Bench Racing: 2009 World Superbike

[mika]

From: WorldSBK
Biaggi happy with Magny-Cours podiums
Spies reflects on disappointing French weekend
Vermeulen signs for Kawasaki WSB team

motostation.com translated: Interview - 5 Minutes with Troy Corser

fim-live: Vermeulen makes subperbikes switch

moto-station.com translated: KTM is leaving 125GP
They will focus on 4 stroke road racing with the RC8

On The Street ÔÇô

MV Agusta is about to release a new superbike according to Visordown.com and thinks that MV/HD is thinking of taking it racing in the WSS class.

Visordown.com reveals KawasakiÔÇÖs new 200bhp ZX-10R while Moto-station.com is chatting up a revised Kawasaki GTR 1400 for 2010.

dealernews.com: Japans OEMs drop production nearly 50% in August

nytimes.com: I have received no motorcycles or F1 cars as a result of any of my posts; dang, now it looks like I wonÔÇÖt either.

While BMWÔÇÖs brand value has dropped by approximately 7% according to Fortune Magazine -
cyrilhuzeblog.com: Harley Davidson brand value drops by 43%

 

[rbertalotto]

Hey Mika!

Thanks for this thread................It's a very nice and quick way to see what is going on in MotoGP and WSB.............Much appreciated!

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Stiggy Racing Honda and Haslam mutually part for 2010


Provisional WSBK 2010 Calendar

fim-live.com: Spies eyeing perfect Portugal weekend

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK


AMA
speedtv.com: AMA SBK – Hayes: ‘Series in a scary place’

roadracingworld.com: DMG ends testing ban until January 1st – teams now free to conduct unlimited testing on AMA tracks.

On The Street

How much trouble is Kawasaki in? Its racing foot print is shrinking and now even with big announcements of revised models it is dropping out of the premier show on its home turf.
dealernews.com: Kawasaki drops out of Tokyo Motor Show

The official announcement comes at the Tokyo Motor Show but it has been leaking for a long time. visordown.com: has a nice run down on the new VFR1200. Another sites’ headline was “Shamu Lives”. The VFR has grown from a sleek ?¥ liter sport tourer with heavy emphasis on sport to a 1200cc 588lb wet monster. The bikes look is what I have come to expect from Honda and works for me. Yet even in the static pictures the optional tail trunk appears to be an after thought that someone threw at the bike and it just stuck.

Videos from Aprilia on the Factory debut of the RSV4

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[108625]

The official announcement comes at the Tokyo Motor Show but it has been leaking for a long time. visordown.com: has a nice run down on the new VFR1200. Another sitesÔÇÖ headline was ÔÇ£Shamu LivesÔÇØ. The VFR has grown from a sleek ?¥ liter sport tourer with heavy emphasis on sport to a 1200cc 588lb wet monster. The bikes look is what I have come to expect from Honda and works for me. Yet even in the static pictures the optional tail trunk appears to be an after thought that someone threw at the bike and it just stuck.

I've been following the development of the new VFR for some time, and while I can't wait to see it up close and personal, I did take advantage of its impending release to get a smokin' deal on a leftover 6th generation 800 (in 25th anniversary red, white & blue). I think the new one might look a bit less slim than it really will turn out to be due to the "barge-board" panels on the fairing. It appears the seating and ergos will still fit the traditional slim Viffer mold.
Perhaps this view will keep things in perspective...

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Camier impressed by Aprilia experience despite his bad luck

motorcyclenews.com: Alistaire v Dr Brux who is suing who

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

.fim-live.com: Alstare dismiss Neukirchner claim

motormatters.com: Neukirchner to Ten Kate?

crash.net: World Superbike [2010] grid taking shape

On The Street

Advances coming in motorcycle pillion comfort -

Via Bikes in the Fast Lane

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

BMW satisfaction and continued ambition

On The Street

Sort of ÔÇô roadracingworld.com: American Kenny Noyes wins Spanish Formula Extreme race at Catalunya

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

The legend of Max matures with age

Points to make prizes

fim-live.com: New riders for Suzuki

crash.net: Neukirchener confirmed at Ten Kate Honda

motorcyclenews.com: James Toseland to test R1 WSB bike in Portimao?

