2007 Superbike World Championship
Round 2, Phillip Island, Australia
Circuit: 4.445 kms. Conditions: Dry, sunny 24 - 26 C.
SIXTH FOR MAX, HOSPITAL FOR YUKIO.
The first day of qualifying for the second round of the Superbike
World Championship at Phillip Island was a dramatic one for
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra. Joint series leader Max
Biaggi finished with the sixth fastest time of the day, just
ahead of team mate Yukio. But Yukio had a heavy crash in the
afternoon session is unlikely to take any further part in
proceedings. At first, it was suspected that Yukio had broken
his left collarbone, a few ribs and damaged his spleen in
the process but after he was helicoptered to The Alfred hospital
in Melbourne there was some doubt about the extent of his
injuries, so the medics there decided to carry out further
tests. All hopes are that the injuries are not as bad as originally
thought.
James Toseland (Honda) set the day’s quickest time,
with a lap of 1:32.040, easily inside the lap record set by
Troy Bayliss (Ducati) last year. Bayliss is second fastest
today, with Fonsi Nieto (Kawasaki) third and Lorenzo Lanzi
(Ducati) fourth.
MAX - 6th, 1:32.900
Today was OK and we tried a few things to get the bike working
the way I wanted. We began with the bike more or less set
up as in Qatar and then tried to improve it.
I felt we were losing a little time in all the sectors, so
we tried some smaller discs in the first session. But the
pads didn’t get up to temperature, so we had to change
back to the bigger discs for the afternoon qualifying session.
Today we were using a Qatar engine and it didn't feel very
strong, but tomorrow we’ll put in a fresh engine. I
also focussed on getting the right tyres for the races on
Sunday, so today’s lap times weren’t so important.
I think that, whatever tyres we use, we’ll all be having
problems seven or eight laps before the end of the race.
Phillip Island is a great track, but it’s very demanding
on tyres because there are many left turns and not many rights.
That means one side of the tyre wears quicker then the other,
so you have to be careful and try and conserve the tyres the
best you can. I really like the SBK two race formula, because
you get a second chance if something happens in one of the
races. At first, I didn’t know if my physical condition
would be OK for two races, but it’s been fine and I’m
looking forward to Sunday’s races and a big fight on
the track.
YUKIO - 7th, 1:33.154
I lost the front in turn two and crashed. Very painful! I
felt I had been run over by a truck! Maybe my collarbone is
broken and there is pain in my spleen area, so I am going
to hospital for many checks. I hope I can rejoin my team before
long. Good luck to Max in the races!
Friday qualifying
1 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1:32.040, 2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:32.641,
3 Nieto (E-Kawasaki) 1:32.769, 4 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:32.774,
5 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:32. 900, 6 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra) 1:32.998, 7 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra) 1:33.154, 8 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:33. 244, 9 Xaus
(E-Ducati) 1:33.315, 10 Neukirchner (D-Suzuki) 1:33.523,
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