Runner-up slot and a cracked bone for Biaggi at Donington

World Superbike Press Release

Max Biaggi may have powered his Aprilia RSV4 to a best-ever second place result in the Italian factory's fledgling WSB year, but he also came away from Donington Park with a cracked bone in his right foot. On lap 4 of the second race Biaggi lost his front tire at the Melbourne hairpin and slipped to the ground.

He quickly got back on his bike and returned to the race, but on re-entry, Max came into contact with Polita (Celani Suzuki) along the outer curb and slipped back to twentieth place. During the crash, the Roman rider ended up with a bruise and a minor injury to the third metatarsal of his right foot, but he still managed to finish the race in twentieth place. The degree of his injuries will not prevent Max from participating in the Aprilia's private test run on the Brno track that is scheduled for July 1st and 2nd.

"I'm very pleased with the result of race 1," declared Biaggi. "After some difficult trials, we finally found the right tires and balance, even though we had a few problems during the warm-up. We had a great race, and we managed to set a pace that was just under the track record. I must compliment Ben, because he set an incredible pace. At the last chicane, the bike died out suddenly, but fortunately it started again and because of the lead I had gained over Haga, I still managed to cross the finish line in second place. During the second race, I felt the vibrations a lot more, it was probably because of the fact that there wasn't as much grip on the track which would also explain why there were so many falls. I started off well and I was able to keep up with Spies' pace, but during the fourth lap I entered the hairpin the same way I always do and about halfway through, I lost the front tire. I managed to keep the motorcycle running, but re-entering from the outer curb area, I was hit by another driver and ended up with this minor injury to my foot. I'm disappointed because I could have had another podium finish."

Surgery a success, Haga returning to Italy

World Superbike Press Release

At 5 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Ducati Xerox rider Noriyuki Haga underwent successful surgery at the Derby City Hospital. Having fractured the ulna in his right arm in Sunday’s crash at Donington Park, Noriyuki today had a plate and screws inserted to set the bone. The surgical team deemed the surgery a success and there were no unforeseen complications.

Prior to the operation, medical staff took a closer look at his right shoulder blade and an x-ray unfortunately confirmed that he has multiple fractures to his left scapula. The scapula will not necessitate surgical intervention and the bone should knit itself back together in time; this complication should not prolong Noriyuki's recovery time. The Japanese rider should be discharged from hospital today and he and his family will fly back to Italy so that Noriyuki can begin the necessary physiotherapy treatment.

The Ducati Xerox rider will not participate in the next tests at Imola but it is foreseen that he will compete in the next round at Brno.

Full house in WSB for BSB riders past and present

Press Release

Riders from the past three seasons of the ViSK British Superbike Championship in association with Pirelli put on a stunning performance at the World Superbike Championship event at Donington Park Sunday, taking seven of the top ten places in race two.

The championship-leading Airwaves Yamaha team was joined by confused.com-backed MSS Colchester Kawasaki's Simon Andrews as wildcards for this round. Leon Camier made an astounding comeback after a massive crash in second qualifying yesterday at Craner Curves. The team worked hard to rebuild his number one machine overnight and from his fifth row start in 17th place he was able to fight his way through the field to finish sixth in race two.

James Ellison on the second of the Airwaves Yamahas crashed out of the top ten in race one and was edged out by former double BSB champion Ryuichi Kiyonari for sixth in race two. Andrews meanwhile was the top Kawasaki rider in the second race, finishing tenth.

Last year's BSB championship runner-up Leon Haslam put on an impressive display at his home track, finishing second in race two to Ben Spies. Reigning BSB champion Shane 'Shakey' Byrne had his strongest qualifying performance of the season to start from the front row and finished third in the opening race and fourth in race two. Tom Sykes also had a strong finish in race two, finishing fifth after closing down Byrne in the final laps.

In the World Supersport Championship race, last year's title contender Cal Crutchlow took the win to extend his lead in the overall standings, whilst wildcard James Westmoreland finished 11th on the JW Racing Triumph ahead of next weekend's Fuchs-Silkolene British Supersport Championship round at Knockhill.

Your next chance to see BSB will be on Wednesday 1 July when it takes to the streets of Glasgow for Superbikes in the Square presented by Swan. See all your favorite BSB riders in action at George Square.

The next round takes place at Knockhill July 3-5.

