Ducati Xerox's Noriyuki Haga has had time to heal his wounds and refocus his energy toward winning the 2009 World Superbike Championship after a six-week summer break.
The World Superbike summer break is over, bumps and bruises have been given time to heal, and the final push to the 2009 World Superbike Championship begins this weekend at Nurburgring. With four rounds and eight races to go, it will be a dogfight between
Ducati Xerox’s Noriyuki Haga and
Yamaha World Superbikes’ Ben Spies for the title. Haga’s once-comfortable championship points’ lead has been shaven down to seven points. American rider Spies, a WSBK rookie, has been having an incredible year, with 11 race wins to his credit so far. He’s also flourished in the new Superpole format and has started at the front of the grid in nine out of 10 races this season.
But it’s Haga who scored a double podium victory at the Ring last year and the Japanese rider has had time to recuperate from fractures to his right ulna and left shoulder blade that hampered him in the last round at Brno. Nitro Nori still demonstrated that he’s tough as nails by manning-up and competing in both races, securing valuable points with two top ten finishes. Spies had a chance to grab the outright lead if not for Haga’s Ducati Xerox teammate Michel Fabrizio, who accidentally wiped out in Race 1, taking Spies down with him.
Fabrizio still has an outside chance at the title himself, but will have his work cut out for him. The Italian rider sits third in the championship points’ race, and would need both Haga and Spies to DNF a few races to close the gap. But the world of motorcycle racing is an unpredictable, volatile environment, and as long as a mathematical chance remains, Fabrizio will be out there fighting for the flag.
Yamaha World Superbike rider Ben Spies has the #1 plate in his sights, but Haga isn't going to go down without a fight.
The last round at Brno was also a tumultuous day for
Aprilia Racing. Rider Max Biaggi scored the first victory for the Veneto-based marque on the RSV4 since its return to World Superbike. It was only fitting that Biaggi, who won three consecutive 250cc championships for Aprilia from 1994 to 1996, be the one to score the first podium for the company since its return considering their long and successful tenure together.
BMW also enjoyed the last round after Troy Corser posted the team’s best results of the season, a fifth-place finish. Corser actually led during the opening two laps and is finally acclimating to the demands of the S1000 RR. His BMW teammate, Ruben Xaus, is still on the mend after fracturing his right femur in a crash during the opening lap of Race 1 in Brno. Xaus has been advised by his doctors not to race this weekend, opening the doors for British Superstock rider Richard Cooper to get his first crack at the World Superbike level. Cooper raced BMW’s HP2 Sport in the World Endurance Championship last year and has competed in the BMW Boxer Cup as well.
The Hannspree Ten Kate
Honda team heads to Germany with high aspirations after riders Jonathan Rea and Carlos Checa both podiumed in Race 1 at Brno and placed fourth and fifth respectively in Race 2. Rea has had an impressive debut season, winning his first World Superbike race back in June and reaching the podium steps three other times this season. The 22-year-old rider from Northern Ireland sits fourth in the championship point standings with 206. Checa hasn’t had the results that many expected from him at the beginning of the season but says that Nurburgring is one of his favorite circuits and will be battling hard for a spot on this weekend’s podium.
BMW's Troy Corser will ride the S1000 RR in front of a raucous German crowd.
Alstare Brux’s Max Neukirchner will be replaced at Nurburgring by World Superbike journeyman Karl Muggeridge. Neukirchner is still on the mend after a serious crash at Imola in July during the Pirelli test where he suffered broken vertebrae. Neukirchner claimed two podium spots last year, finishing third in both races at the Ring, the German rider's home race. Muggy will pick up the slack and is happy to be back in the saddle after being replaced on the Celani Suzuki squad after suffering his own back injury at Assen.
Team DFX Corse is only fielding one rider in Germany due to financial reasons. Veteran rider Fonsi Nieto will have a go at it solo as DFX Corse has elected to sit Lorenzo Lanzi out this round, but the team promises he will be back in action at Imola.
The Ring returned to the Superbike calendar last season after an eight-year hiatus. Haga did the double at Nurburgring last year, albeit riding for the factory Yamaha team. He also owns the lap record with a time of 1’56.892.
Noriyuki Haga
"I got a great result at Nurburgring last year and hope to be able to do the same again this time around. It’s a really nice track though last year was pretty wet for race day which made things interesting! Anyway I’m feeling much stronger than I was at Brno and, after a relaxing holiday back home in Japan, I’m totally ready to continue the fight for the world title.”
Michel Fabrizio
"Brno didn’t go to plan and so in the last four races, starting at Nurburgring, I really need to make up points, with the aim to be on the podium every weekend. I’m in good shape and after the long break I’m more than ready to get back on the bike and try to maintain my recent run of podiums.”
