Corser aiming to put the brakes on the Biaggi juggernaut at Brno
The world superbike title resumes at the classic Brno this weekend, with all the focus centred on whether anyone can snap Max Biaggi’s recent domination.
Biaggi and his Aprilia are currently on the best winning stretch in four years of WSBK competition, which is already a worrying enough proposition for his rivals.
Then add in the fact that he’s already a race winner and lap record holder at the Czech Republic circuit, it’s obvious he’s going to be the rider to beat in the two 21-lap races.
Perhaps one of only a few personnel who will be able to wear down the Italian is Australia’s Troy Corser (BMW), who led most of race one in the last round at Misano before Biaggi eventually clawed his way to the front.
And like Biaggi, Corser is also a Brno winner, the last of his three victories coming in his world championship-winning year of 2005.
Last year, riding the all-new BMW in its first year of WSBK competition, Corser stormed to his best result of the season with a fifth in race one.
Now armed with a vastly improved machine, Corser is expecting big things at Brno, which is a temple to racing with its constant elevation changes and magnificent, sweeping bends.
“I’m confident going into Brno, and the bike has come a long way since this time a year ago,” said Corser.
“I like the track itself a lot, as it suits my riding style. The set-up you run here is quite unusual. There are corners which you brake into going downhill and others which you brake into travelling uphill. That means you have to find a compromise.”
Corser joined all the world superbike regulars in a test session at Imola last week, which included his fellow Aussies Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki) and Broc Parkes (Honda).
For Vermeulen, it was his first real chance to go testing since he hurt his knee way back in February, but he was happy to have found new Pirelli tyres that seem to suit the ZX-10R in race trim.
“The new tyres that Pirelli has brought have been good,” said Vermeulen.
“We have gone through some of the parts that have been introduced through the year and this is the first chance I have been able to do something on the bike without being under the pressure of race weekend since my accident. Consistently we are a lot closer to the front, so that is very positive.”
After such an underwhelming season, top 10 finishes at Brno would amount to a positive outing for Vermeulen, while at the sharp end of the pack Biaggi and Corser will be on duty with the regular guard: Leon Haslam (Suzuki), Carlos Checa (Ducati), Jonathan Rea (Honda), Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) and Yamaha pair James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow.
Crutchlow was fastest at the Imola test ahead of Haslam and Fabrizio, with Biaggi back in ninth.
At Brno, Biaggi will be out to extend his winning streak to six, which would only leave him only three behind the all-time record jointly held by Briton Neil Hodgson and American Colin Edwards.
Biaggi leads the championship on 307pts, with a comfortable 37pt buffer back to Haslam (270), followed by Checa (172), Rea (158), Haga (151) and Corser (149). There are a maximum of 250pts up for grabs in the final five rounds.
In world supersport, Eugene Laverty (Honda) will attempt to maintain the championship lead in what is a see-sawing battle against Kenan Sofuoglu (Honda) and Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki).
Lascorz was the best of the trio at Brno last year, finishing third.
WORLD SUPERBIKE STANDINGS (AFTER ROUND EIGHT OF 13):
1 Max Biaggi, Italy, Aprilia 307
2 Leon Haslam, Great Britain, Suzuki 270
3 Carlos Checa, Spain, Ducati 172
4 Jonathan Rea, Great Britain, Honda 158
5 Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Ducati 151
6 Troy Corser, Australia, BMW 149
7 James Toseland, Great Britain, Yamaha 138
8 Michel Fabrizio, Italy, Ducati 131
9 Leon Camier, Great Britain, Aprilia 130
10 Cal Crutchlow, Great Britain, Yamaha 120
— Yamaha Preview
The Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team arrive in the Czech Republic this week in preparation for round nine of the 2010 championship at the Brno circuit. British riders Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland will be looking to build on their current point standings in advance of their home race at Silverstone at the beginning of August.
The 5.403km Automotodrom Brno circuit features constant elevation changes and an incredibly steep 7.5% gradient towards the last chicane of the track. The track also features one of the fastest chicanes on the WSB calendar. Both Yamaha Sterilgarda riders know the circuit well, Crutchlow taking pole in qualifying in World Supersport last year, an incredible eight tenths of a second faster than his closest rival. Team mate Toseland enjoyed great success on his last World Superbike outing to Brno, taking a first and a second place finish in 2007.
