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2005 ALBACETE 8 HRS WORLD ENDURANCE MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP

Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas SUZUKI CASTROL WINS

2005 WORLD ENDURANCE MOTORCYCLE CHAMPIONSHIP

2005 ALBACETE 8 HOURS

SCHEDULE:

• Friday 20th May:
  Practice: 10:45 – 13:45 ; First Qual: 16:30 – 18:20; Night Practice: 21:30 – 23:10
• Saturday 21st May:
  Final Qualifying: 09:30 – 11:20
• Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas: Race Start: 6pm Saturday - Finish Sunday 2 pm

RACE RESULT:

Suzuki Castrol Win Albacete 8H

Yamahas Second and Third

• The Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas round of the FIM World Endurance Championship has
  been won by the Suzuki Castrol GSX-R1000 of Vincent Philippe and Keiichi Kitagawa.
  Second place went to Spanish team Yamaha Folch Endurance, and third to Yamaha
  Austria.
• The first hour saw a battle for honour between championship leaders Suzuki Castrol and
  local heroes Folch Endurance, as Vincent Philippe and Folch rider Daniel Ribalta
  swapped the lead repeatedly. Yamaha Austria’s Gwen Giabbani settled into a comfortable
  third place, while Kawasaki Bolliger and Yamaha Phase One Endurance fought for fourth.
  The first round of pit stops allowed Suzuki Castrol to break away and build up a lead over
  the rest of the field, a lead which they extended hour by hour through the race. Folch
  Endurance and Yamaha Austria continued to trade places for the next four or five hours,
  with no real advantage emerging.
• A similar fight was developing further down the field, as Kawasaki Diablo, Shell
  Endurance Academy, Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se and the Sapeurs Pompiers team chased
  sixth place. Fagersjo-el succumbed to an electrical fault which led to their retirement after
  a long push-in for Paul Young. The other continued trading places until the closing
  minutes of the race, with Sapeurs Pompiers finishing sixth, Shell Endurance Academy
  seventh and Diablo eighth.
• Yamaha Phase One seemed set for a sure fourth place until the final hour when
  suspected engine problems brought them into the pits for a diagnostic check and then in
  again to cool the bike, allowing Bolliger Kawasaki through to take fourth. Suzuki No Limits
  & RT Motor Team finished in ninth place, just ahead of fellow Italians Suzuki Fabi Corse.
  The win for Suzuki Castrol has allowed them to stretch out a 19 point advantage in the
  championship standings. The next round of the championship is the Suzuka 8 hours on
  July 31st.

Press Conference Quotes:

• Vincent Philippe – Suzuki Castrol – 1st Place: “In the first relay it was quite difficult to go
  past Folch Endurance, and I was thinking of the championship and not just this one race.
  This is a very good result for us in the championship.”
• Keiichi Kitagawa – Suzuki Castrol – 1st Place: “We must do something special for the
  Suzuka 8 Hour race, because the level of competition there is very high. We hope to get a
  special engine from the Suzuki factory, and I will be competing in the Suzuka 300km race
  next month with Vincent Philippe for preparation.”
• Daniel Ribalta – Yamaha Folch – 2nd Place “We had competed in the Spanish
  championship here two weeks ago, so it was easy to get into a fast rythmn at the start fo
  the race. It was important for us to get a good result here, and not just lead in the first
  hour.”
• Thomas Hinterreiter – Yamaha Austria – 3rd Place: “Right now I feel okay, but in the race it was very difficult. I have an injury in my wrist and in my foot, so it was very hard doing
  back-to-back relays with Gwen
  

RESULT

• 1 Suzuki Castrol Team, FRA, Suzuki GSX, R1000, Philippe, Kitagawa, 299 laps
• 2 Yamaha Folch Endurance, SPA, Yamaha YZF R1, Ribalta, Noyes, Cabana, 296 laps
• 3 Yamaha Austria 7, AUT, Yamaha YZFR1, Giabbani, Hinterreiter, 294 laps
• 4 Kawasaki Bolliger Team, SUI, Kawasaki ZX10R, Kellenberger, Morillon, Mizera, 293 laps
• 5 Yamaha Phase One Endurance, UK, Yamaha YZF R1, Cudlin, Notman, Nowland, 288 laps
• 6 Suzuki Sapeurs Pompiers, FRA, Suzuki GSX R1000, Molinier, Pialoux, Grelaud, 287 laps
• 7 Yamaha Shell Endurance Academy, UK, Yamaha YZF R1, Rohtlaan, Wylie, Hogan
• 8 Kawasaki Diablo 666 , UK, Kawasaki ZX10R , Mizera, Hutchins, Falcke
• 9 No Limits & RT Motor Team , ITA , Suzuki GSX, R1000 , Ruozi, De Matteis, Giachino,
• 10 Suzuki Fabi Corse , ITA , Suzuki GSX, R1000 , Monot, Vieira, Lalavee
• Fastest Lap: Suzuki Castrol , Vincent Philippe , 1:33.660, 136.028km/h

