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World SBK: Assen the next opportunity for Honda riders

In SBK

22 aprile 2009

The fourth rounds of the Word Superbike and Word Supersport Championships take place at Assen on 26 April, with Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda CBR1000RR) the highest ranked Honda rider in the Superbike table and Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) the best placed Honda rider in Supersport.

Haslam is currently fifth overall, with a best individual finish of third in the second leg at Phillip Island. His consistent point scoring form has given him a total of 58 points, meaning he is only seven points off a top three placing now.

For Sofuoglu, the winner and pole man at the opening WSS round in Australia, a share of the top spot after round three sees him on 54 points, matching Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow. Each of those riders has the same collection of race finishes so far; one win, one third and one fourth, and they have also monopolised pole position between them.

The only other 2009 WSS race winner is another Honda rider, Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda CBR600RR) who secured a famous first victory for himself and his team in Losail, on the 2009 version of the CBR600RR.

Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) is just inside the top ten after a patchy start to his first WSB season, with his third place finish in qualifying in Australia leading to a top five ride in the race. By contrast, Rea left the last round at Valencia with a retirement and a 13th place finish.

After such a difficult Valencia weekend, Rea has already made a short test on an oval circuit close to the Ten Kate team’s base in the Netherlands, to try out some new parts aimed at improving throttle connection and response.

Rea is only one point ahead of Ryuichi Kiyonari (Ten Kate Racing Honda CBR1000RR) and two ahead of his own team-mate Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) after each of those two proven WSB race winners have also battled hard for only occasional reward in all six opening races.

Checa has made a consistently good job of qualifying in the new-look Superpole, taking second row starts each time, while some equally illustrious riders have failed to get past even the first of three elimination style Superpole sessions.

With changes having been made in the mechanical and electronics packages of all the Ten Kate machines, the Dutch-based squad is looking for a return to top form at its 4.555km long home circuit.

The appearance of former MotoGP rider John Hopkins (Stiggy Racing Honda CBR1000RR) in the WSB paddock at Valencia was a novelty for a time but he made himself at home straight away, finishing 11th and 12th.

Tommy Hill (Honda Althea CBR1000RR) has scored points in four of six races so far, while Vittorio Iannuzzo (Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR1000RR) still has to get off the mark in this exceptionally competitive season.

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