“I’ve got unfinished business at Brno,” said Cal Crutchlow. “I had a really strong qualifying there in Supersport last year and was only two laps from winning the race when an unfortunate mechanical issue forced retirement. I love the track; it’s fast and flowing and should suit our bike really well.”
“I’m looking forward to the weekend,” said James Toseland. “Brno is a track I’ve always had good results on. Everyone knows its Max Biaggi’s favourite circuit so it’s going to be difficult for everyone here as it’s probably going to be a strong weekend for Aprilia. Having said that, we worked hard at last week’s test in Imola so I’m looking forward to getting out on the track on Friday to see where we stand.”
Brno technically speaking according to Marcus Eschenbacher, Cal Crutchlow’s Crew Chief
“Brno is a traditional old-style track with a lot of character, it’s more or less like a rollercoaster with fast flowing corners. It’s really important to have a good flow with the bike, the gearbox has to work very smoothly with the track. Gear changes have to be perfect or you have to change gear in a lean angle which isn’t as efficient for the rider. The Chassis has to be set up to cope with braking hard downhill as a lot of overtaking places are on downhill braking spots, so stability is the key on the chassis. Grip level is not too bad at Brno so we shouldn’t have an issue there. Tyre wear can sometimes be abrasive if there’s a lot of rain but usually it’s ok. The track is pretty wide so the riders can have some really different lines through some areas, especially the fast chicane. We will try to have one bike as it was in the Misano race and one bike with the changes we made at the Imola test to start on Friday and see how Cal gets on.”
Brno technically speaking according to Frankie Carchedi, James Toseland’s Crew Chief
“Brno is a track with constant elevation changes, wide corners, and a smooth surface. There is an equal number of left and right turns and plenty of overtaking opportunities. During the recent test at Imola we tested numerous different settings mainly in making the Yamaha more absorbent over the bumps with the new Pirelli tyres, especially in high temperatures, as this has been the weak point this year. The team are looking forward to Brno as the smooth surface and fast flow of the track should suit the bike well.”
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager
“We are ready as always. James has proven he is good here previously in Superbike and Cal was very impressive last year in Supersport. We will start on Friday with the set up we found at the Imola test, and will make some changes depending on how the riders find the circuit. The test went pretty well overall so we are optimistic that we can use the new Pirelli tyre at the weekend and chase some good results.”
— HRC Preview
There has been competition in and around the city of Brno since the early days of motorcycle racing, but the official Honda riders who travel to the Czech Republic this weekend are out to write their own new chapters in the Superbike or Supersport categories.
Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Jonathan Rea is particularly keen to get back to the kind of situation that allowed him to take two Superbike race wins at Assen in April. The last few races have not been as kind to team or rider, but after a test at Imola last week Rea is looking for a positive turn of events at Brno, a circuit that he and virtually all his peers rate as one of the very best.
Jonathan is currently fourth in the championship fight, one of six riders who have won races in 2010. The championship leader is Max Biaggi for Aprilia (307 points), second is Leon Haslam for Suzuki
(270 points), third Carlos Checa on a Ducati (172) and Rea now has 158 points.
The Supersport World Championship has hardened into a three-way fight for the title in 2010, with Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) taking the lead from Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) at the previous round. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki) is in a close third place and only 13 points separate the ‘big three.’ The fourth placed competitor over 50 points from Lascorz. Honda continues to lead the Manufacturers’ Standings, by 47 points.
Brno is a special race for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Superbike rider Max Neukirchner, as the German rider can count on a high degree of support from hundreds of his fan club members and other supporters who make the journey to the Czech Republic each season. Like his team-mate Rea, he found some real improvements with his machine set-up at the recent Imola test and intends to put them to good use in the fast esses and frequent inclines of Brno.
Another Honda Superbike team, ECHO CRS, and its rider Broc Parkes had their first joint test of the season at Imola, as Broc missed the early races and pre-season with injury. Eliminating chatter was their aim, and they succeeded to some degree, filling Parkes with hope that he can make two solid points scoring finishes at Brno.
