Octagon

The anticipated wet weather made its mark on the second day of qualifying at Assen, and despite a largely dry track surface under the tyres of the riders, a ‘Wet’ Superpole was declared. Under these rules each rider has a maximum of 12 pit exits in a 50-minute period in which to set his best lap time, with the final top 16 grid positions allocated on those times alone.

A flurry of early activity gave the first fastest lap to the man who had scored the fastest lap in regulation qualifying, Gregorio Lavilla, on the Alstare Suzuki. His team-mate Vittorio Iannuzzo did not make the final day of qualifying action, having suffered a severe concussion the previous day. Chris Walker was another missing rider from the Superpole session, having suffered a crash in the morning on Saturday. James Haydon’s fall in the morning’s timed session also meant that his was out of action in the final untimed session, even though he did not qualify for Superpole per se.

The fully dry track conditions midway through the 50-minute Superpole session was enough to allow a multitude of riders to make their individual fastest lap times and the fastest man of them all was Frankie Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) who finally secured the pole position status he had so desired all season. His late fast lap went unchallenged by Hodgson, despite the Englishman having three laps left to complete, and enough time to get one last attempt in.

Despite hitting the inside of the kerb at the chicane on his earlier fastest lap of the day Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila 999 F03) stayed aboard to record the second best time, a still impressive 2:01.226, well under the previous track best.

In third and fourth places respectively, Gregorio Lavilla (Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000) and Ruben Xaus (Ducati Fila 999 F3) swept all except Chili and Hodgson before them, and were both just in the 2:02 bracket, only a few hundredths away from a 2:01.

The 6.027km Assen track was a challenge for most of the top riders in this battle against the stopwatch, wildcards and regulars alike. John Reynolds, a wild card from the BSB Championship series, was fifth fastest on his Rizla Suzuki, with Regis Laconi in sixth place on his NCR Ducati. James Toseland, the lone HM Plant man in the Superpole session after Walker’s medical woes, went seventh, ahead of Chris Walker.

The young British talent from BSB, Leon Haslam (Renegade Ducati 998) went ninth, the top ten rounded out by Ivan Clementi, in the top six after regulation qualifying, was ninth quickest overall, while Troy Corser (Foggy Petronas FP-1) went 11th on his recently modified three-cylinder machine.

Troy Corser

At the end of a difficult day, with varying weather conditions, Troy was happy to get into the 2:03s and a place on the third row of the grid. But for a small mistake in the Strubben hairpin, Troy would've been on the second row. Toady's Superpole session was deemed a 'Wet Superpole', with the top sixteen riders having a maximum of twelve laps and fifty minutes to set the fastest time. But most of the session was held in the dry and the lead changed hand several times. In the end, Italian Frankie Chili (Ducati) posted the weekend's quickest lap with a time of 2:00.874 - only a second slower then Valentino Rossi's best lap in the MotoGP earlier in the year. Series leader Neil Hodgson (Ducati) finished the day second, ahead of Gregorio Lavilla (Suzuki), with Ruben Xaus (Ducati) completing the front row of the grid.

TROY - 11th, 2:03.524 - "I'm pretty happy with my best time of the day, though maybe it could've been a bit better if I had not made a small mistake in the (Strubben) hairpin. That cost me a little time and probably a place on the second row. But getting a 2:03 was good and it's a sign of the improvements we made to each day. We worked quite a bit on the gearing, rear shock and front forks today and there's still room for more improvement. I know which front Michelin I'm going to use, but I've got a choice of two different rears to make. If the track temperature is higher, I'll probably go for a harder compound, though the softer tyre has more side grip. I'd be happy to finish in the top ten tomorrow, but there a few people ahead of me that I think I can beat, so we'll have to see how it all works out."

HM Plant Ducati

Today’s wet Superpole session at Assen circuit in the Netherlands was dominated by Ducati. Pier-Francesco Chili took the honours with a best lap time of 2:00.874, while former HM Plant Ducati rider Neil Hodgson was second fastest, with a best time of 2:01.226.

HM Plant Ducati’s James Toseland qualified on the second row in seventh position but unfortunately for his team-mate Chris Walker, an accident in the morning left him unable to take part in this afternoon’s Superpole session. A decision on whether he races will be taken tomorrow morning.

Twenty-two year-old Toseland, who was on the podium for HM Plant Ducati last year at Assen, was pleased with his performance but believes that there is much more to come from him in tomorrow’s two races.

