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Bench Racing & The Morning Reads

Wednesday, May 12

Just a short post today.

WSBK et al.

worldsbk.com: WSB arrives at popular African venue for round six.

Today from Worldsuperbike.com a look back
worldsbk.com: Corser makes history for BMW
A look forward
worldsbk.com: Aprilia ready to roll again at Kyalami

Meanwhile back in Bavaria the BMW press machine has not been sleeping after the teams first podium. The scheduled S1000RR production run may be oversubscribed for the year but the press value is not.

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BMW Motorrad Motorsport - Interview Berthold Hauser
ÔÇó 12.05.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Interview with Berthold Hauser.
ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖre not about to start taking it easy.ÔÇØ

Munich/Stephanskirchen, 12th May 2010. With BMW Motorrad Motorsport fresh from recording its first podium finish in the FIM Superbike World Championship, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser weighs up the performance of the team and riders Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus.


Berthold Hauser, the race weekend at Monza was the most successful in the still short history of BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the Superbike World Championship. How would you sum up the teamÔÇÖs latest showing?

Berthold Hauser: ÔÇ£This very positive result is deserved reward for all our hard work over the past few weeks. ItÔÇÖs just a good feeling to finally get our first podium. WeÔÇÖve all greatly enjoyed the moment. ItÔÇÖs even surprised us slightly that weÔÇÖve managed to get this far this quickly. However, weÔÇÖre also aware that weÔÇÖre not one of the top teams yet. We still need to develop the necessary consistency to finish on the podium on merit on a regular basis. WeÔÇÖre certainly not about to start taking it easy; instead, weÔÇÖll continue to work purposefully and rigorously to ensure we get back onto the podium as soon as possible. WeÔÇÖre racers and are only satisfied when weÔÇÖre performing well enough to be consistently in with a shout of victory.ÔÇØ


What are the reasons for the teamÔÇÖs upward trajectory?

Berthold Hauser: ÔÇ£We see the last year as a year of development. We had to build up the teamÔÇÖs structures, and processes and workflows had to bed themselves in. We went into our first season on the grid with no experience from the circuits and still without a test crew.

The situation this year looks rather different. WeÔÇÖve been able to build on proven practices and data and have got into the groove of working together; weÔÇÖve made our team structure and processes at the circuits much more professional. Our technical department is doing an outstanding job; the BMW S 1000 RR is a much better machine than a year ago in terms of chassis, engine and electronics. And the riders are really motivated in what theyÔÇÖre doing.ÔÇØ


On the subject of the riders: Troy Corser has made a convincing impression since the start of the season with a string of good results. How would you rate his performances?

Berthold Hauser: ÔÇ£Troy has done a great job from day one this season. HeÔÇÖs impressing us every weekend at the moment with the way heÔÇÖs riding, and heÔÇÖs very professional and single-minded in his work. IÔÇÖm happy with his fitness level ÔÇô although of course thereÔÇÖs always potential for improvement with every rider.ÔÇØ


Ruben Xaus has endured his fair share or criticism at times this season. How do you see his performances up to now?

Berthold Hauser: ÔÇ£Ruben had a lot of bad luck at the start of the season. We knew that it wouldnÔÇÖt make sense to start putting pressure on him ÔÇô Ruben is a consummate professional and has been his own biggest critic. After the race at Phillip Island, Davide Tardozzi, in particular, focused on building up RubenÔÇÖs confidence again. And the results have been impressive over the last two race weekends. Ruben has shown that heÔÇÖs back on track, and posted his best result so far for the team at Monza. I was personally very disappointed that he was unable to finish the second race after becoming the innocent victim of an accident at the start before the first chicane.ÔÇØ


How has Davide Tardozzi fitted into the team?

Berthold Hauser: ÔÇ£Davide looks after team management and operational control for the team at the race tracks. He calls the shots in the pits ÔÇô in terms of how the team is working, but also when it comes to tactical decisions with a direct influence on performance. His many years of experience in motor sport make him an invaluable asset for the team.

The structure of the team presented in January ensures that we are set up well for the future. Team management and team organisation are important roles within the team, and Davide is doing an outstanding job in both these areas. At the same time, this reshuffle has given Rainer B?ñumel the chance to focus on the core areas of Overall Project Management and Engineering.ÔÇØ


Sophomore seasons build on lessons learned in the rookie season. The Hauser interview points to that as he points out in his interview.

ÔÇ£WeÔÇÖve been able to build on proven practices and data and have got into the groove of working together; weÔÇÖve made our team structure and processes at the circuits much more professionalÔÇØ

But what do they have to build with at Kyalami this year? Corser was absent last year due to a crash at Monza. Xaus and the hastily reserve rider collected data but how much and of what value to this year?
 
Thursday, May 13

World SBK

Statistics from Monza to Kyalami

A look back at Kyalami


Formula 1

Monaco this weekend.

Stewards: Paul Gutjahr Jose abed Dr. Christian Calmes Damon Hill OBE

Web Address: www.acm.mc

Prix Preview

t Information

Thursday:
Timing Practice Session 1[url] [url=http://fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Documents/mco-session2-classification.pdf]2[//url]

[url=http://fia.com/en-GB/mediacentre/f1_media/Documents/mco-conference-weds.pdf]Wednesday Press Conference


Tech Talk
Mercedes GP MGP W01 – Longer wheelbase
McLaren MP4-25 – New front wing
Mercedes GP MGP W01 – revised aribox and roll structure
Ferrari F10 – ‘f-duct’ system

Alonso sets the pace in both practice sessions. Thursday practice – selected team and driver quotes


FWIW

I was reminded of a common movie plot on the way to work yesterday. A time traveler unexpectedly meets his mother (or some other significant person in his life) the street before they reach the place where the meeting was expected. The mother somehow has a sense that they know the grown time traveler but are not certain. It always seemed a bit contrived yet now I have a new sense of what is being portrayed.

This occurred to me as I was driving to work yesterday; almost late as usual. I noticed a blue Roadster like mine parked a block away form my home. I had not seen it in town before. I made a mental note that I would have to track the owner down so we could chat and continued on to work. I had a growing sense of something odd and turned around. I am not certain what was going on in my mind but I had to go back to take another look at the bike.

A slushy rain began as I pulled up to the bike. It was now lying on its left side. I got out of the car and looked around. No one was to be seen so I hurriedly walked over to the bike and performed a proper pick up of the bike. As I was doing so a pickup truck with trailer rolled by then speeds up and dashed away; odd. I looked down between my legs and put the kick stand down then turned around to the bike. It was only then that I consciously realized it was my Roadster.

After a rather unsatisfactory talk with the police I took the bike home then went to retrieve my car. An odd set of circumstances had exposed the Roadster to the thieves for a period of time. I can pin point the theft of the bike to a window of 17 minutes. The bike has been recovered and is safely at home. I can not say the same for my sense of security in living in my humble home in Fly-Over-Land.
 
Friday, May 14

On the road so things will be hit and miss this weekend.

World Superbike

Fabrizio dominated morning practice and took the provisional pole in Friday qualifying. Ducati notches the first hit on the moving target of WSBK success this weekend. Corser holds BMWÔÇÖs continued advance with a P4 ÔÇô 0.419 seconds off the top time. Biaggi, last weekÔÇÖs double winner, is in P8 after the first qualifying round. A second covers P1 ÔÇô P11. Xaus is back in P14 1.165 seconds off the pace.

Kyalami Friday Qualifying

1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.477
2 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.529
3 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.687
4 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.896
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'38.951
6 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'38.954
7 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'39.027
8 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.094
9 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'39.281
10 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'39.288
11 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.336
12 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.621
13 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'39.630
14 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.642
15 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.656
16 32 Morais S. (RSA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.798
17 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'39.834
18 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.024
19 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.646
20 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.054
21 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.216
22 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.172

Formula One

No on track action on Fridays in Monaco.

THURSDAY PRESS CONFERENCE ÔÇô May 13, 2010
TEAM PRINCIPALS: John BOOTH (Virgin), Tony FERNANDES (Lotus), Christian HORNER
(Red Bull), Martin WHITMARSH (McLaren)
 
Kyalami Friday Qualifying update

World Superbike

worldsbk.com: Fabrizio flies to provisional pole
BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Kyalami - Qualifying Practice 1
14.05.2010
Press Release
Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 21 ÔÇô 23 ??C, Track: 31 ÔÇô 35 ??C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:39.081 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:38.477 min


Programme:
An encouraging start for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport in the sixth race weekend of the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship: While Ruben Xaus (ESP) finished todayÔÇÖs Qualifying Practice in 14th on the bumpy Kyalami track, Troy Corser (AUS) set the fourth fastest time of the session.


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:40.637 min (12th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:38.896 min (4th)
ÔÇ£After having missed last yearÔÇÖs race, I had to get used to the track this morning as it is crucial here to know where the bumps are. We then started working on the bikeÔÇÖs settings. Overall, I am quite happy. There are still some small areas where I struggle a bit: I still miss some push at the hairpin at the top of the track, and I am not 100 per cent confident opening the throttle there. There are some places we have to adjust the engine braking a little, and I just canÔÇÖt get one right hander in the last sector right. Overall, I am confident for tomorrow, as the bike feels very comfortable.ÔÇØ


Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:41.081 min (17th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:39.642 min (14th)
ÔÇ£We tried a lot of things today. We worked on the set-up specific to this track. The tracks we have been to previously allow for more time between direction changes. Here the lap is like a roller coaster and riding here is really physically demanding. This layout demands a different set-up. The BMW S 1000 RR is very sensitive to set-up changes. However, I am confident for tomorrow as I have full trust in my crew, and I am sure they will give me an incredible bike.ÔÇØ


Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£Today we were not too bad. After last year, I expected us to struggle a lot more. This bumpy race track does not suit our bike perfectly. I am totally happy with TroyÔÇÖs performance, although we are still losing three tenths of a second in the last sector. Ruben tested a lot of different things today, and I am sure he will finish a lot higher tomorrow.ÔÇØ


TROY COMFORTABLE IN 4TH.

