Superpole goes to Bayliss
(World SBK Release)
SUPERPOLE GOES TO REIGNING CHAMPION - BAYLISS BOUNCES BACK INTO
CONTENTION After a somewhat subdued first round at Losail last weekend
the 2001 and 2006 champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) smashed his way
back into the public consciousness at his home circuit by setting a new
qualifying best of 1'31.887, and then winning a delayed Superpole
contest, with a 1'32.145. Just behind Bayliss in both qualifying and
Superpole came James Toseland (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) who also
prevented third place Superpole rider Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia)
from turning 40 in terms of Superpole wins. In a good period of final
grid allocations for the Yamaha Motor Italia team, Noriyuki Haga
overcame an eighth place in regular qualifying place to go fourth, and
now start from the front row.
BIAGGI LEADS THE SECOND RUNG Max Biaggi (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra)
scored a second row start at Phillip Island and a cosmopolitan first
few Superpole places included sixth placed Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki
Corse), sixth. Once again the talent and cool-headedness of German
rider Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Germany) took him to a top starting
position, with his seventh place ride displacing the 2006 factory spec
Ducati of Ruben Xaus (Sterilgarda Ducati).
LACONI IMPROVES ON DAY TWO Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) made an
upward movement after a disappointing first day, despite the high winds
that plagued the second day of track action. Losail podium finisher
Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) was only tenth after a disappointing
Superpole run.
Second fastest Honda rider was Steve Martin (DFX Corse Honda) in 11th
place, with Josh Brookes clinging onto the last place on row three on
his Alto Evolution Honda. Czech rider Jakub Smrz (Caracchi Ducati SC)
was 14th out of 15 in his first Superpole outing. A costly period of
qualifying for some top riders saw Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra) ruled out of qualifying and the rest of race weekend
after his first day crash, while Karl Muggeridge fell on the oil
deposited on the track by his team-mate's blown engine today, and was
sent to hospital for checks after suffering a light concussion and an
injured ankle. He is unsure of starting on Sunday, and currently awaits
medical clearance.
PIRELLI BEAT THE CLOCK On Friday the records starting falling for
Pirelli, with Foret beating Vermeulen's 2003-season best Lap. Vermeulen
was on Pirellis when he set his long-standing best, and was champion at
the end of that season, in the "Open Era", fought out with prototype
tyres. Today Bayliss also set the new best lap for the SBK class.
The track itself changed a lot during the Phillip Island weekend, due
to the different weather and temperature experienced over the practice
period. Temperature and humidity has altered the tarmac grip, so
different tyres were needed in different sessions to allow full
potential to be reached in each session.
Pirelli has fitments ready to meet any conditions, and tomorrow the
last record remaining to be beaten is for race time over the full
22-lap distance.
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP Fabien Foret (Gil Motorsports Kawasaki)
was a popular pole position winner, taking his 11th career pole, the
first for Kawasaki since Andrew Pitt at Phillip Island in 2002 and the
first for Foret himself since the 2005 season. It was a new WSS record
lap in qualifying; 1'35.166, set on day one.
A second day blighted by very high winds down the main straight made
the second timed session hard work for all, but shortly before crashing
in the final ten minutes of qualifying Kevin Curtain (Yamaha SSP
Racing) scored a fantastic lap of the 4.445km circuit, only 0.033
seconds from equalling Foret's best.
The front row for the 21-lap race on Sunday will be completed by the
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda riders, Sebastien Charpentier and Kenan
Sofuoglu, with fifth fastest lap of the weekend coming from the
Caracchi Ducati SC rider, Gianluca Nannelli.
