CHARPENTIER RETAINS CHAMPIONSHIP AS HONDA WINS FIVE-IN-ROW Another superb 1-2 team performance by Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) and Kenan Sofuoglu (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) delivered the 2005 champion a second consecutive title in the World Supersport division, after a dramatic afternoon in Charpentier’s home country. Charpentier and Sofuoglu dominated the race, as they had qualifying (with Charpentier on pole and Sofuoglu second) but in a safe fifth place on the second row of the grid, Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) was on course to win the title.

Any finish eighth or higher would have given Curtain the title, but he fell at post 12 on lap eight, and was thus out of the race. Charpentier then had to finish second or better to overturn Curtain’s 18-point pre-race lead and in winning the delayed 22-lap event now enjoys a final points advantage of
194 to Curtain’s 187. Sofuoglu’s selflessness gave him third overall, as he scored his seventh podium of the season, in second.

Charpentier has scored eight podiums this season; six wins, and has now made history by being the first rider to make back-to-back championship wins in World Supersport. In doing so he gave Honda and his Ten Kate team their fifth back-to-back Rider’s Championships, to add to Honda’s Manufacturers’ trophy, earned last weekend at Imola. Sofuoglu finishes his first full season in WSS racing with seven podiums and two wins.

Katsuaki Fujiwara (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) battled hard, after a qualifying performance of sixth, for seventh in the 22-lap race, while Yoann Tiberio (Team Megabike Honda CBR600RR) was tenth, recovering from a disastrous 20th in qualifying. Tiberio finishes his season seventh overall on 80 points, with Fujiwara 13th, on 39.

Charpentier was simultaneously exhausted and elated by his championship success, having recovered from some seemingly impossible situations - and a broken pelvis during a Brno test session in June.

“When I saw number 11 was out I was not completely sure, because I know Kevin very well and he is a good rider,” said Charpentier, emotional after his title win on home soil. “Yamaha worked very hard this year and sometimes Curtain and Broc Parkes made it very hard for me. Also after my crash in Brno, it became very difficult. It was not easy to keep my body at 100%. I think my Winston Ten Kate Honda team is very strong and they have been perfect. They made a good way for me, and my team-mate made some very good results in the last few races. For me this is a fantastic day because there have been some very difficult moments this year - after the Brno injury and the German race at Lausitz. Thank you so much to Honda, because they showed that the CBR600RR has a big possibility to win.”

Sofuoglu was the perfect team-mate once more, and achieved his personal goal of third overall.

“I knew we had to work together in the race and so when Sebastien came through I did not try to re-pass him,” said Sofuoglu. “When I learned that Curtain was out I realised that I could push again and go for the win, and Sebastien would still be champion, - but it was a risk, and I still had Parkes behind. I want to be really strong next year and I will give everything to win.”

Fujiwara was pugilistic in the final round and only just missed out on a better finish at the end, due to a piece of unusual bad luck.

"During the last lap I touched with Harms and I broke my clutch lever, so I couldn’t attack him again,” said Fujiwara. “I started not so well and some riders passed me at the first corner. During the first lap I had some problem with the new tyre but after that I pushed hard and I recovered more positions - thanks to the help of the circuit design I had more chance to pass. I feel only a little pain on my hand, so that's a good sign for the future.”

Tiberio was caught out by the changeable weather in qualifying but recovered well in the race.

"This result is important for the championship because I took more points and I ended up in seventh position,” said Tiberio. “I started without clear ideas about the set-up because of the rain on Saturday, but, after the first lap, I pushed hard and I recovered more positions. During the last laps my tyre was finished and I could not attack for eighth position. I'm happy, I want to thank the team for the positive season. I won a race and it was a fantastic experience.”