TroyCorser.com

The first day of the sixth round of this yearÔÇÖs Superbike World Championship took place in almost ideal conditions and Troy left the 4.246 kilometre track happy enough with his fourth place. Troy spent most of the day learning the best line round the undulating and bumpy track, but still managed to find a reasonably good bike set-up. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) posted the dayÔÇÖs fastest lap, with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) second and Jonathan Rea (Honda) third.

Troy - 4th, 1:38.896
Today was not so bad and IÔÇÖm feeling pretty satisfied with the progress we made. I spent the morning session learning where all the bumps were and trying to find a good racing line and miss them! There are definitely more bumps here now then there was when I was here two years ago. In the afternoon we worked more on the set-up of the bike, traction control and clutch and I put in quite a lot of laps. The lap times were pretty consistent, even on an old tyre, and I felt pretty comfortable. At the end, I put on a new tyre and went half a second quicker.

You are never going to get a perfect bike set-up here, but itÔÇÖs important to know the track and anticipate where the bumps are. The racing line is actually quite narrow and if you have to go wide to pass somebody thatÔÇÖs when you can run into a problem.
For me, the track is not clean enough and there is a also a particular problem going towards turn one. What looks like a red and white ripple strip is actually a rubber conveyor belt that has been painted red and white. And because it is not asphalt, it moves around a bit when you go across it. I went up to the FIM safety guy and spoke to him about it and about the track not being clean and he told me that he thought the track was clean enough and that he didnÔÇÖt care what I thought! I wasnÔÇÖt the only rider to talk to him about these two matters, but he didnÔÇÖt seem to care what we thought. The least he should have done was to make another inspection (with a couple of riders), instead of just ignoring us. All we were asking was to be treated professionally - nothing more.
See ya,
Troy


Note the condition of the track in the pictures.
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Visian I love they way they drive me nuts with their pronuciations.
 
Saturday, May 15

Worldsbk.com

worldsbk.com: Yamaha men go 1-2 on the grid
BMW men go 13-15 as frustration mounts with the difference in the bike on qualifying tyers v race tyers.

Kyalami Superbike - Superpole

1 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.243
2 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'37.260
3 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'37.296
4 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'37.368
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'37.401
6 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'37.561
7 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'37.613
8 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.148
9 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'37.756
10 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'37.875
11 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'37.953
12 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'38.206
13 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.210
14 32 Morais S. (RSA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.404
15 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'38.471
16 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'38.496
17 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.917
18 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'39.037
19 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.317
20 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.713
21 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.981
22 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.526


BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Kyalami ÔÇô Superpole

ÔÇó 15.05.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Weather conditions: Sunny, partly cloudy in the afternoon.
Temperature: Air: 20 ÔÇô 25??C, Track: 28 ÔÇô 34??C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: Jakub Smrz (Team PATA B&G Racing) 1:38.292 min
Fastest lap Superpole 3: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:37.243 min


A disappointing Saturday for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport in Kyalami (RSA): 38-years-old Troy Corser (AUS) will start tomorrowÔÇÖs races from 12th, while Ruben Xaus (ESP) qualified 15th. Troy set a lap time of 1:38.210 min in todayÔÇÖs Superpole Qualifying, while RubenÔÇÖs quickest lap was 1:38.471 min.


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:38.896 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:39.142 min / Fastest lap Superpole 2: 1:38.210 min
ÔÇ£TodayÔÇÖs result is frustrating. On race tyres the bike does not feel too bad. We can be quite consistent with good lap times. As soon as we fit the qualifying tyre, we cannot benefit from the additional grip and I have trouble steering the bike. I have understeer in a lot of places, and in the slow, tight corners the front wheel is closing, especially in the second half of the circuit. I have to be very sensitive with the brakes. TomorrowÔÇÖs races will be tough. I had good starts in the last couple of races and usually I make up positions just after the start, but here we approach the first corner quickly. There are not many places where you can overtake here.ÔÇØ


Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:39.494 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:39.432 min / Fastest lap Superpole 2: 1:38.471 min
ÔÇ£We were not too far away from Superpole 3. Although the bike has improved a lot, I struggle with a closing front wheel in nearly every corner. The rear pushes the front, and the front wheel is just sliding. The bike does not really allow me to brake properly. We somehow need to find a solution for this problem. I would like to thank my mechanics today, they have worked really hard over the course of the weekend as we have been trying out a lot of things.ÔÇØ


Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£TodayÔÇÖs result is a shame. Both riders are really quick in the first and second split times of the track, but they are struggling in the second half of the circuit. Both Ruben and Troy complained about a closing front wheel and understeer. We will now try to fix this issue and work on tomorrowÔÇÖs set-up. We still believe we can have good races.ÔÇØ

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Formula One

Formula1.com: Webber takes thrilling Monaco Pole
Webber ÔÇô Kubica - Vettel
Alonso shunt has him starting from pit lane on Sunday.

Monaco GP ÔÇô Qualifying

Classification
Lap Times
Maximum Speeds
Sector Time
Speed Trap
 
Monday, May 17

World Superbike

Fabrizio was back to his winning ways Sunday yet Haslam extended his championship lead. Biaggi remains in contention for the Riders Championship while BMW lost significant standings ground in its fight for fourth.

Yamaha and BMW riders complained of grip problems all weekend.

Kyalami Superbike - Race 1
1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 39'48.343 (153,602 kph)
2 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1.098
3 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 5.049
4 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 6.974
5 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 13.710
6 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 13.848
7 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 16.064
8 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 16.231
9 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 16.580
10 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 23.100
11 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 24.561
12 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 25.504
13 32 Morais S. (RSA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 27.073
14 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 27.273
15 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 30.692
16 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 34.008
17 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 35.948
18 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 44.030
19 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 48.382
RET 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R

Kyalami Superbike - Race 2
1 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 39'52.870 (153,312 kph)
2 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 0.522
3 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 0.601
4 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 0.991
5 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1.479
6 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 13.324
7 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 13.740
8 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 14.250
9 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 15.190
10 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 16.790
11 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 21.101
12 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 22.670
13 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 24.506
14 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 31.301
15 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 31.836
16 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 33.710
17 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 35.203
18 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 55.929
19 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 56.074
20 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'08.481
RET 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory
RET 32 Morais S. (RSA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory


Homologation in racing is based on the concerpt that different things can be made equal on the track by how the rules are written. Homologation rules use weight of the bike as one way to equalize two three and four cylinder engine machines. The current rules have been in place for 2 ?¢ years and will be changed for Miller Motorsport Park race and beyond by decreasing the weight requirement for the twins.

BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Kyalami - Races

ÔÇó 16.05.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 19 ÔÇô 22 ??C, Track: 24 ÔÇô 33 ??C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Race 1: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:38.170 min
Fastest lap Race 2: Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 1:38.658 min


A positive finish after a tough Kyalami race weekend for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport: After struggling in the first race, Troy Corser (AUS) and Ruben Xaus (ESP) were able to finish the second race seventh and 11th respectively. Troy has now scored a total of 105 points after six rounds of the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship season, nine more than during the entire 2009 campaign. Ruben has 42 points to his credit. In the manufacturersÔÇÖ standings, BMW has scored a total of 108 points and lies sixth.


Race 1: Both Troy and Ruben made up places at the start: Troy finishing the first lap in tenth, while Ruben was 13th. Troy passed Jakub Smrz (CZE) on lap three, and Jonathan Rea (GBR) on lap seven. Both BMW riders lost a couple of positions again, and finished 12th and 14th respectively. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) won the race.

Race 2: Again, good first laps for both BMW riders: Troy crossed the line eight and Ruben 12th. Troy passed Leon Camier (FRA) shortly after, and tried to close the gap to the front. Ruben battled for a long time with Noriyuki Haga (JPN). In the end, Troy defended his seventh position, and Ruben only missed a top ten finish by one position.


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 12th, Gap to 1st: 00:25.504 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:38.854 min
Result Race 2: 7th, Gap to 1st: 00:13.740 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:38.989 min
ÔÇ£In the first race I really had zero grip after only five laps. I had no confidence to attack any more, and I literally just rolled around the track till the end of the race. We changed the bikeÔÇÖs set-up a little bit between the races, and we used the Diablo B rear tyre spec instead of the A spec as we had over the entire weekend. The consistency of this tyre was much better than in the first race. I am quite happy with the changes, in the second race I was able to ride the bike. Unfortunately I lost a little of the initial grip in the middle of the corner. I was really quick in the first sectors, but could not really follow the other bikes at the top of the hill. This was a little frustrating. I tried to adjust over the course of the race and rode the bike completely differently to how I had over the whole weekend.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 14th, Gap to 1st: 00:27.273 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:39.624 min
Result Race 2: 11th, Gap to 1st: 00:21.101 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:39.299 min
ÔÇ£My start today in both races was not great. I was hoping to make up some more positions early in the race and that didnÔÇÖt happen. I had to work really hard to get through the field and passing is not easy here. In race two the bike was a lot better, we made some changes to the set-up, and that allowed me to run consistent lap times. I had a hard battle with Noriyuki Haga and I worked really hard to defend my position. I tried my best today. It was another step forward for me and the team and I am confident for the next race in the United States.ÔÇØ

Berthold Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£Today was a positive finish to a really tough weekend for our team. We had to deal with a track that does not really suit our bike. Nevertheless, the entire team ÔÇô riders, engineers, mechanics and everybody involved ÔÇô proved to have the right attitude. We had ups and downs over the course of the weekend, but the team never gave up. We came back after a disappointing first race. A big Thank You to the team. Although today was a tough day for us, there is reason to celebrate for BMW: Congratulations to BMW Motorsport for winning the prestigious 24 hours race at the N??rburgring with the BMW M3 GT2.ÔÇØ

Mixed Feelings for Troy in Kayalami

After the sixth round of the Superbike World Championship, Troy Kyalami circuit with mixed feelings. He struggled with grip problems in race one and finished 12th, but then had a much better second race and ended 7th. The race tyre he used in the first race appeared to be the same as one he had used in practice and qualifying, but was in fact a much older tyre and behaved differently, leaving Troy with a lack of grip. Troy used a different tyre in race two and made some small changes to the bikeÔÇÖs set-up. This time he was able to push much harder and came away with seventh, though it wouldÔÇÖve been better if he had not have been baulked at the start.

