World Superbike / Supersport 2005 - Round Three - Valencia

After the opening rounds in Qatar and Australia, the World Superbike championship returns to Europe this weekend at the tight and twisty Ricardo Tormo Circuit just outside Valencia in Spain where Winston Ten Kate Honda riders Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge will be looking to build on their development of the Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade.

With third and fourth placings in the two Phillip Island races last time out, 22-year-old Vermeulen retained fourth position in the championship; meanwhile his fellow Australian and team-mate Muggeridge was unable to maximise fully on a strong qualifying performance and his first Superpole event, finishing in eighth place in the first outing but crashing out in race two.

Ronald ten Kate – team manager: “Although the CBR’s engine specification is pretty much as we used in Australia, we have some new chassis parts to test here at Valencia and quite a lot of different options to go for. We’ll be using the practice sessions to test those parts on one bike and use the other with settings from our successful test here in March. Our aim here is clearly to move forward to regular podium finishes and, if all goes well, we should be battling for wins from here on.”

Chris Vermeulen – championship position 4th, 21 points: “Phillip Island was good, especially after starting on the third row, but we had some chassis issues which we’ll hopefully resolve with some new components in Valencia. The forks we’re using this year are virtually prototype so we’re still learning a lot about how to get them working really well. I’m looking forward to the weekend because we enjoyed a productive test here last month, which was our first real opportunity to get some time on the bike; and, despite an electronics problem in race one last year, I did OK in our very first outing here on the Fireblade.”

Karl Muggeridge – championship position 12th, 7 points: “I can’t wait to have another go at Valencia after a kind of mixed time in Australia. Practice and qualifying went OK there – making those steady improvements I’m looking for, and then getting through my first Superpole in sixth. But race day at Phillip Island wasn’t so good, with a crash in warm-up and a couple of difficult races. At least I was able to put that out of my mind when Isabelle and I got married the following Friday and then had four days off. But now I’m just focused on Valencia, testing some new chassis and clutch parts and getting back to business.”

Winston Ten Kate Honda’s World Supersport squad returns to Europe in buoyant mood this weekend for round three of the series at Valencia in Spain. The team’s riders Sébastien Charpentier and Katsuaki Fujiwara have been in imperious form at the opening two events, dominating practice and qualifying sessions and taking a victory each.

The pair sits in first and second place respectively in the championship, with Charpentier in the ascendancy after second place in the Qatar opener was followed by his impressive win at Phillip Island. Fujiwara, meanwhile, won the first race and has shadowed his team-mate throughout as he continues to familiarise himself with the 2005 CBR600RR and his new team.

Ronald ten Kate – team manager: “It’s just a case of 'more of the same please' at Valencia! I’ve been so pleased with Sébastien for his focus and determination and Kats for the way he has adapted to a new machine and a new way of working. We don’t really have any major changes to the bike for this weekend, just one or two small items to try to improve the general base setting. The test here in March proved that the package is quite fast here so we’re simply looking to continue our string of victories in this class.”

Sébastien Charpentier – championship position 1st, 45 points: “I was so pleased to get that win in Australia after the frustrations I suffered at the first round in Qatar. The team has been great to work with and the CBR is just amazing. We have been concentrating mostly on the front of the bike so far this season and this will be very important here in Valencia. We had a good test here in March when I was able to make many fast laps in a race simulation. As long as I can qualify well again, I hope we can repeat this in Sunday’s race and try for another win.”

Katsuaki Fujiwara – championship position 2nd, 38 points: “Conditions on race day in Phillip Island were very difficult and I found it very hard to control the bike so I was not happy with fifth place. But each time I have gone out this season, in test or practice or qualifying sessions, I am getting to know the CBR better. It is a very good bike and I am lucky to have joined a very professional team. I want another win here at Valencia and because the test here was very positive, I am hopeful. But the other Hondas are also very strong so we must continue to work hard.”

-- Click here for all the round one content from Losail --

-- Click here for all the round two content from Phillip Island --