“We had a good practice session yesterday and the hard work that I put in during the dry conditions should stand me in good stead if it is a dry race. I’m happy overall with the setting I’ve got for the HM Plant Ducati and I’ve also found a good race tyre for these conditions.

“I was ninth fastest in this morning’s wet practice but after Chris’s accident, I didn’t want to push things too hard. My main focus is to finish ahead of Ruben Xaus in each race and concentrate on achieving second place in the Superbike World Championship for the team. I love the track and am really looking forward to mixing it out there tomorrow. There are loads of British fans here to cheer us on and the atmosphere is electric – I can’t wait.”

It wasn’t such good news for HM Plant Ducati’s Chris Walker. The popular Nottinghamshire rider crashed heavily during the wet morning session, yet still managed to go sixth fastest despite only completing eleven laps. In the afternoon practice session, the gutsy rider was only able to complete three laps before feeling too unwell to continue. After being examined at the medical centre, the circuit doctors advised Walker not to participate in this afternoon’s wet Superpole session. If he races tomorrow, he will start from eighth on the grid.

Rizla Suzuki

Rizla Suzuki's John Reynolds took more than two seconds off his previous best time as he got to grips with the Dutch Assen circuit and will start tomorrow's 10th round of the World Superbike Championship from 5th place on the grid.

The wild-card rider from Nottingham slashed his lap times dramatically during the Superpole session, which was run under `wet' regulations but remained dry despite threatening skies, allowing the riders 12-laps and 50-minutes to record their best time. JR went out four times, completing one flying lap each effort. His final attempt was set to place his Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000 on the front row, but he was held up by a slower rider and had to settle for fifth.

Rizla Suzuki is taking part in the 10th round of WSB at the famous Assen circuit, which attracts tens of thousands of British fans and is part sponsored by Rizla. Ducati's Pierfrancesco Chili took pole position and Alstare Suzuki's Gregorio Lavilla will start from third on his GSX-R1000.

John Reynolds: "On my final fast lap I was really going for it and then in the middle of the lap I caught up with a slower rider and I lost a load of time in that sector. That was frustrating, I was really attacking the circuit and was sure I could have improved my lap time, but I guess I am happy that I went so much faster than before and I am now confident in the circuit.

"This morning's wet session was okay, we have a good set up and finishing third was encouraging, because if it rains tomorrow, we know we are in with a good chance. In the dry this afternoon we had a lot to test and to be fair, I still had some commitment to find in the corners and the circuit. Superpole being declared wet gave me more laps to get to grips with the track and that helped. Using the qualifying tyres pushed me to think and react faster, which was just what I needed. By the end of Superpole, I wasn't just riding the track, I had my lines sorted out and was racing it. Fifth is a good place to start here, right behind pole position and with the speed of our Rizla Suzuki GSX-R1000, I am confident I can mix it with the front runners tomorrow."

Gary Keogh, Brand Manager Rizla: "JR's fantastic performance today in qualifying and his huge improvement in lap time proves for the third time this year that Rizla Suzuki is able to compete at the very highest level in World Superbike racing.

"Assen is very much a home race for Rizla as our brand sponsors the circuit. We are taking our British team and exporting it to Holland and based on recent results we have high hopes that we can get good results tomorrow. Well done to JR and the team for getting fifth in qualifying, they have done us proud and we are looking forward to the racing tomorrow, it promises to be a great day."

Suzuki

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla will start tomorrow's pair of 16-lap races from the front row of the grid after an eventful 'Wet Superpole" today at Assen. The morning timed session was wet and no rider improved on Gregorio's time from yesterday. Because of the threat of rain in Superpole this afternoon, the session was deemed a "Wet Superpole" with the top sixteen riders able to do a maximum of twelve laps in fifty minutes and set the best time. The session then took place almost entirely in dry conditions and the lead changed hands many times before veteran Frankie Chili (Ducati) put in an absolute flyer of a lap to take Superpole. His time of 2:00.874 was just one second slower then Valentino Rossi's best time in the MotoGP earlier in the year! Second quickest today is series leader Neil Hodgson (Ducati), with Lavilla third and Ruben Xaus (Ducati) fourth.

