World Superbike 2006 - Round One

Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR rider Sebastien Charpentier started his championship defence in the best fashion possible by winning the Losail race, setting a new lap record and scoring pole position in final qualifying. The Frenchman ran out a five second winner over Yamaha rider Kevin Curtain, after 18-laps in desert sunshine at Qatar. Charpentier took a new lap record of 2'03.921, having set pole with a 2'03.093. Charpentier led every one of the race's 18-laps.

A successful day for the Winston Ten Kate Honda team saw their newest Supersport recruit, Kenan Sofuoglu, score a podium in his first Honda CBR600RR Supersport ride, taking a safe third after challenging for the lead in the first few laps.

Katsuaki Fujiwara (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) was fully in contention in the early stages, as he led off the line before being swamped by Charpentier's pace. He was to fall at high speed on lap five, breaking a scaphoid bone in his wrist and will now miss the Phillip Island round in Australia. Yoann Tiberio (Megabike Honda CBR600RR) was forced to miss the Qatar race in its entirety after suffering a cycling injury, but is heading of to Australia, hoping to be fit in time.

For Charpentier the race, conducted at a high pace throughout, was a vindication of not only his machine, but the preparations of his team in pre-season.

"In testing in December we made a lot of improvements and set some good times here in Qatar," said the 2005 champion. "We pushed very hard for many laps, and today we did 2'04s consistently, with some 2'03s, so I am very pleased about that. It improved on last year and proved to us that we have many possibilities this year. I felt very comfortable on the bike and we are in a good condition. Kenan did very well; he is young and hungry to finish on the podium so it's perfect for me. You need a fast rider in your team to compare yourself against."

Sofuoglu, fast from first to last this weekend, raced with a maturity in the final few laps, taking an outstanding podium in his first ride for his new team.

"I am very happy with this result, even after we knew would could be fast after the pole time I set," said the charging Kenan, who played it safe towards the end. "I ran in the first group in the race, and even though it was very difficult in the first laps, I knew I could go with them. After ten laps I was in third position and I realised that I had to keep the podium, so I stopped trying to challenge Kevin Curtain for second. This is a good result for us and thanks to the team for providing me with such a fast bike. The bike is completely different from my 2005 Superstock machine, there are many things you can change in Supersport, and more you can do with suspension."

Fujiwara was firmly on course for a strong finish after a fourth place qualifying, but his crash stopped not only his race, but his ambitions for the next round in Australia.

"It's a shame for this to happen, not only crashing out but losing the chance to race in Australia," said Fujiwara. "I am going home to Japan now to have an operation to pin my wrist, so it should be OK for the Valencia round."

James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) scored his maiden win in the Winston Ten Kate Honda team in the opening 18-lap contest at Losail. He had been fourth on the grid after scoring fourth quickest time in Superpole, but a poor start dropped him to tenth overall after one lap. He battled back through the field and was poised to score a podium behind leading duo Noriyuki Haga and Yukio Kagayama, until Haga's crash ruled both Japanese out on the last lap. Toseland's team-mate Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) scored 12th in race one, after a crash in Superpole had put him eighth on the grid. Troy Bayliss, the Superpole winner on Ducati, was second, with Andrew Pitt (Yamaha) third.

In the second race, Toseland was deprived of a third place finish by only
1.6 centimetres, after a photo finish with Haga. His win and fourth places nonetheless tie him on points with Corser for overall second in the championship. Each has 38 points, with Bayliss the leader on 40. Muggeridge was ninth in race two, with his team now certain that the machine he crashed in Superpole had suffered some unseen internal chassis damage, despite extensive repairs before raceday. Muggeridge goes home to Australia for round two in ninth place.

An outstanding Superbike debut for Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) saw him finish fifth in race one, less than seven seconds from the winner, having started from 15th on the grid. Embroiled in a multi-rider fight in the second running, he scored eighth, for overall fifth in the series. Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR100RR) made his first World Superbike experience a rewarding one, taking sixth in the opener, after finishing Superpole in tenth place. In the second event, he secured seventh, for an overall sixth.

Fabrizio's experienced team-mate, Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) rode from 14th to eighth in race one, but crashed hard right in front of Barros in race two. He was battered and bruised and broke his left ring finger, but he will race at Phillip Island next week.

Toseland's joy at his first race win was tempered by disappointment at missing the podium in race two, but ever the cool-headed competitor, he knows his first meeting in Winston Ten Kate colours was as good as he could have realistically expected.

"Not a bad start," said Toseland of his opening race. "It had been a quiet time for me this winter, with everyone talking about Barros and Bayliss and so on, so it was nice that in the middle of a change of team, bike, everything, I was allowed to work away in the background. I came into this race with an open mind and we didn't start out so fast but the team has worked hard and we've got the first reward. It's very disappointing to miss the podium in race two but I only missed it by a centimetre or so."

Barros enjoyed his first taste of World Superbike competition, and despite slow starts and the odd heart-stopping moment, he was satisfied with two fine finishes.

"Two tough races and in race two I almost hit Chili when he fell," said Barros. "I regained the lap again and had a really good fight with Fabrizio and many other guys. But it was all fun, even if my starts were not so good, and I got edged out in the first corner of the first race. Now I understand how the machine and tyres work we should be better at the next races."

Fabrizio found two races per day a tough challenge after his recent Supersport experiences, but was elated with his race performances.

"I changed my bike after the warm up and the one I used in the races was much better than the one I had in Superpole and warm-up," said the young Italian. "I felt very strong in race one, and was very pleased to have made such a good result in my first race. The problem was race two, because I was very tired towards the end. But to have two good finishes was a dream."

Muggeridge was disappointed that his weekend ended in the way it did, especially after such a fine start.

"It was no good really," said Muggeridge. "I struggled from beginning to end. Something is wrong with the bike and we daren't change to the second, as we hadn't run that other one yet. So to say I am disappointed is an understatement. Every time I entered a corner, right or left, it was chattering, and I was so sideways. It has to be the bike, because James and I have such a similar race set-up, it's just not funny."

For Chili, race two was a poor reward for a good first race weekend in his new team.

"I was very frustrated because I could not pass Muggeridge and when I changed my line to try and get past I made a mistake and fell," said Chili.
"Race one was not so bad, but I have broken my finger and have lots of bruises on my elbow, shoulder and hip, and I twisted my knee. But I will be ready for the Phillip Island race."

Round Two takes place on 5 March, at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia.