Preview - From the Aussie perspective

After the classic curves of Brno on July 23, the 2006 World Superbike title switches to the hustle and bustle of Brands Hatch this Sunday – one of Aussie Troy Corser’s favourite playgrounds.

The reigning world champion has won three times at the technical 4.197km circuit, including a superb victory over Japan’s Noriyuki Haga in 2005. He scored his first win in 1996, en route to World Superbike title No. 1.

Corser’s triumph in 2005 came near the end of a sizzling campaign which saw him win eight of the 23 races contested, and accumulate points with clinical efficiency.

However, 2006 is proving to be far less agreeable to the 34-year-old Suzuki rider, who is currently fourth in the standings on 173pts – behind compatriot Troy Bayliss (262), Haga (189) and Briton James Toseland (188).

Corser hasn’t finished on the podium in the last six races, which means that Brands Hatch represents a critical juncture for the Wollongong (NSW) rider.

“I wasn’t happy with Brno so Brands will be a good chance for me to get some good results and keep up the momentum in the championship,” said Corser. “Obviously we all need Bayliss to make a slip-up or two, but otherwise there’s going to be a very big battle for second spot.

“Brands isn’t just another round of the championship anymore - it’s an event! The place has a fantastic atmosphere because the crowd is so close to the track and sometimes you can almost feel them breathing down your neck! It’s quite a technical track and not the easiest place for overtaking, so a good grid place is pretty much crucial.”

Three other Brands Hatch World Superbike winners will join Corser on the grid this Sunday: Haga (Yamaha YZF-R1), Bayliss (Ducati 999F06) and veteran Pierfrancesco Chili (Honda CBR1000RR).

While the extroverted, 40-plus Chili will say his goodbyes to English fans, Haga shapes as the biggest threat to Corser and Bayliss, having won three of the last four Brands Hatch races, as well as finishing second in the other.

Meanwhile, Bayliss has to go back even further for his only victory at Brands Hatch – in 2000, when he passed Briton Neil Hodgson on the final lap. It was the Taree (NSW) rider’s second-ever World Superbike victory, after just months earlier being plucked from the American scene to deputise for the injured Carl Fogarty in the factory Ducati squad. Just a year later, Bayliss was world champion.

After a disappointing result at Brno – a crash and eighth place – Bayliss is now desperate to rediscover his winning form on Sunday, which would just about close the door on his pursuers with four rounds remaining.

“I've had two crashes recently, one of which was not my fault and then we had the disastrous weekend at the last round,” said Bayliss. “But I've been training very hard and looking forward to getting back on track. I've got a good points lead but I don't want to ride for points; I want to win races.

“James (Toseland) is going okay at the moment, but I know how consistently strong Corser can be and Haga goes very well at Brands Hatch so they are the two probably on my mind, but I just want to go there and do the job in hand.”

According to Bayliss, Brands Hatch has some “strange corners”, which makes bike set-up critical.

“I guess you've got to be feeling confident with your bike because there are… places where you've got to get the bike working differently,” Bayliss said. “However, Brands isn't as physical as a lot of other tracks, but to do a good lap there is difficult because it's quite technical.

“It's more like an old-style track. There are some physical points, but it's not actually a track that destroys you -- unless there's a British heat wave!

Other contenders at Brands Hatch will include Australian Andrew Pitt (YZF-R1), whose breakthrough win at Misano is still fresh in his mind; Brno double winner Yukio Kagayama (GSX-R1000); aggressive Italian Michel Fabrizio (CBR100RR); and the two big British hopes: Toseland (CBR1000RR) and Chris Walker (Kawasaki ZX-10R).

Moreover, tough Aussie Steve Martin (Foggy Petronas FP1) cannot be discounted after finishing on the podium in 2004, while his compatriot Karl Muggeridge (CBR1000RR) has won at Brands Hatch in World Supersport guise.

Martin likens Brands Hatch to Philip Island, where fast and flowing corners are the staple – not stop-go turns where his triple struggles to maintain momentum.

Josh Brookes (ZX-10R) will be the final Australian in action, fresh from finishing seventh in last Sunday’s iconic Suzuka 8 Hours endurance race in Japan. Brookes is still searching for his first points of the year.

The grid will also feature American Kurtis Roberts (CBR1000RR), who is the son of legendary three-time 500cc winner Kenny Roberts. The 27-year-old will make a one-off appearance in the D.F.X team to replace the departed German Max Neukirchner.

Roberts certainly knows how to pilot a Superbike, having finished third in the 2003 American title behind Australian star Mat Mladin.

In World Supersport, 40-year-old Kevin Curtain (Yamaha YZF-R6) defeated Aussie teammate Broc Parkes (YZF-R6) in an spirited Brno encounter, and is now just 10pts (121 to 111) behind defending champion Sebastien Charpentier (Honda CBR600RR).

Charpentier is still on the comeback trail from a broken collarbone, and is expected to lift his work rate at Brands Hatch – although he still may struggle to match the pace of the flying Curtain and Parkes.

CURRENT WORLD SUPERBIKE STANDINGS (after 7 of 12 rounds):
1 Troy Bayliss, Australia, Ducati 262
2 Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Yamaha 189
3 James Toseland, Great Britain, Honda 188
4 Troy Corser, Australia, Suzuki 173
5 Alex Barros, Brazil, Honda 151
6 Andrew Pitt, Australia, Yamaha 128
7 Yukio Kagayama, Japan, Suzuki 106
8 Lorenzo Lanzi, Italy, Ducati 87
9 Michel Fabrizio, Italy, Honda 83
10 Fonsi Nieto, Spain, Kawasaki 81
14 Karl Muggeridge, Australia, Honda 66
26 Steve Martin, Australia, Petronas 4

AUSSIE WORLD SUPERBIKE QUOTES
Karl Muggeridge (current position 14th, 66pts)
“We will start again from Brno race No. 2 where things went quite will. But I want to try to do even better of course. I really want to step on the podium and I will try my best to achieve my goal. Now, after the injury I suffered at the beginning of the season, I am almost totally fit to race and I hope to result competitive from the first day of testing also thanks to a good set up of the bike which should allow me to be among the fastest and prepare the race with tranquility."

Steve Martin (25th, 4pts)
“Brands Hatch is the track which is closest in lay-out to Phillip Island, our strongest circuit, as there are not many stop-go corners. So it should suit our bike more than most circuits. I was taken out in the second race here last year so the first thing I am hoping for is two finishes, which I haven’t had since Valencia. The next aim is to finish in a good points-scoring position. Qualifying is one of the bike’s stronger points so I am also hoping for a good grid position. The weather can also be unpredictable in the UK and this may also help level the playing field this weekend.”