Nurburgring: Series Saturday report

Max notches up second career Superpole at the Nurburgring

Points leader Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) slammed in a record 1'54.595 in the final run to take only his second career Superpole win and lead tomorrow's race grid for the German Round at the Nurburgring. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) was the early pace setter and remained second, but original third place man James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) was demoted to eighth, after leaving pitlane too early in Superpole 3. All the riders behind him, down to eighth place, were thus promoted one spot on the grid.

Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) is now in third on the revised grid, with Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) moving up to fourth. Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) is one step closer to Biaggi in fifth, and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) is now sixth, not seventh. Tom Sykes had a great ride throughout Superpole, and slotted his Kawasaki Racing Team four-cylinder into seventh place, one up on the luckless Toseland.

Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad), who has been one of the main protagonists throughout the weekend, had a luckless Superpole, this time high-siding, and landing hard, his third crash in around an hour of track action. He was out of Superpole from that point, finally qualifying 14th.

Max Biaggi: "After my crash I had a pain in my back and my left arm but nothing broken, just a big crash. We did a lot of work in set-up on the bike and our race pace is not so bad. For the race tyres, we are not so bad and after a few laps there should be even better grip. I am happy for me and my team, and all my sponsors."

Carlos Checa: "Everything has worked well here with our bike and we have been quick to find a competitive pace. We were fast in Superpole but then Max did an even faster lap and we went second. We are on the front row and satisfied with our pace. I hope we can finish the season well and bring Ducati to the top."

Sylvain Guintoli: "After going fastest in the second Superpole I thought I could go even better but I had no more qualifying tyres left. I had burned one getting stuck behind people so I had to put a used one in for the last part of the last session. But I am happy, have a good pace and this track is so nice, brilliant."

World Supersport

Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) headed the qualifying list after setting a 1'58.415 lap, heading off his great championship rival Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in the process. Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) was third in his return to the WSS class, one place up on his team-mate Katsuaki Fujiwara. Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) fired himself into fifth place, ahead of leading Triumph rider, David Salom.

Superstock 1000

Crowned champion at the previous round in Silverstone, Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took pole in BMW's back yard, with a 1'59.181 lap. The top five riders were all under the previous record, with Ducati rider Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport) second, and two Honda men, Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior) and Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini), third and fourth respectively. Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Racing) was also under the two-minute mark, in fifth place on his BMW. Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse) 2'00.067 rounded out the top six.

Superstock 600 -- Race

Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing) took another step towards the championship title today in Germany after he earned yet another victory, his fifth of the year. The Frenchman now sits on 177 points compared to his countryman Florian Marino's 134, a gap of 43 points. Tony Covena (Econocom) was second, Romain Lanusse (MRS Racing) was third and Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) fourth. Lombardi sits third in the championship on 83 points. Pole winner Marc Moser (Sport-Evolution Triumph) was fifth in the race at his home circuit. Marino (Ten Kate Junior Honda) was only eighth today.

-source: sbk