MAX GOES INTO SECOND IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP!
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner took a superb win
in the first race at Misano today and seventh in race two,
to move into second place in the championship behind Troy
Bayliss (Ducati). After his tremendous performance in race
one, when he charged from the third row of the grid to take
the chequered flag, another good result was on the cards for
race two. But the second race was red-flagged after one lap
and Max, like most riders, changed his rear tyre. Despite
the bike having the same set-up and the same type of tyre,
Max had problems exiting the corners and lost time trying
to catch the lead group. Nevertheless, he was happy to take
his second ever World Superbike win today and leave Misano
second in the championship.
Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto did not have such a
good day. He crashed in the first race, but remounted to finish
12th. He used a harder tyre in race two, but the much higher
temperature meant the tyre didn’t work well. He then
got caught up in a group and ended tenth.
It was always going to be a difficult day for Fonsi’s
team mate Yukio Kagayama. Although he had pain-killing injections
in his injured left hand, the heat and two long 24-lappers
meant he had to dig very deep just to finish the races. Despite
the pain, he managed a superb 11th in race one and 12th in
race two.
Max - Race 1: 1st, Race 2: 7th
I am very happy to win my second race and the feeling was
very good - especially as I had started from the third row
of the grid. I was patient and just worked my way up though
the field and once I was in front, I knew I could win. We
didn’t change anything for race two, so I am a bit surprised
why I couldn’t do as well. The tyre was the same, but
it didn’t work the same way. I didn’t make a good
start, so there was always going to be some work to do, but
I was losing time exiting the turns and it was hard to pass
some of the other riders. But, at the end of the day, I am
happy because I am second in the championship and not so many
points behind the leader.
Fonsi - Race 1: 12th, Race 2: 10th
At the moment, I am not happy and also I have no luck. Starting
from row three of the grid always makes problems and you have
to push hard to catch the front runners if you are to have
any chance of a good result. Maybe I was pushing too hard
in the first race, trying to catch the leading group, and
that’s why I lost the front and crashed. It was only
a small crash and I got back on the bike straightaway, but
it ruined any chance of a good result. We used a harder tyre
in race two, but the higher temperature meant it didn’t
work so well. The high temperature also meant that my bike’s
engine was running too hot when I was in the slipstream trying
to catch the other riders. The engine wasn’t getting
enough cool air and its temperature went up, and when that
happens you lose power. So I couldn’t catch the front
guys and ended 10th. The lack of air coming into my helmet
made it difficult to breathe at times, so today was very exhausting.
But forget the heat, I am not happy today, because I know
it should’ve been much better.
Yukio - Race 1: 11th, Race 2: 12th
Today the bike was good, but the rider’s performance
was not! I had pain-killing injections before both races and
both times they worked for some laps, but nowhere close to
the race distance. It was a big problem getting the bike to
change direction and sometimes on the brakes. The broken bones
heal quickly, but the ligaments take longer and they were
causing me the problems today. After six or seven laps in
both races, I began suffering with the pain, so I tried to
use my right hand and arm more. But when the bike was shaking
a bit, I found it difficult to hold the left side and it was
not easy to push hard. Today, my left side performance was
not as good as it should be and I am sorry because the bike
has the potential to be on the podium. My team did a great
job this weekend and I am just sorry I was not able to give
them better results.
Results
Race 1: 1 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki),
2 Corser (AUS-Yamaha), 3 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 4 Xaus (E-Ducati),
5 Checa (E-Honda), 6 Lanzi (I-Ducati), 7 Smrz (CZ-Ducati ),
8 Lavilla (E-Honda), 9 Nakatomi (J-Yamaha), 10 Haga (J-Yamaha),
11 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare), 12 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki
Alstare),
Race 2: 1 Xaus (E-Ducati), 2 Biaggi (I-Ducati),
3 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati), 4 Haga (J-Yamaha), 5 Corser (AUS-Yamaha),
6 Lanzi (I-Ducati), 7 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki),
8 Checa (E-Honda), 9 Smrz (CZ-Ducati), 10 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki
Alstare), 12 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare)
Points: 1 Bayliss 259, 2 Neukirchner 210,
3 Checa 207, 4 Haga 191, 5 Troy Corser (Aus-Yamaha Motor Italia)
185, 6 Nieto 151, 7 Xaus 148, 8 Biaggi 117, 9 Fabrizio 111,
10 Kiyonari 94, 11 Kagayama 82.
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