Sunday, July 26, 2009

Sensational Spies back on pole in Brno

Yamaha Racing

QUALIFYING 2 REPORT 25/07/2009
Sensational Spies back on pole in Brno
Ben Spies
Ben Spies

Having learnt the long complicated Brno track Yamaha World Superbike rider Ben Spies got down to business today in the second qualifying session. Spies speed was never on doubt and as the track knowledge increased so the lap times came down. He ended the session on the top spot a tenth of a second faster than nearest rival Max Biaggi although overall times put him in second behind the Italian. Biaggi's claim to the top spot was short-lived as Spies went straight out in the first Superpole session to score the fastest time, without using a Q tyre. This was to be repeated in the following two heats as he switched to his two allotted Q tyres and again set himself apart from the Superbike pack, the only rider to dip twice below 1.59 seconds.

Tom Sykes performance echoed his team mate, having grasped the track layout he improved dramatically on yesterday's times and finished the second qualifying session in sixth position under six hundreds of a second from Spies in first, giving him an overall provisional qualifying position of eighth. The afternoon brought what was possibly the best Superpole session yet of the season for Sykes. Using a Q for the first session he ended comfortably in tenth. Changing tactics for the second session, he waited in the garage until four minutes from the end before heading out on a second Q and again finishing comfortably in fifth behind Michel Fabrizio. The final session saw him re-use the Q to take eighth position and a well earned second row start on the grid for tomorrow's races.

Ben Spies, Yamaha World Superbike Team (1st,1'58.868)
"It was a good Superpole session for us and it's been a good weekend so far as well with the qualifying. We've been good with the race set up and we found something in the afternoon practice session that made the bike feel a lot better on race tyres. Superpole was good for us, we really got it together. I had a small problem in the last session but it was still good enough to get it done today but it was a tough one. We've got a good start position tomorrow and I think our bike is really good on the tyres here after a few laps so I think it's going to be a good race-day. Michel will definitely be up there tomorrow and I think Max will be too. I love the circuit, it's really wide, big and fast, it's a beautiful track."

Tom Sykes
Tom Sykes

Tom Sykes, Yamaha World Superbike Team (8th, 2'00.240)
"The qualifying wasn't too bad, we finished eighth overall and to be honest we were just working on the settings on the bike. In the free practice we wanted to try something else but for some reason I felt a bit uncomfortable on the bike and wasn't sure why so we switched to the second bike for Superpole. I felt straight at home again so tonight we'll change everything to make sure both bikes are the same for tomorrow. I'm reasonably happy with row two, it's better than where we have been starting from and it's a good track to pass on. We should have a good race pace so we'll try a couple more things in warm-up to see if we can improve some more and hope for dry weather. I'm looking forward to tomorrow now, I certainly feel with a good start it could be a good race round here. I'm looking forward to mixing it with everyone and getting on the podium!"

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team
"Nine Superpoles from ten races is really special, not something that everyone can do. The way both riders have worked this weekend has been really great. The pace on the race tyres is really good, and to be on the first two rows with another Superpole is fantastic. Up to now everything is good!"

Circuit Length: 5403

Lap Record: 2'03.747 (Noriyuki Haga, 01/01/2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 1'58.345 (Troy Bayliss, 20/07/2008)
Last Years Winner: Troy Bayliss
2009 WSB Czech Republic - Brno 25/07/2009
Superpole
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Ben Spies Yamaha USA 1'58.868
2 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'58.950
3 Max Biaggi Aprilia ITA 1'59.055
4 Jonathan Rea Honda GBR 1'59.740
5 Shane Byrne Ducati GBR 1'59.787
6 Troy Corser BMW AUS 2'00.046
7 Ruben Xaus BMW ESP 2'00.096
8 Tom Sykes Yamaha GBR 2'00.240
9 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'59.730
10 Carlos Checa Honda ESP 1'59.748
11 Makoto Tamada Kawasaki JPN 1'59.873
12 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 2'00.159
13 Yukio Kagayama Suzuki JPN 2'00.223
14 Noriyuki Haga Ducati JPN 2'00.235
15 Shinya Nakano Aprilia JPN 2'00.262