crash.net: World Superbike confirmed signings

On The Street

helforleathermagazine.com: 2010 Aprilia RSV4 factory priced at $20,999, R at $15,999

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

motorcyclenews.com: Neukirchner ÔÇô ÔÇ£ ItÔÇÖs good to be back at HondaÔÇØ

motorcyclenews.com: Batta backs new Suzuki signings


On The Street

visordown.com: VW linked to Ducati buyout
In the past year VW has been variously rumored to be starting its own superbike company, purchasing KTM (during the X-Bow announcement time) and now Ducati. Reminds me of the story of the boy who cried wolf, eventually he was right.

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[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Checa with Althea Ducati in 2010

Magny Cours Highlights

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[mika]

From: WorldSBKl]

BMW looking forward to further progress in 2010

Haga prepares to fight for 2009 WSB cronwn

Kawasaki WSB team back to full strength

crash.net: Nakano returns Aprilia to run three RSV-4s

Infront and Eurosport group extends partnership for FIM Superbike World Championship

Guintoli to get early WSBK debut with Alstare Suzuki at Poltimao

2009 Superbike World Championship
BMW Motorrad Motorsport Preview: Round 14, Portimao, Portugal, Sunday 25th October

TROY AND RUBEN GEARED UP FOR THE FINALE

The final round of this year’s Superbike World Championship takes place at the Autodromo Algarve in Portugal and both Troy and Ruben are aiming to end the season on a high. This year’s championship has been the most competitive in its twenty-two year history, but Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport team has acquitted itself very well in its first year of competition and is now looking to build on this year’s experiences and come back even stronger next year.
The Portimao track is relatively new to the calendar and is one of the most technically challenging circuits of the series, thanks to its changes of elevation and blind corners. Both Troy and Ruben raced there last year, albeit on different machines, so although they know which way round the track goes, the first day of practice and qualifying will be used to try and find a good set-up for their bikes.

Troy
It seems to have been quite a long year, but I am satisfied with the progress we have made throughout the season and I am especially pleased with the S 1000 RR in the past few races. The series is so competitive and hard this year and often less then half a second is the difference between a good grid place and something further down the order. And if you don’t get a good grid position, you are always playing catch-up. If we took our race times from this year and put them into last year’s results, our bike would’ve been on the podium quite a few times, so that shows how much faster everybody is going this year.
I am looking forward to Portimao and finding out what our engineers have come up with since the last round. I am hoping that another step forward has been made and that Ruben and I can finish BMW’s debut season on a high.

Ruben
I cannot wait for Portimao because I really want to see what the guys have done to the bike since Magny-Cours and see if I can push it and myself to our best result of the year. I am happy that I can race in Portugal because originally my doctors told me that I wouldn't race again this year after my crash in Brno. So, a big thank you to my physiotherapist and everybody at the clinic where I did a lot of rehabilitation and training. My body is not yet 100%, but I will be stronger than I was at Magny-Cours and you need to be fully fit to ride these kind of bikes hard.
Portimao is a very physical circuit, so I know that my body is going to get a pounding, but I am going to do my best and try and get my best finish of the year.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
This year has been a big adventure for us all and an exciting challenge. We knew that this year was not going to be easy, but I think we have done very well considering we are such a new team. Our bike (and our team) has a big potential and we know that we are going to make more and more progress. Already, we are looking forward to continuing our development over the winter and coming back even stronger next year.
I am very happy that we will have Troy and Ruben with us again in 2010. From the very first day, they have been part of the team and have helped create a super team atmosphere. Both are strong and are determined to win and hopefully we can give them the opportunity to do it next year.

