2006 Superbike World Championship
Round 6 – Misano (Italy)
Superpole
TOSELAND SCORES SUPERPOLE WIN AFTER SUPERB FLYING
LAP
James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda) proved that all the
pre-race work in getting the qualifying set-up of his CBR1000RR
optimised around Misano had paid dividends, taking the Superpole
win and putting himself in the prime position for Sunday’s
two 25-lap races. It was his first Superpole win since joining
the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team this season. His time of 1’33.833
was the best time of any weekend official qualifying session,
despite the hot and slippery track surface. Having qualified
eighth in regulation, Toseland rode superbly to top the sheets
and look on as rider after rider failed to match his peerless
best. Joining Toseland on the front row will be Aussies Troy
Corser, Andrew Pitt and Steve Martin.
Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) had an opposite
experience to Toseland, having spent much of his set-up time
working with worn tyres, and finding his machine’s settings
upset somewhat when he adopted fresh rubber, and attempted
to set individual fast laps. He starts the race from the fifth
row, having set 20th fastest time, missing out on Superpole
qualification. Muggeridge’s artificially low grid position
will be a major initial handicap on raceday but the team is
confident that his race set-up should allow him to make up
places throughout the race itself.
Ronald Ten Kate - Team Manager
“Quite a stunning lap from James. We haven’t
seen him quite on the pace all weekend, even on race tyres.
But after the Silverstone experience, where we only qualified
14th, we realised how important it is, especially during the
hot conditions, to start at the front. We had a good strategy
in free practice, to make the bike and James ready for Superpole.
He made a truly super lap out of it, so I am looking forward
to tomorrow. I know that James is in very good physical shape
and this has been a nice boost in motivation to all of us.
On the other side of the garage it is almost an opposite situation.
Karl didn’t make Superpole, which is very strange. But
in free practice before Superpole he showed that he had found
his feet again, so I know he will race hard tomorrow and I
am sure he will give 100% to bring in a strong result.”
James Toseland – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
(Pole Position – Fastest lap time 1’33.833)
“It was important for us to set a fast lap time, and
for me especially as I have some of my family here for this
weekend. The Winston Ten Kate Honda bike is always fast and
the team worked really well. I am very well prepared for tomorrow
and need to make a good start. I’m happy to be on pole
and I love the track here at Misano. It’s been three
years since my last pole position, at Magny Cours. I’m
looking forward to tomorrow but I know it will be hard work
out there.”
Karl Muggeridge – Winston Ten Kate Honda Rider
(20th position – Fastest lap time 1’35.864)
“Our plans all went pear-shaped this morning. We jumped
from one bike to another bike, then jumped back again. Too
many things to change and we ended up with no tyres as well.
Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong so it’s
going to be a tough race tomorrow, extra hot, and it’s
not particularly easy to overtake here. But you can, and I
am going to have to, at just about every corner. So we just
have to concentrate on our settings for tomorrow in warm-up.”
SUPERPOLE:
1. Toseland - Winston Ten Kate Honda - 1'33.833
2. Corser - Suzuki - 1'33.866
3. Pitt - Yamaha - 1'34.031
4. Martin - Petronas - 1'34.178
5. Walker - Kawasaki - 1'34.472
20. Muggeridge - Winston Ten Kate Honda - 1'35.864
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