GREGORIO LAVILLA - 3rd, 2:02.042 - "That was a very busy Superpole and I'm happy to be on the front row. On my last go, I was going very well and on course for the second quickest time, but another rider got in the way and held me up just a little. I don't think I could've won Superpole, but maybe I would've managed second. But in the end, it doesn't really matter because I am on the front row and that's all that counts. What happens tomorrow is more important. We've still a few things to try in the morning warm-up tomorrow and maybe it's possible to improve a bit more for the two races. Assen is a very demanding circuit and it's going to be a long hard day tomorrow, but I'm optimistic of a good result (or two!) and hoping for a couple of podiums."

VITTORIO IANNUZZO - Update - Italian Vittorio Iannuzzo will not be taking any further part in this weekend's proceedings. He crashed twice yesterday and after the second he was taken to hospital for a precautionary check-up. He has been kept in and is expected to remain in hospital until at least Monday when he will undergo a second TAC scan to make sure there is no damage to his head. Iannuzzo has not broken any bones but is suffering from an all-over battering after his 260 kph tumble at one of the fastest parts of the circuit."

Ducati Fila

Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila) and Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) produced an extraordinary battle for Superpole in view of Sunday's Dutch Round of the World Superbike Championship at Assen.

The championship leader and the Italian 'veteran' traded the top slot throughout the session (declared 'wet' although run in the dry) and after an exciting 50 minutes the pole went to Chili after both riders had used up their supply of qualifying tyres. Chili and Hodgson both smashed the existing lap record, and the Italian's time of 2'00.874 was just one second slower than Capirossi's pole mark with the Ducati Desmosedici in this year's MotoGP race.

Hodgson, whose time of 2'01.226 puts him in second place for tomorrow's races, needs just ten points to become this year's champion.

"That was really good fun, it's great battling with Frankie" declared Neil. "I'd go out, give my best, then I'd come in and he'd gone faster again. When I came in, I was shaking with adrenalin because I'd nearly crashed, but in the end I ran out of qualifiers! I've had a fantastic weekend so far and have found the enjoyment again after two tense rounds in America and Britain. Everything is going so well, I don't want to tempt fate, but I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I know I've got one hand on the trophy but I'm going to give 100% as always".

Ruben Xaus also had a positive Superpole session, lapping in 2'02.150 on the second Ducati 999 to line up on the outside of the front row for tomorrow's two races.

"I'm always happy to be on the front row but we went a bit in the wrong direction at the end of yesterday" said Ruben. "Today we tried the same thing with a different set-up and it worked so now I don't think I'm that far from the other guys. I'm pretty happy with the work my mechanics did because we got a good set-up for dry conditions and a perfect one for the wet. For me if tomorrow the warm-up is dry it will be better because I can do some more laps and get the bike to perfection".

Foggy Petronas

Troy Corser qualified in 11th place for tomorrow’s tenth round of the World Superbike championship in Holland on a day marred by injury to team-mate James Haydon. The Englishman crashed at the fastest corner on the Assen circuit, Meeuwenmeer, during a wet morning qualifying session. X-rays revealed no fractures to his injured hands but, after attempting to ride in the afternoon free practice, he was forced to pull out of the session. James said: “There was a small dry line starting to develop, about 1.5 feet wide, and I was hitting it in fifth at about 140mph. The white line was right on the edge of the dry line. I think I must have misjudged my line it by a couple of centimetres, touched the white line and went down. “My right hand has been bent fully forward and back and, while there is nothing broken, I have obviously torn and strained ligaments and tendons. I went out for a lap, trying to grin and bear it, but I couldn’t even turn the bike through the fast sections. I want to ride tomorrow as I want to finish the season on a high note, but I will have to see how it feels.”

Troy finished both qualifying sessions tenth fastest and, in a Superpole declared wet, he bettered his fastest lap of the weekend by more than a second with a time of 2.03.524 while Frankie Chili claimed pole with a time of 2:00.874. Troy said: “I am pretty happy with 11th although I made a small mistake at the hairpin on my fastest lap, when I went in a little bit deep and wide, which might have cost me a second row start tomorrow. But we have made improvements each day and I’m happy to be in the 2:03s. “We have been working on gearing, the rear shock and the front fork all day and can still make more improvements. I am happy with my front tyre but still have to choose between two rears. If the track temperature is higher I will probably go with the harder compound, although the softer tyre has more side grip. I will be happy if I finish in the top ten, although there are a couple ahead of me on the grid who I would expect to beat.”