Preview: Round 10, Brands Hatch, UK, 5th August
NEW TERRITORY FOR MAX.
The tenth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship
takes place at one of the best-loved circuits on the calendar
- Brands Hatch. The unique bowl-like setting in the heart
of the Kent countryside always provides spectacular racing
and the closeness of the fans means an atmosphere second to
none. Brands has witnessed crowds of over 100,000 in the past
and once again a huge crowd is expected this weekend, with
many fans ready to cheer for a home win for series leader
James Toseland.
For Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi, the
Brands Hatch round will be a testing occasion because he has
not raced at the track before. The many ‘blind’
approaches to corners and undulating nature are not easy to
learn and Max will have to compete against rivals who all
have previous knowledge of the 3.703 kilometre circuit. One
of his rivals, is his team mate Yukio Kagayama. The Japanese
rider has ridden the track both in World Superbike and also
British Superbike events and knows that it is a track like
no other. Yukio arrives at Brands Hatch full of confidence
after winning the prestigious Suzuka 8 hour race last weekend
in Japan and the previous month has seen an upturn in both
his fortunes and confidence.
Max
It’s true that I’ve not raced at Brands Hatch
before, but I have seen it on TV and video and know that it
is something very different. I understand that it is also
one of those tracks where the fans can get really close to
the action and if the crowd is a big one then the noise they
make can be heard inside your helmet. I know that Brands has
some tricky corners, some with blind approaches, and that
circuit knowledge is very important, but I learn tracks pretty
quickly and I think I can do well as long as we can get a
good bike set-up for raceday. After all, when the lights change
at the start of the race, it’s the same for everybody
and racing is what I like best. I am not sure how the races
are going to be, but I can tell you that I will be giving
my best - as usual - and trying to get on the podium. It was
really good to get a win and another podium in the last round
in Brno and I want to carry on getting podiums at Brands and
the rest of the season.
Yukio
Since Misano, I have become much happier with my bike and
I have a good feeling with it now. After a long time, I now
find it easier to understand the bike’s limit. Before,
I did not - and that was a scary feeling. My win in Suzuka
last weekend was a very special feeling and one that I will
remember and treasure for the rest of my life. It is hard
to understand how big and important this race is for the manufacturers
and fans and to win it is an amazing feeling. But now, it’s
back to work and Brands Hatch. This track is not so easy and
the more you ride it the more you learn. Last year, my results
were so-so, but I am hoping for better results - and maybe
podiums this year. This will not be easy, but this is what
I want and this is what I will try to do.
2006 results
Race 1: Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 Toseland (GB-Honda), 3 Haga
(J-Yamaha), 5 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra),
Race 2: 1 Haga, 2 Bayliss, 3 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha), 7 Yukio Kagayama
(J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra)
Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) - Did not race.
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