2008 results
Race 1: 1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2 C Checa (ESP-Honda), 3 Troy Corser (AUS-Yamaha), 9 Ruben Xaus (ESP-Ducati),
Race 2: 1 Bayliss, 2 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati), 3 Haslam (GBR-Honda), 6 Troy Corser, Ruben Xaus DNF,


FIM.com: Portimao becomes final act in Haga-Spies showdown

Today, October 20, 2009,
The Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, situated not far from the seaside town of Portimao (Portugal), is gearing up for the final round of the 2009 FIM Hannspree Superbike World Championship this coming weekend. This ultra-modern circuit, which opened for business exactly twelve months ago, has in just a short period of time become one of the best in Europe, with its superb infrastructure and a spectacular but testing track layout. Not for nothing was Troy Bayliss, who came here with a third title in his hands, last year’s double winner on the first appearance of World Superbike at this circuit.
The Portimao track therefore represents an ideal venue for the final round of the season, which will see the Superbike, Supersport and European Superstock 600 titles all to be decided.

TWO INTO ONE WON’T GO: The battle for the title between Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) and Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) could go either way seeing as both riders have a similar knowledge of the track and both arrive at the final round in excellent form. The advantage probably lies with the Japanese rider, seeing as the gap between the two is a mere 10 points after a season-long’s racing. Should the Texan rookie win both races or find himself on equal points with Nitro-Nori, he would win the title on countback of number of wins this season. The entire race weekend therefore will also be a battle of nerves and the battle promises to go right down to the wire…

THREE’S A CROWD: But the fight for the title in Portugal will undoubtedly see some outside influence from the three other race winners this year, all of whom will be gunning for the win. One of these is two-times winner Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), whose chief task at Portimao will be to assist his team-mate. At Magny-Cours the Italian was somewhat on the sidelines with two below-par races, but in Portugal he will be required to make a substantial contribution to the Ducati cause should it be required. No team strategy will be on the cards for the other two undoubted protagonists, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda). The all-Italian combination has made considerable progress this season and Max is now constantly in amongst the podium battle. To finish the season with another win would be a major boost for next season, when Max will certainly be one of the title candidates. As for Rea, the young rider from Northern Ireland has proved himself to be one of the top riders in the category and he will surely be one of the favourites this time around at a circuit where he made his WSB debut exactly twelve months ago. Max and Johnny will also be fighting for an overall fourth place, currently in the hands of Biaggi, who has a 14-point lead over his rival.

EARLY DEBUT: The 2009 championship is already looking towards the future, with an early debut for Sylvain Guintoli in the Suzuki Alstare team in place of Max Neukirchner. The Frenchman, who has recently recovered from a nasty crash at Donington in the British Superbike championship earlier this season, is on his way to total recovery and will be one of the new arrivals in next year’s championship. BSB champion Leon Camier, who will take the start for the second successive race on the Aprilia RSV4 machine, will be looking to impress the Italian team following his first outing at Magny-Cours. The Noale manufacturer will enter three bikes, with Shinya Nakano returning for the first time since the Nurburgring. Also searching for a place next year will be Britain’s Shane Byrne (Sterilgarda Ducati), who may represent an outsider at Portimao. In last year’s pre-season testing he surprised everyone by setting the best time and will surely be looking to end this season on a high note.

Points (after 13 of 14 rounds): 1. Haga 436; 2. Spies 426; 3. Fabrizio 346; 4. Biaggi 293; 6. Rea 279; 6. Haslam 241; 7. Checa 200; 8. Sykes 176; 9. Byrne 166; 10. Smrz 161. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 534; 2. Yamaha 469; 3. Honda 395; 4. Aprilia 303; 5. Suzuki 167; 6. Bmw 126; 7. Kawasaki 67

SUPERSPORT: The title is still up for grabs in Supersport, with Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha World Supersport) 19 points ahead of Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda). The British rider needs just a tenth place, irrespective of what his adversary does, to be crowned champion, before heading up to Superbike next year, when he will team up with James Toseland in the official Yamaha squad. As well as the Riders’ title, Crutchlow will also have one eye on the Manufacturers’ crown as Yamaha are just one point behind Honda. There will also be a terrific scrap for third place as Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), the 2007 champion, will have to watch out for the talented young Kawasaki rider Joan Lascorz. The Spaniard, all fired up following his splendid win at Magny-Cours, is just six points behind the Turk and will be looking for another top result to finish off his excellent season.

