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2005 WORLD SUPERBIKE: MONZA ITALY

CIRCUIT: MONZA

• Track length: 5.792 km
• Year opened: 1922
• Superbike lap record: 1m 47.434 (Troy Bayliss, 2002)
• Last year's result: Race 1 & 2 Regis Laconi, Ducati 999 F04

Last year's RESULT: 2004

• Race 1: 1 Regis Laconi, Ducati 999 F04
• 2 James Toseland, Ducati 3 Garry McCoy, Ducati
• Race 2: 1 Regis Laconi, Ducati 999 F04
• 2 Chris Vermeulen, Honda 3 James Toseland, Ducati

RACE RESULT

• WINNER, CORSER (winner Race 1, 3rd in race 2): "Race one was good and I had no problems at all really. I got off the line well and then made a bit of a break after a couple of laps. But, it is always close here and as the race wore on, the pack closed in on me. Yukio passed me on the last lap, but I went under him and overtook him. We touched briefly, but it was only a minor touch and there was no danger at all. After that I just put my head down and ran to the flag to win by nearly a second. In race two, I had some problems with the front brakes almost from the start. There was a bit of vibration when I braked hard and then they began to get hot when I was behind Regis and Chris. I think my Alstare Suzuki was as fast as them but I couldn't brake as hard as I did in the first race. I couldn't do much about Regis and Chris but I was determined not to let 'Muggas' beat me to the podium, so I braked as hard as I dared and managed to hold him off. I had already seen Yukio go off the track so I knew that I had extended my series lead. For us, it is not about winning every race - it's the championship that counts."
• KAGAYAMA (2nd in Race 1, DNF in Race 2): "I enjoyed the first race very much - it was good fun. My team gave me a good bike and I was able to keep with Troy-san without any problems. I went past him going into a chicane but then I ran a little wide and he came past under me and maybe we touched - I don't know. Then I tried to catch and pass him but he was too strong for me. I am happy because this was my first race at Monza and I was second. After Superpole yesterday, it was a good birthday present for me. The second race was not so good for me. After 10 laps, I made a little mistake when I missed my braking point in one of the Lesmo corners and then went into the gravel. The bike fell over at slow speed and the engine cut out. I tried to restart it but I think some small stones had got in to the airbox because the engine made a funny rattling noise. I knew then it was impossible to carry on. But, I am still second in the championship and one of my favourite circuits - Silverstone - is coming up next."
• VERMEULEN (winner Race 2): “That feels so good. We’ve all been working a very long time for that and it’s been hard work. Two second places at Valencia were a step forward but we’ve made an even bigger one here at Monza this weekend. Once I’d got past Troy in that second race I just put my head down to try and catch Regis, who’d spent a long time at the front. I caught him just at the right time on that last lap and managed to hang on. It certainly makes up for the disappointment of not finishing the first race and, overall, it’s been a really positive weekend. We’ve moved everything forward and let’s hope that can continue.”

SUPERBIKE RACE 2

• 1 Chris Vermeulen Honda
• 2 Regis Laconi Ducati
• 3 Troy Corser Suzuki
• 4 Muggeridge
• 5 Toseland
• 6 Pitt
• 7 Chili
• 8 Walker
• 9 Haga
• 10 Nannelli

SUPERBIKE RACE 1

• 1 Troy Corser Suzuki GSX-R 1000
• 2 Yukio Kagayama Suzuki GSX-R 1000
• 3 James Toseland Ducati
• 4 Regis Laconi Ducati
• 5 Pitt
• 6 Muggeridge
• 7 Chili
• 8 Walker
• 9 Nannelli
• 10 Abe
• 11 Haga 12 Borciani 13 Bussei 14 Sanchini 15 Clementi16 Nieto

SUPERSPORT RACE

• 1 Fujiwara
• 2 Charpentier
• 3 Nanelli
• 4 Fabrizio
• 5 Curtain
• 6 Corradi
• 7 Lauslehto 8 Parkes 9 Chambon 10 Goi

QUALIFYING

• KAGAYAMA ON SUPERPOLE ON BIRTHDAY
  "I am very happy to get Superpole today and because it is my birthday, it is a nice present I think. It was a good lap and a perfect lap because I diid not make any mistakes. I have been very happy with the qualifying tyres here, but I am not so sure about my race tyres. One tyre I like only lasted five or six laps before it went off, so I will have to try another type in the morning warm-up tomorrow and then decide what to do. Tomorrow, strategy is going to be very important. I must not go out very hard from the start and make the tyre wear out, but I must use my head throughout the race and especially think what to do at the end. People tell me that I had some slides on my Superpole lap, but I did not feel them. It's better that way!"

