WORLDSBK.COM - bis 20.06.2011

[WORLDSBK.COM]

Maxime Berger (Hannspree Ten Kate Junior Honda) eased out his countryman Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Team BMW) by a whisker to take pole at Magny-Cours.

Champion Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) fell late in today's final qualifying session, but starts from the front row in third position in any case.

David Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) posted fourth best time for a front row start, with Loris Baz (MRS Racing Yamaha) fifth, the third French rider in the top five positions.

 

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  3 Metcher J. (AUS) Yamaha YZF R6 17'35.250 (150,482 kph)

2  13 Lombardi B. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 5.913

3  99 Covena T. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 12.227

4  9 Elliott J. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 13.236

5  52 Duwelz G. (BEL) Yamaha YZF R6 14.396

6  343 D'Annunzio F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 15.279

7  121 Vd Mark M. (NED) Honda CBR600RR 15.492

8  10 Calero Perez N. (ESP) Yamaha YZF R6 22.174

9  75 Cocco F. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 30.433

10  34 Van Leuven K. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 31.007

11  19 Krajci T. (SVK) Yamaha YZF R6 31.736

12  23 Salvadori L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 32.831

13  71 Rambure C. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 33.104

14  70 Chevrier C. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 33.228

15  26 Vrajitoru M. (ROU) Yamaha YZF R6 40.401

16  49 Esnault M. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 40.768

17  7 Martinez J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 41.948

18  69 Major N. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 42.221

19  27 Fanelli D. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'08.778

RET  11 Guarnoni J. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6

RET  43 Egea S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6

RET  28 Le Coquen S. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6

RET  6 Lanusse R. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Australia's Jed Metcher (MTM Yamaha) set a new lap record in the Superstock 600 championship race, on his way to taking a surprise first win after a collision between already crowned champion Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) and Stephane Egea (Team ASPI Yamaha) near the end saw them crash out.

Berardino Lombardi (Martini Corse Yamaha) was an unexpected second and Tony Covena (Econocom Yamaha) third. Lombardi is now finally third in the championship rankings.

 

 

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  20 Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'42.549

2  21 Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.553

3  14 Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'42.864

4  87 Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'43.498

5  8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'43.500

6  34 Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 1'43.842

7  65 Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'44.052

8  9 Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'44.473

9  25 Millet J. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'44.603

10  11 Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1190 RC8 R 1'44.955

11  99 Leeson C. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'45.038

12  30 Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 1'45.223

13  93 Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'45.433

14  12 Vivarelli N. (ITA) KTM 1190 RC8 R 1'45.676

15  69 Jezek O. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 1'45.917

16  72 Karlsen F. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'45.987

17  91 Walkowiak M. (POL) Honda CBR1000RR 1'46.448

18  29 Beretta D. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 1'46.851

19  64 Andric D. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.220

20  45 Sletten K. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'47.238

21  39 Pagaud R. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 1'47.388

22  36 Thiriet P. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.430

23  55 Svitok T. (SVK) Honda CBR1000RR 1'47.971

24  89 Salac M. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 1'49.379

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.480

2  57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'39.490

3  7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'39.595

4  66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.625

5  35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.735

6  50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'39.751

7  84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'39.755

8  41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'39.776

9  96 Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.852

10  52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.901

11  111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.955

12  99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'40.006

13  11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'40.061

14  91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 1'40.070

15  67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'40.181

16  76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 1'41.020

17  5 Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.794

18  95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.438

19  15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.480

20  33 Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.591

21  65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.981

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  54 Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 1'42.385

2  25 Salom D. (ESP) Triumph Daytona 675 1'42.848

3  99 Foret F. (FRA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'42.989

4  23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'43.020

5  50 Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 1'43.227

6  37 Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 1'43.285

7  51 Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'43.489

8  7 Davies C. (GBR) Triumph Daytona 675 1'43.551

9  55 Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 1'43.622

10  127 Harms R. (DEN) Honda CBR600RR 1'43.726

11  69 Enjolras J. (FRA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'43.789

12  4 Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 1'43.832

13  44 Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'43.980

14  117 Praia M. (POR) Honda CBR600RR 1'45.129

15  89 Maurin A. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R6 1'45.321

16  5 Lundh A. (SWE) Honda CBR600RR 1'45.481

17  31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 1'45.527

18  18 Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 1'46.118

19  10 Toth I. (HUN) Honda CBR600RR 1'47.444

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Maxime Berger (Hannspree Ten Kate Junior Honda) pushed hard from the start and took his reward with his first win of the year, the first time this season that champion Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock) has been beaten in a race.

