WSBK Donigton park

[Slimdean]

Team Alstare Suzuki news
2008 Superbike World Championship
Round 11, Donington, UK
Final qualifying, 6th September
Circuit: 4.023 kms. Weather: Wet, 14-16C.


NO JOY FOR MAX, FONSI OR YUKIO.

The bad weather continued at Donington today and Max, Fonsi and Yukio continued to suffer with grip problems throughout the day. This morning’s qualifying session was very wet and Suzuki Alstare riders Fonsi Nieto and Yukio Kagayama struggled to get into the top sixteen for Superpole right from the start. In the end, neither made the cut and were left languishing in 23rd and 24th places respectively.
For Team Alstare Suzuki rider Max Neukirchner the situation was not much better, though he did end sixteenth and at least qualify for Superpole. But the grip problems persisted in the ‘Wet Superpole’ and, although he tried his very best, he could only finish 14th quickest. Aussie Troy Bayliss (Ducati) took Superpole, his sixth of the season, with a time of 1:42.013. Joining him on the front row of the grid are Honda riders Ryuichi Kiyonari and Carlos Checa, with Ruben Xaus slotting into fourth place.

Max: 14th, 1:43.895
All three of us had the same problem - no grip! I was happy I managed to get into Superpole, but really my feeling for the rear end did not get much better. The front is OK but, despite all the changes we made and the things we tried, we never managed to get a good feeling at the rear. It’s hard to know what to do, but I still think I can make a good result tomorrow because many things can happen in a race and, if it is wet, I am sure there will be many crashes. So my idea is to keep upright, ride as hard as I can and see what happens.

Fonsi: 23rd, 1:47.344
So far, this weekend has been a disaster! Normally I don’t crash a lot, so to crash twice is a big surprise to me. Also, normally I am quite good in the wet, but here I have found no rear grip in two days, even though we’ve tried many different things. This afternoon’s free practice was a bit better then the two previous sessions, but there’s still some way to go to find a good set-up. I really hope that it will not rain tomorrow because that is probably the best chance I have to make a good result.

Yukio: 24th, 1:47.363
This weekend has not been easy and the conditions have been very difficult. When it was wet in Germany earlier this season, the grip was not so bad, and I could make a good lap. But here, at Donington, I have found no rear end grip at all, so it’s been hard to go fast. We’ve made many changes over these two days but have not been able to find any rear grip. In fact, the bike feels as if it is aquaplaning in the turns and on the straights! I even tried changing my riding style today, but it didn’t make any difference. This is the first time I have not qualified for Superpole and that makes me a little angry and frustrated. I would prefer a dry race tomorrow and two very good starts!



Final qualifying
1 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:42.013, 2 Kiyonari (J-Honda) 1:42.353, 3 Checa (GB-Honda) 1:42.486, 4 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:2.573, 5 Ellison (GB-Honda) 1:42.582, 6 Biaggi (I-Ducati) 1:42.619, 7 Sykes (GB-Suzuki) 1:42.624, 8 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:42.875, 9 Crutchlow (GB-Honda) 1:43.125, 10 Fabrizio (I-Ducati) 1:43.172, 14 Max Neukirchner (D-Alstare Suzuki) 1:43.895, 23 Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki Alstare) 1:47.344, 24 Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki Alstare) 1:47.363,