June 29, 2009

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Haga’s condition less serious than expected

World Superbike Press Release

Noriyuki Haga was transported to the Emergency department of Derby City Hospital by helicopter at about 5 p.m. Sunday afternoon, after having been victim of a massive high-side during Race 2 at Donington Park. The Japanese rider, accompanied by doctors from the Clinica Mobile, was seen by Doctor Rajan and once extensive tests and an urgent CAT scan were carried out, Dr. Rajan declared that the fracture to one of the vertebrae that had shown up on the X-ray taken at the circuit's Medical Centre was actually a very old fracture and must have been caused during another much earlier incident, years previously. This fracture has, over time, sealed without medical intervention and doesn't present a problem.

After a stable night in the Pre-Op assessment ward of Derby City Hospital, Noriyuki Haga will undergo surgery this afternoon to insert a plate and screws in his right forearm, to set a fracture to the right ulna. He is continuing to experience pain in the left shoulder blade, and so although no serious damage has yet been detected, doctors will investigate further to understand the cause of the pain.

The only injury needing immediate treatment at this time is the broken ulna. If the surgery is deemed a success, and there are no complications regarding his shoulder blade, Noriyuki should be able to return home to Italy in the next two days and the Ducati Xerox Team does not currently exclude the possibility of Noriyuki's return to the track in time for the next round in the Czech Republic, on the 26th July at Brno.
June 29, 2009

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MotoGP heads west to Laguna Seca

The riders in the premier class this week make a dash across the Atlantic to the West Coast of the US, to the superb Californian track of Laguna Seca.

Press Release

This weekend’s Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix at Laguna Seca is the first of two World Championship visits to America this year and is the second of four GPs in a five week period as the 2009 season really begins to gather pace.

With Indianapolis to come in August the MotoGP riders will this weekend enjoy their first Stateside trip of the campaign as they head to California, with visits to Sachsenring and Donington Park still to come on the busy schedule before the summer break.

After seven rounds so far this year things are tight at the top, with three main protagonists emerging as the title candidates. Heading to Assen in the Netherlands last weekend, Valentino Rossi, Jorge Lorenzo and Casey Stoner were all square on points at the head of the standings and even though Rossi has pushed ahead with the superb 100th GP victory of his career at the Dutch track his young rivals are still snapping at his heels.

Last year at Laguna Rossi took a hugely important win over Stoner, passing him brilliantly on infamous Corkscrew corner and scoring a significant psychological blow against the Australian. This year, however, he has two key rivals to contend with.

World Champion Rossi goes into round eight in great from, with a five point lead over Lorenzo in the general classification, having relegated his Fiat Yamaha team-mate to second place in the last two races at Catalunya and Assen. The Italian looks as strong as ever, with his Yamaha M1 machine working brilliantly as he looks to turn up the heat on his rivals.

Lorenzo, meanwhile, has never completed a race at Laguna having crashed out on the first lap on his debut at the Californian track last year. He insists however that this year he is finding things more comfortable at tracks which did not favour him in the past and can be expected to be pushing Rossi hard at the front again this weekend.

Fitness doubts for Stoner could be the major factor hindering the Ducati star following another grueling race in The Netherlands, where for the second round in succession he finished third, but was totally exhausted on the podium. If he can recover full strength he will be confident of another good performance on Sunday, at a track where he won in 2007 and finished second in 2008.

Behind the leading three in the championship, the Repsol Honda duo of Andrea Dovizioso and Dani Pedrosa will be desperate to bounce straight back from their Assen disappointments having both crashed out of the Dutch contest, in separate incidents at the same corner, when well positioned to earn some decent points. Dovizioso is currently fourth in the standings, some distance behind the top three, but with just a two point advantage over Pedrosa and Colin Edwards.

Texan rider Edwards arrives for his home race in good form following his fourth place at Assen and is hoping for another good result as he seeks to extend his MotoGP career. The Monster Yamaha Tech 3 rider was on the podium at Laguna Seca in 2005 but since then has struggled for good results there and will aim to correct that pattern on Sunday.

His compatriot Nicky Hayden, the only other American rider in the premier class at present, boasts two of his three MotoGP career wins at Laguna and would love nothing more than to get his first top five result of 2009 on his Stateside debut for Ducati this weekend.

The Red Bull U.S. Grand Prix promises to be a memorable event, coinciding with the American 4th July celebrations and commencing this Friday, 3rd July, with Free Practice 1 at 1.55pm local time, (9.55pm GMT, 10.55pm CET). The 250cc and 125cc classes do not compete at Laguna and will be back in action at Sachsenring on the 17th-19th July weekend.

June 30, 2009

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