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Phillip-Island Race - Saturday

Posted by Yann
March 1, 2009

Saturday February 28th 2009

8 :45pm

What could I tell you this evening except that all my yesterday’s words have no more sense today ?

In facts, all went well, this morning and this afternoon, until we saw this new Superpole, new format. Our riders have been on top all the time. Their average laptimes have been superb, mostly for Max who did a wonderful long run this afternoon. Looks good for tomorrow ? Hmm… Yes, should we start on the front rows. And then, I think we missed something, meaby all.

All was looking so simple during the last Portimao tests…

So, it’s not good and even worse…

But we’re not alone. Corser, Mister Superpole, the King of this particular exercise, the man with 43 wins in Superpole, the king of the fast lap… 16th… not even qualified for the second 12 minutes session… What a nightmare !

Haga also has been passing next to. The starting grid will look strange with this american looking like the new king for his first race. No, I’m joking. It’s a good guy.

Mr B is annoying me more. With his bike you’ll find in your local dealer’s shop in 30 years, he’s having a ride. Honestly, if a manufacturer can homologate as it is such a beautiful bike, one it’ll be expensive, two, it’ll be one of the most exiting roadbike ever been produced. But, I’m quiet sure you’ll not get the same machined cranckcase, magnesium wheels, a wireless throttle and all the parts. For the moment, they must have been prouducing 250 units for homologation, and they’ll have to have produced 1000 units before the end of June. Place an order now and let us know. Since then, you’ll have bought a GSX-R which will be available soon.

So, for tomorrow, we’ll have to make wonderful starts to catch and play with all friend on the front. It can be done. Max won Misano 2008 starting 10th.

Well, not in a good mood, I’m gonna stop bullshiting.

Best is to talk about tomorrow.

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Phillip-Island Race - Friday

Posted by Yann
February 27, 2009

Friday February 27th 2009

12 :00am

This morning, the waves song kept me quiet after the alarm woke me up. You have to stay cool this morning, mostly because it’s the first day of a long Championship which is starting here, in Phillip-Island.

All habits have returned. Eyes will stay focussed on screens which will relay laptimes from timing marcshals. Riders will have nearly lost their smiles and will double their concentration. Laptimes sheets will be spead on all desks. Telemetry colored data’s fireworks will announce loud and shorts comments. Flashes will restart in front of the garage. So, return to a normal life.

Now the paddock is completed. Everybody has new colors, except Ducati who’s still printing on outdated printers… Bah, I’m joking. In facts, for those early days, there’s always a short time to get use of this, who’s who, who works for who even if most of them were already there last year.

All journalists are here too. So, all returned to its place for a new saison announced as the most exiting of Superbike history.

This morning too, it’s time for special passes distribution for grid and signal area. Like every year, it’s a problem. Organization is trying to reduce allocations for security reasons. But a team needs also to work and then to be at a specific place.

First session has just ended. With second and fourth place, we’re not so bad. We know nobody’s chasing for fast laps but we’re here. To be fair, with same weather conditions as last Saturday, we reproduced same laptimes. This afternnon should give a better idea of all riders ability. Our riders know both we’re just making the first steps of long risky championship and they must scored big points and avoid mistqkes and injuries. Mostly because, every championship start, all riders have the same ranking points and they’re all thinking this will be Their season. In facts, they’ve all got one chance… but not same.

3 :30pm

Ok. Let’s say our previous idea was not so bad. Finish 4th and 5th after leading most of the session, with correct laptimes for race pace and, also, with a temperature overtaking 32°C, so to be compared to last Sunday. That’s fine. Both riders have achieved more than 20 laps each with fair laptimes in those conditions. Teh three riders who passed us in the last five minutes did only one fast lap. Their average pace on this session put them behind. And yes, there’s nothing to win being the fastest today, except an increased coverage for having been the first officially fastest of this 2009 Championship. Hmm… Let’s see.

Tomorrow will be an other day. Rain is supposed to arrive and, if wind is remaining, we could have terrible conditions for riding. But, if the weather’s fine on Sunday, we’ve got already a good basic set-up.

For me, no meeting, no extra work to be done, my pen should fine time to tell you in french only, how it’s been for this week’s start and the videos. Sorry, it would be too long to translate.

You’ll know more by tomorrow.

Today’s results :

1 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1′32.312

2 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1′32.569

3 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1′32.623

4 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′32.673

5 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1′32.704

6 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 1′32.928

7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1′32.932

8 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1′32.939

9 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1′32.971

10 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1′32.991