Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Troy Corser increased his World Superbike Championship lead aboard the GSX-R1000 with a superb win in the first race at Brno in the Czech Republic today followed by runner- up spot in the second.After his success in Superpole yesterday, Corser wanted to get back to winning ways and that's exactly what he did. And, if it had not been for a technical problem in race two, he might have left with a double victory.
Corser led the first race from start to finish and ran out the winner by over six seconds. Reigning Champion James Toseland took second, ahead of his Ducati team mate Regis Laconi, with Chris Walker (Kawasaki) fourth, Frankie Chili (Honda) fifth and Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati) sixth.
The second race was red-flagged after two laps - due to an oil spillage - and Corser decided to use his number two bike as he had felt that his number one bike was running a bit slow. The number two bike had only completed a handful of laps all weekend, so it was a bit of a gamble but the team had set it up almost the same as his number one bike. He led from the restart but was passed by Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha) after six laps. He kept in contention, but a slight electronic problem prevented him from catching and passing the Japanese rider, so he settled for runner-up spot and 20 valuable points instead. Third went to Chris Vermeulen (Honda), ahead of Norick Abe (Yamaha), Chili and Lanzi.
It was not such a good day for Troy's team mate Yukio Kagayama. The problems with grip - especially in the rear - he had in qualifying continued despite him making big changes to the bike. In the end, he finished with a pair of 11th places.
Troy Corser - Race 1, 1st, Race 2: 2nd:
"I'm pretty happy with how the day worked out -especially after the problems we had in the first day and a half. Once we found a good set-up, I knew a win or two was possible. I made a good start and had clear track ahead of me and that's what you need at Brno if you are to have a good race. Although no race is ever easy, that was one of the more comfortable races I've had this year and it was good to get back to winning ways. My bike's engine felt a bit slow at the start of the second race, so I guess I was fortunate that it was red-flagged and I was able to jump on my spare for the restart. The set-up was very close - and I have to thank the team for doing such a good job - but there was a bit of an electronic problem and I feel that stopped me from catching and passing Nori. But we came here to increase our points and that's what we did, so I'm pretty wrapped."
Yukio Kagayama - Race 1: 11th, Race 2: 11th:
"There's not much to say except that all weekend I've had problems with grip and today was no better then the past two days. This track is very difficult if you do not have a good set-up - and I did not have a good set-up - probably because we did not have so much time on the bike to test different things. We made big changes from yesterday, but I don't think the bike worked any better. I am disappointed of course, but I must look forward. The next race is a circuit I know and like - Brands Hatch - and I want to get on the podium in both races there for myself and all my British fans."
Race 1:1 Troy Corser (AUS-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 2 Toseland (GB-Ducati), 3 Laconi (FRA-Ducati), 4 Walker (GB-Kawasaki), 5 Chili (ITA-Honda), 6 Lanzi (ITA-Ducati), 7 Haga (JPN-Yamaha), 8 Vermeulen (AUS-Honda), 9 Abe (JPN-Yamaha), 10 Pitt (AUS-Yamaha). 11 Yukio Kagayama (JPN-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra).
Race 2: 1 Haga (JPN-Yamaha), 2 Troy Corser (AUS-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 3 Vermeulen (AUS-Honda), 4 Abe (JPN-Yamaha) , 5 Chili (ITA-Honda), 6 Lanzi (ITA-Ducati), 7 Laconi (FRA-Ducati), 8 Toseland (GB-Ducati), 9 Muggeridge (AUS-Honda), 10 Walker (GB-Kawasaki). 11 Yukio Kagayama (JPN-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra).
World Superbike Points: 1 Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 299, 2 Vermeulen 205, 3 Laconi 187, 4 Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 158, 5 Toseland 152, 6 Haga 122, 7 Chili 108, 8 Walker 106, 9 Abe 83, 10 Pitt 76.
WORLD SUPERSPORT:
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Javier Fores recorded his best result of the season so far with a superb fifth place at Brno today. For most of the race he was involved in a multi-rider battle and had to fight hard for his position.
In the end, fifth place was a just reward for all the effort the Spaniard had put in and is a great boost to his morale before the next round at Brands Hatch.
Series leader Sebastien Charpentier (Honda) once again took the spoils of victory - his fifth of the season - but this time he had to fight for it. Aussie Kevin Curtain (Yamaha) was his main challenger, but Curtain crashed out on lap 14 and from then on in, Charpentier had an easier ride. Second went to Michel Fabrizio (Honda) with Gianluca Nannelli (Ducati) third and Robert Harms (Honda) fourth.
Javi Fores - 5th:
"My best result this season so I am quite happy. I made a good start and then got involved in a big fight with a group of riders. That's ok but here you need a bit of a clear track to lap really quickly and smoothly. When you are in a group, you cannot choose your own lines so easily and that means you wear out the tyres more quickly. But I'm happy for the result and hope I can build on it for the next round."
World Supersport Results:1 Charpentier (FRA-Honda), 2 Fabrizio (ITA-Honda), 3 Nannelli (ITA-Ducati), 4 Harms (DEN-Honda), 5 Javi Fores (ESP-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 6 Jones (GB-Honda), 7 Chambon (FRA-Honda), 8 Corradi (ITA-Ducati), 9 Daemen (BEL-Honda), 10 Veneman (NED-Suzuki).
World Supersport Points: 1 Charpentier 165, 2 Fujiwara 106, 3 Curtain 93, 4 Foret 74, 5 Fabrizio 62, 6 Parkes 60, 7 Nannelli 56, 8 Chambon 55, 9 Fores (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 47, 10 Lauslehto 40.
SUPERSTOCK 1000:
Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Riccardo Chiarello suffered grip problems at Brno today and could do no better then seventh place at the end of the 12-lap, fifth-round race.
He had found a good set-up yesterday in final qualifying but today's different temperature conditions played havoc with the settings and once again, grip was the issue. He was a solid fifth in the opening stages, but once he started losing grip, he could not hold the position and lost two places.
The race was won by Craig Coxhell (Suzuki), who passed long-time leader Kenan Sofuoglu (Yamaha) on the very last lap with Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha) taking third.
Riccardo Chiarello - 7th:
"The grip today was very different to yesterday - maybe because of the overnight rain - and I just couldn't push as hard as I wanted to. If I had pushed harder, I would've crashed for sure. I hope for better things in the next round."
Superstock 1000 Results: 1 Coxhell (AUS-Suzuki), 2 Sofuoglu (TUR-Yamaha), 3 Roccoli (ITA-Yamaha), 4 Van Keymeulen (BEL-Yamaha), 5 Solli (NOR-Yamaha), 6 Polita (ITA-Suzuki), 7 Chiarello (ITA-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra).
Superstock Points:1 Roccoli 90, 2 Sofuoglu 86, 3 Coxhell 82, 4 Van Keymeulen 77, 5 Chiarello (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 47, 6 de Angelis 37.
Source: Team Suzuki Press Office