Race one was comfortably won by Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), with Carlos Checa (Ducati) second and Leon Haslam (Suzuki) five seconds away in third. Race two was an absolute thriller, starting with a six rider freight train. Less than a second separated the top four at the end, with Haslam taking the win ahead of Jonathan Rea (Honda) and Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. Five different manufacturers filled the top five places, with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha) fourth and Checa (Ducati) fifth.

Troy - Race 1: 12th, Race 2: 7th
Today was just one of those frustrating inconsistent racedays. In the first race I had about zero grip after just a few laps. After that it was a struggle just to get round the track, but I wanted to finish and pick up whatever points I could. I had virtually no feeling from the tyres and I knew I would crash if I pushed any harder, so I cruised around as best I could. The tyre I used in race one was the same as one IÔÇÖd used in practice, but it just didnÔÇÖt work. When we checked afterwards, we found out that it was a tyre from 2009, so itÔÇÖs possible that it had been on and off tyre warmers and so maybe was not in as good condition as it shouldÔÇÖve been. ItÔÇÖs funny, but the tyre we used in practice was a 2010 tyre, and what we had for race one was a 2009 tyre!

We changed the bike a bit for race two and also tried a different (B) tyre and I noticed an improvement straightaway. The bike was still spinning, but this time I could feel what was going on and could push the bike much harder. I made a good start and saw a gap that would get me through to the top four, but at the last minute the two guys in front of me closed the gap and I had to ease off or possibly touch them.

Today the engine felt quite good and the braking was also good. I sort of think that the our grip problem is more a mechanical problem than electronic and maybe we need to work more on the chassis. Also, today the throttle response couldÔÇÖve been better - more smooth - and that wouldÔÇÖve helped a lot. All in all, a bit of a frustrating weekend, with one bad race and one good. But, weÔÇÖve learnt a lot this weekend and now we can take all this info and work on improving the bike for the next race.
See ya,
Troy

Formula One

Monaco GP

Grid
Classification
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Lap Analysis
Fastest Laps
History Chart
Maximum Speeds
Pit Stop Summary
Sector Times
Speed Trap

DriversÔÇÖ Championship
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2010 MONACO GRAND PRIX
POST-RACE PRESS CONFERENCE ÔÇô May 16, 2010

1. Mark WEBBER (Red Bull), 1h50m13.355s
2. Sebastian VETTEL (Red Bull), 1h50m13.803s
3. Robert KUBICA (Renault), 1h50m15.030s

formula1.com: Monaco analysis ÔÇô resurgent Webber on a roll.

bbc.co.uk: Monaco GP as it happened

In the last two races Michael Schumacher has demonstrated his ÔÇÿshape ÔÇôshifter abilities to opponents and fans. In his championship years he often demonstrated an ability to alternately make his car very large or very small; at times doing this within the same race. In Spain he legally made his car large and difficult to overtake holding on to position with the blessings of the stewards and to the chagrin of his competitors. This week he saw an opening made his car small and darted ahead of Alonso for position. This time to SchumacherÔÇÖs chagrin the stewards did not appreciate his shape-shifting capabilities. Michael Schumacher was penalized for overtaking Alonso and given a five second penalty added to his race time after the race. This dropped him to twelfth in the final racing standings.

Bike Cruller

BMW Motorrad MotorsportÔÇÖs pictures from Kyalami races on Sunday

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Wenesday, May 19

Other Racing

American Riders Selected to Defend U.S Title in 2010 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy

ÔÇó 14.05.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Woodcliff Lake, NJ  May 13, 2010 Three American riders were selected to defend the U.S. title in the upcoming 2010 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy following arduous and exhaustive qualifying rounds in southern California. Selection for the American team riders was made during the third annual Adventure Riders Challenge (ARC) and GS Challenge held at BMW Motorrads west coast off-road riding facility -- RawHyde Adventures -- in Castaic, California from April 29  May 2.

The three riders successfully qualifying to represent Team USA in the International GS Trophy in November in South Africa include winner Iain Glynn, of Seattle, Washington; second-place finisher Bill Dragoo, of Norman, Oklahoma; and third-place finisher Shannon Markle, of Laramie, Wyoming.

To quality for consideration, 65 riders from all over the country participated in the initial ARC which consisted of two segments. The first segment, although not scored, was intended to wear down the participants, develop team skills and test physical stamina. This was the ÔÇÿRenegade RunÔÇÖ which sent three-man teams down a treacherous ravine after which they were required to hit targets with an air rifle, pistol, knives and a bow and arrow. The second segment was a much longer course filled with jumps, logs, mud holes, a curved narrow ledge, bridges, sand pits, and other obstacles to test the skills of the most seasoned off-road riders. Judges scored this second segment based on the ridersÔÇÖ individual performances and deducted points for hitting cones, leaving the course, falling, and touching a foot on the ground.

ÔÇ£The course designers created a test track that almost every entrant could at least finish, but how you rode these sections was scored to find out who could do it the cleanest,ÔÇØ commented a top ARC finalist Tom Myers who competed on his BMW HP2 Enduro.

The ARC was open to participants on all brands of motorcycle, but to advance to the GS Challenge to decide what lucky three riders would go to South Africa, only BMW owners were eligible. To this end, the top 20 BMW finalists from the ARC now competed in two rounds of the GS Challenge, all riding identical 2010 BMW R 1200 GS motorcycles.

Final scores were determined by averaging rider performance in the two GS Challenge rounds, rewarding not just off-road skill but endurance and consistency ÔÇô and luck. High drama ensued as Touratech-USA president Tom Myers scored highest in a nearly flawless first round, only to have his dreams of riding in South Africa go up in flames in the second round thanks to a fall and a couple of technical errors. (This led to an upset victory for TomÔÇÖs co-worker Iain Glynn, who says heÔÇÖs not at all worried about keeping his job.)

Meanwhile, Glynn, Dragoo and Markle will now prepare to defend the U.S. Team championship in the 2010 BMW Motorrad International GS Trophy, which this year is being held in South Africa, November 13-21. For first-place finisher Iain Glynn, it was a case of third-time luck at the ARC competition and heÔÇÖs now looking forward to preparing for South Africa.

ÔÇ£I have a long and sordid history with this event,ÔÇØ commented the 25-year-old customer service and technical support representative for Touratech-USA, who rode his 2005 BMW R 1200 GS to a first-place finish. ÔÇ£My goal was not to flip the bike upside down and ruin my weekend. The only reason I won is because IÔÇÖm short. I could either ride with my feet on the pegs or jump off the motorcycle and disqualify myself!ÔÇØ
For Dragoo, 54, earning a spot on Team USA is a dream come true after his previous attempt at the GS Challenge in Spartanburg two years before. The accomplished rider and journalist/author placed second in the first and second rounds of the GS Trophy Challenge on his R 1200 GS, earning him a coveted place in the team.
ÔÇ£I came into this competition totally relaxed with no real expectation of winning,ÔÇØ admitted Dragoo. ÔÇ£In fact, I was coming out of the restroom when they called my name! I was completely surprised!ÔÇØ

Markle, 37, confessed he is the rookie in the group and had entered his first ARC competition on the spur of the moment.

ÔÇ£IÔÇÖve only owned my R 1200 GS Adventure since last May,ÔÇØ said Markle, ÔÇ£but I bought it from a guy who got it from Brad HendryÔÇÖs [a previous Team USA member] shop. I had an opportunity to talk to Brad about his 2008 experiences at the GS Trophy in Tunisia, never realizing that I would later qualify to follow in his footsteps.ÔÇØ
For RawHyde Adventures owner Jim Hyde, the 2010 Adventure Riders Challenge and BMW GS Trophy qualifiers were a great success, with a fantastic turnout and close competition all the way.

ÔÇ£We were thrilled to be a part of the International GS Trophy selection process. This yearÔÇÖs event saw competitors arrive from all over the United States to try their best to make the team. Riders came from Alaska, California, Colorado, Idaho, Oklahoma, New Jersey, Nevada, North Carolina Virginia, Pennsylvania, Washington, Wyoming and Wisconsin. In fact, around 175 people attended, 65 of whom were competing and the other 110 enjoying the entertainment ÔÇô we even had a contingent of 14 riders from Mexico City who spent a day with us enjoying the competition.ÔÇØ

ÔÇ£The scores were not too close for first place in the GS trophy as the winner was nearly 50 points ahead, but second to sixth place finishers were only six points apart. The opportunity to host the trials for the GS Trophy was a real achievement for RawHyde and it was something we'll be talking about for years to come.ÔÇØ

The final word went to Laurence Kuykendall, Community and Communications Manager for BMW Motorrad USA, who knows that some of the toughest challenges imaginable are waiting in South Africa for the three lucky GS riders.

ÔÇ£The competition finalists heading to South Africa will not only need strength and endurance, superior riding skills and guts, but they must also be able to navigate their route ahead, pace themselves and collaborate with teammates,ÔÇØ he commented. ÔÇ£Of course, theyÔÇÖll also need a sense of humour under adversity and extreme conditions. TheyÔÇÖre going to battle sun, sand and scorpions in addition to some of the worldÔÇÖs best off-road riders.ÔÇØ

For more on the GS Trophy go to www.xplorgs.com and the BMW GS Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/BMWGSXPLOR

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BMW Motorrad USA 2010 Adventure Rider Challenge at RawHyde Adventures / GS Trophy Challenge winners: Iain Glynn of Seattle, WA; Bill Dragoo of Norman, Oklahoma; and Shannon Markle of Laramie, Wyoming.