SUPERPOLE, MAY 7, 2005

• 1 Yukio Kagayama Suzuki GSX-R 1000 ,1m 47.143 *** HIS BIRTHDAY ***
• 2 Troy Corser Suzuki GSX-R 1000 +0.007s *hit a bird*
• 3 Regis Laconi Ducati
• 4 Karl Muggeridge Honda
• 5 C. Vermeulen Honda
• 6 A. Pitt Yamaha
• 7 C. Walker Kawasaki
• 8 J. Toseland Ducati
  "My Superpole lap was a bit disappointing really because I had a big slide coming out of the Parabolica on my exit lap and started my one lap way too slow so that was it for me. I'm feeling confident about the race however because we had a good long-run in the afternoon's free practice session on race tyres. A front-row start is not paramount here with all the slipstreaming so row 2 is OK and we've certainly got a chance of a good result. I really love riding around this circuit, it's the home of Ducati so we know we've got to do well tomorrow."
• 9 P. Chili Honda
• 10 G. Bussei Kawasaki
• 11 N. Haga 12 G. Nannelli 13 J. Cardoso 14 N. Abe 15 M. Sanchini 16 S. Gimbert

CORSER, 2ND: "Two things cost me some time in Superpole. On my warm-up lap a bird hit my bike and then hit me and there was blood all over my right arm and shoulder. I guess I was lucky because it could have been much worse - especially if it had happened on my flying lap. Also, I made a small mistake when I ran a little wide exiting on of the chicanes and that lost me some time. But all credit to Yukio, because he managed to beat me today - even though it was only by seven thousandths of a second! This afternoon he followed me for a bit and that helped him learn the track a bit better and of course do a good Superpole lap. I am very happy with my bike set-up and, apart from adjusting the mapping a little in the morning warm-up tomorrow, I think we are all set. I don't think anybody is going to get away in the races and expect four or five of us will be pretty close to each other at the end and that should be great for all the fans."

LACONI, 3RD: "We did a good job this weekend, especially to try to be fast over one lap, because in today's two sessions we had big problems to do one lap on the qualifying tyre and in fact I set my best time on race tyres this morning" declared Regis. "We found some new settings for Superpole and the bike was then a lot better to ride. OK, the two Suzuki guys were too fast but I did a good lap time. We will see for tomorrow but I'm also happy about my lap times on race tyres and I am feeling good. Now it's time for Ducati to come back and win, for sure it won't be easy but we are in Monza, with all the Ducati fans behind me so I will certainly try my best tomorrow".

PITT, 6TH: "Sixth is good but I'm still a bit disappointed not to have done my best lap of the weekend in superpole. I know that I can go faster and I think that really I took it a bit to carefully, but we're ready for the races and that's the main thing. We should be in pretty good shape tomorrow: we've found a good set-up and we've been able to improve the stability under braking from yesterday. Our top speed has been good too and this is obviously very important around here."

