Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad 2010

As was anticipated, Troy Corser will remain with the BMW Motorrad Motorsport World Superbike team for the 2011 season which was confirmed today.

This will be the third season with the team for the Australian rider who has so far this season made it onto the podium at the Monza round as well as securing a pole position at Misano.

Corser said;

“It was an easy decision for me to continue with a team where I feel at home. We’re really building something here and I’ve very much enjoyed being part of this project from the beginning.

I think we’ve already achieved a great deal together and believe that, with our commitment and resources, we can climb further up the field over the course of the season ahead.”

Leon Camier – Aprilia WSB 2010

The Aprilia Alitalia rider Leon Camier will not be riding at the penultimate round of the World Superbike championship at Imola following his crash at the Nurburgring.

Camier suffered a broken scaphoid bone in his wrist during practice which needed surgical intervention and is now in doubt for the final round at Magny-Cours.

The British rider is now recovering from his successful surgery but is unlikely to be replaced at the following two rounds leaving Max Biaggi as the sole rider for the team.

Eugene Laverty – WSS – Assen 2010

The Sterilgarda Yamaha World Superbike team have confirmed the signing of the current World Supersport rider Eugene Laverty to ride alongside Marco Melandri from next season.

The 24-year-old, Northern Irish rider claimed the runners-up spot in last years World Supersport championship and is also a current contender for this years title following his seven race wins so far with two further races yet to complete.

Laverty said;

“It’s great to have a contract signed at this stage while still fighting for the title in the Supersport class. I desperately want to win this year before moving on.  When I rode the Yamaha YZF-R6 in World Supersport in 2008 I was having a tough time in 250s, it’s nice that Yamaha brought me to the fore and are now giving me the opportunity within superbike. Ben Spies winning the championship in 2009 and Cal Crutchlow now stepping up and winning races shows the bike and team are more than capable so the rest is up to me. I think with the team support and a good testing schedule we can start the 2011 championship ready to be competitive from the first race and be on the podium as early as possible. Having a teammate like Marco Melandri is great, he has a wealth of experience to learn from so I’m going to enjoy riding with him.”

Noriyuki Haga – Xerox Ducati 2010

This weekend saw the German round of the World Superbike championship at the Nurburgring with Noriyuki Haga winning race 1 and Jonathan Rea taking the flag in race 2.

Race 1

The initial race 1 was red flagged after just 1 lap after Leon Haslam crashed out at turn 4 sending his fellow riders in all directions trying to avoid him. Troy Corser was unable to avoid the Alstare Suzuki and crashed out leading to the race being red flagged.

As the race got underway for the second start both riders were back on the grid although Haslam struggled with an injured hand after it was hit by another rider during the crash.  Michel Fabrizio crashed out on lap 1 of the restart and retired from the race shortly after.

Max Biaggi had a great start, leading the pack as they headed for the first bend but was forced wide when  Carlos Checa attempted a move to get past and while the Althea Ducati rider managed to hold onto his second place Biaggi dropped back to eighth place.

Jonathan Rea was now leading ahead of Checa, Noriyuki Haga, Tom Sykes and a struggling Haslam in fourth while Corser’s disastrous race continued taking not only himself out of contention but also that of the Sylvain Guintoli at the Dunlop hairpin.

By lap 2, Cal Crutchlow had moved up to fourth place after passing both Haslam and Sykes following his tenth place grid start while his team-mate James Toseland low-sided off of his Sterilgarda Yamaha.

The Japanese rider made his move on Checa on lap three to slot into second position and began to chase down the leading man.  On lap 8 of the race, Checa began to put pressure on Haga to take back that second place which he was given after the Ducati Xerox rider crashed out.

Rea took the chequered flag for his fourth win of the season ahead of Checa in second, Crutchlow in third, Biaggi in fourth, Sykes in fifth, Haslam in sixth, Ruben Xaus in seventh, Guintoli in eighth, Shane Byrne in ninth and Luca Scassa in tenth.

Leon Camier took no part in either of the races after high-siding in the first qualifying session resulted in a broken right wrist.  The Aprilia rider is expected to have surgery on the injury sometime this week but it is unclear as yet if Camier will be back on his machine before the end of the season.