Points (after 13 of 14 rounds): 1. Crutchlow 230; 2. Laverty 211; 3. Sofuoglu 169: 4. West 117; 5.West 117; 6. Foret 115; 7. Pitt 114; 8. Aitchison 82; 9. McCoy 82; 10. Roccoli 70. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 272; 2. Yamaha 271; 3. Kawasaki 183; 4. Triumph 98; 5. Suzuki 30

SUPERSTOCK 1000: This is the only category in which the title has already been decided, in favour of Xavier Simeon (Ducati Xerox Junior Team) with one round left to run. The final round is not devoid of interest however, as Simeon will be gunning for his fifth win this year or at least to continue his podium-finish form. Second-placed man Claudio Corti (Suzuki Alstare), who hasn’t won since Monza, will have to defend a relatively comfortable 21 point advantage over Magny-Cours winner Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Honda) if he wants to finish runner-up. But Berger will also have to defend his third place from Javi Fores (Kawasaki Pedercini), who is just 11 points behind the Frenchman despite not being a winner this season.

Points (after 9 of 10 rounds): 1. Simeon 200; 2. Corti 148; 3. Berger 127; 4. Fores 116; 5. Beretta 85; 6. Barrier 83; 7. Jezek 68; 8. Baz 51; 9. Giugliano 43; 10. Savary 39. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 200; 2. Honda 161; 3. Suzuki 150; 4. Kawasaki 116; 5. Yamaha 116; 6. MV Agusta 26; 7. Aprilia 12

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Portimao becomes final act in Haga-Spies showdown

motomatters.com: Sykes confirmed at PBM Kawasaki

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

All the Ifs

A look back at 2008

roadracingworld.com: Budget problems force Stiggy Honda to field only Haslam in Portugal

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBKl]

Haga and Spies, Crutchlow and Laverty get ready for final battle

Statistics from Magny-Cours to Potimao

Wikipedia.org: About the track

crah.net: Portiao unveils Crag Jones tribute

superbike-news.com: Suzuki Alstare to stay on at Portimao

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Crash.netÔÇÖs headline for the morning practice session was Haga ahead of Spies but Smrz fastest of all. No one is rolling over for the weekendÔÇÖs featured protagonists.

Portimao Superbike - Free Practice 1st Session
Friday, 23 October 2009 13:58

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'44.855
2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'44.934
3 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'44.976
4 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.006
5 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.078
6 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.101
7 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'45.118
8 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'45.165
9 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.198
10 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'45.400
11 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'45.475
12 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'45.660
13 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'45.769
14 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.796
15 14 Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'45.994
16 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'46.171
17 22 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'46.183
18 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'46.351
19 100 Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'46.492
20 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'46.633
21 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'47.080
22 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'47.132
23 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'47.257
24 77 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.697
25 94 Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1'47.890
26 88 Resch R. (AUT) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'49.494



FRIDAY QUALIFYING RESULTS

Portimao 23-24-25 October 2009 Superbike 1st Session Session Complete
Pos # Rider Nat Bike Last Lap Best Lap Gap Laps
1 65 Rea J GBR Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'43.786 23
2 96 Smrz J CZE Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'43.866 0.080 19
3 19 Spies B USA Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'43.870 0.084 26
4 7 Checa C ESP Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'43.945 0.159 24
5 67 Byrne S GBR Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'43.947 0.161 22
6 10 Nieto F ESP Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'44.005 0.219 21
7 84 Fabrizio M ITA Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'44.154 0.368 19
8 3 Biaggi M ITA Aprilia RSV4 Factory PIT IN 1'44.210 0.424 25
9 41 Haga N JPN Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'44.254 0.468 22
10 91 Haslam L GBR Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'44.324 0.538 19
11 71 Kagayama Y JPN Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 PIT IN 1'44.674 0.888 24
12 111 Xaus R ESP BMW S1000 RR PIT IN 1'44.822 1.036 17
13 11 Corser T AUS BMW S1000 RR PIT IN 1'44.830 1.044 19
14 23 Parkes B AUS Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'44.963 1.177 21
15 100 Tamada M JPN Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'44.977 1.191 21
16 99 Scassa L ITA Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'45.077 1.291 18
17 14 Lagrive M FRA Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'45.133 1.347 21
18 66 Sykes T GBR Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'45.239 1.453 16
19 22 Camier L GBR Aprilia RSV4 Factory PIT IN 1'45.333 1.547 25
20 15 Baiocco M ITA Ducati 1098R PIT IN 1'45.345 1.559 23
21 25 Salom D ESP Kawasaki ZX 10R PIT IN 1'45.390 1.604 21
22 50 Guintoli S FRA Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 PIT IN 1'45.508 1.722 21
23 9 Kiyonari R JPN Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'45.676 1.890 19
24 77 Iannuzzo V ITA Honda CBR1000RR PIT IN 1'46.512 2.726 19
25 94 Checa D ESP Yamaha YZF R1 PIT IN 1'46.775 2.989 23
26 88 Resch R AUT Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 PIT IN 1'47.961 4.175 20