Badovini was second today, 4.7 seconds back, while front row starter Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Team BMW) was third. In the points, Badovini fishes the season with 245, and Berger is second, on 147.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  21 Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 23'52.988 (155,14 kph)

2  86 Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 4.722

3  20 Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 10.258

4  87 Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 15.130

5  14 Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 25.214

6  34 Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 29.120

7  8 Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 29.780

8  9 Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 29.879

9  47 La Marra E. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 30.152

10  25 Millet J. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 31.140

11  30 Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 31.358

12  119 Magnoni M. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 35.614

13  11 Tutusaus P. (ESP) KTM 1190 RC8 R 43.226

14  93 Lussiana M. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 44.369

15  29 Beretta D. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 45.359

16  69 Jezek O. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 46.029

17  39 Pagaud R. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 54.172

18  99 Leeson C. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 55.905

19  55 Svitok T. (SVK) Honda CBR1000RR 1'00.806

20  64 Andric D. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'10.502

21  45 Sletten K. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'15.927

22  91 Walkowiak M. (POL) Honda CBR1000RR 1'16.222

23  36 Thiriet P. (BRA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'23.839

24  89 Salac M. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 1000 1'27.739

RET  72 Karlsen F. (NOR) Yamaha YZF R1

RET  12 Vivarelli N. (ITA) KTM 1190 RC8 R

RET  65 Baz L. (FRA) Yamaha YZF R1

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

1  35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 38'15.586 (159,101 kph)

2  91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 3.779

3  7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 4.261

4  3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 4.416

5  96 Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 7.476

6  84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 11.866

7  41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 16.390

8  66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 21.669

9  67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 22.065

10  99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 22.281

11  57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.748

12  65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 35.608

13  76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 39.929

14  5 Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 54.836

15  15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'07.191

16  33 Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1'14.632

RET  95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R

RET  11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR

RET  52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1

RET  111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR

EX  50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 4.625

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) had en eventually lonely win, by 3.779 seconds, in the first race at Magny-Cours but an intense battle behind went to Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) and Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) as they passed Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) for the final podium places in the final chicane. In fourth Biaggi still scored enough points to give Aprilia the manufacturers' Championship.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

After weeks of intensive work organizing the team for next season, Liberty Racing confirmed the name of their second rider to Jakub Smrz immediately after the race at Magny Cours in the 2011 FIM Superbike World Championship.

After careful evaluation and negotiations involving several top riders, the final choice has fallen on Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli, who raced an Alstare Suzuki in 2010, ending his championship debut in WSBK with an excellent seventh place in the overall standings. The 28 year-old Frenchman has 10 years of experience in 250cc and MotoGP, and is certainly a guarantee of results for the newborn team.

Mario Bertuccio, CEO of Liberty Cz Group, as well as the team owner, declared: "I am delighted to have managed to sign another "top rider" for the team, which will definitely help to give those good results the company investors and its partners are expecting from this venture. Thanks also to Infront and the racing division of Ducati for the support and encouragement given to the team and its members for the launch of this new structure, and we are hoping that the partnership will be full of satisfaction for everyone."

In the next few days the names of all the members of the technical staff will also be announced, but in any case they will be professionals with years of experience in the motorcycle racing world.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Here are all the post-race statistics for the final round of the 2010 SBK World Championship held at Magny-Cours:

Superbike

• sixth pole position for Cal Crutchlow, who reached John Kocinski at the fifteenth all-time place;

• best career grid spot for Sylvain Guintoli, second; he started from the front row for the second time after the Nurburgring;

• tenth presence on the front row for Jakub Smrz;

• for the third time this season after Silverstone, Cal Crutchlow was able to win from pole and score the fastest lap (race 1);

• 20th podium placement for Leon Haslam, 25th rider in history to reach this goal;

• for the third time this year Max Biaggi (race 2 winner) and Michel Fabrizio (third) climbed together on the podium, always in the same places: it happened also at Misano, race 2, and Brno, race 2;

• Max Biaggi is the twelfth rider in history to post at least ten wins during a season. The record belongs to Doug Polen, with seventeen wins in 1991;

• Aprilia became the fifth different manufacturer to win a world title after Ducati (16 wins), Honda (4), Suzuki (1) and Yamaha (1);

• the 2010 season saw a new record in Superbike history; seven different manufacturers were able to claim at least one pole spot: Yamaha (6), Aprilia (2), Suzuki, Honda, Ducati, BMW, Kawasaki (1).

