Superbike Weekend At Brands Hatch Previewed

Superbike Weekend At Brands Hatch Previewed

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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From a press release issued by FGSport:

2004 FIM WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP

8th round Brands Hatch, 30 July – 1 August 2004

HISTORY AND HYSTERIA MEET AT BRANDS HATCH

LARGESSE: The scale and excitement of recent World Superbike events at Brands Hatch has propelled the entire weekend to the status of a must-see on the British sporting calendar. Since the first Brands Hatch SBK races in the early nineties, the close proximity to the tens of millions ringing the London Metropolis and the superb natural viewing vistas of the historic circuit have made Brands one of the most eagerly awaited audience participation events imaginable, with weekend crowds often over 120,000 and an atmosphere somewhere between a football game and an open air music festival.

ANCIENT AND MODERN: Cyclists of a different kind from those who will descend on Brand Hatch this weekend were first to compete at what is now one of the world’s classic racing venues, when in 1926 a bunch of local cyclists used the natural bowl of grassland for their time trials. In 1947 the first ever televised motorcycle racing – a grass track event – was transmitted from Brands, notching another topic to its long and glorious list of unique features. After constant updates and recent safety changes Brands would be unrecognisable to the previous generations of racers, but the essential atmosphere and soul of Brands remains firmly intact.

THE RED ARMY: The previous event at Laguna Seca was hardly the most successful ever for the traditional class leading Ducati Fila team but nonetheless the two-rider attack of Briton James Toseland and Frenchman Regis Laconi still heads off the increasingly close challenge of their near neighbours in the points table. Some outstandingly aggressive and committed riding at Laguna from Toseland saw him re-take the championship lead from his team-mate, but their almost season-long lead was trimmed back once more, making Brands one of the least easy to predict race weekends of the year. Toseland has a total of 201 points, Laconi a hefty 198.

NEW RULES VINDICATED: The recent form of Chris Vermeulen on the Ten Kate tuned Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade have shown that the most recent revamp of the technical rules have been proven to offer all riders and all teams the opportunity to fight for race wins, with SBK racing now a true meritocracy, with equal opportunities for those talented enough to succeed. The blanket 1000cc rule, spec Pirelli tyres and a blossoming of new or resurgent riding talent have made SBK a close and exciting contest week-in and week-out, with Vermeulen easily the best class rookie, running an all new machine for a team new to the Superbike class. Only 14 points off the lead, and with the last three available race wins to his credit, Vermeulen is now tipped to be in the championship fight all the way to the end at Magny Cours in October.

EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES: The new SBK regulations have not only allowed the top level of mass produced roadbikes a fair shake at the podiums and championship challenges but the privateer Ducati 999RS customers have found the playing field more level than ever before. Hence the outstanding return of Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati) to the SBK fold, in another all-new team in the championship. Haga is well versed in racing at Brands but recent track revisions may make for a short period of acclimatisation for the mercurial Japanese rider. Lying fourth overall, Haga has not had things all his own way in the Renegade Ducati team, as his rapidly developing team mate Leon Haslam has been asserting his authority in his first full SBK season, taking a podium finish in Germany – and more significantly this weekend he has already won a round of the domestic British Superbike Championship at Brands Hatch this year.

DOUBLE TIME: Another rider who has led the championship this season, Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 998RS) sits fifth in the championship race having secured a win at Misano, and most recently a second place at Laguna Seca. The 40-year-old elder statesman of the class is still as hungry as a teenager, even if he is now the most experienced SBK rider in history. He will be joined at Brands Hatch by Giancarlo De Matteis, drafted into the PSG-1 team to ride the 999RS Chili has eschewed in favour of his 999cc-engined Ducati 998.

ANOTHER NOVELTY FOR MCCOY: Garry McCoy (Xerox Scuderia Caracchi Ducati 999RS) is one of the most experienced riders in the world but as an SBK rookie this year, he has had to get used to a new class and a new machine. Having won in Australia, he has experienced occasional dips in form, and now sits seventh in the championship.

HOME FRONT?: Malaysia is the country of birth and support of the unique three cylinder Petronas FP-1 but with its team headquarters and team principle Carl Fogarty firmly entrenched in the UK, the Brands Hatch race is the second home event for the aquamarine dream team.
The up and down form of the team and the machine has shown that it is not a straightforward thing to make an all-new 900cc three cylinder machine a competitive SBK package, but both local favourite Chris Walker and 1996 World Champion Troy Corser will be out to repeat their podium successes from the early season rounds.

DFX UP TO THE CHALLENGE: The DFX Ducati Sterilgarda squad of Steve Martin and Marco Borciani have preformed many minor miracles on their 999RS machines this year, Martin’s most recent Superpole win being one measurable highpoint. Only Martin has turned the pre-race form into podium finishes, three in total so far.

FOUR SQUARE: An influx of competitive four-cylinder machines this year includes the Bertocchi Kawasakis of Mauro Sanchini and Ivan Clementi, MIR Suzuki’s Sergio Fuertes and the Chinese backed Zong Shen Suzukis featuring Piergiorgio Bontempi and Warwick Nowland. They will be joined by Silverstone SBK success story James Ellison (Jentin Yamaha), himself a product of the European Superstock Championship, which runs in parallel with SBK.

SUPERSPORT SCORCHERS: Brands has always delivered noteworthy World Supersport races, with some of the top 2004 competitors having already secured wins in England. Karl Muggeridge (Ten Kate Honda) is one such rider, and this year he leads the championship after a superb run of three wins from Misano to Oschersleben, and a second place at the most recent round at Silverstone. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha Italia) has a single win this year but in a clear second place, 15 points behind Muggeridge, he is the most credible threat to the Aussie’s most recent form.

Muggeridge’s team-mate and compatriot Broc Parkes will also benefit from a recent Oschersleben test, while fourth placed Kevin Curtain, yet another fast Aussie, is the premier Yamaha Motor Germany runner. Despite some problems setting the all-new Suzuki GSX-R600 Stephane Chambon is the most successful WSS rider ever at Brands, and another Frenchman, Fabien Foret (Yamaha Italia) is a proven force at Brands, and is also the most recent race winner of all this year.

Superstock Siblings: If the Brands Hatch race delivers a repeat of the superb battles between the Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha riders Lorenzo Alfonsi and Gianluca Vizziello then the Brands Hatch crowds will be well served. Vizziello leads the title race 115 to 99, with all five races so far won by either Italian rider.

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