An English weekend, and a changeable sky which traditionally creates problems for the riders. Friday and Saturday were rainy days, giving us the first wet Superpole of the season. A pity, because the riders were posting very good times, even on Friday during the first – and only – dry SBK session, going faster than last season right away.

The other series in SBK were less lucky, and couldn’t ride on the dry during practice, so on Sunday it was a surprise, not to say a challenge, for everybody to race with unproven dry set-ups.

On pole was a Wild Card, Tommy Hill, at home in the Silverstone Superpole rains.

Race1:
AIR HUMIDITY 41% AIR TEMPERATURE 18°C
TRACK CONDITION Dry TRACK TEMPERATURE 28°

Race 1 had two starts, because on the first lap many riders crashed. Everything was to be repeated, with a new start and a full 28 laps still to do. Immediately, in the leading positions, Haga and Bayliss started to fight and offered up a great show, together with a reborn Xaus. In the second part of the race the main protagonist was Toseland who – starting from 14th position – made a rapid progression, eventually reaching the podium.

The World Champion, Troy Corser, suffered a small crash, losing 25 points to his direct title contender.
On the podium were the Pirelli Diablo Superbike SC1 and SC2; so once again Pirelli takes to the podium a tyre regularly sold on the market, not only used by professional world class riders, but also by “everyday riders” on trackdays.

Rider Bike Team Race time
1 Bayliss Ducati 999F 06 Ducati Xerox 40’49.894
2 Haga Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB +0.890
3 Toseland Honda CBR1000RR Winston Ten Kate Honda +1.705
4 Xaus Ducati 999F05 Sterilgarda - Berik +8.285
5 Pitt Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB +12.303

A great result, with a race time of 40’49.894 which represents a significant improvement on last season, despite very little time to prepare and set up the machines.

Race2:
AIR HUMIDITY 35% AIR TEMPERATURE 18°C
TRACK CONDITION Dry TRACK TEMPERATURE 33°

Race 2 started with the great fight and show that only SBK can offer: Walker and the Kawasaki took the lead at the beginning, with the English public clearly in ecstacy.

After a few laps Bayliss and Haga re-established the positions of Race 1, while Corser, some way behind, was fighting not to lose many points after his first heat retirement.

Once again the Pirelli Diablo Superbike showed great performance, taking the new track record (the fastest lap came from Troy Bayliss, at the 6th tour, with 1’26.299 – obviously set on race tyres) and most of all showing that they do not fear full race distance. James Toseland was the best testimonial, with another great recovery and a second podium. On a track not ideal for overtaking the ex World Champion’s raceday was really outstanding.

After Race 1, technicians allocated to the different teams worked on the setup, as they usually do session after session during the weekend, and just like fully “dry weekends” the result was an improvement. A great improvement, with a race time of 40’42.003: 7” faster than Race 1 and 13” faster than 2005!

Race Standings
Rider Bike Team Race time
1 Bayliss Ducati 999F 06 Ducati Xerox 40’42.003
2 Haga Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB +1.585
3 Toseland Honda CBR1000RR Winston Ten Kate Honda +12.058
4 Pitt Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB +14.561
5 Barros Honda CBR1000RR Klaffi Honda +16.826

Championship Standings
Rider Bike Team Points
1 Bayliss Ducati 999 F06 Ducati Xerox 225
2 Corser Suzuki GSXR Alstare Suzuki 149
3 Haga Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 133
4 Toseland Honda CBR1000RR Winston Ten Kate Honda 129
5 Barros Honda CBR1000RR Klaffi Honda 113
6 Pitt Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor Italia WSB 103
7 Lanzi Ducati 999F 06 Ducati Xerox 62
8 Xaus Ducati 999F 05 Ducati SC - Caracchi 56
9 Abe Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Motor France 51
10 Walker Kawasaki ZX10 R PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse 51

At the end of the races, after the paddock show press conference, where the riders meet their fans, the culmination of the “Diablo Replica Bike Contest” was enacted.

This free-to-enter contest, promoted by Pirelli in collaboration with Suzuki Alstare and English magazine MCN, was a great success. To be won… passes for the races and sets of Pirelli Diablo Corsa III tyres, together with an incredible final prize.

