QUALIFYING 2 REPORT 14/06/2008
Haga starts from the front row
Despite a couple of near highsides during his Superpole lap
Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) clung on to both
his machine and a front row start for Sunday's 20-lap Superbike
races at the Nürburgring. The Japanese rider had been
fourth fastest going into Superpole and replicated that performance
in Superpole, with a lap time of 1'56.401. Troy Corser (Yamaha
Motor Italia WSB Team) just missed out on a front row start,
setting a best lap of 1'56.522 to go sixth on the grid, and
take a second row start. Local rider Max Neukirchner scored
the Superpole win, with a 1'55.471, the absolute SBK track
record at this new 5.137km Nürburgring layout.
Race pace for each official Yamaha rider is already strong
and they have both completed a race simulation at a high pace.
Shortly after the Superpole contest was finished the skies
opened and the threat of rain at this hillside circuit became
a reality. There is still a chance of rain on raceday, and
there has already been a wet session of sorts, on the very
first day of practice.
Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha GMT94) was a superb sixth before
the Superpole contest kicked off, but after experiencing some
difficulties in getting his rear tyre up to working temperature
in his Superpole lap he slid down the order, ending up 15th
fastest. 14th David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) missed out on Superpole
qualification by a single place, while Shinichi Nakatomi (Team
YZF Yamaha) improved on his day one ranking to start the races
19th.
Noriyuki Haga (4th - 1'56.401 - Yamaha Motor Italia
WSB Team)
"I almost highsided twice during my Superpole lap and
that pulled my shoulder a bit, so I went to the Clinica Mobile
to check it out. Everything is fine, just painful. We changed
the bike setting from yesterday in regular qualifying and
that went quite well, so we should be OK for tomorrow - if
we have a dry race! Superpole was OK but we had a bit of a
problem with the suspension settings. We realised problem
was, so it's not a worry for tomorrow."
Troy Corser (6th - 1'56.522 - Yamaha Motor Italia
WSB Team)
"I made a mistake in Superpole and that stopped me challenging
for a front row start. We're all set for the races tomorrow,
just a couple of things to try in warm-up to see if they are
even better. Our race pace is better in comparison with our
single lap times anyway. I was using the camber on the kerbs
in a couple of places, quite deliberately, which is something
I remembered I could do from last time we raced here in 1999."
Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia
WSB Team)
"It would have been ideal to have both riders on the
front row but the Superpole result was OK and we are quite
confident. Our race simulations have been good with both riders
so let's see for tomorrow. Nori is OK, no problem for the
races."
Sebastien Gimbert (15th - 1'57.516 seconds - GMT94
Yamaha)
"I am very happy to have got into Superpole and to have
qualified sixth overall. My Superpole lap was difficult, with
lots of slides. Nothing we could do about it, the tyre just
wasn't working at its best after such a short time on the
track."
Circuit Length: 4556
Weather: Dry
2008 WSB Germany - Nürburgring 14/06/2008
Superpole
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Max Neukirchner Suzuki GER 1'55.471
2 Troy Bayliss Ducati AUS 1'55.791
3 Carlos Checa Honda ESP 1'55.888
4 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 1'56.401
5 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'56.436
6 Troy Corser Yamaha AUS 1'56.522
7 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'56.574
8 Max Biaggi Ducati ITA 1'56.918
9 Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS 1'56.980
10 Ruben Xaus Ducati ESP 1'57.053
11 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'57.112
12 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda JPN 1'57.143
13 Regis Laconi Kawasaki FRA 1'57.301
14 Fonsi Nieto Suzuki ESP 1'57.491
15 Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha FRA 1'57.514
Qualifying 2
Pos. Rider Nat. QUAL I QUAL II
1 Troy Bayliss AUS 1'57.694 1'56.598
2 Max Neukirchner GER 1'57.929 1'57.124
3 Max Biaggi ITA 1'58.311 1'57.185
4 Noriyuki Haga JPN 1'58.020 1'57.252
5 Troy Corser AUS 1'57.257 1'57.257
6 Troy Corser AUS 1'57.257 1'57.257
7 Sebastien Gimbert FRA 1'58.506 1'57.287
8 Ruben Xaus ESP 1'58.258 1'57.312
9 Michel Fabrizio ITA 1'58.044 1'57.579
10 Lorenzo Lanzi ITA 1'58.514 1'57.597
11 Regis Laconi FRA 1'57.989 1'57.660
12 Yukio Kagayama JPN 1'57.956 1'57.714
13 Carlos Checa ESP 1'57.878 1'57.717
14 Fonsi Nieto ESP 1'58.354 1'57.921
15 Karl Muggeridge AUS 1'58.976 1'57.973
18 David Checa ESP 1'59.313 1'58.180
21 Shinichi Nakatomi JPN 1'59.642 1'58.512
QUALIFYING 2 REPORT 14/06/2008
Parkes wins third pole of the season
Broc Parkes proved unstoppable once more in qualifying on
his Yamaha World Supersport machine at the Nürburgring,
securing his third pole of the season with a best lap of 2.00.015.
