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| Spies charged up and ready to fight for the championship lead in Germany | | |  | Yamaha World Superbike riders Ben Spies and Tom Sykes are ready for action at the famous Nurburgring circuit in the Eifel Mountains this weekend. Following a five week break for the summer, Spies is refreshed and raring to take the fight to rival Noriyuki Haga for the championship lead with only seven points separating them after the last round in Brno.
With only four rounds remaining the closing races of the 2009 season look set to be a hotly fought contest for the championship title. Spies could potentially walk away from Germany having taken the lead from Haga should the races go his way on Sunday. As with most of the tracks this year, neither Spies or Sykes have raced on the Nurburgring circuit before, although this has long since ceased to be an issue for them as they have adapted quickly and taken valuable championship points and victories from a variety of unknown tracks.
"It has been great to have some time out to relax at home in the US", said Ben Spies. "I'm fully recharged and really excited about getting stuck into some more racing. We've got nothing to lose and everything to gain so I'm just going to keep on giving it 100% and see what we can do to catch Nori this weekend."
Nurburgring technically speaking according to Tom Houseworth, Ben Spies Crew Chief
"Heading into the Nurburgring we have a couple of issues to address, this will force us to change just a bit from our normal routine. By now it seems normal going to a circuit we have never seen. From what we have heard the corners are a bit slower than Brno with braking very important into them, so we will start with a different setup for our #2 machine. For the first session Ben will learn the track as quickly as possible on our #1 machine and evaluate chassis, gearbox and overall performance. The second session we are planning to start on the #2 machine to evaluate a setup targeting performance under very heavy braking. If all goes well the #2 machine will do everything the #1 machine does plus what we're looking for under braking. Friday will be a busy first day as we have quite a bit to sort out in the two sessions including very important gearbox ratios. Saturday will provide us time to sort race rubber and try some different links or geometry depending on the mechanical grip we have and be ready for Sunday. If all goes well Sunday we hope to see ya on the box!"
"I'm very much looking forward to it", said Tom Sykes. We've had a long break, after two weeks I start getting a bit bored so am fired up and ready to go for it. It's my first time at the track so I've got some learning to do, it's easy to learn a track but tricky to find the last little bit. Hopefully we've made some improvements over the break with the bike as well so I'm looking forward to putting them to good use."
Nurburgring technically speaking according to Sergio Verbena, Tom Sykes Crew Chief
"Apart from the gearbox settings I don't feel we need to start with a special setting for this circuit, we have a base setting we will be starting with that we use for all races. Based on Tom's feedback from the first sessions we will make adjustments to the suspension, steering, geometry and braking to fit to the track. We shouldn't need to make any big changes as the settings we're using so far have been working ok almost everywhere. So for first practice on Friday we'll concentrate on fine-tuning the setting for the track, and we'll start to check tyres as well. We'll have many options with the Pirelli tyres, so it's important to start work on tyres from the first practice. By the first qualifying session we must understand which tyre can have the best performance, because we will need a good lap time in case it starts to rain on Saturday!"
Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha World Superbike Team Manager
"After Brno we have worked really hard during the summer break. We have increased the performance of the bike and I think we have a good possibility to catch Nori now. Both the riders have had a good rest and we are just waiting for the next weekend now to get back onto the track and race and see if we can take the championship lead."
The 2009 Yamaha R1 has already won a European championship, having carried Jorg Teuchert to victory in the IDM German Superbike Championship. |
| Crutchlow looking to extend championship lead in Germany
Following the DNF at Brno, British rider Cal Crutchlow is back from his holidays and determined to make the points up at the German round of the World Supersport Championship this weekend at the Nurburgring circuit. Yamaha World Supersport rider Cal is still leading the championship with a 17 point lead over rival Eugene Laverty with four races to go. Team mate Fabien Foret was clearly back on form with an incredible win in Brno, having found the ideal set up for his bike the French rider is looking to repeat his performance in Germany and take another podium.
"I'm very keen to get back onto the track", said Cal Crutchlow. "It was really disappointing to lose out on the points at Brno so I'm determined to get them back in Germany! It's the home race for my team as well so I want to do well for them and see if we can extend our championship lead some more. I did a few laps testing here last month and I really like the circuit so I think it's going to be a good weekend."
"I hope we get ok weather in Germany", said Fabien Foret. "Obviously I would like to have the same result as Brno, it was such a great race and I'm happy to be back on form. I want to stay on the podium again this weekend and for the rest of the season."
Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager
"We planned a test on the 18th of August with Cal at the ring as part of a track day. It went ok, he liked the track and was fast and we adjusted the bike as best we could. We have a good set up now to start with so we'll have no lost time looking for the right gearing and we'll be ready to go. We've made some changes to resolve the problem from Brno as well. Fabien is of course delighted with the Brno win and likes Nurburgring so I hope we can give him the same feeling with his set up to be on the podium again this weekend." |
Yamaha Racing Communications
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| Fiat Yamaha Team aim for home-race heroics at Misano | | |  | Just one week after their last outing at Indianapolis in the USA, the Fiat Yamaha Team will arrive on home shores this week for the second Italian round of the season, at Misano on the east coast of Italy. They touch down in fine style with riders Valentino Rossi and Jorge Lorenzo first and second in the championship and having won eight out of the twelve races between them so far this season. Misano is just 300km from the team's base just outside Milan and with many Italian team members it is an important weekend for all.
