WSBK/WSS Phillip Island (01-02/03/08)

[Slimdean]

Fonsi and Max ready for Phillip Island, but Yukio misses out.

After their win in Qatar last weekend, Team Suzuki Alstare headed to Australia in good spirits, with Fonsi Nieto and Max Neukirchner, but without Yukio Kagayama.

The Japanese rider crashed in the second race and broke his left collarbone and is forced to give the Phillip Island round a miss, but he will be back in action at the SBK tests in Valencia in just two weeks time. Yukio has had a metal plate inserted in his shoulder, to hold the collarbone together, in order to be in action again as soon as possible.
Fonsi
Last week was a fantastic weekend and it was so good to take my first SBK win. Now it’s time to think about this weekend and try and keep up the momentum. I like Phillip Island; it is a real circuit for racers and it’s also a very demanding track. To put in a good lap here you have to be perfect on every part of the track. Butwhen you do that, it is a wonderful feeling.
Max
Since last weekend my condition has improved a lot and I’m feeling much better. The ‘flu, or whatever I had in Qatar, made me lose concentration in the latter part of the race. Otherwise maybe I could’ve taken a podium. But I’m OK now and looking forward to racing at one of my favourite tracks.
Francis Batta (Team manager)
Some mixed feelings last weekend, because of Yukio’s injury, but I’m really happy with Fonsi's win. I’m also very happy with Max’s performance and I’m sure he’ll be stronger this weekend. So, for this race, it’s just Fonsi and Max carrying our new colours, but I think they can once again make some good results. Yukio is a very tough racer and he will be back in two week’s time for sure

Team Suzuki Alstare news
2008 Superbike World Championship
Preview: Round 2, Phillip Island, Australia
Friday qualifying, 29th February
Circuit: 4.445 kms Conditions: Dry, sunny/cloudy 18-21C.


Provisional front row for Max.




Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner started today’s first day of qualifying superbly by posting the fourth quickest time of the day. His lap of 1:32.808 was just over four tenths of a second behind provisional pole-setter Troy Corser (Yamaha). Series leader Troy Bayliss (Ducati) was second quickest today, with his team mate Michel Fabrizio third fastest. Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto had a steady day, finishing ninth fastest overall, but will be looking for an improvement tomorrow.

Max - 4th, 1:32.808
Today was not so bad and I had no big problems at all. We changed the characteristics of the engine-braking for the afternoon session and also the rear shock. We did that to get better grip. When the bike is on fresh tyres, I seem to be able to ride smoothly, without a problem. But when I try and push very hard I get many rear slides. Phillip Island is a great track, but it’s a track where you have to be perfect everywhere if you want to set a really good lap time.


Fonsi - 9th, 1:33.269
I am happy because we’ve made a good start today, even though the set-up was not right. Conditions today were very different to when we tested here in January, so we more or less had to start from scratch again. I spent most of the day working at trying to understand the tyres and how they perform. In the afternoon, the bike’s set-up was better then the morning and this is a track where a good bike set-up is vital if you want to make a good lap.


Friday qualifying
1 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:32.336, 2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:32.374, 3 Fabrizio (I-Ducati) 1:32.570, 4 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:32.808, 5 Smrz (CZ-Ducati) 1:32.827, 6 Biaggi (I-Ducati) 1:32.827, 7 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:323.827, 8 Laconi (F-Kawasaki) 1:33.188, 9 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:33.269,