This is going to be a fun weekend of racing to watch. I will post a summary of todays first qualifying session tonight. For now Spies seems to be working very hard while Haga is playing things closely.

Both BMW's are in the Superpole hunt.

 

[mika]

crash.net: Spies on pole, Haga on back foot

1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha WSB YZF R1 1min 42.412s
2. Shane Byrne GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 1min 42.996s
3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 43.015s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 43.126s
5. Leon Haslam GBR Stiggy Motorsport Honda CBR1000RR 1min 43.523s
6. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 43.526s
7. Fonsi Nieto ESP DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 1min 43.553s
8. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 44.719s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 43.240s
10. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1098R 1min 43.377s
11. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 43.406s
12. Carlos Checa ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 43.461s
13. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Racing RSV-4 1min 43.671s
14. Yukio Kagayama JPN Alstare Suzuki GSX-R 1000K9 1min 43.717s
15. Makoto Tamada JPN Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 1min 44.050s
16. Matteo Baiocco ITA Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 1min 45.439s
17. Matthieu Lagrive FRA Althea Honda CBR1000RR 1min 44.453s
18. Broc Parkes AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-0R 1min 44.458s
19. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 1min 44.483s
20. Luca Scassa ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 44.851s
21. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha WSB YZF R1 1min 44.978s
22. David Salom ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1min 45.153s
23. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA SCI Honda CBR1000RR 1min 45.518s
24. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 1min 45.676s *
25. David Checa ESP Yamaha France GMT 94 1min 46.006s
26. Roland Resch AUT TKR Switzerland Suzuki GSX-R1000 1min 46.596s

* Has withdrawn from the race weekend

I had a major computer meltdown and am at the library. No reports until at least Monday.

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

2009 World Superbike: Spies came, saw and conquered!

Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) won the first race and then controlled the situation in race 2 to take his and Yamaha's first ever World Superbike Championship title in front of an 86,000 crowd in the final round of the series at Portimao. Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), points leader going into the decider, crashed out in race 1, making things easier for the Texan, who was fifth in the second race. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) took the win in race 2, while Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) and Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) were the other podium finishers.

Race 1

Race 1 was dominated from start to finish by Spies, who took his fourteenth win of the season and overhauled Haga in the title chase. The Texan, who rocketed away from the line, comfortably held off any attempts at an attack from Biaggi, then upped his pace to go on to take a solitary chequered flag. With this result Spies now has a 15-point advantage over Haga, who lost the front and crashed on lap 7 while making up time in fifth place. The runner-up slot went to Rea, who got the better of Biaggi after a terrific duel. The best Ducati rider to the line in fourth place was Shane Byrne, in one of his best races of the year, while fifth went to Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), who compromised his race with a bad start. Leon Camier had a good run to sixth for Aprilia, while Ruben Xaus finished eighth on the first BMW. Both Suzukis failed to finish, Yukio Kagayama crashing out and Sylvain Guintoli was forced to retire.

Ben Spies: "It was actually a really tough race, at first I was just going for the win, getting to the front and not worrying about anything. Then when Haga was out I had to win to get as many points as possible for race 2. Once you have a gap, you don't want to be stupid and throw it all away."