Rossi's crash last Sunday saw his championship lead slashed to 25 points but the Italian favourite has quickly put that behind him and is thinking of nothing but a good result in front of his passionate home fans this week. Misano is just 15kms from his home town of Tavullia and he took an emphatic win there last year to the delight of his hordes of Tifosi. Having lost for the first time in eight years at Mugello this year he is doubly determined to make his second visit to home soil this season a fruitful one.
Spanish showman Lorenzo arrives his team-mate's home race full of confidence after a return to the top step of the podium last time out. He has lost both Spanish races this season to Rossi and is therefore hoping for payback in Italy. He rode one of the best races of his rookie season there last year and will be aiming for more of the same this time as he seeks to stay in touch with Rossi at the top of the championship at a track he loves, having won there in the 250cc class two years ago.
Grand Prix racing returned to Misano in 2007 after a 16-year gap, with the circuit altered to run in the opposite direction from previous years. Just a kilometre from the sea and Italy's famous 'east coast Riviera,' the track sits nestled between a string of small towns and villages, which turn into one huge party zone for the thousands of fans that pack into them during the race weekend. Like Indianapolis last weekend, Misano is completely flat but the similarities end there as the Italian track is tight and twisty, with no long straights and a fairly equal balance of right and left corners, meaning an agile bike is a must.
Valentino Rossi - "Keep working at the maximum"
"I'm glad we don't have long until the next race because I quickly want to forget the mistake of Indianapolis! Last year at Misano was incredible, to win in front of all my fans and so close to home was a great emotion and after missing out in Mugello this year we are really focused on trying to get the best result there. As usual my Fan Club will make a big party there so I hope that we can give them a good show, it's always great to ride at home. As we saw last weekend, anything can happen and the championship isn't over, we have to keep working at the maximum and just try to take as many points as we can each time."
Jorge Lorenzo - "Hoping for a good battle"
"Misano is one of the tracks where I was very fast in the past, so I'm really looking forward to going there in such good shape. I won in 2007, the first year we went there, on my 250cc bike and last year I was not far behind Valentino in second. I am very happy that I have cut the championship lead by 25 points in just one race, but I know that the title is still very difficult. My first aim is to keep enjoying riding my bike and try to do the best I can. I hope we can be as good as last year or even better, even though I know how hard it will be the best at Valentino's 'house'! I hope everyone there gets to see a big battle!"
Davide Brivio - "Hit-back with a good result"
"Of course we're disappointed about last weekend but we know we're still in a strong position in the championship and this is what we're focusing on. 25 points isn't much when our rivals are this strong though so we need to hit back at our home race this weekend with a good result. Last year we did a great race there and it was wonderful to watch Valentino in front of all the fans, so we hope we can do the same again this weekend. We will keep pushing, try to find a good set-up early and hopefully we can come back to our best."
Daniele Romagnoli - "The excitement is building"
"After the great result in Indy the team and Jorge have a great motivation to keep focused and to try to make the podium every time. Last year we had a great race in Misano and Jorge likes the circuit layout a lot. It's also the second home Grand Prix for the team, which makes it a special weekend. The championship is still very difficult but we will try, if possible, to keep recovering points and to stay in a position to challenge. Now the excitement is starting to build build towards the season finale and I think everyone will enjoy the fight to the end!"
Valentino Rossi : Information
Age: 30
Lives: Tavullia, Italy
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 102 (81 x MotoGP/500cc, 14 x 250cc, 12 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Czech Republic, 1996 (125cc)
First GP: Malaysia, 1996 (125cc)
GP starts: 222 (162 x MotoGP/500cc, 30 x 250cc, 30 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 57 (44 x MotoGP/500cc, 5 x 250cc, 5 x 125cc)
World Championships: 8 Grand Prix (1 x 125cc, 1 x 250cc, 1 x 500cc, 5 x MotoGP)
Jorge Lorenzo: Information
Age: 22
Lives: Barcelona, Spain
Bike: Yamaha
GP victories: 25 (4 x MotoGP, 17 x 250cc, 4 x 125cc)
First GP victory: Brazil, 2003 (125cc)
First GP: Jerez, Spain, 2002 (125cc)
GP starts: 123 (29 x MotoGP, 48 x 250cc, 46 x 125cc)
Pole positions: 33 (7 x MotoGP, 23 x 250cc, 3 x 125cc)
World Championships: 2 (250cc, 2006/7)
Misano: Record Lap
V. Rossi (Yamaha) 2008, 1'34.904
Misano: Best Lap
C.Stoner (Ducati) 2008, 1'33.378
Grand Prix Results: Misano 2008
1. V. Rossi (Yamaha) 44'41.884
2. J. Lorenzo (Yamaha) +3.163
3. T. Elias (Ducati) +11.705
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