QUALIFYING:

Suzuki Castrol on Pole

• Suzuki Castrol rider Vincent Philippe has taken pole position for tonight’s Albacete 8
  Horas Nocturnas round of the FIM World Endurance Championship. Vincent’s best time
  of … was set in this morning’s session, when track conditions were very similar to those
  expected overnight. Philippe was the only rider to record times in the 1:32s.
• Second place has gone to local team Folch Endurance No.23 after an all night rebuild
  session for their YZF-R1 which was badly damaged yesterday. The final components
  were bolted into place as the first group session began, and rider Daniel Ribalta was able
  to record a succession 1:33 laps.
• Yamaha Phase One endurance have held onto third place despite choosing to prepare for
  the race rather than chase a faster time this morning. Yamaha Austria have had a terrible
  weekend so far, with two of their three riders injured in crashes and their supply of spare
  parts is running low.
• Bolliger Kawasaki have qualified in fifth place, but their race potential was shown last night
  when they recorded the second fastest lap time during the second night practice session.
  The race starts at 18:00 this evening, with a warm-up session at 16:30. Until then the
  riders must try to rest and prepare for the race. Suzuki Castrol’s Keiichi Kitagawa:
  “Everything on the bike is good for the race. I try to sleep a little now; I want to sleep,
  but...”

GRID

• 1 Suzuki Castrol Team – FRA – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – V. Philippe – 1:32.740
• 2 Yamaha Folch Endurance – SPA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – D.Ribalta – 1:33.282
• 3 Yamaha Phase One Endurance – GBR – Yamaha YZF-R1 – D.Cudlin – 1:34.128
• 4 Yamaha Austria 7 – AUT – Yamaha YZF-R1 – G. Giabanni – 1:34.153
• 5 Bolliger Team Switzerland – SUI – Kawasaki ZX10R – D.Morillon – 1:35.290
• 6 Yamaha Folch Endurance (2) – SPA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – J.Ramirez – 1:35.551
• 7 Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se – SWE – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – P Young – 1:35.792
• 8 Shell Endurance Academy – GBR – Yamaha YZF-R1 – M.Rohtlaan – 1:35.988
• 9 No Limits & RT Motor Team – ITA – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – R.Ruozi – 1:36.142
• 10 Ducati Spring Team – ITA – Ducati 999 – M.Colombo – 1:36.264
  May

FRI QUALIFYING: Suzuki Castrol Provisional Pole Position

• Suzuki Castrol rider Vincent Philippe has taken provisional pole position for tomorrow’s
  Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas round of the FIM World Endurance Championship. However,
  both Yamaha Phase One Endurance and Yamaha Austria are close behind the usually
  dominant French rider. Philippe’s best time for Suzuki Castrol was 1:33.548, set on qualifying tyres during the first of this afternoon’s group sessions. Both Cudlin for Phase One (1/34.128) and Giabbani for Yamaha Austria (1:34.153) rode in the third groups session, when the track temperature was higher, grip was reduced, and lap times were slower.
  Suzuki’s Philippe expects to improve his times tomorrow: “There is more to come, for
  sure; we will go faster tomorrow. We have some new chassis parts that we are still
  adjusting, and the weather will be cooler.
• The Yamaha Shell Endurance Academy junior team were 4th, just ahead of Assen podium
  finishers Bolliger Kawasaki and Italian Suzuki team No Limits. Aussie Paul Young has
  joined the Swedish Fagersjo-el.se squad for this race, lifting them to 7th and ahead of local
  wildcard team Folch Endurance. Two more Italian teams round out the top ten, with
  Yamaha X-One ninth and Ducati Spring Team no.10 in tenth place.
• Final qualifying takes place tomorrow morning when temperatures will be lower, but the
  race will start at six in the evening, when track conditions will be similar to those we have
  just experienced.
• Provisional Qualifying Positions
  1 Suzuki Castrol Team – FRA – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – V. Philippe – 1:33.548
  2 Yamaha Phase One Endurance – GBR – Yamaha YZF-R1 – D.Cudlin – 1:34.128
  3 Yamaha Austria 7 – AUT – Yamaha YZF-R1 – G. Giabanni – 1:34.153
  4 Shell Endurance Academy – GBR – Yamaha YZF-R1 – M.Rohtlaann – 1:35.988
  5 Bolliger Team Switzerland – SUI – Kawasaki ZX10R – P. Muff – 1:36.128
  6 No Limits & RT Motor Team – ITA – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – R.Ruozi – 1:36.142
  7 Suzuki Fagersjo-el.se – SWE – Suzuki GSX-R1000 – P Young – 1:36.435
  8 Yamaha Folch Endurance (2) – SPA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – A.Hervas – 1:36.899
  9Yamaha X-One – ITA – Yamaha YZF-R1 – P.Tessari – 1:36.945
  10 Ducati Spring Team – ITA – Ducati 999 – M.Colombo – 1:37.157