SBK FRI QUALIFYING, MAY 6, 2005

• 1 Troy Corser (Aus) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 1m 47.878
  "Conditions today were different to when we tested here last week. The track didn't feel as grippy, so that's why my lap times were slower then last week. The track felt a bit better this afternoon and, as long as it stays dry, I think it will get better tomorrow. This morning we ran a full race distance and everything felt pretty good. This afternoon we ran about three quarters of a race distance and also tried a few different types of brake pads. As usual we started the day with the same set-up we had when we left last week and then tried to improve it little by little. I actually think it's going to be tough to pull away from the rest of the field, because it's easy to drag your close competitors with you. So the first two laps of the races are going to be very important. For that, I need a front row grid place and a good start - and that's what I'll be aiming for"
• 2 Yukio Kagayama Suzuki JPN +0.23
• 3 Karl Muggeridge Honda AUS +0.32
  "I'm so much happier with the bike here and the latest evolution of the chassis. Monza is always a bit of a compromise between the faster and slower corners because what works well in one part of the track may not be so good in others. But I think we found a direction this morning that will hopefully take us forward. The bike is much more user-friendly and we're not suffering from the problems that have hindered our progress in the first few rounds. I'm pretty happy and looking forward to moving it forward some more tomorrow."
• 4 Gianluca Nannelli Ducati
• 5 James Toseland Ducati
• 6 Chris Vermeulen Honda
  "We started today with two very different bikes - one based heavily on the Valencia set-up and the other with different geometry and chassis settings. It made this afternoon a little difficult because I was doing two or three laps on one and then two or three on the other. But I think we've got the information we were looking for so we'll look at all the data tonight and confirm which direction we go in tomorrow. I also had that little electrical problem which developed this morning but that was sorted pretty quickly. We also tried different brake pads here so we're learning a lot. I was expecting top five today and we're not far off, so I'll sleep tonight and come back stronger tomorrow."
• 7 Regis Laconi Ducati
• 8 Andrew Pitt Yamaha
• 9 Chris Walker Kawasaki
• 10 Noriyuki Haga
• 11 Chili 12 Borciani 13 Bussei 14 Cardoso 15 McCoy 16 Nieto 17 Bostrom 18 Sanchini 19 Vizziello 20 Abe

RACE PREVIEW:

HONDA

• VERMEULEN: "I’ve just had a good scan on the wrist that I broke at the end of last season and I’m really looking forward to Monza; it’s a special place and always a great event on the SBK calendar. It’s a fast track, and technical, but in a different way to Valencia and I’ve had some decent results there in the past. Last year was our first on the CBR1000RR and I managed to lead race one for a while until clutch problems dropped me back to fourth. Then I finished second in race two, but we were excluded because of a technical problem. With a year of development behind us, the Honda should be strong at Monza, although Troy (Corser) is bound to be fast again. Brakes are really important here but hopefully, the issues we’ve had with the front of the bike in the first three rounds won’t create so many problems.”

SUZUKI

• CORSER: "We tested at Monza recently and I am happy with all the stuff we did and I feel confident about the race. Monza is a great track and it is one of those tracks where you can win, even if you do not have the fastest bike. Slipstreaming plays a vital part in race strategy and it is possible to exit the Ascari chicane fifth and still win - if you are in a tight group and use the slipstream effect best. For me the best place would be at the front, with a big gap on the rest. The worst would be at the front with four or five riders hanging on to my rear tyre. So far, the season has been great for me and the whole team. The hard work we all did over the winter and pre-season meant that we started strong right from the outset. I think our rivals were a bit surprised, to say the least! Now it is up to us to keep up the pace, or maybe increase it - if required. Monza has not been good for me in the past, so I am hoping that this year will be better."
• KAGAYAMA: "I am very happy that we tested at Monza recently because now I have some knowledge of the track. It was my first time there and it is a very interesting track to ride. Troy-san has told me about the importance of slipstreaming and I shall have to remember it in the races. At the recent test, slipstreaming was not an issue, but now that I have done some laps, I think I can see what could happen - and maybe where! It is a quite a fast track, with some very fast corners and I like that! My aim is to be on the podium at Monza - in both races."

YAMAHA

• The Superbike and Supersport World Championships make the first of their three appearances in Italy this season, as the series moves to the historic and high-speed Monza circuit on the outskirts of Milan. While the points on offer may be the same as at every other round, the Monza event has an extra significance for the Yamaha Motor Italia team - the circuit is based just a short walk from the company headquarters and huge numbers of employees and their families will visit the circuit to cheer on riders Noriyuki Haga and Andrew Pitt.