This may be the place to celebrate opening an early Christmas present.
thekneeslide4r.com: Catalina Island Grand Prix returns.


On the Street

BMW S 1000 RR voted ÔÇ£Best sports motorcycleÔÇØ. BMW Motorrad chosen ÔÇ£Best motorcycle brandÔÇ£.

ÔÇó 19.05.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Munich. Winning the overall ranking in style, being victorious in two categories and scoring four more top ten positions in the readerÔÇÖs vote ÔÇ×The best sports motorcycles 2010ÔÇ£ of PS (Das Sport-Motorrad Magazin) BMW Motorrad continues their success story. It was crowned with winning the title ÔÇ£Best motorcycle brandÔÇØ.

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ÔÇ×IÔÇÖm glad to hear of the overwhelming victory of our new S 1000 RR in this vote focussed on sporty motorcycles. I would like to thank the readers of PS most sincerely for their votes. This reflects the enormous enthusiasm for our products.ÔÇØ, said Hendrik von Kuenheim, Head of BMW Motorrad, commenting on the result of the vote.

With BMW Motorrad represented in the category ÔÇ£Best sport motorcycle over 700 ccÔÇØ with a 4-cylinder supersports bike for the first time, the new BMW S 1000 RR won this class at the first go, thereby underscoring its superior technical conception combining highest performance with Race ABS and Dynamic Traction Control DTC.

At the same time the S 1000 RR secured the title ÔÇ×Best sports motorcycleÔÇ£ by a wide margin. The BMW K 1300 S came undisputedly in first in the category ÔÇ£Best sporty all-rounderÔÇØ. More top ten finishes were achieved by the BMW Motorrad models R 1200 GS Adventure, F 800 GS, K 1300 R und HP2 Sport.

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In addition BMW Motorrad won the title ÔÇ×Best motorcycle brandÔÇ£.

After the S 1000 RR being voted ÔÇ£Motorcycle of the Year 2010″ in the readersÔÇÖ vote of the motorcycle magazine MOTORRAD with numerous victories in categories in March 2010, BMW Motorrad models were able to achieve the second outstanding success within short time by winning the PS readersÔÇÖ vote.

Motorcyclenews.com: Video speed test: S1000RR v RSV4 v Hayabusa v ZZ-R1400
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asphaltandrubber.com: Unions put kibosh of Moto Morini Acquisition.
In a dangerous game of chicken unions, who need to agree to a final deal for it to go through, have rejected Paolo BerlusconiÔÇÖs offer to save Moto Morini. Berlusconi is reported to be preparing another offer for the company. Berlusconi has been linked to MV Agusta as a possible purchaser In addition to Moto Morini.

However, Claudio Castiglioni and Federico Mioli are more likely candidates. Castiglioni was the head of MV before its acquisition by Harley-Davidson and stayed on for a time after. In 2007 he was interviewed by Motorcycle.com about the pending sale and the company to H-D. Castiglioni had previously in the decade sent the company into bankruptcy then worked with the Malaysians to purchase it clearing its debt and led a bank group that purchased it back after a year. In trouble again H-D purchased the company from Castiglioni for 109 million in a combination of cash and assumed debt. Much has been invested in retooling production lines and product development yet for 2009 MV reported a before tax loss in the range of Ôé¼22 million. Now H-D is rumored near to a deal at a significant discount on the cash outlaid in the purchase and no recovery of the money spent on debt and retooling.

HFL: Triumph Sprint GT: less ugly, more power

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A bit of Triumph nostalgia via Cyrilhuzeblog.com

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Bike Cruller

BMW Motorrad USA 2010 Adventure Rider Challenge at RawHyde Adventures: Bill Dragoo of Norman, Oklahoma, competing in the Adventure Rider Challenge.

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A couple of book suggestions.....

Modern Motorcycle Technology: How Every Part of Your Motorcycle Works

Nicely illustrated book covers lots of topics from manufacturing to the inner working of the various bike systems. I got a copy for myself but thought this would be a nice gift idea a few months from now.:)

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Race Tech's Suspension Bible looks like a great reference -- I've got an order placed but it's not available for a few more weeks. You can view the book at Amazon....

http://www.amazon.com/Techs-Motorcycle-Suspension-Motorbooks-Workshop/dp/0760331405/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1277468184&sr=1-1

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BMW Motorsport Press Release:

2010 Superbike World Championship, round eight Superpole qualifying report, Misano Circuit

At a sun-drenched Misano circuit this afternoon, BMW Motorrad MotorsportÔÇÖs Troy Corser posted a stunning lap to claim the teamÔÇÖs first ever Superbike World Championship pole position on the S 1000 RR. CorserÔÇÖs scorching lap of 1:35.001 in Superpole 3 was more than half-a-second faster than anyone else could manage at the Italian circuit.

Having been fastest in the morningÔÇÖs final qualifying session, and second fastest in the afternoon free practice session, Corser needed just two laps of Superpole One to progress through to Superpole Two as the third fastest rider. Looking relaxed in-between sessions, a confident Corser was one of the first riders out on circuit for Superpole Two and completed just two more laps to finish comfortably in the top five, with the eight fastest riders going through to Superpole 3.

Team-mate Ruben Xaus had also progressed through to Superpole 2. Keen to improve his lap time and progress to Superpole 3 alongside Troy, he returned to the pits for a new tyre and headed back out on track to try and improve his time of 1:36.204 and get inside the top eight. Unfortunately, Ruben pushed a little too hard and crashed on his flying lap, so will start tomorrowÔÇÖs two races from row three of the grid.

With Corser as the sole BMW representative among the remaining eight riders ÔÇô and five manufacturers ÔÇô represented in Superpole 3, the 38-year-old showed absolutely no signs of slowing down as he posted an amazing time of 1:35.001. This outstanding lap left the WSBK ÔÇÿyoung gunsÔÇÖ scratching their heads and no one could come close to this time, apart from fellow veteran Superbike rider, 39-year-old Max Biaggi, who was half-a-second slower than the delighted BMW factory rider.

Troy Corser: ÔÇ£First of all I would like to say thank you to the entire team, my mechanics, technicians and the guys in the workshop in Germany. We have struggled a lot with the tyres over the last couple of weeks, but today we made some very good steps forward. We made some changes to the chassis and the suspension and finally our work paid off. Honestly, I am a little surprised about my lap time. This was more or less a perfect lap. For tomorrow, I do not want to change a lot on the bikeÔÇÖs setup, as the bike now really works well. Maybe we will play a little bit with the electronics and the engine braking, but thatÔÇÖs it. Today we reached another milestone. Now I want to win a race soon.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus: ÔÇ£I feel good on the bike. I did my fastest lap today in qualifying on a race tyre so I know we have a strong race pace. Unfortunately I struggled to make the qualifying tyre work for me. Troy has found a great feeling with the qualifying tyre and posted an unbelievable time today. I just need to work on my riding style so it suits the characteristics of the qualifying tyre. Based on my times this weekend I am confident for tomorrow. I have left myself a lot of work to do from the third row but I know anything can happen in racing, so I am still optimistic for some good results. LetÔÇÖs see what happens tomorrow.ÔÇØ

Davide Tardozzi ÔÇô Team Manager ÔÇô BMW Motorrad Motorsport: ÔÇ£I am really happy! For sure the bike is improving all the time but Troy did an unbelievable job today. We have made some improvements with the S 1000 RR and Troy is riding so well. Tomorrow will not be easy because the times on race tyres have been really close, but I am confident in the package we have. Sadly Ruben was unlucky today, he was riding well and pushing hard but he crashed on his flying lap which prevented him from posting a quick time. I still believe that he will be able to finish in the top 8 tomorrow.ÔÇØ

From Friday:

BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Misano - Qualifying Practice 1
ÔÇó 25.06.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Weather conditions: Hot, sunny.
Temperature: Air: 32 ÔÇô 36 ??C, Track: 46 ??C
Number of riders participating: 23 from 14 teams
Fastest lap Free Practice: Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 1:37.362 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:36.288 min


Programme:
After an extensive testing programme in the last weeks, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport had a good start to what is expected to become one of the hottest race weekends of the 2010 Superbike World Championship season. Troy Corser (AUS) finished second in FridayÔÇÖs Qualifying Practice in Misano, less than a tenth of a second off Cal CrutchlowÔÇÖs time. Ruben Xaus (ESP) qualified 15th.


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:37.362 min (1st) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:36.344 min (2nd)
ÔÇ£The track is completely different to how it was last week. The circuit management resurfaced Quercia corner. Quercia was quite bumpy before, now the corner has not a lot of grip, but is still bumpy. Nevertheless, today was pretty good. We have the bike pretty similar to how we had it during the test. I did not want to change too much on the bike when the track is completely different. Tomorrow we will try some solutions to get more grip. I am a little disappointed I crashed today. We tested a new front brake master cylinder and lever. I grabbed the brake and simply overbraked the bike. The new brake feels better, but I simply need more time.ÔÇØ


Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:38.214 min (10th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 1:37.461 min (15th)
ÔÇ£We tested here in Misano last week. Unfortunately we had to finish our test early due to some mechanical problems. Therefore I am simply missing some time. We went into todayÔÇÖs sessions with a new engine spec, and the bike feels completely different again. I am struggling with the bikeÔÇÖs gearbox settings. So far, we have used a gearbox with a neutral between first and second gear, and I sometimes miss the first gear. We will now change the gearbox. Tomorrow, I want to go out on the track and have fun riding the bike. I am always quick when I enjoy riding.ÔÇØ


Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£Today was not too bad ÔÇô especially for Troy. He was first in todayÔÇÖs Free Practice session, and finished the first Qualifying Practice second, only six hundredths of a second off Cal. This is a really good result. I am happy we now understand why Ruben is having difficulties. He is not happy with the gearbox. I am confident we can sort that out for tomorrow.ÔÇØ


Interview with Davide Tardozzi Tuesday 6/22

BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Interview Davide Tardozzi
ÔÇó 22.06.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Munich/Stephanskirchen, 22 June 2010. The race weekend in Salt Lake City, USA, marked the half-way point in the FIM Superbike World Championship season 2010. As BMW Motorrad Motorsport prepare for the race at Misano, Italy, Team Manager Davide Tardozzi looks back on his opening six months in the job.