Jonathan Rea: "It took a little bit of time for my tyres to get right in but when they did they were good until the end. The team and the bike have been working really good and I can't thank them enough. It's the first time I've ever had such a result in race 1 and I'm sure in race 2 I'll be strong again."

Max Biaggi: "I didn't maybe have the chance to set up the bike the way I want and I had a few small problems, and then sometimes I made a few mistakes and this lost me some tenths. But I'm pleased with the result, even though I'm so sore from the accident yesterday and I didn't think I could do the whole distance."

Results: 1. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 38'15.390 (158,442 kph); 2. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1.697; 3. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2.113; 4. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 2.757; 5. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 14.753; 6. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 20.044; 7. Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 25.634; 8. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 31.104

Race 2

Spies monitored Haga all the way in race 2 to take the fifth place that was enough to give him the 2009 title. The American only had to finish sixth, but he preferred to shy away from any direct confrontation and together with Haga's second place, the result gave him the title by six points. Fabrizio scored his third win of the season after a terrific scrap with Rea, who took the final podium slot, while Shane Byrne was again a protagonist of the race and finished fourth. Biaggi looked spectacular on the track, but the Italian made several errors and could only finish in sixth, while team-mate Leon Camier ran another convincing race in seventh, ahead of Smrz (Guandalini Ducati) and Corser (BMW), while this time both Suzuki riders Guintoli and Kagayama finished in the points.

Ben Spies: "First I've got to thank Yamaha for giving me everything I needed to win. It was really good, we did what we had to do and it was difficult to do that because the pace was quite fast and I saw that there were a couple of people behind me. I knew that if Nori won I had to be sixth, so I tried to stay out of trouble. It was spectacular, I can't thank Yamaha enough and everyone who's been behind me for my first year here. It'll sink in in the next couple of days!".

Michel Fabrizio: "Both Jonathan and I showed that we're going to be up at the front next year and we're going to do a lot of these battles. I really wanted that win, Johnny made a mistake here at the last curve, maybe a gear slipped or something, and for me it was all OK. Just as well because otherwise it would have been difficult to overtake him."

Noriyuki Haga: "This weekend we had a problem with the rear tyre and in the first race we made a mistake with the tyre choice and I crashed. Second race was quite good, I was worried for the tyre life, but I started to push and I am happy for second position. Unlucky for today for the title but I try to do my best for next year and congratulations to Ben for the world title."

Jonathan Rea: "With Michel I was racing for my own championship position and it seemed to be a little bit of a fight and I had to do something on the last lap to win the race and get fourth in the championship. I tried everything but made a mistake which allowed Michel to get past. But this is my best weekend of the season with a double podium."

Results: 1. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 38'19.654 (158,148 kph); 2. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1.195; 3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1.494; 4. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 5.553; 5. Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 5.842; 6. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 7.374; 7. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 9.658; 8. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 10.434; 9. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 17.010; 10. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 24.509; 11. Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 27.195; 12. Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 34.825; 13. Lagrive M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 35.135; 14. Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'01.842; 15. Checa D. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R1 1'09.782; 16. Tamada M. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'30.818

Final Points: 1. Spies 462; 2. Haga 456; 3. Fabrizio 382; 4.Biaggi 319; 5.Rea 315; 6. Haslam 241; 7.Checa 209; 8. Byrne 192; 9. Sykes 176; 10. Smrz 169. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 572; 2. Yamaha 505; 3. Honda 431; 4. Aprilia 329; 5. Suzuki 173; 6. Bmw 141; 7. Kawasaki 76


guardian.co.uk: Ben Spies World Superbike Champion ÔÇô Ben Spies seals World Superbike title in Portimao



WSBK rd. 14, Portimao, POR, The Races

2009 Superbike World Championship
Round 14, Portimao, Portugal
Sunday 25th October
Circuit: 4.592 kms. Crowd: 86,000 (3-day). Conditions: Dry, sunny 28-3- C.

BMW MOTORRAD MOTORSPORT HAPPY WITH THEIR FIRST YEAR AND LOOKING FORWARD TO 2010.