Supersport

• Kenan Sofuoglu recorded his twelfth pole, reaching Paolo Casoli and Fabien Foret in the third all-time spot. At the top Sebastien Charpentier, with 22 poles;

• Katsuaki Fujiwara recorded his 41st front row spot, reaching Sebastien Charpentier in the second all-time spot. At the top of the ranking Fabien Foret, with 45 presences on the front row;

• Eugene Laverty scored his twelfth win and reached Foret in the third all-time spot. At the top Kenan Sofoglu with seventeen wins, followed by Charpentier on thirteen. Laverty also equalled the season record of wins, eight, recorded only once in Supersport history, in 2007 by Kenan Sofuoglu;

• season record also for Kenan Sofuoglu, first rider in history to score thirteen podiums in the same season. He was the former holder of this record, with twelve in 2007;

• A new record for Honda, who scored their twelfth season win, beating the previous record of eleven recorded in 2008. Honda is the only team to have scored more than six wins in the same season and managed to do it eight times straight from 2003 onwards. This year Honda allowed their rivals to score only one win, in Valencia (Joan Lascorz, Kawasaki);

• A second world title for Kenan Sofuoglu, third rider after Sebastien Charpentier and Andrew Pitt to win a second title.

Superstock 1000

• A ‘grand slam' for Maxime Berger, who claimed win from pole, set fastest lap and led from lights to flag. It's the first grand slam for Berger, the third recorded this season after two by Badovini at Monza and Misano;

• Berger's win however will be recorded as the one which stopped four record sequences by Ayrton Badovini. Ayrton's run came to an end at nine straight wins and six straight poles and the same applies to BMW. Ayrton however managed to equal another record, the one for consecutive podium finishes, ten, recorded last year for the first time by Xavier Simeon.

Superstock 600

• Win and fastest lap in his maiden race for Jed Metcher, first Australian rider to win in Superstock 600.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Michel Fabrizio pulled the curtain down on the factory Ducati operation with a podium place at Magny-Cours in France. The Italian gave his all to reward the team with one final result, scoring a third place finish in Race 2. Fabrizio oscillated between third and fourth place until the last lap when a final attack on Guintoli paid off and Michel crossed the line in third, a fraction of a second ahead of the Frenchman.

At the end of the 2010 World Superbike Championship, Fabrizio closes in eighth, having accumulated 195 points. The team has celebrated victories at Valencia, Kyalami and Nurburgring and thanks also to these results, Ducati finishes second in the manufacturers championship.

The two races were the last ever for the Ducati Xerox factory team; as already communicated, Ducati will support satellite teams that participate in the 2011 SBK championship rather than run a factory outfit. Over the last 22 years of competition, Ducati has amassed 16 manufacturer's titles, 13 rider's titles and a total of 718 podiums, 291 of which race wins.

"The first race didn't go as planned and front tyre wear gave me a lot of problems, preventing me from catching those ahead," said an emotionally charged Fabrizio. "In Race 2 I had a great battle with Guintoli. I was braking as hard and as late as possible in order to make up what I was losing on the straights and I had to attack for third right on the last lap. Sylvain wanted the podium because it's his home race but I wanted it for my team and to wrap up the last three years with the Ducati Xerox team in the best possible way. I thank Ducati, my entire team, the sponsors and the fans; this is our day and I'm going to enjoy it with my team."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

A dry track and fabulous sunshine delivered good track conditions for the riders testing at Magny-Cours, allowing some strong times to be set and a lot of work to be carried out as they prepare for a new season barely a few days after the end of the old one.

A consistently high place was set in the afternoon sessions by Eugene Laverty (Yamaha Sterilgarda), in his first Superbike ride. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) rode hard from the start in his new team, spending most of his time on the 2010 spec S1000RR, and going for a fast time right at the end of play.

Noriyuki Haga (Aprilia Pata Racing Team) got through a lot of work today, but fell late in the session, without injury. He finished early, after going back out for a short time after his fall. Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) rode for most of the day in his single bike team.

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Katsuaki Fujiwara (KHI Test Rider) set good times for such a new bike as the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R, while the new-spec BMW S1000RR, complete with stubby exhaust pipe, redesigned fuel tank and new engine spec, took Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) towards his third BMW season in WSBK racing.

