2008 World Superbike Championship - Round 7 - Nurburgring, Germany

Race Report
Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) stormed to a superb double win at the Nürburgring in Germany, winning back-to-back 20-lap races to re-ignite his championship challenge.

He also takes away the new lap record, thanks to a blistering 1'56.892, set on lap 11 of race two.

His team-mate Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) was unlucky not to score a podium in race one but was battling for the outright win with Haga in an unbelievable race two, before the threatening rain fell and the race was stopped for reasons of safety.

Many fans held their breath for most of race as Hager and Corser swapped places repeatedly with inches to spare between their bikes. By midway they were riding their own race, locked into a Yamaha duel for the checkered flag.

The first race was delayed for 20 minutes because of a late fall of rain but it was declared dry and indeed the sun came out in force as the race started.

In the first race Haga took the win after an intense battle at the front throughout, finally overcoming Troy Bayliss after pressurizing the Australian rider into a mistake on lap 19 Of 20. Corser was a close fourth making it a successful first outing for the official Yamaha team.

Race two was halted early by a light fall of rain on lap 15, and with 14 tours completed the race result was called from that lap, giving the win to Haga even though Corser was in the lead when the race was stopped.

Each Yamaha Motor Italia rider delivered awesome entertainment to the 41,000 weekend crowd, particularly in a tough and fully competitive race two, and each was rewarded with strong points scores as a result. Haga is now fourth overall, on 172 points, with Corser only just behind, on 154 at the midpoint of the 14-round season.

Noriyuki Haga (1st and 1st): "During the race the collarbone was no problem, just some muscle pain. I had a great fight with my team-mate Troy in the second race, it was very exciting, fun and fair, I really enjoyed it. I want to thank Dr. Ting for the operation on my collarbone, a big thank you to all the fans and congratulations to Troy for a great race. I'm so happy for the win, and it's fantastic to go forward to Misano having closed the championship gap a bit. Time to celebrate!"

Troy Corser (4th and 2nd): "With the weather conditions the way they were it was completely dry at the top, and it was raining down at the bottom for the last two laps before I put my hand up, it was getting wetter and wetter. Although I wanted to win the race I just wanted to stay on the bike as well. Thanks to the boys on the team, and thanks to Nori there as well, I had an amazing race with him, fantastic riding. We're getting the bike better and better, hopefully we can get some more great results before the end of the year."

Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team): "It's almost impossible to do better. We saw that even on Friday we could get good results from both riders and after yesterday I was sure the podium was possible for both riders. We got a double win from Nori and first and second in race two; a fantastic achievement for the whole team. I am lost for words about Nori, he is even better than before and Troy is really back to his very best. Thanks to all the team because they did a really good job here."