World Superbike Round 12 of 12

TOSELAND WINS AND IS SECOND IN THE TITLE RACE James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) was a main player in two of the best races witnessed this season in World Superbike, and scored a race win in the first 23-lap contest. When he took an eventually safe third place, he ensured that he would finish second in the overall championship.  He has now scored three race wins in his first season on the CBR1000RR, and was only one place from winning pole at Magny Cours, after a strong showing throughout regulation qualifying.

Race one went to second best Superpole qualifier Toseland, after a classis battle with second placed Noriyuki Haga, Troy Corser and fourth placed Troy Bayliss. Toseland owed his win as much to aggression and determination as his obviously high level of sheer riding skill, and it continued the strong form of the Honda CBR1000RR this season. Muggeridge fell after dropping back from the leading positions, while Imola race one winner Alex Barros overcame a disappointing fourth row Superpole performance to finish seventh. The race was delayed for over 40-minutes after an oil spill from a crashed rider’s machine had stopped the first leg before a lap had been completed. A full 23-lap restart was called.

In race two, Toseland led for the majority of the contest, which was a three way fight for the win, eventually taken by 2006 champion Bayliss, from 2005 Champion, Corser. Toseland fought as hard as he ever has in his career while leading, but once Bayliss made a pass and gapped him, he slowed to take a safe podium in third, and win his personal battle with Noriyuki Haga for overall second.

Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) could not replicate his Imola race-winning form and ended his season sixth overall, after a mistake in qualifying left him on the fourth row for each race, ultimately leaving him with tough battles to score seventh and tenth place finishes in France.

Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) fell in race one but was in the leading mix in race two, finally slipping back to sixth, equalling his previous individual season best.

Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Treme Honda CBR1000RR) retired from race one but was an assured and aggressive 15th in race two, signing his World Superbike championship career off with a points score. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Treme Honda CBR1000RR) went 11th and 13th, ending his rookie SBK year 11th overall, one place ahead of Muggeridge.

The final top points scores are Bayliss 431, Toseland 336, Haga 326, Corser 254, Pitt 250, and Barros 246.

Toseland was enthused by his race one win but realised that a desperate last lap in race two could have far reaching consequences for his stated aim of finishing second overall.

“You could tell from the last few races that Haga and I both wanted second place in the championship badly, so it was good to take my third win of the season in race one - and I had to think about the championship placing in race two,” stated Toseland. “The racing was fantastic today and to finish the season second was our goal coming here. There was a bit of contact from time to time but we are all used to it now - we’ve been racing together for years now. I have to thank the team for all their support this year and the Fireblade is working great.”

Barros was disappointed after his first SBK visit to Magny-Cours.

“It was difficult here in Magny-Cours,” said the Brazilian star. “Beside the fact that we could not test here, like some of the other teams, we lost valuable time in the practice sessions, as the track was damp every day in the morning. The bike was OK on Saturday and I had a good feeling before the races. In the races the grip went down quite early and then it was difficult for me. I just did not feel the same grip as on Saturday. It was all I could do today.”

Muggeridge was up with the leaders in each race but even in race two his luck was against him.

“In both races I had a good rhythm but I made a mistake in race one and fell,” admitted Muggeridge. “In race two I was with the fastest riders but at one stage I lost a few tenths, due to a mistake and I could not pick it up. I know they had a good fight up there, and I wish I could have been with them all the way. Sixth place is not too bad, but still not what I wanted, which was to step on the podium. I have to thank the team for all their support this year.”

Chili spent most of his final race weekend saying thank you to well-wishers, but when the action started he scored his first point since Brno in July.

“I have not so many words today,” said Chili, clearly emotional about this his final SBK race as a rider. “I did not finish race one but I was happy to finish in a good way in race two and score a point. I had some problems in the middle of the race and then got fast again towards the end.”

Fabrizio ended his season with two points scoring results, but he paid the price for only finishing 16th in Superpole.

“My set-up was not perfect but I was just starting too far towards the back in each race,” said Fabrizio. “In race two I also had some problems stopping but I rode as hard as I could with a set-up that was not all it could be.”