World Superbike 2005 Ten Kate Chris Vermeulen Karl Muggeridge CBR1000RR Fireblade

The World Superbike championship heads to the 4.2km Brands Hatch circuit in the UK this weekend for round eight of the series. Traditionally the biggest SBK event on the calendar, Brands Hatch attracts large crowds to its unique and undulating layout. Winston Ten Kate Honda’s Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge will be looking for solid results there after relative disappointment last time out at Brno in the Czech Republic.

Following a successful, but rain-affected test at Lausitzring after the Brno event, Vermeulen has his own challenge after his participation in the Suzuka 8-hour race last Sunday where he finished second with Winston Ten Kate Honda World Supersport team-mate, Katsuaki Fujiwara. Muggeridge, meanwhile, fresh from a summer break, is hoping for success at one of his favourite circuits.

Ronald ten Kate – team manager:
“After what you could call a set-back at Brno, we’re obviously hoping for better results from both riders this weekend at Brands Hatch. Our test at Lausitzring proved to us that the Brno performance was an exception and that we are continuing to improve the CBR1000RR, particularly in getting better grip and durability on race tyres. Brands will be difficult for Chris, though, after riding so much last weekend on the 8-hour machine and Michelin tyres; so I think he’ll just use Friday to put in a lot of laps to re-adjust to the Pirellis. Karl is coming to the UK after a summer break, which is what he did in 2003 after a difficult start to the season. He goes very well at Brands Hatch so hopefully he’ll be in good shape after his break to get the results he deserves.”

Chris Vermeulen – championship position 2nd, 205 points:
“I'm feeling pretty pumped after the good result for me and Kats (Fujiwara) at the Suzuka 8-hour. Now I have to make the switch back to my Ten Kate Honda, which feels like a completely different machine to the full HRC bike I rode in Japan on Michelin tyres. We had a good test at Lausitzring before going to the 8-hour, though, and made some more progress with the bike .There's a lot of work to do in the championship and I have to be aiming at finishing in front of Troy (Corser) to try and close the gap on him. But it's going to be tough because I've never done well at Brands Hatch. I like the layout of the track but it's dangerous in places. I'll have a lot of friends supporting me though, which will be important because it's a big event and the British crowd will be cheering for Walker and Toseland. But England is like my second home really so, as always, I'll just be trying as hard as I can.”

Karl Muggeridge – championship position 11th, 75 points:
“Our test at Lausitzring after the last round at Brno gave us the chance to do some more work at finding grip and durability from the tyres in a race situation and that should help us to move forward at Brands Hatch. We still need to find something with the front of the bike but we know what we're looking for and we'll use the first sessions at Brands to develop that. I got my first World Supersport win at Brands Hatch and I won again there last year on my way to the title, so I have good memories of the place. It's the biggest event on the calendar but this my first time here on the Superbike so I'll do what I've been doing all season and work steadily towards a good set-up for race day. I need a couple of solid results here, so the team and I are going to be working really hard to achieve that.”

Supersport

Winston Ten Kate Honda’s World Supersport pairing of Sébastien Charpentier and Katsuaki Fujiwara head for the 4.2km Brands Hatch circuit in Kent, GB, this weekend for round eight of the championship that they have dominated all season.

Charpentier is in control with a 59-point advantage over his Japanese team-mate but the Winston duo have taken all seven wins between them so far this year – Charpentier’s five to Fujiwara’s two. Fujiwara missed the last outing at Brno in the Czech Republic through injury but returns to the team at Brands Hatch after partnering Winston team-mate, Chris Vermeulen, to an impressive second place in last Sunday’s Suzuka 8-hour race in Japan.

Ronald ten Kate – team manager:
“It’s going to be good to have Kats back in the team this weekend when he’ll be in good form after all his track time at Suzuka recently. Although he missed Brno, the results didn’t go too badly for him and he’ll be looking to close the gap on Sébastien at Brands Hatch. But Sébastien is in incredible form at the moment and he likes the circuit. We found new some things for the CBR600RR at our recent test at Lausitzring and we’re looking forward to trying them out on the unique circuit layout at Brands Hatch. I think we’re in good shape to continue our 100% record this season and hoping to have both riders up on the podium again on Sunday.”

Sébastien Charpentier – championship position 1st, 165 points:
“We had a good test at Lausitzring and managed a very good lap time as we continue to look for new ways to improve the bike. I’m looking forward to seeing Kats back in the team after his injury and his good performance at Suzuka. I like Brands Hatch very much – the track is good and there are so many people, including a lot of French fans who make the trip over. I have been on the podium for the last two years there, third in 2003 and second behind Karl Muggeridge last year after I led for nearly all the race. I’m hoping to go to the top step this year and to improve my championship advantage again.”

Katsuaki Fujiwara – championship position 2nd, 106 points:
“I’m looking forward to joining the team again after what seems like a long time out. After Misano, I hurt my back testing for the 8-hour but I’ve had some good recovery time at home in Japan and I’ve been taking heaps of calcium to speed up the healing process. Chris (Vermeulen) and I got a good result at Suzuka, which was my best ever finish there, so I’m hoping to bring that form back to Europe. It will be a little strange riding the CBR600RR again after six weeks away but Brands Hatch is OK for me and I won the Supersport race there in 2002. I want to win to close the gap on Sébastien, so I’ll be trying my hardest again this weekend.”