Here are the results;

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 20 lap
2. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +1.126s
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +10.006s
4. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +10.716s
5. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +17.391s
6. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +19.301s
7. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +19.613s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +19.880s
9. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +21.176s
10. Luca Scassa ITA Supersonic Ducati 1198 +29.752s
11. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +30.156s
12. Ian Lowry GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +53.622s
13. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +58.820s
14. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 25.906s

Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 DNS

Race 2

It was Noriyuki Haga that claimed the win in the second race of the day for only the second time this season following his victory at the Valencia round of the championship.

Carlos Checa was the man at the front as the lights went out followed by Haga, Jonathan Rea, Max Biaggi and Tom Sykes.

By lap 4, Haga had found a hug gap to pass Checa, capitalising on the Spaniards mistake which had forced him to go wide.  Checa kept the pressure on the Japanese rider until he made an error on lap 9 of the race and crashed out of the race.

Haga crossed the line to take the win ahead of Rea while behind Haslam, despite his injuries from his earlier crash, moved into third position.  Crutchlow finished in fourth place ahead of Biaggi in fifth, Guintoli in sixth, Sykes in seventh, James Toseland in eighth, Ruben Xaus in ninth and Shane Byrne in tenth.

Here are the results;

1. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 20 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR
3. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +8.060s
4. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +8.457s
5. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +9.392s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.556s
7. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +16.819s
8. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +20.564s
9. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +21.040s
10. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +21.168s
11. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Aprilia RSV-4 +21.734s
12. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +22.746s
13. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +24.526s
14. Luca Scassa ITA Supersonic Ducati 1198 +28.218s
15. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +38.406s

Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 DNS

Ian Lowry

Following his wild-card ride at Brands Hatch for the Kawasaki team in the British Superbike series, Ian Lowry has now been given the chance to debut in the World Superbike championship at the Nurburgring.

The Irish rider is the latest replacement for the injured rider Chris Vermeulen and said;

“I am really grateful for this opportunity to ride for the Factory Kawasaki squad. It was always a dream of mine to compete in the World Superbike Championship and now this is becoming a reality. I enjoyed my outing at Brands Hatch  and working with such a professional team, and was surprised at how comfortable I felt on the Kawasaki.

“I know how competitive the World Superbike Championship is and I intend to make the most of this opportunity and repay the team with two strong finishes. I’m really looking forward to getting a full spin out in the bike again and am really excited about the race. ”

Max Neukirchner – Hanspree Ten Kate Honda 2010

The World Superbike rider Max Neukirchner will be a wild-card rider at the German Superbike series in Assen later this month with the Ten Kate Racing Products team.

The IDM German Superbike round will take place on the weekend of the 20-22 of August where Max will debut for his one-off outing on a CBR1000RR in the customer race division of the 2010 championship.

Neukirchner said;

“I’m really happy to have an opportunity to ride again at Assen – it’s a fantastic circuit and I enjoy riding there. It should be a good weekend because I know quite a few of the IDM guys very well. I know Assen well, too, and we’ve done a lot of laps there this season testing and racing. However, I know for sure it won’t be an easy weekend because the level in IDM is very high.”

“There are factory teams and very good privateer teams, all with almost a season of racing this year. We will start on Friday with a completely new bike and a new team but the Ten Kate guys are very experienced and I’m sure we’ll be able to find a good way forward very quickly. It will be a fun weekend.”

Cal Crutchlow – Sterilgarda Yamaha 2010

Cal Crutchlow dominated both races at the Silverstone circuit yesterday on the Sterilgarda Yamaha after battling with Jonathan Rea to take the double victory.

Race One

Cal Crutchlow started in pole position for the opening race of the day but it was the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea that took to the front as the race got underway followed by the Aprilia of Max Biaggi.

Crutchlow soon got ahead of Biaggi and was on the tail of Rea as the leading pair created a gap between themselves and the rest of the field.

The pair first traded places on lap 7 before Crutchlow made it stick on lap 12 and began to set a blistering pace that no other rider could match.

Leon Haslam was sitting in third place on his Suzuki Alstare which is where he finished making it an all British podium at the British round of the World Superbike series.

Michel Fabrizio finished in fourth place for the Ducati Xerox team ahead of Max Biaggi in fifth, Leon Camier in sixth, Carlos Checa in seventh, James Toseland in eighth, Shane Byrne in ninth and Troy Corser in tenth.

