WSB : Haga scores first podium for R1
Round: 5 - United Kingdom
Circuit: Silverstone
Date: 29 May 2005
Crowd: 60000
Temp: 29ºC
Weather: Dry

Yamaha Motor Italia rider Noriyuki Haga claimed the Yamaha YZF-R1's first Superbike World Championship podium finish in race two at Silverstone today.

The Japanese star battled for the lead in both races, with third place in race two making up for the disappointment of a race one retirement caused by fuel supply problems while set for a podium finish three laps from the end of the race.

Race one was a tough contest for Yamaha's four supported riders. Haga's team-mate Andrew Pitt rode through the pain barrier after highsiding in the morning warm-up session and was further handicapped by having to complete a ride through penalty in the opener. Despite this he finished 13th in race one, backing it up in race two with a fighting ninth at a circuit he has little love for.

A Silverstone rookie on any layout of the flat ex-airfield circuit, Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) had a clutch problem in race one but took eighth in race two after a tough pass on Pitt in the final chicane. His team-mate Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France was involved in a multi-rider crash, and chipped his left tibia, ruling him out of race two.

The first race was won by Regis Laconi (Ducati) from Troy Corser (Suzuki) and James Toseland (Ducati). In the second race, Toseland took the win, from Corser and Haga. Corser improved his championship lead to 78 points, with Pitt still top Yamaha rider, seventh on 70 points. Haga is eighth on 68, Abe tenth with 62 and Gimbert 14th, on 26.

Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) - "I am very happy to make a podium for Yamaha, relatively early in the season. It was a tough race for the first few laps with the other riders and I was losing the front a lot on the last few laps. But I have to be happy with a podium after our bad luck in race one."

Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) - "Abe shoved it into me in the last chicane, we both ran wide and he got me over the line. Nothing you can do about that. In race one the stop-and-go ruined things of course, but I carried on. It's worth doing 28 laps to get even three points. I still don't like the track, and I'm glad I don't have to come back here for another year."

Massimo Meregalli (Team Coordinator - Yamaha Motor Italia) "Noriyuki was happy from practice yesterday onwards and he was confident when pushing with race tyres. In race one we had a problem, probably with the fuel pump but he did a fantastic job in both races. We were alone competing with Ducati and Suzuki so we are happy for the race two result. Andrew just didn't like the track at all and although he did not say, I think he still had pain from when he crashed this morning."

Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) - "It was my first time racing on this track so I could not go as fast as everyone else on day one. But we improved all weekend and we changed our settings again from yesterday. They worked well, and gave me quite good feel. The rear grip was not so good in race one, I don't know why, but then the clutch went and I retired. In the first lap a lot of riders crashed in front of me in race two so all the guys at the front were gone, but I still got eighth. Not so bad, but Haga was third on an R1, so I must try harder."

Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France) - "My ankle is broken after the crash, a chip on my tibia, which showed up on the X-ray. It's a chip, not a break right through, so I hope to be ready to race at Misano."

Martial Garcia (Team Manager - Yamaha Motor France) "Sebastien started practice here not so easily but for warm-up he found a good set up and he was happy for the first race start. Unfortunately as it turned out, it was the first time he has made a good start, so he got mixed up in the crash with Alfonsi, who lost the brakes. He pushed Nieto, and Nieto pushed Sebastien, so nothing he could do."

Yamaha Motor Germany rider Kevin Curtain recorded his third podium finish of the season in round five of the Supersport World Championship at Silverstone.

The Australian shadowed eventual winner Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) for around two thirds of the 28 lap race before a lack of grip forced him to settle for second in the closing stages. Even despite this easing of pace, Curtain finished a huge 18 seconds ahead of third placed finisher Fabien Foret (Honda) to close in on Katsuaki Fujiwara (Honda) for second place in the championship.

Broc Parkes had his best result as a Yamaha rider, crossing the line in fifth place but being promoted to fourth following the exclusion of Foret for a technical infringment. Starting from the second row of the grid, the 23-year-old Australian was part of a four rider group battling for third. The result sees him move up to fourth place in the championship, which is led by Charpentier on 115 points. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Honda) is second on 91 points, with Curtain and Parkes on 80 and 51 respectively.

Kevin Curtain - "I'm happy to take second today. Sebastien and me had a big gap over the third placed rider and our plans was always that if the grip started to go then I would settle for second and not risk throwing it in the gravel trap - that's not how you win championships. I'd really like to thank my team this weekend because they've worked really well and the bike was the best it has been all season and I hope we can find a little bit more in Misano."

Broc Parkes - "Getting there! We've moved up to fourth in the championship and I am now starting to get to grips with the Yamaha. The bike really is different to ride compared with the Honda I rode last year as it has such a revvy engine. But every race we are able to improve the bike and, with me learning more about the R6, we are now much more competitive."

Terrell Thien (Team Manager) - "The race went pretty much according to plan for us. We knew that Kevin's rear tyre wouldn't last the distance at that sort of pace but the plan was to push to the maximum possible, build up a gap to third place and maybe force Charpentier into a mistake - he's only human after all. But we are very happy because we are closing the gap to Charpentier to almost zero and that is thanks to our mechanics who have again worked so hard this weekend. Every time we are making big steps and this is showing not only with Kevin's results but also with Broc, who rode very well this weekend and is starting to look more comfortable on the R6."

Italian youngster Massimo Roccoli took his first victory in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup in a thrilling race at Silverstone today.

The 21-year-old Yamaha Lorenzini by Leoni rider had a thrilling race-long battle with fellow R1 rider Kenan Sofuoglu from the Yamaha Motor Germany team and Australian rider Craig Coxhell (Suzuki).

Roccoli, who is also racing an R1 in the Superbike World Championship this weekend, traded the lead with Sofuoglu throughout the race and led into the final lap. The Turkish rider made a pass into the final corner but found himself running wide and losing a place to Coxhell. Sofuoglu's team-mate Didier van Keymeulen had a lonely ride to fourth place, three seconds behind the leaders and but four ahead of fifth placed William de Angelis on another R1.

Roccoli's win moves him to within five points of Sofuoglu in the points, Sofuoglu leading the championship with 66 points to Roccoli's 61. Coxhell moves to third on 47 with Van Keymeulen a further three adrift in fourth.

Massimo Roccoli (Lorenzini by Leoni) - "It is been a hard race. Sofuoglu was strong and able to follow me, but I thought that he tried an impossible overtake in the last corner. It was not a big surprise for me as my manager Vanni Lorenzini told me to look out for someone trying to pass me there. I am happy to win and to win on merit. I pulled back nine points today and I plan to move ahead in Misano, my home track."

Kenan Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motor Germany) - "Silverstone is not one of my favourite circuits so to get a third here is a good result. Maybe my lack of experience showed on the last lap when I tried to pass Massimo and I ended up losing a place - but Massimo rode a very good last corner and defended his line well. But it is a good race for me and from now to the end of the season I know and like all the tracks we will race at."

Didier van Keymeulen (Yamaha Motor Germany) - "I made a bad start again and had a problem with arm pump which meant I couldn't push as hard as I wanted to in the end. I am not happy with my result today but it is not so bad. Although I've not been winning I have been getting some good points. I know that I have to be more aggressive in my riding this year but and that I am still very much in the championship."