Davide Tardozzi, how would you sum up your first half year at BMW Motorrad Motorsport?

Davide Tardozzi: ÔÇ£When I look back at my time at BMW Motorrad up to now, it's clear to me that we're on the right track, and we can be proud of our results so far. We've already collected 130 points and six top-five finishes, and Troy Corser picked up the historic first podium finish for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport at Monza. However, I'm somebody who is never one hundred per cent satisfied. There is always room for improvement and that's the basis I work on. We still have a lot of work ahead of us before we are ready to challenge for the World Championship title.ÔÇØ


What stands between the team and the very top of the sport?

Davide Tardozzi: ÔÇ£Experience. I see this season as a development year. The basic elements are all in place to achieve success over the long term. We have a very able and ambitious team capable of winning races, and a good infrastructure in Munich and Stephanskirchen and at trackside. However, racing is a complex business that canÔÇÖt be mastered overnight. What weÔÇÖve been missing up to now is experience in production-based motorcycle racing. I hope I can put the experience I have to good use in one way or another and help us achieve the goals weÔÇÖve set ourselves.ÔÇØ


What are you expecting from the team in the second half of the season?

Davide Tardozzi: ÔÇ£We hit our target for the season after just five race weekends with our third place at Monza, but we canÔÇÖt afford to get carried away by this success. We still have a way to go before we can regularly achieve this kind of result on merit. We will continue to follow the same path, and IÔÇÖm in no doubt that further success will be possible in due course.ÔÇØ


How does it feel working for BMW Motorrad?

Davide Tardozzi: ÔÇ£Let me start by saying that BMW Motorrad is a brand possessing an unbelievable aura. IÔÇÖm proud to work for BMW Motorrad. After six months at BMW you realise that the company is very engineer-driven. The employees go about their work in a highly structured and process-oriented way. This is a new experience for me. I can learn something here.ÔÇØ


What would be a satisfactory outcome for you at the end of the season?

Davide Tardozzi: ÔÇ£I will never be one hundred per cent satisfied; that would mean IÔÇÖm standing still. Recording that podium finish at Monza meant weÔÇÖd already achieved our aim for the season. Our results up to now and the 130 World Championship points we have under our belts show that weÔÇÖre heading in the right direction, but there is still a long way to go before we are right up there at the front of the field. At the end of the season we can be pleased with ourselves if weÔÇÖve taken another big step towards the leaders and put the foundations in place to further reduce the gap to the top teams in 2011.ÔÇØ
 
Monday 28 June

Close but no cigaryet.

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Based on CorserÔÇÖs blog the lack of a victory comes down to human error. That is a major mile marker in BMWÔÇÖs World Superbike quest.

This will do nothing to quiet critics of the team and BMWÔÇÖs racing efforts. The only thing that will satisfy the former is humiliating domination of the competition by BMW (or truth be told humiliation of BMW). For the latter victory or nothing and for many MOA members nothing as in BMWÔÇÖs end of its racing heresy will satisfy.

World Superbike fans and fans of the Roundel effort are left wanting more but should be pleased that the S1000RR and the BMW Motorrad Motorsport team is becoming a real viable race weekend contender. Biaggi and Aprilia have been able to dominate of late. Yet the competition is coming along just fine thank you very much.

If you want the story book first race season you have to look to Ayrton Badovini and his BMWÔÇÖs 1000 RR in the Superstock 1000 class. He won his fifth race out of five with 2.576 lead over his nearest rival.

The SBK class bike series is the big glamour class in the World Superbike Circus but it can reasonably argued the Superstock class has more relevance to dealers and the mere mortal riders they sell bikes to. The rarified air of SBK finds bikes with parts and setups that just make the homologation rules in very limited numbers. Racing clones are cool but few get to have one. The Superstock class run with entirely different set of racing rules and more manufacturers participating gives fans a Superbike shoot out every race weekend without the cost of the magazine. Here BMW is dominating its competition in the first year of participation.




BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Misano - Races

ÔÇó 27.06.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Weather conditions: Sunny.
Temperature: Air: 28 ÔÇô 32 ??C, Track: 28 ÔÇô 50 ??C
Number of riders participating: 23 from 14 teams
Fastest lap Race 1: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) 1:36.670 min
Fastest lap Race 2: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:36.546 min

Again, there is reason to celebrate for Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport: After SaturdayÔÇÖs first ever pole position in the teamÔÇÖs young history, Troy Corser (AUS) secured the German team its second podium on Sunday, finishing race 1 in third. It was TroyÔÇÖs 130th podium finish, and his 50th third place finish in his World Superbike career. Ruben Xaus (ESP) did not finish the race due to a mechanical problem. There was smoke coming from RubenÔÇÖs bike when the oil line touched the exhaust pipe and burned. In race 2, Troy was not able to hold on to his starting position. He was in the top five until the final lap when he missed a gear when downshifting before Tramonto corner. He ran off the track and lost a couple of positions. Ruben was involved in some collisions right after the start and was not able to finish the race as he was hit by another riderÔÇÖs bike. The impact caused a bruise and a haematoma inside the muscle of his left calf.

916352142_Rb5VD-M.jpg


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: 3rd, Gap to 1st: 00:00.822 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 1:36.876 min
Result Race 2: 10th, Gap to 1st: 00:16.279 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 1:36.713 min
ÔÇ£I am really happy with the way this weekend has gone. It has been our teamÔÇÖs best performance so far, with our first ever pole position and a podium finish in race 1. But at the same time I am also a little disappointed because I felt we had the pace to win both races today. In the first race I felt comfortable leading the race, and had it not been for a mistake towards the end of the race I think I would have finished second or even first. It was just a case of trying a little too hard. In race 2 we made some slight changes to the setup to give more grip to the rear wheel, but this meant we lost some feeling from the front tyre and this affected the handling of the bike. Unfortunately at the end of the race I hit a false neutral on the down change before Tramonto which meant I missed my brake point, forcing me into the gravel.ÔÇØ

Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Result Race 1: DNF
Result Race 2: DNF
ÔÇ£This was a day to forget. It started with the technical problem we had in race 1. After the start of the second race I braked hard into the corner but was hit by another rider moving me out. I managed to stay on the bike but at the next direction change I was again hit hard by another rider crashing into my left leg. Again, I stayed on the bike but really felt a bad pain in the leg, which made my muscles react very slowly. I started missing the gears, and very soon I missed a gear in the corner, and my knee hit the tarmac heavily. I lost my knee pad, and that was it. I will now try to recover for the tests in Imola.ÔÇØ

Berthold Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director):
ÔÇ£Congratulations to the entire team. Everybody has done a great job over the course of the weekend, and we were rewarded. It was a weekend with ups and downs, but the positive side outbalances the negative side: We took our first ever pole position, got another podium finish, and lap time wise we are up to speed. I feel really sorry for Ruben and his crew ÔÇô this weekend luck was not on his side. But thatÔÇÖs racing, and we will not hang our heads. I am happy with everyoneÔÇÖs efforts over the weekend.ÔÇØ

A seven week long break after the last race in Monza (ITA) has not slowed down Ayrton Badovini (ITA) and his BMW S 1000 RR in the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup: He won his fifth race out of five, 2.576 seconds ahead of his closest rival Maxime Berger (FRA). In the ridersÔÇÖ standings, Ayrton now has 125 points, and he has increased his lead on Maxime (66) to 59 points. BMW leads the manufacturersÔÇÖ standings with 125 points, 32 ahead of Honda.

End of BMW press release

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TroyCorser.com

After dominating Superpole, Troy started race one from pole position, led for the first sixteen laps and looked on course for his maiden win with BMW. But the smallest of errors cost him dearly and, in the end, he had to be satisfied with third place - repeating the result he had in Monza last month. Even though he wasnÔÇÖt able to win today, he showed that he and the BMW are now genuine podium contenders, thanks in part to the big improvements to the bike made recently. TroyÔÇÖs team marginally changed the set-up of the bike to improve rear grip, but the plan didnÔÇÖt work.

Although Troy led the first six laps, he struggled to stay in front because he was having difficulty getting the bike to turn and stop in the corners. He kept going and ended 10th.

Local favourite Max Biaggi (Aprilia) won both races to increase his championship lead over Leon Haslam (Suzuki) to 37 points. In race one, he narrowly beat Carlos Checa (Ducati) with Troy third, but race two was much more comfortable. He took his second chequered flag of the day, over four seconds ahead of Haslam, with Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) third.

916351598_ZgPyf-M.jpg


Troy - Race 1: 3rd, Race 2: 10th
I should have won the first race and the only reason I didnÔÇÖt was because I made two small mistakes. This series is so hard that it only takes the smallest of mistakes or errors to lose a win and thatÔÇÖs what happened today. The bike has come on a lot recently and most of it is to do with a new set-up at the rear. ItÔÇÖs something that IÔÇÖve wanted to try for some time, but itÔÇÖs not something that we felt we could try during a race weekend. We tried it at the recent Mugello tests and now I have bike I can ride easily without thinking about it - and thatÔÇÖs a great feeling. Now the bike is probably the best it has ever been at any stage and I felt comfortable leading the first race. I made a small mistake on lap seventeen when I went a bit wide at a left-hander and had to go on the grass. I couldnÔÇÖt get my normal drive out of the turn as a result and Max (Biaggi) overtook me. On the next lap, I left a bit too much space going into another left-hander and Carlos (Checa) dived underneath me. From then on in, I matched them for lap times but just couldnÔÇÖt pass them.

