BAYLISS (DUCATI XEROX TEAM) RETURNS TO HOME ROUND AT PHILLIP
ISLAND WITH TWO-POINT CHAMPIONSHIP LEAD
Phillip Island (Australia), Thursday 2 March: Following last
weekend's thrilling series opener in Qatar, Troy Bayliss returns
to Phillip Island, Australia for the second round of the World
Superbike Championship with a two-point lead in the standings.
The 36 year-old Aussie from Taree finished runner-up in both
Losail races to lead the world championship for production-based
machinery for the first time since Assen 2002. That year Troy
lost out on his second successive title, but the tough Aussie,
who has returned to Superbikes this year after a spell in
MotoGP, is determined to regain his crown from last year's
champion and Aussie rival, Troy Corser (Suzuki).
"I'm back here at Phillip Island with the Ducati Xerox
squad and it's a team where I've spent most of my career in
Superbikes, which makes me very happy because I feel much
more at home" declared Troy. "In Qatar we did a
really good job, despite having to use the hardest front tyre
that Pirelli had, but everyone had this problem, whereas at
Phillip Island we'll be able to use the front tyre we like
and feel more comfortable with. There was plenty of action
in Qatar because all the manufacturers are up at the front
and that's exactly what the public wants to see, different
brands of bike fighting for the win. A lot of guys like myself
have also come back from MotoGP and everyone seems to be capable
of doing a good result, which is exactly what the championship
needs. Obviously we want to be consistent because points is
what's going to win us the championship in the end, but I
love to win races as well and the last time I was at Phillip
Island in Superbikes we did that twice. It's not going to
be easy this time but I'm feeling confident".
Lorenzo Lanzi had a weekend of mixed fortunes in Qatar on
his first outing as full-time rider for the Ducati Xerox Team.
The 24-year-old Italian scored a front-row slot alongside
poleman Bayliss in Superpole, but a high-side in the first
race left him slightly bruised for race 2, in which he could
only finish sixth.
"My start to the season wasn't the best, apart from
qualifying, but luckily the nasty crash I had in race 1 didn't
have any serious consequences. In race 2 I didn't really like
my sixth place, but I couldn't do much better because of my
physical condition" declared Lorenzo. "Now we are
at Phillip Island and I am convinced that I can get some good
results here. I like the track, hopefully I can get off to
a good start in free practice by finding the right settings
and doing a qualifying session like in Qatar. I would be happy
to get on the front row here, which will give me a chance
of fighting on equal footing with the best. The track is great
from the mid-point of the lap onwards, the final part. It's
so fast and I like fast tracks, but it's not going to be easy
to set things up as I've never ridden here with this bike
before".
THE CIRCUIT Name: Phillip Island Grand Prix
Circuit. Length: 4.445 km. Pole Position: left. Corners Left/Right:
7/5. Longest straight: 835 metres.
CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 1 round of 13):
1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 40; 2. Corser (Suzuki) & Toseland
(Honda) 38; 4. Pitt (Yamaha) 27; 5. Fabrizio (Honda) 19; 6.
Barros (Honda) 19; 7. Haga (Yamaha) 16; 8. Rolfo (Ducati)
12; 9. Muggeridge (Honda) 11; 10. Abe (Yamaha) 10. Manufacturers
- 1. Ducati 40; 2. Honda & Suzuki 38; 4. Yamaha 32; 5.
Kawasaki 7.
STATISTICS: Best lap: Corser (Ducati), 1m32.193s
(1999). Lap record: Corser (Ducati), 1m33.019s (1999). Superpole:
Corser (Ducati), 1m32.193s (1999).
2005 RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Corser (Suzuki);
2. Kagayama (Suzuki); 3. Vermeulen (Honda). Race 2 - 1. Corser;
2. Kagayama; 3. Neukirchner (Honda).
TV COVERAGE: Eurosport (Pan European): Sunday
5 March - 0200 SBK race 1 (live), 0730 SBK race 2 (delayed);
Eurosport 2 (Pan European): Sunday 5 March - 1545 SBK race
1 (delayed), 1715 SBK race 2 (delayed). La7 (Italy): Sunday
5 March - from 1400 onwards SBK races 1+2 (delayed). Fox Sports
(Australia): Saturday 4 March - 1545 Superpole (live); Sunday
5 March - from 1130 onwards SBK races 1+2 (live).
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