Race 1 – 1. Barros (Honda); 2. Toseland (Honda); 3. Pitt (Yamaha). Race 2 – 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox); 2. Barros (Honda); 3. Kagayama (Suzuki).

An afternoon of highs and lows for Noriyuki Haga, Michel Fabrizio and the Ducati Xerox squad today at the Nurburgring. Having stepped up to the podium in Race, Noriyuki was the victim of a Race 2 incident which saw him walk away unhurt but with a DNF result. Difficulties for Michel too, who for various reasons was unable to obtain the results he had hoped for today.

In Race 1, an all-out duel ensued between Noriyuki Haga on his Ducati 1198 and Ben Spies on the Yamaha. After an accident and subsequent red flag on lap one, the race was restarted and it was Haga who got away quickest, ahead of Rea and Spies. In the first stages Noriyuki was able to build up a gap while Rea and Spies fought it out behind him, but after ten laps Spies had caught up, managing to get past the Japanese rider. The second half of the race was characterized by the fight between the two leaders, both riding on the limit, with Noriyuki taking a new lap record on the 15th lap. Unfortunately, and despite his best efforts, Haga was unable to pass Ben and closed the first race in second position. Michel also got away quickly but was caught up in a chasing group made up of Biaggi, Checa and later Corser and Haslam. Despite maintaining a good pace for the entire 20-lap race, he was able to pass only Corser in the final phase, thus finishing the race in seventh.
In Race 2 the Ducati Xerox riders were far from lucky. Haga immediately took the lead but knoew that Honda riders Checa and Rea were both hot on his heels. Checa got past him on the third lap but when Rea tried to do the same thing on the very next lap, he made contact with the Japanese rider at the end of the straight, causing Nori to fall and signifying the end of his race. For Michel the race panned out in a similar way to the first; despite a good start, technical problems prevented him from maintaining his position, and having moved up as far as fifth during the race, the Italian rider eventually finished ninth.

Today’s results mean that Noriyuki loses the championship lead for the first time this season; he is now 18 points behind Spies, while Michel remains in third place with 289 points. Ducati is still at the top of the manufacturers leader board with 439 points while Yamaha chases with 407.

Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 2nd, Race 2 – DNF)
“Ben got past me after ten laps and from that point on I did all I could to push everywhere so as to stay with him. I basically tried to overtake him everywhere and in some places I came close but in the end I had to settle for second. I am not so happy as I really thought I could win but Ben has a very strong bike here today. Then, before the second race, we made a small suspension modification and I had a better feeling with the rear as the race got underway; I think that would have been of benefit if I had reached the final stages of the race, but unfortunately, just I started to push to catch Checa, Rea came up fast on the straight and hit me. There was nothing I could do and I couldn’t restart the bike. I’m angry as it is the second time this has happened; I guess the only consolation is that I’m not hurt.”

Michel Fabrizio (Gara 1 – 7°,  Gara 2 – 9°)
“What can I say? The weekend didn’t go to plan. In Race 1 I had problems with rear grip and once that race was over my technicians discovered a problem with gearing which meant I had to go out with the second bike in Race 2. Unfortunately the engine of the second bike didn’t perform as it should, as it seemed as I was missing acceleration coming out of the corners, meaning it was impossible to stick with the group ahead of me. It can only go better at Imola.”

RESULTS: Race 1 – 1. Spies (Yamaha); 2. Haga (Ducati Xerox); 3. Checa (Honda) Race 2 -  1. Rea (Honda) 2. Spies (Yamaha) ; 3. Checa (Honda)

CLASSIFICATION: Riders – 1. Spies (Yamaha) 364; 2. Haga (Ducati Xerox) 346; 3. Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) 289; 4. Rea (Honda) 244; 5. Biaggi (Aprilia) 224; 6. Haslam (Honda) 201. Manufacturers – Ducati 439; Yamaha 407; Honda 347; Aprilia 231; Suzuki 143; BMW 105; Kawasaki 56

World Superstock

a third consecutive win for Xavier Simeon and the Ducati Xerox Team today, a victory that consolidates the Italian team’s championship lead. Sixth position for Daniele Beretta.

Xavier Simeon concluded his weekend in the best possible way. Having made a strong start, it was just a few corners before he took the lead and struck up a rhythm that made him almost impossible to catch. The Belgian rider, aware of what was happening behind him, pushed as hard as possible in the first laps, registering a new lap record in the process, and keeping his rivals at a distance. He ran a solitary race, dominating from start to finish. This makes three consecutive wins for Simeon and four second place finishes, meaning he stepped up to the podium in every race held so far this season.

XAVIER SIMEON – “Yesterday the pole was taken from me but that’s the only thing I’ve given away this weekend! I started well and got straight past Fores so as to get into a good rhythm. I chose to increase the gap immediately in the hope that I could avoid dangerous duels later in the race and I was only thinking about riding well. The bike was perfect today and I thank the whole team who’ve done an amazing job. We have a good advantage in the championship but we can’t get complacent; there are still three races to go and anything could happen. I dedicate this win to David, my very good friend, who’s not well at the moment.”

A positive race for Daniele Beretta too who fought hard against Giugliano and Corti. The Italian rider made a few small errors in the final stages, concluding the race just behind the aforementioned rivals.

DANIELE  BERETTA – “After yesterday’s practice we made some modifications to the set-up which improved the bike, but in the initial laps it was difficult to stick with Berger and Fores. From mid-race onwards I maintained a good pace and fought hard against Berger and Corti. I made some small mistakes, especially in the final stretch, and this meant I finished behind those two but, all things considered, I’m quite happy. Thanks to the team for their hard work this weekend.”

Race Result
1.Xavier Simeon (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) in 22’13’’426 in an average of 152,558 km/h ; 2.M.Berger (Honda) 2’’763; 3.J.Fores (Kawasaki) 5’’649; 4.D.Giugliano (Suzuki) 6’’620; 5.C.Corti (Suzuki) 7’’085; 6.Daniele Beretta (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) 7’’353….

Classification
1.Xavier Simeon 155 points; 2.C.Corti 115; 3.M.Berger 102; 4.J.Fores 100; 5.S.Barrier 67; 6.Daniele Beretta 66…