Because it now takes such a long time for the interviews in parc ferm?®, the podium ceremony and the interviews in the Paddock Show, I wasnÔÇÖt able to have a proper debrief with my team. We spoke briefly when I got back to the parc ferm?® and I told the boys that I was pretty happy with the bike and if they wanted to make some small adjustments they could do so. They wanted to improve the rear grip, so changed the front forks a little, but the plan didnÔÇÖt work and the bike was actually harder to stop in the corners and this is why I started going backwards. It was a shame, because otherwise I felt that another podium was on the cards. Our tyres donÔÇÖt like it when the track temperature goes over 30C, but I think thatÔÇÖs probably the same for everybody.

Today Max and the Aprilia were a good package. They can be beaten, but our bike needs to be perfect to do it. As I said, IÔÇÖm really happy with the bike now and I am enjoying leading races and challenging at the front. My goal is to try and finish third in the championship. I donÔÇÖt know if thatÔÇÖs realistic, but thatÔÇÖs what IÔÇÖm aiming for.

See ya,
Troy


Next Race is July 11 in the Czech Republic at the Brno AutoMotoDrom
 
where have you been, slacker? :ha

Working for a living and looking for a living working.
and
After a bit of time away from the forum I found myself burned out. Easing back into following the BMW scene again.


are you going to the rally?

Not this year. Time/money. Bummer.

is "on reconsaissance" anywhere near Grand Island, NE?

Was in Grand Island last week. Back in SW IA. Heading to ND soon and possibly on to Manitoba.

ian

:wave
 
Thursday 1 July

BWM Canada estimates that over 40% of the S1000RR models sold there are actively involved in track riding of some sort. To support these riders they have announced a HP Parts program for the S1000RR.

No news yet from BMW US about a similar program here.

High Performance for the race track. The HP Race Parts program for the BMW S 1000 RR.
ÔÇó 30.06.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Munich. With the S 1000 RR, BMW Motorrad offers a supersports bike which provides an impressive overall package of power, performance and safety for both country roads and the racing circuit.

Since the model launch, an extensive range of BMW Motorrad motorcycle equipment has been available for the S 1000 RR. This accessory program is now being consistently expanded to include special products for use on the race track - the High Performance Race Parts.

In this way, BMW Motorrad is responding to the fact that over 40 percent motorcyclists are actively involved in track riding - either race track training or professionally in national racing series.

For this reason, BMW Motorrad will be offering race track riders special products which are approved solely for use on the race track and are not authorised for road use.

The first in the range will be the HP Race Cover Kit and the HP Race Power Kit, which will be available from July 2010. Other HP Race Parts such as the HP Race Calibration Kit, the HP Race shift-pattern reversal and the HP Race right footrest plate will be available from the fourth quarter of 2010.

HP Race Cover Kit.

For use on the race track, the mirrors, front direction indicators and licence plate holder including rear direction indicators are usually removed. The HP Race Cover Kit provides covers to replace the missing parts so as to give the motorcycle the perfect racing trim in visual terms, too.

The kit includes two covers for the mirrors, two covers for the front direction indicators, a cover for underside of tail section as well as a blue fabric bag with white "HP High Performance Parts" lettering in which to keep the covers.

HP Race Power Kit.

With the HP Race Power Kit BMW Motorrad meets race track ridersÔÇÖ needs with regard to further increased performance.

An Akrapovič?« racing exhaust system made of light titanium not only ensures significantly reduced exhaust back pressure but also saves weight. The dB Eater (98 dB) included means that more stringent limitations imposed by race track operators can be adhered to if necessary.

A feature already used by many racing teams, the racing control unit with racing data status provides optimised engine qualities and a significant increase in torque, especially in the medium engine speed range which is so important in racing.

The data status developed for race track use ensures optimisation of the ride modes (RAIN, SPORT, RACE, SLICK) as well as Dynamic Traction Control (DTC), providing further enhanced acceleration, traction and therefore performance.
The device is authorised by means of a code which is entered in the control unit by the BMW Motorrad dealer.
 
Wednesday 7 July

The Brno track is a modern track that puts emphasis on power. The track is wide making the chicanes fast. Elevation changes of over 7% put a premium on engine power. This could be a SBK engine shootout between BMW and Aprilia.

BMW sounds very upbeat going into Brno this weekend. Corser is hot right now and Brno could fan the flames. He notched a 5th last year and three of his career wins were added to his resume on the Check track. With this years improvements the track may mean more podiums.

Xaus apparently has done well at Imola testing racking up the 7th fastest time for the two days of testing. With few exceptions testing and qualifying have not been major problems for Xaus, it is racing that has been his problem. Improvements in his performance have quieted rumors of his departure but it must be putting a fire in his performance. He must have strong showings to keep his coming vacation to the scheduled SBK summer break and not an extended one.


BMW Motorrad Motorsport Press Release

Following a successful weekend at Misano just over a week ago, where BMW Motorrad Motorsport achieved its first ever pole position and Troy Corser secured his second podium of the year, the team is heading to the Automotodrom Brno in the Czech Republic for round 9 of the 2010 Superbike World Championship.

Following the teamÔÇÖs best performance to date and full of confidence, Troy Corser is relishing a return to the Brno circuit, where he has enjoyed more WSBK victories than any other rider (with three wins to date). Furthermore, this is also the track where he achieved his best result (5th) in 2009 for BMW Motorrad Motorsport.

Troy Corser: ÔÇ£I am feeling really positive about Brno. Misano was a great weekend for me and the team because we made another step closer to the top guys. We could have won the first race if it hadnÔÇÖt been for a small mistake on my part. We didnÔÇÖt expect to be as strong as we were. Brno was a best result last year with a fifth position so we know itÔÇÖs a track that favours the S 1000 RR. We have made huge steps since then in terms of development, which means we are going there even stronger. I really like the circuit; I have an idea on set-up already and I think we have the package to be really strong.ÔÇØ

Following a two-day test in Imola last week, where Ruben Xaus was the seventh fastest rider overall on his S 1000 RR, the likeable Spaniard is determined to convert this speed into results at the Czech RepublicÔÇÖs flowing circuit.

Ruben Xaus: "I hope I can have a positive weekend in Brno. Last year I sustained a painful injury following a crash there which prevented me from pushing as much as I would have liked. I want to put in a good performance this weekend and draw a line under the disappointment of last year. For me, it is crucial that I find my rhythm in the coming races. The bike is getting better and better, and the power is really strong, which should help us at a fast track like Brno. It is important that I make another step forward and focus on riding smoothly, as there are many long turns."

For Director of BMW Motorrad Motorsport Berti Hauser, the enormous progress made so far in 2010 is plain for all to see. The team already has more points (152) after eight rounds of the series in the Manufacturer standings than it did for the entire 2009 season. Troy Corser holds a strong sixth position on the leaderboard ÔÇô only nine points behind the fourth placed rider. With five rounds and 10 races of this yearÔÇÖs series remaining, anything can still happen.

Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director: "In Misano we achieved our first ever pole position and our second podium finish of the season. We have finished in the top five seven times already this season, the latest tests in Mugello, Misano, and then in Imola have been promising, and the race weekend in Misano was a great result for the BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team. I am confident that we can build further in Brno and put in another strong performance."


BMW wants to move up the grid in the manufacturerÔÇÖs championship. It has been looking at the companies and bikes ahead of it. In 2011 it may look over its shoulder and see something closing in on it.

Kawasaki has been languishing in last place. Team Green has suffered through poor performance on the track the corporate board room and the show room. There is encouraging news for racing fans. A new Ninja ZX-10R has been in development and surfaced in testing in Japan at the Suzuka track. In basic black livery the bike has displays the angular lines that mark it as a Kawasaki.


926808726_DQVUu-O.jpg


The all-new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R has been in development for some time now, and it has now been exposed to some degree of public exposure on the racetrack for the first time.

In ÔÇÿstealth' black carbon fibre bodywork, the swooping and angular lines of the machine are well in evidence, although engine architecture and other details are hidden by the full bodywork and the large radiator.

The machine was tested at Suzuka in Japan by Hidemichi Takahashi, with former Kawasaki WSB race winner Akira Yanagawa due to test the machine next.

Adaptive headlight

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BMW ORACLE Racing celebrates 33rd AmericaÔÇÖs Cup win at the White House

ÔÇó 05.07.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Washington, D.C., June 30, 2010 -- The BMW ORACLE Racing team celebrated their historic AmericaÔÇÖs Cup win at the White House with President Barack Obama on Tuesday.

Led by team owner Larry Ellison (USA) and representing San FranciscoÔÇÖs Golden Gate Yacht Club, BMW ORACLE Racing won the AmericaÔÇÖs Cup in February ÔÇô the first time an American team has won the Cup in 18 years.

ÔÇ£We are enormously proud to bring the AmericaÔÇÖs Cup back to the United States after a very long absence,ÔÇØ Ellison said. ÔÇ£This team represents what can be achieved when talented people pursue their dreams with a single-minded sense of purpose. The AmericaÔÇÖs Cup is the pinnacle of every sailorÔÇÖs ambition; now that weÔÇÖve won, we will focus equally hard on successfully defending the oldest trophy in international sport.ÔÇØ

The AmericaÔÇÖs Cup represents one of the most demanding sporting and technological achievements in the world. The oldest trophy in international sport, it has been contested 33 times, and held by just six yacht clubs over its 159-year history.

EllisonÔÇÖs BMW ORACLE Racing team is an international line-up of the best sailing, design, engineering and boatbuilding talent in the world. With 150 people from 17 nations, the team built an innovative 90-foot trimaran, powered by a towering wing sail - the largest wing of any type ever constructed - to prevail 2-0 over the Swiss defender, Alinghi in a match off Valencia, Spain in February.

The trimaran, USA 17, was a reflection of the American tradition of innovation and cutting-edge technology. USA 17 is the fastest and most technologically advanced Cup boat in history and, like several of EllisonÔÇÖs previous AmericaÔÇÖs Cup boats, USA 17 was built in Anacortes, WA. The sailing team then spent over one year testing and refining the design at its training base in San Diego, CA.