2008 World Superbike Germany - Nürburgring - June 15, 2008

Race 1

1 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 39'19.427

2 Troy Bayliss Ducati AUS 0'2.025

3 Max Neukirchner Suzuki GER 0'2.792

4 Troy Corser Yamaha AUS 0'5.458

5 Carlos Checa Honda ESP 0'10.225

6 Ruben Xaus Ducati ESP 0'10.462

7 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 0'17.018

8 Fonsi Nieto Suzuki ESP 0'20.520

9 Makoto Tamada Kawasaki JPN 0'21.162

10 Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS 0'22.650

11 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 0'22.845

12 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda JPN 0'25.555

13 Max Biaggi Ducati ITA 0'25.879

14 Regis Laconi Kawasaki FRA 0'26.288

15 Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha FRA 0'32.824

18 Shinichi Nakatomi Yamaha JPN 0'52.232

Race 2

Pos. Rider Manu. Nat. Total Time

1 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 27'26.594

2 Troy Corser Yamaha AUS 0'0.150

3 Max Neukirchner Suzuki GER 0'5.316

4 Troy Bayliss Ducati AUS 0'7.651

5 Carlos Checa Honda ESP 0'7.951

6 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 0'9.027

7 Max Biaggi Ducati ITA 0'9.420

8 Ruben Xaus Ducati ESP 0'9.916

9 Fonsi Nieto Suzuki ESP 0'12.862

10 Regis Laconi Kawasaki FRA 0'13.559

11 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda JPN 0'13.960

12 Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS 0'16.172

13 Makoto Tamada Kawasaki JPN 0'17.946

14 Gregorio Lavilla Honda ESP 0'22.815

15 David Checa Yamaha ESP 0'23.758

16 Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha FRA 0'24.127

18 Shinichi Nakatomi Yamaha JPN 0'25.356

Best Lap: Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 1'56.892

Rider Standings as of June 15, 2008

1. Troy Bayliss Ducati AUS 227

2. Carlos Checa Honda ESP 188

3. Max Neukirchner Suzuki GER 176

4. Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 172

5. Troy Corser Yamaha AUS 154

6. Fonsi Nieto Suzuki ESP 141

7. Ruben Xaus Ducati ESP 110

8. Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 106

9. Max Biaggi Ducati ITA 97

10. Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda JPN 89

11. Yukio Kagayama Suzuki JPN 73

12. Gregorio Lavilla Honda ESP 65

13. Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 60

14. Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS 59

15. Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 56

20. Shinichi Nakatomi Yamaha JPN 16

23. Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha FRA 7

24. David Checa Yamaha ESP 6

Manufacturer Standings as of June 15, 2008

1. Ducati 282

2. Yamaha 251

3. Suzuki 223

4. Honda 207

5. Kawasaki 64

Qualifying
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner delighted the home fans by taking Superpole for tomorrow's seventh-round World Superbike Championship round at the Nurburgring.

The young German had to dig deep to beat Troy Bayliss (Ducati) and Carlos Checa (Honda), but he lapped the 5.137 kilometer circuit without mistake to end with a time of 1:55.471; three-tenths-of-a-second quicker then his nearest rival.

Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto had a Superpole to forget and finished 14th quickest, but team mate Yukio Kagayama missed Superpole completely! He crashed at the end of the free practice just before Superpole and hit his head and hand hard. Although the Clinica Mobile failed to find any broken bones, Kagayama was taken to a local hospital for a check-up. Depending on the results, he may be forced to sit out tomorrow's pair of 20 lap races

Max Neukirchner - 1st, 1:55.471: "I saw that Carlos had done a very fast lap and I knew my lap would have to be perfect to beat him, but my lap was very good and without mistake. I am so happy to win Superpole, especially in front of my home fans and it is a very special feeling. I want to thank my whole team for the good job they have done this weekend. I am happy with my bike set-up for the race, but I hope that it doesn't rain because that would be a shame for all the spectators - and all the riders of course!"

Yamaha Team Report
Despite a couple of near high-sides during his Superpole lap Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) clung on to both his machine and a front row start for Sunday’s 20-lap Superbike races at the Nürburgring.

The Japanese rider had been fourth fastest going into Superpole and replicated that performance in Superpole, with a lap time of 1’56.401. Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) just missed out on a front row start, setting a best lap of 1’56.522 to go sixth on the grid, and take a second row start. Local rider Max Neukirchner scored the Superpole win, with a 1’55.471, the absolute SBK track record at this new 5.137km Nürburgring layout.

Race pace for each official Yamaha rider is already strong and they have both completed a race simulation at a high pace. Shortly after the Superpole contest was finished the skies opened and the threat of rain at this hillside circuit became a reality. There is still a chance of rain on race day, and there has already been a wet session of sorts, on the very first day of practice.

Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha GMT94) was a superb sixth before the Superpole contest kicked off, but after experiencing some difficulties in getting his rear tire up to working temperature in his Superpole lap he slid down the order, ending up 15th fastest. 14th David Checa (Yamaha GMT94) missed out on Superpole qualification by a single place, while Shinichi Nakatomi (Team YZF Yamaha) improved on his day one ranking to start the races 19th.

