NEUKIRCHNER CLOSES ON WSB SERIES LEAD
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner raced to World
Superbike victory in the first race at the Misano eighth round
today and then seventh in race two to move into second place
in the championship.
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 Neukirchner,
like most riders, changed his rear tyre. Despite the bike
having the same set-up and the same type of tyre, he 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 10th.
It was always going to be a difficult day for 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
11th in race one and 12th in race two.
Max Neukirchner - 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 through
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 Nieto - 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. 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 Kagayama - 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."
World Superbike 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.
SUPERSTOCK 1000:
Not even a broken left collarbone could deter Team Alstare
Suzuki rider Xavi Simeon's title challenge in the fourth round
of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup at Misano today.
The young Belgian was obviously in pain during the 14-lap
race, but he raced to fifth place and maintained his position
at the top of the points standings.
Xavi Simeon - 5th:
"That was a very difficult race for me today and before
it started, I did not know how I would do. I had some pain-killing
injections and the first few laps were not so bad. But the
high temperature and the effect of the injection wearing off
meant it wasn't long before I was feeling a lot of pain. The
last three or four laps were terrible. Sometimes I would tip
into a corner and strange shooting pains, like electric shocks,
ran through my left arm. I was so relieved to see the chequered
flag at the end and happy to get as many points as I did.
Also, I am still leading the championship and that makes me
forget the pain."
Superstock 1000 Results: 1 Polita (I-Ducati), 2 Pirro (I-Yamaha),
3 Berger F-Honda), 4 Roberts (AUS-Ducati), 5 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare
Suzuki), 6 Antonelli (I-Honda).
Points: 1 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki) 84, 2 Roberts 76,
3 Polita 67, 4 Pirro 63, 5 Berger 59, 6 Giugliano 48.
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