The AmericaÔÇÖs Cup has been to the White House on one other occasion - President Reagan welcomed the iconic Cup skipper Dennis Conner to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue after his American team won the trophy back from Australia in 1987.
The visit to the White House marked the beginning of an East Coast tour for the BMW ORACLE Racing team and the AmericaÔÇÖs Cup.

On Wednesday, the team made an appearance on ÔÇÿThe Early ShowÔÇÖ on CBS in New York City, before skipper Jimmy Spithill rang the opening bell of the NASDAQ exchange.

The tour continues on Thursday in Newport, Rhode Island, where the Cup will be on public display and the team will be featured at a Sail Newport luncheon and a special presentation for junior sailors at Fort Adams.

The AmericaÔÇÖs Cup, first contested in 1851, currently resides at the Golden Gate Yacht Club in San Francisco, the home club of BMW ORACLE Racing. Only two other American yacht clubs have held the trophy ÔÇô New York Yacht Club and San Diego Yacht Club. SDYC lost the Cup to Team New Zealand in 1995, the last time the AmericaÔÇÖs Cup was held in the United States. In 2003 the Swiss-based Team Alinghi won the Cup from New Zealand. On February 14, 2010, off Valencia, Spain, BMW ORACLE Racing defeated Team Alinghi 2-0. Intensive planning for the next edition is underway, with the finals expected in 2013 or 2014 at a venue to be determined by the American team.

In addition to the main team website, www.bmworacleracing.com, team friends can follow the blog at http://bmworacleracingblog.blogspot.com, or You Tube at http://www.youtube.com/bmworacleracingteam, or on Twitter at http://twitter.com/bmworacle2010. Images are available at www.bmor-photo.com.
 
Friday, 9 July

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Xaus and Corser trade roles resulting in a hard start to Brno for Corser


Friday started with a bang for BMW Motorrad. Xaus piped Corser recording the third fastest time in FridayÔÇÖs warm up session and leaving the Australian in fourth. This seemed to be a very auspicious start to the racing weekend.

The competition dipped deeper into their bags of tricks for Friday Qualifying 1. Xaus lost three spots but took a very respectable 6th for the session. Corser was able to score a 12th place time for the session before taking a heavy crash on his final flying lap for the session.

Corser was flown to hospital and is being held for observation. The initial reports are no serious injuries and he should be ÔÇ£fitÔÇØ to ride in SaturdayÔÇÖs Super Pole rounds.

928888231_NGGnX-M.jpg


BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Brno - Qualifying Practice 1

ÔÇó 09.07.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Weather conditions: Hot, sunny.
Temperature: Air: 29 ÔÇô 31 ??C, Track: 55 ÔÇô 56 ??C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams

Fastest lap Free Practice: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:59.917 min
Fastest lap Qualifying Practice 1: Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:59.277 min


Programme:
Shock and relief ÔÇô Team BMW Motorrad experienced both during the first day of the FIM Superbike World Championship weekend in Brno. While both riders, Ruben Xaus (ESP) and Troy Corser (AUS), started the weekend well, Troy crashed heavily on his final lap of Qualifying Practice 1. Initial medical reports confirm he has no serious injuries. He was taken to the hospital in Brno for further precautionary checks.


Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 2:00.417 min (3rd) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 2:00.273 min (6th)

ÔÇ£More than anything else I hope Troy is okay, and I hope he can ride tomorrow. Apart from that, I feel quite confident. The bike is working very well. We had a successful test in Imola, and we did not change the set-up very much. Physically, I am still struggling a little bit with my injured calf, but I am a lot better than I was in Imola. I can now do more than just a couple of laps in a row. Now I need to rest to be well-prepared for tomorrow.ÔÇØ


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Free Practice: 2:00.580 min (4th) / Fastest lap Qualifying 1: 2:00.508 min (12th)


Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):ÔÇ£Most important is the news that Troy is not badly injured. We all feel sorry for him, and we hope that he will be okay as soon as possible. This is the only thing we are concerned about. He was flown to Brno by the helicopter for further precautionary checks.ÔÇØ

928888267_usrUV-M.jpg



Brno - SUPERBIKE - Qualifying 1


1.  Noriyuki Haga1'59.277 (Ducati Xerox Team)
2.  Cal Crutchlow1'59.571 (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team)
3.  Michel Fabrizio1'59.730 (Ducati Xerox Team)
4.  Carlos Checa2'00.153 (Althea Racing)
5.  Max Biaggi2'00.174 (Aprilia Alitalia Racing)
6.  Ruben Xaus2'00.273 (BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
7.  Jakub Smrz(Team PATA B&2'00.348 G Racing)
8.  Jonathan Rea2'00.442 (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda)
9.  James Toseland2'00.451 (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team)
10.  Luca Scassa2'00.463 (Supersonic Racing Team)
11.  Lorenzo Lanzi2'00.475 (DFX Corse)
12.  Troy Corser2'00.508 (BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
13.  Shane Byrne2'00.534 (Althea Racing)
14. Max  Neukirchner2'00.701 (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda)
15.  Sylvain Guintoli2'00.739 (Team Suzuki Alstare)
16.  Leon Camier2'00.745 (Aprilia Alitalia Racing)
17.  Leon Haslam2'01.003 (Team Suzuki Alstare)
18.  Tom Sykes2'01.026 (Kawasaki Racing Team)
19.  Chris Vermeulen2'01.497 (Kawasaki Racing Team)
20.  Broc Parkes2'01.805 (ECHO CRS Honda)
21.  Matteo Baiocco2'02.239 (Team Pedercini)
22.  Roger Lee Hayden2'02.684 (Team Pedercini)


Brno - Rider Form Guide

ÔÇó Max Biaggi has always finished his Brno races in the top four, winning race 2 in 2007 and race 1 last year, for a total of five podium placements. He adds to that four consecutive wins from 1994 to 1997 in the 250cc world championship and three more wins (1998, 2000 and 2002) in 500cc/MotoGP;

ÔÇó Shane Byrne was able to finish both races in the points last year: fourth and eighth;

ÔÇó one podium placement out of four starts for Carlos Checa, second in race 1 last year. In the 500cc/MotoGP championship he never managed to finish on the podium out of thirteen races contested here;

ÔÇó Troy Corser won three times in Brno: both races in 1996 and the first one in 2005. Troy added two more podiums to that, with a second in race 2, 2005 and a second in race 1, 2008. Corser started from pole in 1996 and 2005;

ÔÇó Six podium places out of eight races run for Michel Fabrizio, who scored here his maiden podium in 2006. His only retirement is from last year, when he crashed and took out Ben Spies while fighting for the lead;

ÔÇó Noriyuki Haga won the second 2005 race in Brno and climbed on the podium in third in the second race the following year. The Japanese rider completed all his ten races in Brno inside the top-10. He scored pole in 2006 and 2007;

ÔÇó Only one finish in the top-10 in both races run here last year by Leon Haslam, seventh in race 1;

ÔÇó Lorenzo Lanzi obtained here his best results in the first two of the ten races he ran in Brno, in 2005 with a double sixth place. In the last two editions he retired twice in the first two races. In race 2 last year he scored his worst result, fifteenth;

ÔÇó Max Neukirchner obtained his best results in the last two races run here: fifth and seventh in 2008;

ÔÇó Broc Parkes was twelfth and sixteenth last year, he managed to climb on the podium in the 2006 Supersport race in second behind team-mate Kevin Curtain;

ÔÇó Last year Jonathan Rea managed to finish on the podium behind Biaggi and Checa in race 1. In race 2 he finished fourth. He was also able to climb on the podium in third in the 2008 Supersport race;

ÔÇó Luca Scassa is looking for his first points in this track. In the Superstock 1000 class he managed to score pole in 2006 finishing second behind Ayrton Badovini;

ÔÇó Jakub Smrz raced six times in Brno, finishing inside the top-10 in both 2009 races: sixth and ninth;

ÔÇó James Toseland has an excellent record in Brno: he won in 2007, race 1 and was second three times. He always started from the front row in Brno. In MotoGP he was able to finish in the top-10 in 2009 (ninth);

ÔÇó A podium placement out of two races run here for Chris Vermeulen, third in race 2 in 2005. In MotoGP he finished two times out of four in the top-10, with a fifth in 2007 and a sixth in 2008;

ÔÇó A problematic track for Ruben Xaus, who retired four times out of eighth, and was forced to abandon the weekend after race 1 last year. Ruben hasn't seen the chequered flag at Brno since 2007.



Ayrton Badovini and BMW Motorrad Italia STK are seeking to extend their undefeated string in Superstock 1000. Bradovini has owned the top step of the race day podium this season but not the race pole and qualified second for SundayÔÇÖs race.

Brno - SUPERSTOCK 1000 - Qualifying 1

1.  Maxime Berger2'03.950 (Ten Kate Race Junior)
2. Ayrton  Badovini2'04.245 (BMW Motorrad Italia STK)
3.  Sylvain Barrier2'04.322 (Garnier Junior Racing)
4.  Andrea Antonelli2'04.476 (Team Lorini)
5. Lorenzo  Baroni(Team Pata B&2'04.853 G Racing)
6.  Eddi La Marra2'05.183 (Team Lorini)
7.  Michele Magnoni2'05.449 (Bevilacqua Corse)
8. Marco  Bussolotti2'05.627 (All Service System by QDP)
9.  Dominic Lammert2'05.786 (Lammert Motorsport)
10. Micha?½l  Savary2'05.889 (Motoracingparts STK1000)
11.  Danilo Petrucci2'05.919 (Team Pedercini)
12.  Ren?¿ M?Ñhr2'06.010 (MTM Racing Team)
13. Daniele  Beretta2'06.113 (BMW Motorrad Italia STK)
14.  Lorenzo Zanetti2'06.200 (SS Lazio Motorsport)
15. Michal  Sembera2'06.255 (Automotoklub Masarykuv Okruh)
16.  Loris Baz2'06.479 (MRS Racing)
17.  Ondrej Jezek2'06.938 (MS Racing)
18.  Marcin Walkowiak2'06.968 (Bogdanka Racing)
19.  Tomas Svitok2'07.213 (SMS Racing)
20.  Pere Tutusaus2'07.251 (Goeleven)
21.  Davide Giugliano2'07.605 (Team06)
22.  Chris Leeson2'07.892 (Team Pedercini)
23.  Nico Vivarelli2'08.582 (Goeleven)
24.  Philippe Thiriet2'09.529 (SMS Racing)
25.  Mateusz Stoklosa2'09.576 (Lammert Motorsport)
26.  Danilo Andric2'09.771 (Kuja Racing)
27.  Michal Salac2'09.782 (MS Racing)
28.  Kim Arne Sletten2'10.404 (MTM Racing Team)
 
Saturday, 10 July

The Brno role reversal continues in dramatic fashion for both Corser and Xaus.

