SBK
SBK Donington: Toseland wins and leave home round with championship lead
02 aprile 2007 
Toseland started the first race from the front row and after Troy Bayliss took the holeshot, Toseland worked hard to stay with the 2006 champion. Bayliss fell at Coppice corner, allowing Toseland a free run to the flag in the lead. He won by a final margin of 1.3 seconds, from Troy Corser and Max Biaggi. In race two Toseland was leading when his machine appeared to stutter into Redgate corner, before slowing to a halt shortly thereafter. Roberto Rolfo (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) proved that he likes Donington with a ninth place in race one, recovering from a fourth row start after experiencing Braking problems that caused him to run off track in Superpole. In race two he went better still, finishing top Honda rider in seventh position. He is now ninth overall, on 36 points. Karl Muggeridge (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) slotted into the top ten in race two, with a ninth place finish, after an 11th in race one. Josh Brookes (Alto Evolution Honda CBR1000RR) scored a 12th and a 15th place, securing points in both races. Muggeridge missed a second row qualifying slot after Superpole by one place, but Brookes was one of three top riders on the fourth row, after a non-finish in Superpole. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) ran out 13th and 12th, and his team-mate Steve Martin (DFX Corse Honda CBR1000RR) battled hard for his single points score, in 13th in race two, after stopping to make adjustments to set-up in race one, before restarting five laps down. For Toseland the sweetness of race one turned sour in race two, but he is philosophical because he still leaves Donington with another victory and the championship lead. “After Troy fell in race one I had to concentrate to settle into my own rhythm, and try to set a hot pace,” said Toseland. “The early pace had taken me away from the group behind and it felt like a long race from then on. I was so relieved to win race one because of the pressure of riding in front in your home race, so it was just great to win again. In race two I had a problem with the quick shifter and it cut the engine and that was that. I thought I had hit the kill switch for a second but I didn’t. I felt really confident about winning the second race as well but a double win has eluded me again, even if I’m still leaving with the championship lead.” Rolfo had to work hard after his bad luck with a brake problem in Superpole, but got the reward in race two, equalling his best result of the year and slotting in ninth in the championship. “This was a complicated weekend because I was good in the rain in Friday and then in the dry session later on,” said Roby. “Then I had a problem with the brake in Superpole, and it was not so easy to start each race from row four. I pushed hard in race one and my rhythm was not so hot, but better in race two. I understood what I needed to do to improve for race two and I was happy with that race. My speed was the same as the top five riders, but I needed to be closer to the front at the start to get a better finishing position.” Karl Muggeridge rode to a pair of assured finishes, and despite some issues with ultimate traction, scored well in each race. “I finished two races in the points and we understand now that the suspension is not allowing the rear tyre to work as well as it could,” said Muggeridge. “So if we can find another half a second or so from that alone, that will bring us half way there. I tried hard but the tyre was spinning and spinning, but we can move on from here.” Brookes had to fight hard to get his results, after starting on row four in each race. “I went for a softer tyre in race two to get better lap times but the temperature is still too cold to run a soft tyre for any length of time,” stated Brookes. “I did well at the start and felt comfortable and if things had stayed where they were then I would have been fast. But I got to about half distance and I started going backwards. We took the gamble, but it didn’t pay off.” Fabrizio was forced into changes between races due to his first race tyre choice. “I had a hard rear tyre on for race one and it was impossible to race hard with it,” said Fabrizio. “Between race one and race two we adjusted the suspension and put a softer rear in. The start was terrible but after a few laps my pace was good, as good as the guys well inside the top ten. But after about 16 laps the tyre went off and it was impossible to defend my position.” Martin was frustrated at not being able to find a set-up but the changes made in the middle of race one had an immediate beneficial effect in race two. “At least I finished both races, but not in positions anywhere near where I know we can be,” said Steve. “It may not seem like it from the results, but we have actually made some good positive steps forward today and the base setting of the bike now needs refining, along with a lot of work on the electrics and engine mapping, in order to achieve competitiveness with the overall bike package.” Next stop for World Superbike, like World Supersport, is Valencia, on April 15 then Assen, on April 29. SUPERBIKE Race 1 : (Laps 23 = 92,529 Km) Pos / Rider / Nat. / Team / Time / Gap 1 / J. TOSELAND / GBR / Hannspree Ten Kate Honda / 35'28.222 / 2 / T. CORSER / AUS / Yamaha Motor Italia / 35'29.590 / 1.368 3 / M.BIAGGI / ITA / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 35'30.670 / 2.448 4 / N.HAGA / JPN / Yamaha Motor Italia / 35'37.471 / 9.249 5 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati Xerox Team / 35'46.250 / 18.028 6 / F. NIETO / ESP / Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse / 35'47.178 / 18.956 7 / R. LACONI / FRA / Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse / 35'58.220 / 29.998 8 / M.NEUKIRCHNER / GER / Suzuki Germany / 35'58.518 / 30.296 9 / R. ROLFO / ITA / Hannspree Ten Kate Honda / 35'58.747 / 30.525 10 / J. SMRZ / CZE / Team Caracchi Ducati SC / 36'04.883 / 36.661 11 / K. MUGGERIDGE / AUS / Alto Evolution Honda / 36'07.611 / 39.389 12 / J. BROOKES / AUS / Alto Evolution Honda / 36'16.267 / 48.045 13 / M.FABRIZIO / ITA / D.F.X. Corse / 36'19.512 / 51.29 14 / G.BUSSEI / ITA / Team Sterilgarda / 36'19.624 / 51.402 15 / D. ELLISON / GBR / Team Pedercini / 36'28.378 / 1'00.156 Fastest Lap 4° Troy Bayliss 1'31.575 158,152 Km/h Race 2: (Laps 23 = 92,529 Km) 1 / N.HAGA / JPN / Yamaha Motor Italia / 35'26.734 / 2 / M.BIAGGI / ITA / Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra / 35'26.845 / 0.111 3 / T. CORSER / AUS / Yamaha Motor Italia / 35'27.834 / 1.1 4 / R. XAUS / ESP / Team Sterilgarda / 35'32.661 / 5.927 5 / L. LANZI / ITA / Ducati Xerox Team / 35'36.568 / 9.834 6 / R. LACONI / FRA / Kawasaki PSG-1 Corse / 35'38.937 / 12.203 7 / R. ROLFO / ITA / Hannspree Ten Kate Honda / 35'49.021 / 22.287 8 / J. SMRZ / CZE / Team Caracchi Ducati SC / 35'56.794 / 30.06 9 / K. MUGGERIDGE / AUS / Alto Evolution Honda / 36'04.468 / 37.734 10 / M.NEUKIRCHNER / GER / Suzuki Germany / 36'06.627 / 39.893 11 / G.BUSSEI / ITA / Team Sterilgarda / 36'08.258 / 41.524 12 / M.FABRIZIO / ITA / D.F.X. Corse / 36'12.351 / 45.617 13 / S. MARTIN / AUS / D.F.X. Corse / 36'19.281 / 52.547 14 / S. NAKATOMI / JPN / Yamaha YZF / 36'28.403 / 1'01.669 15 / J. BROOKES / AUS / Alto Evolution Honda / 36'47.320 / 1'20.586 Fastest Lap 9° Noriyuki Haga 1'31.634 158,051 Km/h Record Lap: 2007 T.Bayliss 1'31.575 158,150 Km/h Best Lap: 2007 T.Bayliss 1'30.370 160,260 Km/h |
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