Jonathan Rea
“After Brno I had a little holiday and since then I’ve been fully back into training, doing a load of motocross and watching my brother Richard racing. I’ve also got a new puppy, which is taking up quite a lot of my time. The Ten Kate Honda package in Brno felt really good, so we’ll just concentrate on fine tuning it for Nurburgring when we go out on Friday after this long break. The guys back in the workshop never stand still though, and I know the data boys have been looking closely at the electronics package - so there’ll be some new things to try for sure. Although the result in Supersport last year wasn’t so good, I really enjoyed riding at Nurburgring – it’s got a bit of everything, including a couple of those first gear corners that I don’t like so much! I’ve had one race win this year and, although it wasn’t gifted and I rode well to earn it, it’s not enough. There have been three guys on it all season and I want to be in that group for the rest of the year and finish each race on the podium. I’m really motivated to make that next step now and I’ll try to start on that this weekend.”
Carlos Checa
“I’ve had a good few weeks, cycling and trekking in the Pyrenees and just relaxing. But I’m really looking forward to getting back on the bike and continuing the progress that we found possible at Brno. I like Nurburgring very much – it’s one of my favorite circuits – but we struggled to find the right grip levels last year. This year, with the new Ohlins suspension, you could say we are starting again from zero, but actually the faster parts at Nurburgring are not so different from Brno and the bike felt really good there. The chatter from earlier in the season is no longer there and I am feeling confident after the results in Brno. I know the usual guys will be strong, but we’ll just work hard and concentrate on our own set up to get everything right for the race.”
Troy Corser
“I like the Nurburgring and it has been a good circuit for me in the past and, after a recent tests and the race in Brno in the last round, I am really looking forward to this coming weekend. There is going to be a lot of interest and attention on us this weekend because it is the team’s ‘home’ race and all of us want to do well for our fans and our sponsors.”
“It is a shame that Ruben cannot race this weekend but I’m sure that the right decision has been made. It’s far better for him to return when he is stronger and fitter. I’m happy that Richard is stepping in this weekend for Ruben. I have met him a few times, especially at Brands Hatch recently. He’s young, fast and good prospect for the future and I’m sure he’ll do a good job for the team. I’ll give him whatever helps he needs and although he’s young (and looks even younger!) he’s pretty experienced already, so maybe he won’t need it!”
Richard Cooper
“It’s a great honor to be asked by the team to ride in place of Ruben and I will do my very best for sure. This ride is like a dream come true, but I am under no illusions about the massive task waiting for me this weekend. I have never raced at the Nurburgring before, but at least I have tested the S1000 RR racebike, so I have some knowledge of it before going out for my first laps.”
“My first impressions of the bike were very good and I was surprised and pleased how smooth it felt and how good the power delivery was. I will be under no pressure from the team this weekend and all they want me to do is ride the bike and try and enjoy the experience.”
Ruben Xaus
Ruben Xaus will listen to doctors for one of the first times in his life and sit out this weekend's race.
“I saw my specialist today and he advised me not to race and, for once in my life, I am going to be sensible and do what a doctor says! It was always going to be difficult getting fit enough to race at the Ring and although my physio and rehabilitation has been going better than expected, I think the decision not to race is the right one. I didn’t want to come to the Nurburgring and ride at only 80%. I am still on crutches at the moment and cannot put my full body weight on my right leg, so it is better that I sit this one out because I will then have another three weeks and be much stronger for the Imola race at the end of September. It would be a disaster, if I raced this weekend and did some more damage, but I shall miss getting on the bike for sure - especially as it is the team’s ‘home’ race. I would like to wish the team all the best this weekend and hope that Richard does well and enjoys himself.”
Karl Muggeridge
"Firstly I would like to wish Max all the best and say, get well soon mate! This coming weekend is a nice opportunity to work with Alstare again. The last time was when I raced Supersport for them in 2001 and it's good to see that many of the mechanics are the same ones I knew then. That will make my life easier when we start working with the bike on Friday for sure. The team are not putting any pressure on me at all and have told me to just ride the bike and do the best I can. I have spent some time with the Alstare mechanics and have seen the differences between the bike and the Suzuki I raced earlier this year. I think that the biggest difference will be the handling and the electronics. These days it takes quite a lot of time to understand the electronics and the changes that can be made and the quicker I can understand them, the better it'll be. I'm really looking forward to the weekend, even though I know it's not going to be an easy one, but whatever happens I will give it my best shot."
CIRCUIT DATA:
Name: The Nürburgring
Circuit length: 5.137 km
Pole position: left
Race distance: 20 laps = 102.74 km
LAP RECORDS:
Best lap – Haga (Yamaha) 1’56.892 (2008). Superpole – Neukirchner (Suzuki) 1'55.471 (2008).
2008 RESULTS:
Race 1 - 1. Haga (Yamaha); 2. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox); 3. Neukirchner (Suzuki)
Race 2 – 1. Haga (Yamaha); 2. Corser (Yamaha); 3. Neukirchner (Suzuki)
