NEUKIRCHNER ON MONZA FRONT ROW
It took a new lap record by series leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati)
to deprive Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner of a Superpole
win at the Monza World Superbike fifth round today.
Bayliss smashed Noriyuki Haga's 2007 time by well over a
second to take his third Superpole win of the season.
Suzuki Alstare rider Yukio Kagayama thought his Superpole
lap was a fast one but was disappointed to find out he'd set
the fifth quickest time instead. His team mate Fonsi Nieto
made a big improvement in today's practice and qualifying
sessions and will start tomorrow's pair of 18-lappers from
the second row of the grid.
Max Neukirchner - 2nd, 1:45.287:
"I'm really happy today because I think we have a good
bike set-up and I'm ready for the races. My engine felt strong
today and although I made a small mistake in Superpole I'm
happy to be on the front row of the grid. Monza is a fast
track and I hope to enjoy myself and have some fun tomorrow.
Yukio Kagayama - 5th, 1:45.777:
"It's funny but I really thought that my Superpole was
a good one and that it was fast also. But when I saw the times
I realised that it had only been good enough for fifth position
and I was disappointed. Today we did a lot of good work and
tested many tyres so we have a good idea of what set-up to
use tomorrow. Maybe we'll make some small adjustments in the
warm-up tomorrow morning but the bike is pretty good at the
moment, so the rest is up to me!"
Fonsi Nieto - 7th, 1:45.942:
"Yesterday, I think I lost my way a bit so I feel that
my weekend only started today. Now my bike is getting better
and although I still have problems in two corners, we are
going in the right direction. This racetrack is strange and
there are many different points, like braking and slipstreaming,
to consider. We more or less know which tyres we will use,
but a lot depends on the weather. But anyway, I'm a lot happier
today than I was yesterday."
Final WSB qualifying: 1 Bayliss (AUS-Ducati) 1.44.931, 2
Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1.45.28, 3 Haga (J-Yamaha)
1.45.665, 4 Checa (ESP-Honda) 1.45.766, 5 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki
Alstare) 1.45.777, 6 Xaus (ESP-Ducati) 1.45.795, 7 Fonsi Nieto
(E-Suzuki Alstare) 1.45.942, Kiyonari (J-Honda) 1.45.975,
9 Biaggi (I-Ducati) 1.46.039, 10 Muggeridge (AUS-Honda) 1.46.065.
SUPERSTOCK 1000:
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Xavi Simeon will start tomorrow's
third round of the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup from the third
row of the grid after problems today.
The team changed the engine braking characteristics in order
to help Xavi in a particular corner but unfortunately it caused
problems in the other corners and he couldn't push as hard
as he wanted. But the lap times of the top 10 are very close
and if Xavi had gone just two-tenths-of-a-second quicker he
would've ended up on the front row of the grid!
Italian Claudio Corti (Yamaha) set the day's fastest lap
with Michele Pirro (Yamaha) second, Davide Giugliano (Suzuki)
third and Michele Magnoni (Yamaha) fourth.
Xavi Simeon- 10th, 1:49.648:
"Obviously I am disappointed to be on the third row
but the lap times are close and I could've just as easily
ended up on the front row. Now it's going to be a bit like
Valencia when I started low down but still managed a podium.
Here though, I was hoping for a good qualifying and being
able to challenge for the win, not just the podium. We altered
the engine braking today, but it caused more problems than
it solved, so we will go back to more or less what we had
before. Today my bike didn't feel as fast in a straight line
as my rivals, but my rhythm has been smooth and I think I
can do consistently -lap times.
Tomorrow I need a good start in the race so that I can be
with the leaders straightaway. If I can do that, who knows
what could happen? Maybe another podium?"
Final Superstock 1000 qualifying: 1 Corti (I-Yamaha) 1:48.545,
2 Pirro (I-Yamaha) 1:49.199, 3 Giugliano (I-Suzuki) 1:49.282,
4 Magnoni (I-Yamaha) 1:49.417, 5 Schouten (NL-Yamaha) 1:49.492,
6 Tiberio (F-Kawasaki) 1:49.512. 10 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare
Suzuki) 1:49.648.
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