Tantalisingly close to being the first rider under the two
minute barrier in the return of WSS racing to this iconic
circuit, Parkes was quickest in every single practice session,
underlining his pre-race dominance not once but four times
in all.
Parkes team-mate Fabien Foret had a disappointing time in
final qualifying, falling from his machine as he went out
for a hot lap and having to return to the pit lane to ride
his second machine. He was overall tenth after his return
to action, 1.187 seconds from Parkes and now starts from the
third row. The race on Sunday has particular significance
for the top two Yamaha Supersport competitors as Foret is
second overall and Parkes third, with Championship leader
Joan Lascorz one place behind Foret on the German grid.
Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) once
again had troubles during qualifying and went 21st on the
grid, while David De Gea (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) continued
his early day form to go 14th in his comeback ride after injury.
Jeremy Crowe (Yamaha Spain World Supersport) was a more than
respectable 19th, riding as a substitute for David Salom.
Broc Parkes (1st - 2'00.015 - Yamaha World Supersport
Team)
"I made one little mistake on my final flying lap when
I missed a corner entry a bit, but the bike is working really
well round here. My previous experience of half the circuit
really helped me start practice in good shape and we only
made little changes to the bike today; just small things here
and there. It has been a good weekend so far and I want to
keep the hammer down tomorrow because this is the point of
the season where I need to win some more races."
Fabien Foret (10th - 2'01.202 - Yamaha World Supersport
Team)
"I had a bit of a problem after the crash and that held
me back a bit. I'm not happy to be where I am on the grid
but tomorrow is raceday. I will do my best to get a good finish
but I need a decent start and then we'll take things from
there."
Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport
Team)
"I'm happy to see Broc take his third pole of the season
but it was shame for Fabien to crash on a hot lap trying to
improve his position. He had to use his second bike, which
was set-up the same but didn't feel quite the same as the
first one. So we will build up his number one bike again and
tomorrow he will get his confidence back. His bike is set
a bit hard over the bumps for him and we will try to improve
that. The lap times are pretty close and we know Fabien is
more of a racer than a qualifier. There are a few places to
pass here, the biggest thing is the first corner, which is
very tight."
Massimo Roccoli (21st - 2'02.078 seconds - Yamaha
Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni)
"This morning I felt that there was a problem with the
electronics on the bike and that stopped us a bit. This afternoon
I had the first practice with the bike the way I wanted it.
The other problems were with my suspension set-up and the
tyre choice. In the rear the bike was jumping across the tarmac.
For me the race may be difficult, but if I get a god start
I will probably be able to make up some ground and maybe my
pace will be the same as the leading group."
Circuit Length: 4556
Weather: Dry
2008 WSS Germany - Nürburgring 14/06/2008
Qualifying 2
Pos. Rider Nat. QUAL I QUAL II
1 Broc Parkes AUS 2'0.742 2'0.015
2 Craig Jones GBR 2'1.529 2'0.473
3 Joshua Brookes AUS 2'2.770 2'0.669
4 Andrew Pitt AUS 2'1.797 2'0.727
5 Mark Aitchinson AUS 2'1.659 2'0.965
6 Matthieu Lagrive FRA 2'2.154 2'0.967
7 Arne Tode GER 2'2.960 2'1.051
8 Tommy Hill GBR 2'4.980 2'1.115
9 Barry Veneman NED 2'2.157 2'1.178
10 Fabien Foret FRA 2'1.951 2'1.202
11 Joan Lascorz ESP 2'2.666 2'1.229
12 Robbin Harms DNK 2'3.996 2'1.242
13 Jonathan Rea GBR 2'1.909 2'1.281
14 David De Gea ESP 2'2.363 2'1.357
15 Didier Van Keymeulen BEL 2'2.386 2'1.474
21 Massimo Roccoli ITA 2'3.218 2'2.078
|