The second Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Supersport rider, Michele Pirro, sees Brno as a chance to make up for the points lost at Misano last time out, when he collided with fast starting Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda). This race is a vital one for each rider, as Pirro needs to score strong points, and Rea will be racing at his team’s own racetrack. Pirro is now seventh, Rea eighth in the standings.
Massimo Roccoli, Gino’s Intermoto Czech Honda team-mate, is looking for the ideal of a top five finish at Brno, the same target as Parkalgar Honda rider Miguel Praia. Praia set out to score top tens in each race in 2010, and has largely succeeded, taking two ninths and three tenths so far. In the standings, Roccoli is 12th, Praia 13th.
After Brno there will be a two weekend break in race meetings, before both WSBK and WSS classes return to a new-look Silverstone for round ten, between 30 July and 1 August.
WSBK Rider Comments
Jonathan Rea, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “I feel OK about the forthcoming race in Brno. In Imola during the test we didn’t suffer from chatter problems as badly as we did in Misano for the race. We did try some radically new things in Imola. Nowadays nobody really makes big strides in WSBK, it is just about little things, but we are looking for a big step. Things have changed in WSB since last year, since last time we were in Brno. The tyre we always use is creating a lot more grip, and that is maybe causing some of our issues. I have had some good results at Brno in the past and we will definitely start practice on Friday with an open mind. We’ll be giving it a good go as always.”
Max Neukirchner, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR: “We found a little bit in the test at Imola and I could get a bit more feel. It was not so good on the first day but the team worked well and we spoke a lot about how to improve things. I was a lot happier on day two. I only used race tyres so my best lap time was not so bad. I hope we can have a good result in Brno and I really like the racetrack. Lots of my fan club members will be there too and I want to put on a good performance for them as well as the team.”
Broc Parkes, ECHO CRS Honda CBR1000RR: “We had a good test at Imola recently, and made progress with the chatter we had been having on the bike. It is still there, but reduced. There are not really an awful lot of things we need to get our two bikes a bit closer to each other in configuration and set-up. It’s just making the strategy work in the same direction. I have had some good results at Brno in Supersport so I am hoping we can go there and be a lot stronger.”
WSS Rider Comments
Eugene Laverty, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “We did not have a test at Imola but I think we will be fine at Brno. I enjoy riding Brno even if struggled a bit last year, as we didn’t get the settings quite right. With the bike working so well this year we will start in a good way, even on Friday. It is turning into a fight between the top three guys, and I think it will be that way to the end of the season.
It would be good to have a few more people up there at the front, however.”
Kenan Sofuoglu, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “We had a good test and we have improved everything on the bike. I have to ride at the maximum to win the championship but I know I have the package to be world champion and I know I have the belief. Everything is very good now. I have a bike and suspension package to be ready at Brno.”
Michele Pirro, Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR: “We had a good test at Imola last week when we tried lots of things and worked on the electronics some more. It was very useful also for me to spend some time on the track because the Italian championship doesn’t go to Imola and it was only my second time there. I like Brno because it is smooth, the lines are smooth and it has not too many slow corners. It is a very important race for me, and we need to take a good result.”
Gino Rea, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “We tested at Brno and that wasn’t too bad; we got to try a few things that we would not normally get to use on a race weekend. We’re all feeling good for the race and it’s my team’s home event, so it should be a good one. We proved we can run up the front last time at Misano, so I am looking forward to getting back on track again.”
Massimo Roccoli, Intermoto Czech Honda CBR600RR: “We tested at Brno last week and did the same times as we did in qualifying last year.
It was not so easy as it was a track day as well, so many riders were on the circuit, but it was very useful for us all. This will be my team’s home track and they will bring many guests, so everybody wants to have our best race yet here.”
Miguel Praia, Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR: “I am pretty motivated after the race at Misano and our bikes will be strong in Brno. I like the track and I am 100% fit. We need to keep pushing and make another step in Brno. I would like to try to go for a top five as that is something I have not done yet. I think given everything we have should look to that as a new target. We have already met one target of making top tens this year.”