Despite bad luck in Portimao today, Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport are more than happy with their first year in the Superbike World Championship and are already looking forward to 2010. The team always knew that this year was going to be hard, but Troy, Ruben and the whole team have performed better than many expected in their first year of World Superbike competition, taking seventeen top finishes during the season. The bad luck today, once again befell Ruben Xaus. He was behind Carlos Checa (Honda) in race two, when ChecaÔÇÖs engine blew up and showered the front of RubenÔÇÖs bike with oil. Ruben saw the oil, but there was no time to take avoiding action and he was highsided between turns one and two, breaking his right leg in the process. Ruben had only recently come back from injury, so todayÔÇÖs accident was a hard blow for him and the team, but despite that he was soon back in the garage smiling and telling the team how much the bike has improved.

Troy also had some bad luck today in race one, when a severe case of chattering forced him to pull into the pits and change the rear tyre. He later returned to the pits and changed the front tyre, but the problem persisted and he was unable to get into the points.

American Ben Spies (Yamaha) won the first race and, with previous championship leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) crashing out, went into race two with a healthy 15-point series lead. Second was Jonathan Rea (Honda), with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. Race two was won by Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), and although Haga was second, Spies took fifth place and, with it, the 2009 World Superbike Championship title.

Troy - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 9th
I had a big problem with chattering in the first race and pitted twice to change first the rear tyre and then again to change the front. However, the problem carried on, so I just had to keep going as best I could to give some info to the engineers. WeÔÇÖre not actually sure if it was a problem with the tyres or something else, but no doubt the guys will look at all the data and sort it out.
I used my number two bike for the second race and it had only done a handful of laps so I wasnÔÇÖt as familiar with it as my number one bike. It felt OK up until about half race distance, but then the grip went and the bike started spinning quite a bit. I couldnÔÇÖt get enough forward push without it spinning and that prevented me from pushing any harder. There are some areas we need to work on, but itÔÇÖs hard trying different things during a race weekend when you also have to qualify well. Some of the problems only happen after a tyre has done 12-15 laps and we donÔÇÖt often do long runs in practice because we are trying to get a good bike set-up.
Today has been a bit frustrating because the bike is improving, but sometimes it improves and then we get a new problem to solve. We just need more time on the bike and more laps, but I really feel that the bike has the potential to be a contender and I am keen to work hard with the team and make that happen.

Ruben - Race 1: 8th, DNF
Just an unlucky day for me, or maybe it has been an unlucky season. ChecaÔÇÖs bike blew up and covered the front of my bike with oil and obviously some of it went on to the front tyre. That caused the crash, so I am happy that the crash wasnÔÇÖt my fault, but I am unhappy with the result.

This season has been hard for us all, but we knew that before the start and it is thanks to all the hard work everybody has put in that we have had so many top ten finishes. Considering that this is our first season, I think we should be happy about what we have achieved so far - and thereÔÇÖs much more to come, IÔÇÖm sure of it.

The bike has improved since the last time I rode it and that makes me eager to find out how much more I can push it. The team are fantastic and the team spirit has been superb right from the start. ItÔÇÖs not nice ending the season with a broken leg, but there was nothing I could do about the crash and I prefer to think about the potential of the bike and working with Troy and the rest of the team to put it on the podium.

Berti Hauser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director)
The season has been a long, hard one, but the time has gone very quickly and I am surprised that we have now come to the end. It has been a wonderful experience and one of the most exciting years of my life.

I'm sorry about the stupid crash that caused Ruben to break his leg, but these things happen in racing and it was good to see him back in our pits chatting away to the team about how the bike is right now, instead of talking about his injury.
We managed seventeen top ten finishes this year and I think you can say that is ÔÇÿmission accomplishedÔÇÖ. WeÔÇÖve had ups and downs and have not been far off the podium at times and that is a testament to the potential of the bike. We know we have to improve in some areas and I can assure you that this will happen before next season begins.

This is our ÔÇÿrookieÔÇÖ year and I think the whole team can feel happy and proud about our first season. I would like to thank Troy, Ruben, all the mechanics, engineers, InFront, Pirelli, all the background staff, and all our sponsors for all their hard work and support in a great first season.