Unofficial Times: 1. Laverty 1m38.8s; 2. Haslam 1m39.2s; 3. Sykes 1m39.3s; 4. Corser 1m39.9s; 5. Haga 1m40.0s; 6. Fabrizio 1m40.0s

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Next year Kawasaki Provec Motocard.com will compete in the Supersport World Championship, in order to fight for the title again in this important category of racing.

Australian rider Broc Parkes (28) will be one of the two riders for 2011, having signed a two-year contract with the Provec team on 1st September. The second rider for Provec in 2011 is still to be confirmed.

Guim Roda (Team Manager): "As soon as we knew Broc was free we didn't doubt for a minute to sign him for 2011 and 2012. He is a good rider and a great person. For us, we began the winter tests with Broc in the last three races of 2010. We need a second rider. Regarding this, we are already talking with other riders. The important point is to decide on whether to take a young rider or a more experienced one, and after that we will try to make an agreement. Sure, it will not be easy because there's other good teams too, but we will find the best option for us and try to make a decision after the race."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Hannspree Ten Kate Honda World Superbike rider Jonathan Rea has undergone surgery on his injured left wrist in Manchester, UK.

Specialist surgeon Mike Hayton declared that he was happy with the repairs to a ruptured ligament between the left scaphoid and lunar bones, injured when Rea crashed during the 12th WSBK round at Imola, Italy on 25 September. The injury also detached part of both bones.

Rea will return to his home on the Isle of Man today to begin his recuperation before returning to Manchester in a month's time to have two supporting wires removed from the wrist.

"There was more damage than they first thought," said Rea as he left hospital this afternoon, "and the operation took about two hours instead of one. Basically, the ligament between the two bones was 100% ruptured and the two wires are designed to pull them together while the ligament meshes again.

"It certainly wasn't how I wanted to finish my season," he added, "but I'm grateful to Mike Hayton for fitting in my operation before he went to host a seminar in the USA yesterday evening. I'll get back into training as soon as I get home and focus on getting fit for testing for the 2011 World Superbike season.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The FIM released the Superbike World Championship calendar for next season today, and like 2010 it will consist of 13-rounds.

There are two rounds in the 13 which are yet to be announced, but the season gets off to its by now traditional start in Australia, on February 27 at the exquisite Phillip Island circuit near Melbourne in Victoria, Australia.

From there Europe will host the second round on March 27 (event location to be announced) and Assen will host round three, followed by another all-time classic, Monza.

Miller Motorsport Park, a modern classic, is the second flyway round outside Europe, once more taking place on the Memorial Day weekend, with raceday on Monday 30th May. Misano, a favourite hardy annual will be followed by a new adventure for WSBK, Motorland Aragon in June, one weekend after Misano. On July 10 Brno makes a popular return, with Silverstone returning on July 31.

September means the Nürburgring and then another Italian round later that same month. The season is a little longer overall than in 2010, as Magny Cours takes place on October 2, meaning Portimao is the final round this time around, on October 16.

The full line up of classes and calendars for the other categories (Supersport, Superstock 1000 and 600) will be announced soon.

Here are the dates:

February 27 Australia Phillip Island

March 27 Europe t.b.a

April 17 The Netherlands Assen

May 8 Italy Monza

May 30 (Monday) United States Miller Motorsport Park

June 12 San Marino Misano

June 19 Spain Motorland Aragon

July 10 Czech Republic Brno

July 31 Great Britain Silverstone

September 4 Germany Nurburgring

September 25 Italy t.b.a

October 2 France Magny Cours

October 16 Portugal Portimao

Click here to see the 2011 Superbike World Championship calendar.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

The newly crowned British Supersport champion Sam Lowes will join up with Portugal's Miguel Praia in the Parkalgar Honda team for next year's World Supersport series. The 20 year-old British rider, who dominated the 600 cc category in Britain, winning the title one race before the end, is already confident about his step-up to the world level.

"It is a dream come true for me that I will be riding for Parkalgar Honda in the 2011 World Supersport Championship. This is one of the best teams in the world and is right at the front of the races week in and out. I am under no illusions how difficult the step will be but with Parkalgar Honda I have a team that knows what to do and how to win. I can't wait to get racing with the team and fitted to the bike. Thank you to Parkalgar Honda for having the faith in me, I will do all I can to repay that with race wins and a Championship challenge."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Thanks to Max Biaggi's win the second race at Magny-Cours, Italian manufacturer Aprilia were able to celebrate their second world title of 2010.