Noriyuki Haga (4th - 1’56.401: “I almost high-sided twice during my Superpole lap and that pulled my shoulder a bit, so I went to the Clinica Mobile to check it out. Everything is fine, just painful. We changed the bike setting from yesterday in regular qualifying and that went quite well, so we should be OK for tomorrow - if we have a dry race! Superpole was OK but we had a bit of a problem with the suspension settings. We realized problem was, so it’s not a worry for tomorrow.”

2008 World Superbike - Germany, Nürburgring - June 14, 2008

Superpole Qualifying

1 Max Neukirchner Suzuki GER 1'55.471

2 Troy Bayliss Ducati AUS 1'55.791

3 Carlos Checa Honda ESP 1'55.888

4 Noriyuki Haga Yamaha JPN 1'56.401

5 Michel Fabrizio Ducati ITA 1'56.436

6 Troy Corser Yamaha AUS 1'56.522

7 Lorenzo Lanzi Ducati ITA 1'56.574

8 Max Biaggi Ducati ITA 1'56.918

9 Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS 1'56.980

10 Ruben Xaus Ducati ESP 1'57.053

11 Jakub Smrz Ducati CZE 1'57.112

12 Ryuichi Kiyonari Honda JPN 1'57.143

13 Regis Laconi Kawasaki FRA 1'57.301

14 Fonsi Nieto Suzuki ESP 1'57.491

15 Sebastien Gimbert Yamaha FRA 1'57.514

SUPERSTOCK 1000
Team Alstare Suzuki rider Xavi Simeon ended the first day of qualifying for the fourth round of this year's Superstock 1000 FIM Cup with the fifth fastest time of the day, but knows that improvements will come.

Simeon, like most riders, experienced grip problems and he and the team will make adjustments to the bike's suspension and gearing tomorrow to see if they improve the bike.

Aussie Brendan Roberts (Ducati) set the day's fastest lap with Maxime Berger (Honda) second, Davide Giugliano (Suzuki) third and Dominic Lammert (Suzuki) fourth.

Xavi Simeon - 5th, 2.02.056: "I found it difficult today and the main problem for me is lack of grip. The track is not so bad, though the rear tire has been giving me some problems in parts of the track. I've also had some problems with acceleration out of the turns, so we will make some changes to the gearing and suspension to see if we can improve those areas. I rode here a couple of weeks ago, in a German Championship race, but this time we are using a different track layout, so we are starting out all over again. At the moment, I am not satisfied, but I am sure we can improve tomorrow."

Friday Superstock 1000 Qualifying: 1 Roberts (Aus-Ducati) 2:00.377, 2 Berger (F-Honda) 2:00.960, 3 Giugliano (I-Suzuki) 2:01.326, 4 Lammert (D-Suzuki) 2:01.351, 5 Xavi Simeon (B-Alstare Suzuki) 2:02.056, 6 Pirro (I-Yamaha) 2:02.120, 7 Smrz (CZ-Honda) 2:02.192, 8 Perotti (I-Suzuki) 2"02.520, 9 Corti (I-Yamaha) 2:02552, 10 Antonelli (I-Honda) 2:02.561.

Race Preview
Noriyuki Haga and Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) approach the seventh round of the 2008 World Superbike Championship, at the Nürburgring in Germany this coming weekend, safe in the knowledge that they are as experienced at this circuit as almost any of their peers.

Both Yamaha factory riders have raced on the 1998 and 1999 versions of the circuit, located in the Eifel Mountains close to the Belgian border, and will have little difficulty remembering the majority of the layout.

The circuit has been altered somewhat since Haga and Corser battled it out in 1998 and 1999 (When Haga rode for Yamaha and Corser Ducati) with the first corner now a hairpin, followed by a stadium-style complex of corners, before the riders head back out to a more familiar full circuit layout.