Here are the results;

1. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 18 laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +1.621s
3. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +11.433s
4. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +15.874s
5. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +17.085s
6. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +17.532s
7. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +18.250s
8. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +18.938s
9. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +22.997s
10. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +25.830s
11. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +30.972s
12. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +31.808s
13. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Aprilia RSV-4 +32.193s
14. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +33.206s
15. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +34.207s

Luca Scassa ITA Supersonic Ducati 1198

Race Two

Crutchlow ended his weekend with his second win of the day which saw him once again fight off the advancing Jonathan Rea.

It was the Jonathan Rea that once again led the field from the first corner while Crutchlow stuck with the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda rider until he finally made it past on lap 16.  Rea battled to regain the lead as the pair headed down the Hangar Straight but ran wide, losing time and allowing the Sterilgarda Yamaha rider to re-claim his place at the front.

Leon Haslam looked as if he would take the final step of the podium but an impressive ride from the Aprilia rider Leon Camier blew his race out of the water.

Camier starting from sixteenth place on the grid moved to sixth and then third in the space of just 4 laps, while his team-mate Biaggi lost a further two places after running wide in an attempt to pass Haslam on lap 13.

With just two laps to go Toseland managed to get ahead but Haslam wasn’t going to let it go and attempted once again to get in front.  The two riders almost touched as they rode side-by-side with Toseland clinching that fifth place ahead of Biaggi in sixth.

Sylvain Guintoli finished in seventh position followed by Shane Byrne in eighth, Jakub Smurz in ninth and Carlos Checa completing the top ten riders.

Troy Corser crashed his BMW on lap 2 of the race while running in fourth spot while Michel Fabrizio retired his Ducati with technical problems.

Here are the results;

1. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 18 laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +2.070s
3. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.834s
4. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +13.232s
5. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +13.258s
6. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +13.568s
7. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +13.963s
8. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +14.432s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Aprilia RSV-4 +16.399s
10. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +19.874s
11. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +26.268s
12. Josh Brookes AUS HM Plant Honda CBR1000RR +28.003s
13. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +28.550s
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +30.117s
15. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +30.415s

Luca Scassa ITA Supersonic Ducati 1198

Kawasaki WSB – 2010

Akira Yanagawa is returning to the World Superbike series this weekend aboard the Kawasaki as a wild-card rider at Silverstone for the British round of the championship.

The Japanese rider has been called on as a replacement rider for the injured Chris Vermeulen and has said he is looking forward to the event although he expects it to be tough.

Yanagawa began racing for the World Superbike Kawasaki team way back in 1997 and rewarded his team with three race wins and finishing in fourth place overall in the 1997 championship.

The last time that Yanagawa was on a World Superbike was at Sugo back in 2002 before the team decided to concentrate more on the MotoGP series.

Yanagawa still races in the All-Japan Superbike series which he was leading in 2007 until he finally lost out to Atsushi Watanabe.

Leon Haslam 2010

The North Yorkshire Road Racing Supporters Club are delighted to announce that they have the father and son motorcycle riders Ron and Leon Haslam with them for a chat night.

The event takes place on Tuesday 3rd August following the British round of the World Superbike series at Silverstone where Leon will be competing on the Alstare Suzuki, currently running in second place in the World Superbike championship.

The talk night will take place at The Yorkshire Suite of the Golden Lion Hotel in Northallerton with the doors opening at 7.30pm and the event beginning at 8.15pm.

There is a bar at the event along with a raffle and TV highlights to be shown all for only £6 or £4 if you are a NYRRSC member.

Chris Vermeulen – WSB Kawasaki 2010

It has been announced that the World Superbike Kawasaki rider Chris Vermeulen is to be out of the series for up to six months as he recovers from his injuries.

The Australian had previously decided to sit out the rest of the 2010 season and is to undergo keyhole surgery on his injured knee this week.

Vermeulen received the injury five-months ago at the Phillip Island round of the World Superbike championship which was aggravated when he crashed again at the Brno circuit.  The surgery will concentrate on repairing two of the three damaged ligaments in his right knee but it is the recovery period that will require the time to heal properly which led to his decision to sit out the remainder of the year to enable him to be fit for the 2011 season.

Akira Yanagawa has been named as the replacement rider for Vermeulen at the Silverstone circuit on the 1st August, suggesting that the team may still be looking for a full-term replacement for the remainder of the season.

The 39-year-old Japanese rider has previously been on the starting grid of the World Superbike championship over 100 times, achieving 20 podium finishes with 3 of them being on the top step from 1997 until 2001.

Since 2001, Yamagawa has been on hand as a test and development rider for the former MotoGP crew but is excited to be once again riding in the World Superbike series especially on British soil.