Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Max Biaggi rode a superb Superpole at Monza today and will start tomorrow’s pair of 18-lap races from the front row of the grid. Throughout the season, Max has increased his feeling for the Pirelli qualifiers and in today’s Superpole he took over half a second off his previous best lap time and finished with the third fastest lap in the sixteen rider shoot-out. His team mate Yukio Kagayama had been struggling a little in regular qualifying, but he too put in a good Superpole lap to bag a place on the second row of the grid.

Yukio’s good friend, Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha), posted the fastest lap in Superpole, smashing the lap record by almost two seconds in the process. Reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati) is second, with Max third and Troy Corser (Yamaha) fourth.

MAX BIAGGI - 3rd, 1:45.415
"This is only my sixth Superpole and I think I am becoming more and more used to it. It doesn’t stress me and, because I understand the qualifying tyres a lot better, I am confident when I go out and do the flying lap. I am surprised and happy how well the sticky tyres are working; the grip is good and it makes these kind of laps easier to deal with. Monza is a track where tactics are important it’s also a place where slipstreaming and drafting is part of the game. I didn’t really have any problems today except in some high speedcorners when the front feeling was not so good. That’s when it’s difficult to find the limit, but it’s something that we are working on and I’m sure we can improve it. Here, it’s so important to have a bike that accelerates well and to know exactly where and when to brake. It’s easy to lose a tenth of a second here and there and that can be the difference between a good result and an average one. I don’t think anybody is going to make a break tomorrow and I think it could be four or five riders all fighting until the end in both races. But, I’m looking forward to that kind of battle and enjoying myself at the same time."

YUKIO - 8th, 1:46.696
"We have spent a lot of time working, working, working. And a lot of that time has been on our ignition system and trying to develop it. This track has many high-speed corners and the entries to these corners are critical if you want to make good laps. At the moment, the rear stability is not perfect and the bike is sliding a little. The feeling is a bit harsh and I do not like it, so we have to try and improve it. My engine today did not feel so strong and I feel I am losing out to the other top riders. I need better engine acceleration because Monza is a track where you have to have good engine performance and acceleration otherwise you cannot make any advantage when you pull out the slipstream and try to go past another rider.  It is going to be a long, hard day tomorrow and although my body is not yet 100%, I will be fighting hard for two good results."

Final qualifying
1 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:44.941, 2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:45.345, 3 Max Biaggi (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:45.415, 4 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:45.430, 5 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1:45.824, 6 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda) 1:46.232, 7 Laconi (F-Kawasaki) 1:46.437, 8 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:46, 9 Fabrizio (I-Honda) 1:46.753, 10 Rolfo (i-Honda) 1:46.758