CORSER’S GOALS – Troy Corser could reach in Imola two important milestones. The first is related to race starts; at the moment the Suzuki rider counts 248 race starts and at the start of race 2 he will be the second rider after Pierfrancesco Chili to reach the milestone of 250 race starts in WSBK™.At the moment the all-time top-10 is as follows:

1 Pierfrancesco Chili 272
2 Troy Corser 248
3 Aaron Slight 229
4 Carl Fogarty 219
5 Piergiorgio Bontempi 194
6 Fabrizio Pirovano 182
7 Lucio Pedercini 176
8 Colin Edwards 175
9 Noriyuki Haga 174
10 Steve Martin 158

The second goal for Corser is the one related to points gained in career. He could be the second rider after Carl Fogarty that manages to have scored more than 3000 points. Fogarty stopped at 3020 so Corser could be the all-time scorer soon. This is the all-time top-10:

1 Carl Fogarty 3020
2 Troy Corser 2992.5
3 Aaron Slight 2834.5
4 Colin Edwards 2393.5
5 Pierfrancesco Chili 2380.5
6 Noriyuki Haga 2003
7 Fabrizio Pirovano 1678.5
8 Neil Hodgson 1566.5
9 Troy Bayliss 1536
10 James Toseland 1411

AFTER 60… 61? – Both Troy Bayliss and Noriyuki Haga at the Eurospeedway Lausitz gained their 60th career podium and in Imola they could Reach Pierfrancesco Chili at the 5th place all-time. Troy Bayliss climbed on the podium 14 times this year and Haga 10. It will be difficult for Chili to defend his position: he doesn’t score a podium since Assen 2004 race 1, when he finished second. This is the list of riders that scored more podium finishes:

1 Carl Fogarty 109
2 Troy Corser 104
3 Aaron Slight 87
4 Colin Edwards 75
5 Pierfrancesco Chili 61
6 Troy Bayliss 60
7 Noriyuki Haga 60
8 Raymond Roche 57
9 Fabrizio Pirovano 47
10 Stephane Mertens 45


DUCATI CIRCUIT – Ducati bikes dominated almost all the races run in Imola. In 2003 race 1 and 2004 race 2 the podium was made only of Ducatis, in the second case this domination was extended to the fifth position, while in 2002 race 1 the manufacturer from Borgo Panigale managed to put 10 bikes in the points.

In 5 times out of 9 races run at the Santerno circuit, there have been 9 Ducatis in the points. The amount of wins is: 5 for Ducati, 3 for Honda and 1 for Aprilia, the podiums are 16 for Ducati, 6 for Honda, 2 for Aprilia and Suzuki and 1 for Yamaha. Yamaha managed to climb on the podium only in 2005 with Noriyuki Haga (3rd).


ANNIVERSARIES OF THE WEEK

• 25th of september – 1988, Oran Park, Mick Doohan scores his first pole position at his second race weekend in WSBK™. It’s the first pole position for Yamaha. – 1994, Mugello race 1. Kawasaki scores his 25th fastest lap with Scott Russell, at the moment the japanese manufacturer counts 37 fastest laps;
• 28th of september – 2003, Imola, Ruben Xaus scores his first fastest lap. The 28th is Fred Merkel’s birthday. The american rider was the first World Champion in 1988 and won again in 1989;
• 29th of september – 2002, Imola race 1, Colin Edwards scores Honda’s 75th win, at the moment the japanese manufacturer counts 88 wins;
• 30th of september – 2001, Imola race 2, first win for Regis Laconi, that beats Ruben Xaus for only 21 thousandths of a second, the fourth lowest margin recorded in SBK™ history. The slightest margin is 5 thousandths recorded 3 times (Australia 2 1999, Corser-Fogarty, Monza 2 1999 Fogarty-Edwards and Monza 1 1997 Kocinski-Slight), 7 thousandths, Monza 1996 (Chili-Slight) and 10 thousandths, Manfeild 1992 (Falappa-Polen). Regis is the rider that scored the highest number of wins in Imola, with 3 wins together with Ruben Xaus.

MILESTONES IN IMOLA
• 2005 – Troy Corser wins his second World Championship and equals Colin Edwards, Fred Merkel and Doug Polen. At the top of the ranks Fogarty with 4 titles.


HIGHS AND LOWS OF 2005 IN IMOLA
• worst season qualifying result for Chris Walker (16th) and for Ivan Clementi (24th);
• worst season race result for Andrew Pitt (16th), Regis Laconi (9th) and Yukio Kagayama (15th);
• best season race result for Steve Martin (5th).