Circuit Information

• The Albacete circuit is the only fully illuminated track outside Japan. The lighting system
  delivers 130,000 kW of power through more than 200 lamps positioned around the full
  circuit. The system was installed for the 2003 World Endurance Championship race, and
  makes the track a real night-time beacon for spectators travelling the short distance from
  the city of Albacete for the weekend’s festivities.
• The World Endurance lap record at Albacete is currently held by Gwen Giabbani with a
  time of 1:33.610. With more than a dozen turns squeezed into its 3.539km length, the
  circuit offers little rest for riders or bikes and is known for being hard on transmissions and brakes. Track and air temperatures will change drastically during the course of the race, making tyre selection crucial.
• The circuit is situated a few kilometres to the east of Albacete, in south eastern Spain.
  Entry to the Albacete race will cost 10 Euros for adults, with children admitted for free.

Race Preview:

• The second round of the FIM World Endurance Championship takes place this weekend at Albacete. The eight hour race starts on Saturday evening and runs through the sunset and into the night, finishing in the early hours of Sunday morning. The previous round of the championship was the Assen 500, in March. The partially wet race was won by French squad Suzuki Castrol, with Swiss team Kawasaki Bolliger second and their sister team, UK based Kawasaki Diablo 666, third. The result this time could be very different.
• Suzuki Castrol rider Vincent Philippe broke his leg while testing just over four weeks ago, and although he has been declared fit to ride his strength and stamina may well be affected. The Kawasaki ZX10Rs of Bolliger and Diablo both benefited from a good “wet” set-up at Assen, but the weather at Albacete is expected to be the opposite; dry, with track and air temperatures – even at night – significantly higher than those experienced in Holland.
• Fourth placed Assen finishers Yamaha Phase One Endurance have tested successfully in the UK since the Assen race, and are confident of a significantly improved performance. Fifth placed Yamaha Austria suffered from a series of minor problems during the Dutch race, but with Albacete lap-record holding Gwen Giabbani riding for them this year the Austrians will be aiming for nothing less than a win.
• No Hondas finished in the points at Assen, but with some strong wildcard entries at Albacete they can’t be discounted. Aprilia will be aiming for Italian glory, with both Motociclismo Test Team (star rider: Marcellino Lucchi) and Marcel Motorsport Box aiming to finish in front of MV Agusta Burger King Lust and Ducati Team Spring.
• The weekend will also be the centre of media attention, with live broadcasts on both television (La Mancha en Vivio) and radio (Los 40 Principales) during the race and throughout the weekend.

Last Years Race

• Suzuki Castrol's team of Vincent Phillipe, Olivier Four and Matthieu Lagrive won the 2004 Albacete 12H round of the World Endurance Championship. They took the lead on lap 6 of the 448 lap race and held it for the next eleven and three quarter hours. Behind them the battle for second place raged through the night as Yamaha GMT94 and Yamaha Endurance Moto 38 swapped positions repeatedly. Fourth place was equally closely fought, eventually being won by Yamaha Austria after Kawasaki Bolliger had to change brake pads during a routine pit stop. The race was incident packed for the rest of the field as well. Yamaha Phase One worked their way up to fourth place in the second hour, only to have their gearbox fail, forcing them to retire from the race. Spanish wildcard entry Yamaha Folch Endurance qualified in fifth place and ran with the leaders in the early stages until a minor crash forced them to pit for repairs.

Race Schedule

• Free practice for the Albacete 8 hour night race starts on the morning of Friday the 20th of March, with the first qualifying sessions scheduled for the same afternoon and two forty-five minute night practice sessions taking place in the evening. The second qualifying sessions will be held on Saturday morning. The race warm-up will take place at 14:30, and the start procedure for the Albacete 8 Horas Nocturnas will begin at 17:15.
  The race will run from 18:00 on Saturday to 02:00 on Sunday.
• The usual off-track endurance weekend activities will be supported by the presence of top Spanish radio show "Los 40 Principales" broadcasting live from the circuit during the race.

Quote

• Former World Endurance Champion Terry Rymer is now involved in the management
  Kawasaki Diablo 666 Bolliger, third in the championship after the first round. “The
  a fantastic job in the difficult conditions at Assen. After their testing between races
  expect the team to be even more competitive at Albacete - especially with the rider
  we have this year, with the permanent addition of Steve Mizera to the squad”.