Preview - From the Aussie perspective

Australian Troy Bayliss’ charge towards a second World Superbike title will continue at the remodeled Assen circuit in Holland this weekend, where another strong result will just about eliminate all hope for his main pursuers.

The 37-year-old, who scored Ducati’s 250th win in World Superbike history in the last round at Brands Hatch, controls proceedings by a massive 77pts (307 to 230) over Japan’s Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha YZF-R1), although he’s returning to a circuit where his results have previously been underwhelming – in both World Superbike and MotoGP guise.

Bayliss’ one and only World Superbike round was at Assen was in 2000, when he crashed out of both races after qualifying second on the grid.

Assen then lost its spot on the World Superbike calendar until 2003, by which time Bayliss had switched to the MotoGP class. In three years of grand prix racing, Bayliss finished outside the top 10 on two occasions, and did not finish the other race.

Bayliss is fully aware that he’s yet to forge a strong relationship with the iconic Dutch circuit, and he’s out to remedy the situation on Sunday.

"My focus is on the world championship, we have a title to win and the changes at Assen will be a challenge for every team including us. My aim is to keep in the points and just keep building my buffer,” said Bayliss.

"I had a lot of bad luck there but I still feel like I ride well at Assen. In 2000 I qualified well but unfortunately I could not put it together in the races. We'll see what Sunday brings."

Bayliss is shooting to become the sixth multiple World Superbike champion in 2006, behind compatriot Troy Corser; Americans Fred Merkel, Doug Polen and Colin Edwards; and Briton Carl Fogarty.

This weekend’s Assen layout is quite different from the one that the Superbike caravan visited in 2005. Gone is the fast, banked and sweeping Northern Loop, which has been jettisoned to make way for a shorter and more spectator-friendly circuit.

Previously boasting the longest lap time on the Superbike calendar, the circuit now measures 4.55km, compared to 6km of the previous incarnation.

Corser, for one, believes the changes have robbed the circuit of its special character.

“I was at a presentation at Assen recently and had an opportunity to look at the new layout - from a course car,” said Corser. “For me, Assen always was a fantastic track - flowing and a blast to ride. From my two laps in the course car last week, I think that it is now a completely different track to ride and the first five or six turns are going to ruin the flowing nature of the track somewhat.”

After a bright start to his title defence, Corser (Suzuki GSX-R1000) is currently in fourth position on 193pts after a succession of travails, including a nasty bout of chicken pox. Corser sits behind impressive British rider James Toseland (Honda CBR1000RR, 219pts) in the standings.

At the same juncture in 2005 -- eight rounds into the 12-round championship -- Corser was a whopping 110pts ahead of countryman Chris Vermeulen, which proved to be an impenetrable buffer.

Although he certainly won’t make it championship number three in 2006, Corser still wants to finish the season on a high, although he believes the new-look Assen won’t do him any favours.

“I don’t think the new layout is going to suit our bike so well and getting the gearing right for the first part is going to have an effect on the second part,” said Corser. “The set-up is going to have to be a compromise for sure and it’ll be vital to get a good set-up as quickly as you can and then make really good starts in both races or you’ll be left behind and struggling. I will need to qualify well and be at the front of the pack to have any chance of podiums - that’s the plan.”

Corser, 34, stood on the podium at Assen six times between 1995-1998 without claiming a victory – although he did come within centimetres of besting Fogarty in 1996.

Last year’s Assen races were dominated by Vermeulen, with Haga and Toseland swapping second and third places.

Haga, who won his first race of 2006 at Brands Hatch after a stirring battle with Bayliss, will be hungry for more success on Sunday, while Toseland is fast becoming a consummate performer at Assen, which includes a victory in 2004.

Andrew Pitt (YZF-R1) is the third major Aussie hope at Assen, although Karl Muggeridge (CBR1000RR) is a dual winner at the circuit (2003-2004) from his World Supersport days.

However, Pitt has been the more consistent all year, which has him in sixth spot on 157pts, behind evergreen Brazilian Alex Barros (CBR1000RR, 166pts).

Steve Martin (Foggy Petronas FP1) and Josh Brookes (Kawasaki ZX-10R) complete the Aussie World Superbike connection at Assen – the former looking to finish his disappointing year on a high on the soon-to-be decommissioned triple, and Brookes still coming to grips with the international caper.

Of the remaining riders, Corser’s teammate Yukio Kagayama (GSX-R1000) and Briton Chris Walker (ZX-10R) are quality campaigners, while the championship welcomes back talented German Max Neukirchner into the fold on the GSX-R1000 vacated by Frenchman Fabien Foret.

Karl Muggeridge
“I’m feeling good,” affirmed Muggeridge. “We had a good ‘warm up’ at the Ten Kate workshop last weekend for the pit stop day and a lot of fans showed up. The forecast seems to promise some rain for the weekend but this doesn’t worry me so much. I will try my best to earn as many points as possible for the Winston Ten Kate Honda Team and me. I know it’s a really special race for them."

Steve Martin
“It is going to be a tough weekend, and a tough finale to the season. However the weather forecast is not good and I actually hope it rains. The last time we rode in the wet was the first session at Silverstone and I was up there. Our bike is now revving higher so it will not be easy to ride in the wet, but it might give us our best chance. I don’t think the new lay-out of the circuit is going to make too much difference as the standard of the riders is so high that everyone will have adapted after two or three laps.”

Andrew Pitt
"I'm really looking forward to Assen. It's always been a favourite circuit for most riders, although we have to see what effect the new shorter layout will have. The team brought in a new crew chief for me at the start of the season (Dave Marton) with whom I worked back in the days of the Australian championship. Our package was very strong in Brands Hatch but for the first time ever on the R1 I made two terrible starts and left myself with too much work to do. We've got the bike working well everywhere and we if we can qualify and start well then we should be able to be right up there again this weekend. It's going to be a busy month but all the team has had a good rest over the summer break and we're coming back with the aim of finishing the year on a high."

Josh Brookes
“I am hanging out for Assen. I don’t know the track, and I am just starting to get the bike to work, so realistically, if I can make Superpole, and finish well, then I’ll be at least a tiny bit satisfied. It’s a tough track, technical and fast, so Friday will be about getting things sorted and learning the track, whilst going a fast as I possibly can.”

In World Supersport, Kevin Curtain and Broc Parkes (both Yamaha YZF-R6s) are both in strong contention to become the fourth Aussie world champion since 2001.

Curtain, aboard the third-generation YZF-R6, shares co-leadership of the series with reigning world champion Sebastien Charpentier (Honda CBR600RR). Both are on 131pts while Parkes, who defeated Curtain at Brands Hatch, is threatening on 119pts.