Qualifying 2
Pos. Rider Nat. QUAL I QUAL II
1 Max Biaggi ITA 1'59.982 2'00.707
2 Ben Spies USA 2'00.558 2'00.043
3 Jakub Smrz CZE 2'01.031 2'00.052
4 Michel Fabrizio ITA 2'00.066 2'00.101
5 Carlos Checa ESP 2'00.205 2'00.408
6 Shane Byrne GBR 2'01.017 2'00.355
7 Lorenzo Lanzi ITA 2'00.581 2'01.118
8 Tom Sykes GBR 2'01.070 2'00.600
9 Troy Corser AUS 2'00.603 2'00.636
10 Broc Parkes AUS 2'00.887 2'00.623
11 Jonathan Rea GBR 2'01.023 2'00.702
12 Ruben Xaus ESP 2'00.731 2'00.973
13 Shinya Nakano JPN 2'00.731 2'01.537
14 Yukio Kagayama JPN 2'00.958 2'01.410
15 Leon Haslam GBR 2'01.403 2'01.012
26 David Checa ESP 2'02.785 2'03.092

QUALIFYING 1 REPORT 25/07/2009
Crutchlow sets pole with blistering pace in Brno
Cal Crutchlow
Cal Crutchlow

Yamaha World Supersport sensation Cal Crutchlow kept the heat on in qualifying today, setting an incredible pace to finish the session over eight tenths of second faster than second placed rider Eugene Laverty. Crutchlow was never out of the number one spot for the duration of the session, repeating his performance of the morning's free practice where he was again nearly a second and a half ahead of the pack.

Team mate Fabien Foret was not as fast as yesterday's free practice session, the French rider struggling to find a good rhythm for the circuit. Foret spent the majority of the qualifying session inside the top five however he dropped a couple of places to seventh for a second row start on the grid tomorrow for the race.

Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha World supersport Team (1st, 2'02.060)
"it wasn't so bad today considering we only used one set of tyres again. We found the new front tyre to be very good round here so we tried that and stuck to the rear we normally use. I did 15 good laps on them at the end so all good. I think the race will be different, Eugene will be able to tag along and do the pace, I just don't think he's showing it today. I had a few moments out there, the wind was really strong and picked me up in a few places when it got under the front wheel and pushed me wide. Let's see what we can do tomorrow.

Fabien Foret
Fabien Foret

Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team (7th, 2'03.825)
"I'm not very happy with seventh position, I think I messed my session up a bit and wasn't able to manage a fast lap which is a shame. I think it will be better for the race because I'm more consistent then than fast for one lap so we'll see tomorrow. Hopefully I'll get a good start and then the race will be ok."

Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager
"a couple of good laps again from Cal, he's definitely ready for tomorrow and was ready to race today. Eugene picked up the pace today so tomorrow we have to fight and try to win it again. From Cal's point of view I think he has everything under control and the set up is done. Fabien struggled a bit in qualifying, pushing a bit too hard and overshooting some corners, he was struggling to find the rhythm that he had in practice this morning. Second row is not brilliant, he expected to be at least eight tenths faster but couldn't get it out. We'll see tomorrow."

Circuit Length: 5403

Lap Record: 2'07.316 (Sebastien Charpentier, 01/01/2005)
Fastest Lap Ever: 2'02.060 (Cal Crutchlow, 26/07/2009)
Last Years Winner: Jonathan Rea
2009 WSS Czech Republic - Brno 25/07/2009


Qualifying 1
Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time
1 Cal Crutchlow Yamaha GBR 2'02.060
2 Eugene Laverty Honda GBR 2'02.908
3 Joan Lascorz Kawasaki ESP 2'03.217
4 Katsuaki Fujiwara Kawasaki JPN 2'03.220
5 Gianluca Nannelli Triumph ITA 2'03.428
6 Garry McCoy Triumph AUS 2'03.662
7 Fabien Foret Yamaha FRA 2'03.825
8 Michele Pirro Yamaha ITA 2'04.042
9 Massimo Roccoli Honda ITA 2'04.135
10 Anthony West Honda AUS 2'04.192
11 Mark Aitchison Honda AUS 2'04.279
12 Miguel Praia Honda POR 2'04.303
13 Sheridan Morais Yamaha RSA 2'04.458
14 Kenan Sofuoglu Honda TUR 2'04.463
15 Danilo Dell'omo Honda ITA 2'04.503
28 Yannick Guerra Yamaha ESP 2'07.868



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