All the best for a speedy recovery for Troy Corser.

Xaus steps up the pace and takes a front row place.

Troy Corser will not race in Brno.

ÔÇó 10.07.2010
ÔÇó Press Release

Brno, 10th July 2010. Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider, Troy Corser (AUS), will not race in Brno (CZE) after his heavy crash during FridayÔÇÖs Qualifying Practice session. After discussions with the team doctor, Dr. Vincenzo Tota, and the team management, Troy decided not to compete in the FIM Superbike World Championship sessions on Saturday and the races on Sunday. According to medical reports, the 38-years-old rider suffered bruising all over his body.
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Troy Corser:ÔÇ£Unfortunately I cannot race this weekend. I feel quite exhausted right now, and I have a pain in my chest. It was a huge impact, and I am happy I was not hurt badly. I remember the crash pretty well: I somehow lost the rear, and then I highsided. I would have loved to race in Brno, but we all agree I need a couple of days to rest now to be able to start in Silverstone.ÔÇØ

BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser:ÔÇ£First of all, we all are more than happy Troy is okay so far and not more seriously hurt after his heavy crash. The bike somehow hit him and the impact was severe. According to Dr. Vincenzo Tota, Troy was thoroughly checked in the hospital. His injuries seem to be limited to several bruises, but he will need some time to recover over the next couple of days. We agreed unanimously it would be too risky to send him out racing here, although he is able to leave the hospital. Of course, we all feel sorry for Troy and it is a shame he cannot compete this weekend. We now hope he will be 100 per cent fit for the next race weekend in Silverstone.ÔÇØ

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Meanwhile back at the track ÔÇô Xaus hammered his tyres and landed a 4th position on the grid starting on the front row and the race to turn one.

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BMW Motorrad Motorsport - WSBK - Brno - Superpole

ÔÇó 10.07.2010
ÔÇó Press Release
Weather conditions: Hot, sunny.
Temperature: Air: 27 ÔÇô 32??C, Track: 46 ÔÇô 62??C
Number of riders participating: 22 from 13 teams
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox Team) 1:58.695 min
Fastest lap Superpole 3: Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team) 1:58.018 min


After Troy CorserÔÇÖs (AUS) heavy crash on Friday, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider Ruben Xaus (ESP) gave the people in the BMW garage a reason to be happy on Saturday: In scorching conditions, the Catalan rider secured his best ever qualifying result with the young team. He will start SundayÔÇÖs races from the front row of the grid. The 32-years-old finished the Superpole qualifying fourth, only four hundredths of a second off third placed Jonathan Rea (GBR). ReaÔÇÖs compatriot Cal Crutchlow will start from pole position, just in front of Italian Max Biaggi.
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Ruben Xaus:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
Fastest lap Qualifying Practices: 1:59.725 min / Fastest lap Free Practice: 1:59.632 min / Fastest lap Superpole 3: 1:59.135 min

ÔÇ£First of all I hope Troy will be fit soon, and he can race in Silverstone. Obviously I am really happy with todayÔÇÖs result. I was not expecting fourth. I am still feeling the effects from the injury I sustained in Misano. My team has done a great job today and I must once again thank them for all their efforts and their hard work. Unfortunately I used two qualifying tyres in Superpole 2 to ensure I made it to Superpole 3. Therefore I went out in the final session with worn tyres and was unable to put in a really fast time. This really is the first time this year I have been able to benefit from the qualifying tyre, and I hope I can continue like this. We still have some areas where we can improve the bike, but overall it was incredible. I am really looking forward to the races tomorrow.ÔÇØ


Troy Corser:
Bike: BMW S 1000 RR
DNS

don't you just love templates and how they really personalize a press release

Davide Tardozzi (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team Manager):
ÔÇ£The team and I are very, very happy with RubenÔÇÖs performance today. This is the best ever qualifying position for Ruben with this team and this is what we know he is capable of. Obviously it is disappointing not to have Troy out there, but Ruben did a great job for the whole team. It is quite clear to see the bike is improving, and Ruben is developing a good feeling. I think we could see both riders challenging for the top in future races. Our aim for tomorrowÔÇÖs races is the top five. So letÔÇÖs wait and see.ÔÇØ

Worldsbk.com:

Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) saved his best for last to take a new track best and head up Superpole qualifying, his fourth pre-race 'win' of the 2010 season. Crutchlow was over 0.7 seconds faster than the next best rider, and in nine Superpoles this year, he has the best individual record. Behind him, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) was second at his favourite circuit on the calendar, as he prepares to go out tomorrow and defend a 37-point championship lead. A resurgent Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was a positive third, as he rebuilds from some less than satisfying recent results. Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) finished an impressive fourth, earning himself a front row start. He had crashed heavily here last year but today's result wiped out many memories of his 2009 misfortune.

Xaus's BMW being fourth means that there are four different machines on the front row, and with Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) and Luca Scassa (Supersonic Ducati) fifth and sixth restively, there are six different bikes in the top six grid slots. Scassa, a privateer, was top Ducati rider of any kind, with Ducati Xerox factory pilot Michel Fabrizio one place behind. Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati) will start from row two, taking eighth place as the last rider home in the final Superpole session. Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) just missed the final eight places of Superpole three, with James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) tenth. Max Neukirchner went 11th for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda and Tom Sykes ended a fruitful day 12th and on the third row for the Kawasaki Racing Team. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) crashed in two Superpole sessions, and now starts from the fourth row; championship contender Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) is only one place ahead of him.


Brno - SUPERBIKE - Superpole 3

1.  Cal Crutchlow1'58.018 (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team)
Cal Crutchlow: "I definitely hoped to be here and I'd rather give away a pole for a race win, but you've got to take them when you can. I enjoyed that, it was a good session for us. Most of the sessions have been strong and my Yamaha is working well. Max is hard to beat in the championship and especially round here. I can see a big battle tomorrow, maybe ten guys at least at the start. I thought I could have got into the 57s because I was riding very deep into the corners, and I actually had another qualifier left but I'm happy with that."

2.  Max Biaggi1'58.743 (Aprilia Alitalia Racing)
Max Biaggi: "A first row result is good for me, but compared to last year's race we've got a lot more work to do this weekend. Something we changed on the bike makes it a bit different so it's not the same feeling. It's better in other tracks but here we've got some difficulties. It's getting a little bit better, the bike is not where I want, but I'm happy with my pace. We'll see tomorrow."

3.  Jonathan Rea1'59.094 (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda)
Jonathan Rea: "It is hot out there, but there's a lot of breeze so it's not too bad. I actually didn't really know where to go after Superpole because I haven't been in the top 3 for some time. I'd just like to thank all of my team, our package isn't perfect but what we do have in the Ten Kate garage is a really hard work ethic and we're trying. Hopefully we can get away good tomorrow and try and stay with these two guys as long as we can. I've got nothing to lose!"

4.  Ruben Xaus1'59.135 (BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
Ruben Xaus: "First of all I'd like to give my best to Troy and hope he recovers as soon as possible because when two riders are on the team on fire, they go ahead. We did a good job today, the bike is now working well, we made a big step in Imola and physically I'm not feeling perfect but I was able to ride fast."

5.  Sylvain Guintoli1'59.179 (Team Suzuki Alstare)
6.  Luca Scassa1'59.393 (Supersonic Racing Team)
7.  Michel Fabrizio1'59.451 (Ducati Xerox Team)
8.  Carlos Checa1'59.571 (Althea Racing)
9.  Lorenzo Lanzi1'59.699 (DFX Corse)
10. James  Toseland1'59.699 (Yamaha Sterilgarda Team)
11. Max  Neukirchner1'59.829 (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda)
12.  Tom Sykes1'59.830 (Kawasaki Racing Team)
13.  Leon Camier1'59.841 (Aprilia Alitalia Racing)
14.  Leon Haslam1'59.995 (Team Suzuki Alstare)
15.  Noriyuki Haga2'00.258 (Ducati Xerox Team)
16.  Shane Byrne2'00.564 (Althea Racing)
17.  Jakub Smrz(Team PATA B&2'00.341 G Racing)
18.  Chris Vermeulen2'01.167 (Kawasaki Racing Team)
19.  Matteo Baiocco2'01.523 (Team Pedercini)
20.  Troy Corser2'00.508 (BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
21.  Broc Parkes2'01.463 (ECHO CRS Honda)
22.  Roger Lee Hayden2'01.826 (Team Pedercini)


WSS 1000

I still donÔÇÖt have the flow of this division down, and that is good because yesterday I gave Ten Kate Jr the pole and in Saturday qualifying BMW Italia rider Ayrton Badovini took the pole for SundayÔÇÖs Super Stock race.

Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took pole at Brno by only 0.013 seconds from Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) setting up what looks like a classic race tomorrow at a track at which Berger has always shown good form.

Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Racing BMW) was third in qualifying and the Ducati of Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport) was fourth, making for a cosmopolitan front row. Michele Magnoni (Bevilaqua Corse) was a strong fifth on his Honda
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For all its problems on the track the numbers show BMW is having a winning season in the worldÔÇÖs showrooms.
 
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