2007 Superbike World Championship
Round 12, Vallelunga, Italy, Final qualifying
Circuit: 4.110 kms.
FRONT ROW FOR MAX.
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi set the
fourth quickest time in Superpole at Vallelunga circuit today
and will start tomorrow’s pair of 24-lap races from
the front row of the grid. His team mate Yukio Kagayama failed
to make the 16-rider Superpole shoot-out, due to pain in his
right hand and knee - a legacy of his crash just two weeks
ago at the Eurospeedway Lausitz. Tomorrow morning he will
try and ride in the warm-up and see if it is possible to race.
Superpole was full of drama, with series leader James Toseland
(Honda) crashing out when he was on course for the fastest
lap. In the end, reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati) just
managed to beat his fellow countryman Troy Corser (Yamaha)
to take Superpole. Third fastest was Spaniard Ruben Xaus (Ducati),
with Max fourth.
Max - 4th, 1:36.925
Being on the front row is always important at any racetrack
and I’m happy that I will be starting in a good position
tomorrow. For me, it’s a great pleasure to race here
so close to Rome - the headquarters of FGSport and also my
home town. Today I wore some special leathers, with the design
of the Italian flag and the logo of Roma football club - my
favourite team. I hope that I can make two good results tomorrow
and give a lot of pleasure to all the fans who will be here.
Yukio - 20th, 1:39.190
My problem today is my right hand and right knee. Yesterday
my knee did not feel so bad, but today it was much worse.
I went to the Clinica Mobile and had a painkilling injection
in my knee and that was OK for a while. But then I lost feeling
in my knee and I couldn’t move around on the bike properly.
My hand was also very sore and I wasn’t able to do many
laps or get into Superpole. At the moment, it would be very
difficult to race tomorrow, but I will see how I feel in the
morning warm-up, before I make any decision.
Final qualifying
1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:35.890, 2 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:36.016,
3 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:36.737, 4 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki
Corona Extra) 1:36.925, 5 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:36.996, 6 Lanzi
(I-Ducati) 1:367.428, 7 Fabrizio (I-Honda) 1:37.430, 8 Toseland
(GB-Honda) 1:37.371, 9 Rolfo (I-Honda) 1:37.589, 10 Nakatomi
(J-Yamaha) 1:37.775, 20 Yukio Kagayama (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona
Extra) 1:39.190,
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