— BMW Preview
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport go into the next round of the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship fresh from their most successful race weekend yet at Misano, Italy, and a two-day test at Imola (also Italy). Troy Corser (AUS) and his team-mate Ruben Xaus (ESP) will contest the ninth of the season’s 13 race weekends at Brno in the Czech Republic from 9th – 11th July.
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport will travel to the Czech Republic in bullish mood having recorded their first pole position and second podium finish of the season so far at Misano. With 152 points in the manufacturers’ standings, the team has now comfortably exceeded last year’s end-of-season total of 141 points after just eight of the 13 race weekends in 2010.
The team’s two riders could barely have more contrasting memories of last year’s race at Brno. While Troy claimed fifth place in Race 1 at the Czech track – his best race result of the season – Ruben crashed on the opening lap of the first race and suffered a broken right femur.
Troy Corser: “I’m confident going into Brno. Last year I earned my best result of the whole season there when I finished in fifth place. The bike has come a long way since this time a year ago. I like the track itself a lot, as it suits my riding style. The set-up you run here is quite unusual. There are corners which you brake into going downhill and others which you brake into travelling uphill. That means you have to find a compromise.”
Ruben Xaus: “I hope that things fall into place at Brno. It was here that all the problems started last year with my crash and injury. Things just haven’t run smoothly since then. I hope that we can draw a line under this unhappy time at Brno. For me it’s critical that I find my rhythm over the next few race weekends. Things are actually looking good. The bike is improving all the time and we’re getting really good power from the engine, which is important with all the inclines at Brno. You also need to ride fluently here, though, as there are a lot of sweeping corners.”
Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: “We earned our first pole position at Misano and finished on the podium for the second time this season. All in all, we’ve already finished in the top five seven times this year and scored a total of 152 points. That’s more than we collected in the whole of last season and there are still five race weekends to go. The tests we carried out at Mugello, Misano and, most recently, at Imola have all been very promising, and the race weekend at Misano was the most successful of the season so far for BMW Motorrad Motorsport. Our form is on an upward curve and I’m confident that we can build on the good performances of recent weeks at Brno.”
Background:
Brno is the second-largest city in the Czech Republic – with a population of just under 400,000 – and lies on the southeastern edge of the Bohemian-Moravian Highlands. While Brno was primarily shaped by industry going into the 20th century, today the city is known first and foremost as a business centre, university city and location for trade fairs.
The Automotodrom Brno – also known as the Masaryk Ring in the Czech Republic – can claim over 70 years of history in motorsport. The first competitive action here took place in 1930 on what was still a 29-kilometre-long natural circuit. Then, in the 1950s, motorcycle races dominated proceedings, and from 1965 Brno hosted a round of the World Motorcycle Championship. In 1986 and 1987 the natural track was renovated and reopened. The Superbike World Championship made its debut at Brno in 1993, and on its second visit to the circuit three years later Troy Corser won both races. Corser also celebrated victory at Brno in 2005, when the circuit made another return to the calendar.
Brno is an interesting venue for the engineers. It is a fluent track to ride and demands only a small number of heavy braking manoeuvres. However, as the riders have to brake both uphill and downhill into corners, a well resolved set-up which gives the riders confidence is the order of the day. The majority of the riders like racing at Brno, as the circuit places an emphasis on precision through the corners – and that means the bike has to have a balanced set-up.
— Suzuki Preview
Team Suzuki Alstare riders Leon Haslam and Sylvain Guintoli are looking forward to continuing their World Superbike Championship battles at this weekend’s Brno ninth round in the Czech Republic.
The 5.403 kilometre circuit is a favourite amongst riders due to its flowing nature and elevation variations but, as usual, a good set-up is necessary for a fast lap.
It has been a busy time for the riders recently, particularly Haslam, who managed to fit a visit to the Goodwood Festival of Speed last weekend, but he and Guintoli will be chasing podiums at the Czech Republic circuit.
Leon Haslam: “I like Brno circuit because it has a bit of everything really. There are a lot of ups and downs and it is a challenging track to ride and one that requires a good bike set-up. Max Biaggi is obviously the rider to beat at the moment because he and his bike are working really well together. But, I’m going to fight all the way this weekend and hopefully claw some of the points back.