I would also like to congratulate Ben Spies and Yamaha for taking the world title this year. Spies has shown what a class act he is and his team have supported him well throughout the season and they deserve the title. Final thanks also, to all our competitors this year, for making our life difficult, but also for making us work harder and keep improving. See you all next year!

Race 1
1 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 38:15.390
2 Rea (GBR-Honda) 1.697
3 Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 2.113
4 Byrne (GBR-Ducati) 2.757
5 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 14.753
6 Camier (GBR-Aprilia) 20.044
8 Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 31.104
Troy Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF

Race 2
1 Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati) 38:19.654
2 Haga (JPN-Ducati) 1.195
3 Rea (GBR-Honda) 1.494
4 Byrne (GBR-Ducati) 5.553
5 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 5.842
9 Corser (AUS-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 17.010
Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF



Portimao, Portugal - Race: TROY ENDS WITH HIS 12TH TOP TEN FINISH OF THE SEASON


Despite a disappointing no-score in race one in Portimao today, Troy bounced back to take his twelfth top ten finish of the year in race two. This is BMWÔÇÖs rookie season and S 1000 RR bike is a completely new bike this year so, all things considered, this year has been a tremendous start to their WSBK challenge. Troy had problems with chattering in the first race and was forced to pit twice and change his tyres. But the problem persisted and he was unable to score any points. He used his number two bike in race two, as the team werenÔÇÖt sure of the cause of TroyÔÇÖs problem in race one, and although he didnÔÇÖt experience the same problems, the bike began to spin after about half race distance and he couldnÔÇÖt ride it any harder. Ben Spies (Yamaha) took a win in race one and a fifth in race two and that was enough to give him the Superbike World title, as Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) had no-scored in race one. Jonathan Rea (Honda) finished second in the first race, with Max Biaggi (Aprilia) third. It was a Ducati 1-2 in the second race, with Michel Fabrizio taking the win, ahead of team mate Haga. Rea took third, with Shane Byrne (Ducati) fourth and Spies fifth. Troy - Race 1: DNF, race 2: 9th I guess I am a bit disappointed with how today went because the bike has improved and I really wanted two good finishes and end the season on a high. But considering everything and the fact that the bike is brand new and this is the teamÔÇÖs first year, I think we should all be happy about how it has gone. The bike has potential for sure and weÔÇÖre really not far away from where we want to be. ItÔÇÖs not easy developing the bike during a race weekend and I think we just need more laps and more time on the bike, so we can solve any problems we find. At the start of the year the power delivery was a bit aggressive and the team worked hard to make the bike more rideable and user friendly. Ruben and I noticed a big improvement in July and since then the improvement has continued. I am ready to put in heaps of laps before next season because I know that the bike can get on the podium. With a bit of luck, that might have happened this year, but we all know that next year it is more than a possibility and thatÔÇÖs what we will be fighting for right from the first time out. See ya, Troy PS And all the best to Ruben and I hope his broken leg heals up fast.

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

motorcyclenews.com: Spies clinches WSB title after epic rookie season

motomatters.com: Portimao race ÔÇô last man standing

world.honda.com: Portugal Race - Rea Fifth Overall After Two Podiums In Portugal

crash.net: Hapless Xaus suffers another broken leg

visordown.com: Kagayama furious at reckless Camier

crash.net: Teams look ahead to 2010 with Portimao test

On The Street

Ducati.com: Ducati opens its first store in China
Why are dealers in China always called stores or showrooms?

delaernews.com: Zero Motorcycles expands into Asia

mcia.co.uk: UK workers can save over 236 hours a year by commuting by motorcycles or scootres

 

[mika]

From: WorldSBK

Spies sums up his WSB season

A courageous Haga loses the SBK title by 6 points at Portimao

Spies makes history with Yamaha to claim first ever World Superbike victory

crash.net: Biaggi ÔÇô Even optimistic fans couldnÔÇÖt predict this!

crash.net: Corser ÔÇô BMW is capable of podium

motorsport-magazin.com: Xaus ÔÇô Another unlucky day ÔÇô involuntary broken leg

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