A lucky SBK fan thus received, on the stage, a Suzuki GSX-R750, a fantastic prize, transformed into a replica of World Champion Troy Corser’s own Superbike.

AIR HUMIDITY 37% AIR TEMPERATURE 17°C
TRACK CONDITION Dry TRACK TEMPERATURE 32°

The domination of Sebastien Charpentier continued, once more secure in his race pace ahead of the Yamahas of Parkes and Curtain. The Frenchman had conducted an exceptional race, as he rode with authority and style to prove himself the winner, after yet another pole position in qualifying.

The Honda is the form bike, but Charpentier has simply transcended this category, and had a very different result from his team-mate. This result confirmed his ownership of the first part of his championship defence, having now won four races out of five, taking a podium finish in the other.

Race Standings
Rider Bike Team Race time
1 Charpentier Honda CBR 600 RR Winston Ten Kate 41’54.640
2 Parkes Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor Germany +2.802
3 Curtain Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor Germany +6.767
4 Riba Kawasaki ZX6RR MSS Discovery Racing +17.116
5 Harms Honda CBR 600 RR Stiggy Motorsports +26.102

Championship Standings
Rider Bike Team Points
1 Charpentier Honda CBR600 RR Winston Ten Kate 116
2 Curtain Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor Germany 76
3 Harms Honda CBR600 RR Stiggy Motorsports 63
4 Parkes Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Motor Germany 58
5 Tiberio Honda CBR600 RR Megabike Honda 50
6 Roccoli Yamaha YZF R6 Yamaha Team Italia 46
7 Fores Yamaha YZF R6 SLM Racing 39
8 Stigefelt Honda CBR600 RR DarkDog StiggyMotorsport 35
9 Sofuoglu Honda CBR600 RR Winston Ten Kate 27
10 Fujiwara Honda CBR600 RR Megabike Honda 22

AIR HUMIDITY 65% AIR TEMPERATURE 13°C
TRACK CONDITION Dry TRACK TEMPERATURE 19°

Many overtakes and great spectacle in the big capacity Superstock class, Superstock1000. After two days in which the riders did not get the chance to practice in dry conditions, the race offered a difficult challenge to everyone, who had to make the best of what little set-up information they could get in warm-up.

Claudio Corti took his first victory in this category (as 2005 champion in the Junior Superstock class) ahead of Polita, although the Suzuki rider kept his lead in the championship.

Also on the podium was Badovini, taking third on an MV Agusta.

Race Standings:

Rider Bike Team Race Time
1 Corti Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Team Italia 22’38.681
2 Polita Suzuki GSXR Celani Suzuki Italia +1.251
3 Badovini Mv Agusta Biassono – Unionbike +2.118

Championship Standings:

Rider Bike Team Points
1 Polita Suzuki GSXR Celani Suzuki Italia 70
2 Badovini Mv Agusta Biassono – Unionbike 48
3 Corti Yamaha YZF R1 Yamaha Team Italia 39

AIR HUMIDITY 34% AIR TEMPERATURE 18°C
TRACK CONDITION Dry TRACK TEMPERATURE 32°

The positive introduction of the Pirelli Diablo Corsa III to the Superstock 600 class contined, and at Silverstone it made a great a great impression on the stopwatches.

The winner of the race, after practice seesions plagued by wet conditions, was Canepa, in competition with Simeon to the last lap.
Simeon had the ability to take the chequered flag, but there was an aggreagate result – necessitated by a multiple rider crash – and thus Canepa prevailed by 0.048”.

Simeon set an incredible new lap record for the class: 1’32.545 on the 12° lap.

Race Standings:
Rider Bike Team Race time
1 Canepa Ducati 749R Ducati Xerox Junior 21’52.823
2 Simeon Suzuki GSX 600R Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra +4.113
3 Giugliano Kawasaki ZX6RR Lightspeed Kawasaki +5.731

Championship Standings:
Rider Bike Team Points
1 Simeon Suzuki GSX 600R Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra 70
2 Giugliano Kawasaki ZX6RR Lightspeed Kawasaki 46
3 Canepa Ducati 749R Ducati Xerox Junior 45