Login | Password dimenticata? | Registrati

World Superbike: Max Neukirchner takes Monza front row Start

In SBK

10 maggio 2009

Max Neukirchner will start tomorrow's Monza World Superbike race in Italy from the front row of the grid for the first time this season after posting the fourth quickest time in Superpole 1 today.

His team mate Yukio Kagayama set the eighth fastest lap time and will start just behind Max on row two.

America Ben Spies (Yamaha) once again dominated Superpole and took his fifth straight win of the season. Second was Michel Fabrizio (Ducati), with Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) third. Neukirchner's fourth place means that the front row of the grid is filled by four different manufacturers.

Max Neukirchner: "It's my first time on the front row and I'm happy for myself and the whole team. We improved the bike from yesterday by making some changes to the suspension and electronics and I think we have a good package and one that can give us a podium. Tomorrow we'll make a few adjustments in the warm-up and see if we can make the bike better, but I think we'll be OK. It will be important to get good starts tomorrow because the last thing I want is to get held up behind a group of riders going into the first chicane. But I hope I will not be in that situation and will do my best to make sure I get good starts."

Yukio Kagayama: "We improved the feel of the brakes and today I was able to overtake some riders on the brakes, whereas I could not do this yesterday. My only problem was I felt that my bike did not have enough rear grip in the high speed turns, so we will try something in the warm-up tomorrow to see if we can improve the grip there. I like Monza circuit and I will be hoping to get on the podium tomorrow."

Final WSB qualifying: 1 Spies (USA-Yamaha) 1:44.073, 2 Fabrizio (I-Ducati) 1:44.270, 3 Kiyonari (J-Honda) 1:44.642, 4 Max Neukirchner (D-Suzuki Alstare Brux) 1:44.900, 5 Haga (J-Ducati) 1:45.096, 6 Rea (GB-Honda) 1:45.170, 7 Biaggi (I-Aprilia) 1:45.605, 8 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare Brux) 1:45.861.