“It has been very hectic recently because after the San Marino race, we had a two-day test in Imola and then the Goodwood Festival of Speed. Unfortunately I had a couple of get-offs at Imola and bashed a delicate area of my body, but it will not affect me on the bike. I’m fit and ready to battle Brno and Max and I want to start my summer holiday with some more podiums.”
Sylvain Guintoli: “Fortunately I have been to Brno before, so at least I will not have to start the weekend wondering which way the track goes! It’s a good track and I enjoy racing there and am hoping to be on the pace right from the start of practice and be in a good position come race day. Recently, I feel I have begun to have a better understanding of what World Superbikes is all about and how strong you have to be right from the first moments of day one.
“This is a tough old series and very competitive, so you really cannot hang about at all. The racing is hard and a real battle and I like that a lot. After Brno, we have quite a break, so my goal is to get two very good results this weekend and then enjoy my holiday.”
— Kawasaki Preview
TBC
— Ducati Preview
The Ducati Xerox team gears up for Round 9 of the World Superbike Championship, taking place this weekend at the Automotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic.
Eighth round Misano was extremely hard fought, as well as being the hottest event on the 2010 calendar so far, but Michel Fabrizio’s determination paid off when he reached the podium in Race 2 (third), having just missing out on a top three finish in race 1 (fourth). Noriyuki, starting from further down the grid, finished the races in seventh and ninth position, consolidating fifth place in the overall championship standings.
Straight after the Misano round, the factory team moved on to an equally hot Imola to participate in the official tests scheduled by championship organisers Infront Motor Sports at the “Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari”. During the two day session Noriyuki and Michel concentrated mainly on tyre testing, with Pirelli bringing various new compounds to the track, and by the close of play Michel had recorded the second fastest time overall, Noriyuki the fifth.
Attention now turns to the upcoming Czech event. Brno was one of only two rounds in which Noriyuki failed to achieve a podium finish last season, mainly due to the fact that he was riding with a fractured scapula after a bad accident at Donington Park. In spite of his serious injuries, the Japanese rider rode two strong races and finished well inside the points zone in both. Michel, on the other hand, was fast in all the practice sessions but a costly mistake put paid to his chances in Race 1. He reached the podium in the second race but had hoped to do better at the track at which he has had most success in recent years. Both Ducati Xerox riders hope for a much better performance at the Czech circuit this season.
Noriyuki Haga (5th in championship, 151 points) – Noriyuki has won only one race at Brno, back in 2005.
“I like the Brno track and don’t really know why I haven’t done better. I have won a race there but that feels like a few years back now! Last year was especially hard work after the accident at Donington, I needed lots of painkillers in order to get through race day and all in all the results were not so bad; of course we want to do a lot better than that this year though.”
— Althea Ducati Preview
The Althea Racing team will arrive in Brno later this week for the ninth round of the 2010 World Superbike Championship.
On this historic and physical track the flag bearers of the private Ducati outfit guided by Genesio Bevilacqua will look to secure another important result, to continue the positive run that the Italian squad is having this season.
Carlos Checa will be out to achieve his fifth podium: the Spanish rider finds himself in third position in the overall standing, right behind Max Biaggi and Leon Haslam, and in the Czech Republic he will strive to repeat his recent Misano performance, having attained a solid second place finish in race 1. Last year, here in Brno, Carlos was a protagonist of Race 1, closing in second place behind Biaggi.
During the same event Carlos’ current team-mate also had a great race; Shane Byrne finished in fourth, just missing out on the podium. The English rider, completely recovered after suffering an injury to his hand during the latest Imola tests, will do his utmost to secure strong results. In the last four races at Brno, “Shakey” has finished in fourth, in seventh twice and in ninth, results that auger well for the coming weekend.
“Brno is a track on which our two riders have taken some great results in the recent past and for this reason I am very confident ahead of the coming weekend’s races”, said Genesio Bevilacqua, General Manager of Althea Racing. “In Misano, Carlos demonstrated once again that he is capable of fighting against the two championship leaders and I also expect a strong performance from Shane, in line with his recent results at this track. The team is ready, as are the bikes and the riders can’t wait to get on track. We’re fully prepared for the next battle.”