After the Riders' crown, the Veneto-based company also put a seal on the Manufacturer's title, with 471 points accumulated during the course of the season. Second place went to Ducati on 424, third were Suzuki on 412.

Biaggi scored 14 podiums, while team-mate Leon Camier scored three, and both riders clearly made a major contribution to the success of the team, as was explained by Aprilia Racing's technical and sporting director Gigi Dall'Igna: "Even just one of these two titles seemed like a mirage two years ago, when we made our debut with a brand-new bike that was totally different to anything that we had done before. Celebrating this wonderful victory today makes me happy and it confirms that the Aprilia Alitalia team is made up of exceptional engineers and people. It is a squad to whom today I wish to congratulate for having made possible what seemed like a crazy dream a few months ago in just 27 races."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

After the success of the past editions, the Official 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship Yearbook will once again form part of the portfolio of titles in the Giorgio Nada Editore catalogue.

Infront Motor Sports has always promoted the publication of the Official Superbike Annual, which year-by-year testifies to the evolution and growth of the world championship for production-derived motorcycles through the words and photographs of Claudio and Fabrizio Porrozzi. This year all SBK fans can share the victory by Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) in the 2010 FIM Superbike World Championship.

The official Championship yearbook has been produced in a joint collaboration between Infront Motor Sports and Giorgio Nada Editore, international leader in the publication of motoring books.

The publisher can count on a widespread diffusion of the book both in Italy - through the distribution network of Giunti Editore, the Giunti al Punto libraries and the Libreria dell'Automobile bookshop in Milan - as well as in foreign markets.

This joint venture between Infront Motor Sports and Giorgio Nada Editore enables the vast audience of Superbike enthusiasts relive the excitement of the championship in the pages of the Official Yearbook.

The 2010 edition will be available before the end of the year, in separate Italian and English versions (the book will have 192 pages in 24.3x27 cm format).

The publisher's web site is: www.giorgionadaeditore.it

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Yamaha) was a worthy champion in the Superstock 600 Championship, having won more races than anyone else (five) and taking a total of eight podiums.

The 17-year-old rider from Toulouse in France is actually a very experienced rider in this class, having raced in the category since 2008, when he first rode for the ASPI team, on a Yamaha. He has made 30 starts already.

Podiums first arrived the year later when he was racing for the Morillas team, again on Yamahas, but this year Guarnoni pushed hard all the way, making starts from the front row nine times, and leading the series from the first round until the very last. The championship was a great fight between Guarnoni and his fellow Frenchman Florian Marino, with the final margin of advantage being 28 points.

Guarnoni stated, "I'm very happy because I waited three years to win this title. The bike was really good, I work really well with Adrien Morillas to set up the bike and the whole team and Yamaha have worked really hard to get me here."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

BMW Motorrad Motorsport is heading into the future with a new management structure. Bernhard Gobmeier will replace Berthold Hauser as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director with immediate effect. The move comes two weeks after BMW Motorrad and Team Manager Davide Tardozzi agreed to part company by mutual consent. Gobmeier will be responsible for all BMW Motorrad Motorsport activities, including the company's factory involvement in the Superbike World Championship.

"I'm pleased to announce this fundamental realignment," says Hendrik von Kuenheim, General Director of BMW Motorrad. "The new structure puts BMW Motorrad Motorsport in extremely good shape to meet the challenges of the future. Bernhard Gobmeier has filled a variety of roles within the BMW Group over the years and brings his experience in motor sport to the job. I'm in no doubt that he will continue to take BMW Motorrad

Motorsport forwards with his analytical and structured approach. He will bring himself up to speed with the current situation as quickly as possible and put the necessary measures in place."

And von Kuenheim continues: "I would like to thank Berthold Hauser for all his good work over recent years. He can look back on some impressive successes in his career as BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director. Under his leadership Richard Sainct won the Paris-Dakar Rally in 1999 and 2000 as BMW Motorrad made its return to the event. And Berthold Hauser was also responsible for the team's successful start to life in the Superbike World Championship and its first podium finishes. He will continue to perform a managerial role for BMW Motorrad."

New BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Gobmeier, adds: "I'm looking forward to taking on this new challenge in a top-class race series with a professional racing team and two strong riders. Our aim is clear: to build consistently on the positive foundations which Berthold Hauser and his team have put in place over recent years, so that we can be in a position to win races on merit as soon as possible."

Gobmeier, a qualified engineer, has worked for BMW AG for more than 16 years, during which time he has performed a variety of roles. In 1994 and 1995 he was responsible for overhauling the company's sales activities for BMW M vehicles in North America and restructuring its racing activities in the American Le Mans Series (ALMS) with the BMW M3 GT. The native Bavarian then filled various management positions within BMW M GmbH between 1996 and 2008, before taking over as head of chassis development at BMW Motorrad in 2008.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

In the past season no fewer than 36 riders took part in at least one WSBK event, from the full season regulars like champion Max Biaggi to the one off wildcard riders like Daisaku Sakai.

With seven manufacturers fielding machines there were opportunities aplenty for riders and teams who wished to compete, and in total there were 20 different teams who lined up on the grid this year.

With Chris Vermeulen out injured for so long, the Kawasaki Racing Team, operated by Paul Bird Motorsport, fielded five riders in total. Tom Sykes and Chris were the regulars, but Simon Andrews, Akira Yanagawa and Ian Lowry also rode for the official Kawasaki entry.

It was also a busy year for the ECHO CRS Honda team, who parted company with contracted rider Broc Parkes before the end of the year, having already missed the first few rounds of the year with him due to injury. Therefore Parkes, Joshua Brookes, Sheridan Morais and finally Fabrizio Lai completed their four horsemen.

Wild Card and one off teams were also well in evidence in 2010, with EmTek Aprilia fielding Morais in South Africa, Tyco Honda Racing giving Tommy Bridewell a chance in Silverstone, HM Plant putting out Ryuichi Kiyonari and Josh Brookes at Silverstone, Federico Sandi running with his Gabrielli Racing Aprilia in Misano and Imola, and Yoshimura Suzuki adding its famous name to the grid at Monza alongside rider Daisaku Sakai.

The youngest rider in the field was Federico Sandi, only 20-years-old when he raced at Misano, the oldest was - the champion - Max Biaggi, who was 39 when he lifted his and Italy's first WSBK Riders' Championship.

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

As debuts in WSBK go, Eugene Laverty's first testing outing on the official Yamaha Sterilgarda R1 at the Magny-Cours circuit was in the top echelon, as he left the two-day test with the fastest (unofficial) time.

His team was even more impressed with his calm approach and ability to get up to speed quickly, particularly as the first day of testing was held in horribly tricky wet conditions. On day two, in the dry he set the fastest time of the test, recorded at 1'38.7 by his team. On day two Laverty set 118 laps.

"A great first test on the Yamaha," said Eugene afterwards. "I really surprised myself, it's not often I exceed my own expectations as I'm very realistic normally. I really didn't expect to go quite as quick or feel quite as comfortable so soon. I didn't want to do anything silly and give the team the wrong impression so have just been taking it step by step learning the bike. I thought I would have to do more laps to get a good feeling but felt pretty good by lunchtime today. To have a good base leaving the first test and got over the nervousness is great. The team has made me feel very welcome; the working relationship is great so I'm looking forward to continuing into the race season next year."

Massimo Meregalli, Yamaha Sterilgarda World Superbike Team Manager, said of his new charge, "I think it has been an impressive test from Eugene, especially his calm approach. I think as a first test his integration into the team was really good. It seems that he was riding his bike already and he was able to be very consistent with really good lap times straight away in both wet and dry conditions, this gives me a lot of confidence for next year. In the end I don't feel we could have expected a better test result, it has been a very positive two days."

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[WORLDSBK.COM]

Having been tested only in private up to this point, the new Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R Superbike World Championship race bike broke cover at the recent Magny-Cours tests.

Piloted by Tom Sykes and Katsuaki Fujiwara, the new machines flew around the Magny-Cours circuit on the dry second day of testing, with Sykes setting good times despite only having one day of dry track time.

Sykes said, "I am happy with this test because our bike is really new and we are up against bikes with two and three years of development. Overall, on our race run this morning I did some 1'39 laps and low 1'40s, where in the race on the 2010 bike I only achieved one 1'39 and the rest were in high 1'40s. Losing the first day was no help to us but we are already fast."

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