  Monza is always one of the highlights of the year. Not only is the circuit located within a beautiful Royal park, the circuit itself is a mecca of motorsport and simply drenched in history. Fans can expect close race racing as the riders jockey for position down the three long straights, cheered on by a large and passionate Italian crowd.

  "Monza is very important for us," commented team coordinator Massimo Meregalli. "The headquarters of Yamaha Motor Italia is at Germo de Lesmo, which is just a few kilometers from Monza and we will have many, many guests here this weekend. Our results are now improving every race and Valencia was Noriyuki's best result of the year. We have already had a test at Monza and this went very well. Both riders made steps forward in terms of set-up, especially Noriyuki who has so far been finding it quite hard to get the R1 how he likes it."

  The Yamaha riders go into the Monza race on the back of opposing fortunes during the last round in Valencia. Haga had his best outing of the year, taking a fourth and fifth place finish to move up to seventh in the championship Pitt slipped back to eighth after a tough day that saw him crash out of the opening race and finish eighth in race two after a small technical glitch stopped him battling for fourth spot.

  Meanwhile the Yamaha Motor France squad's Norick Abe remains the leading R1 rider in the championship, just four points ahead of Haga in fifth place, despite crashing out of a certain podium finish in Spain. Team-mate Sebastien Gimbert will make his Monza debut at the weekend and, although the Frenchman has yet to find his consistency, the reigning world endurance champ is impressing with his outright speed during this his debut superbike campaign.

  Suzuki's Troy Corser will be the man to beat in Monza. The Australian has won five out of the six races held so far this year to build a commanding lead in the championship.

  Monza - the circuit
  The Monza circuit can be summed up in one word - fast! Last year the average speed around the Italian circuit was over 190kph - over the entire race distance - 18kph faster than the next speediest circuit on the calendar, Assen.

  Yamaha Motor Italia riders Haga and Pitt spent two days testing at Monza last week, working mainly on chassis settings, and as a result the team's YZF-R1s will appear in Italy sporting a new swinging arm. During testing last week the team found the swinging arm available as a YEC kit part to be the best. YEC is the company responsible for Yamaha's customer kit parts for R-series races.

  The team will also produce special 'Monza-spec' engines for the event with additional high-rpm power at the expense of a little low-down performance. These engines will have revised cam timing compared to those used in the opening rounds, while exhaust supplier Termignoni will provide a different exhaust system to complement the new engine tune.

  With top speeds regularly approaching 300kph at Monza, aerodynamics can be even more important that sheer horsepower when it comes to getting the most out of the machine. With this in mind, the team will also be able to change the windscreens to allow them tuck down behind the bubble and squeeze every last kph out of their machines in what is likely to be a slipstreaming battle.

  With four long straights, riders will be slipstreaming each other along and constantly swapping positions down the long straights, as the lack of air resistance allows them to reach higher speeds than they would unassisted. Making a bad start and failing to join the train of leading riders will make it difficult to gain the ground required to challenge for a leading position, although this effect also makes it hard for one rider to break away from the pack. As such races at Monza are usually close, exciting and difficult to predict.

  Supersport World Championship
  While the superbikes will no doubt be grabbing the headlines due to their enormous top speeds at Monza, don't forget about the supersport class. The 600s should provide typically close racing down the long Monza straights and Yamaha Motor Germany's Kevin Curtain is the leading YZF-R6 runner in the championship, third overall after three rounds and benefiting from the ongoing development to the 2005 machine. With two podium finishes in a row, the experienced Australian is looking like the most likely challenger to the Honda team-mates Sebastien Charpentier and Katsuaki Fujiwara who, between them have won all three races.

  FIM Superstock 1000 Cup
  Also supporting Sunday's action will be the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup. Just like last year's championship, round one in Valencia proved to be a Yamaha whitewash, with R1s taking the top four places. Yamaha Motor Germany's Kenan Sofuoglu and Didier van Keymeulen, first and second place finishers in Spain, should once again be at the sharp end in Monza but look out too for Italian rider Massimo Roccoli. The youngster finished third in Valencia and should prove even more competitive on a circuit he knows well.