Updated Post: Provisional World Superbike Pole Position Goes To Chili

Updated Post: Provisional World Superbike Pole Position Goes To Chili

© 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2004, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Friday’s World Superbike Qualifying Results From Brands Hatch:

1. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, 1:27.990
2. Gianluca Nannelli, Ducati 998RS, 1:28.246
3. Noriyuki Haga, Ducati 999RS, 1:28.425
4. Marco Borciani, Ducati 999RS, 1:28.518
5. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, 1:28.525
6. Regis Laconi, Ducati 999F04, 1:28.726
7. Leon Haslam, Ducati 999RS, 1:28.734
8. Troy Corser, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:28.795
9. Chris Vermeulen, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:28.869
10. Giovanni Bussei, Ducati 998RS, 1:28.978
11. Sebastien Gimbert, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.132
12. Steve Martin, Ducati 999RS, 1:29.175
13. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:29.228
14. Chris Walker, Foggy Petronas FP1, 1:29.301
15. James Toseland, Ducati 999F04, 1:29.430
16. James Ellison, Yamaha YZF-R1, 1:29.704
17. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 1:29.795
18. Garry McCoy, Ducati 999RS, 1:29.849
19. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-10R, 1:29.880
20. Craig Coxhell, Honda CBR1000RR, 1:30.087


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Satisfactory start for FPR at Brands

Foggy PETRONAS Racing riders Troy Corser and Chris Walker both expressed satisfaction with their initial progress on the opening day of the eighth round of the Superbike World Championship at Brands Hatch today.

Troy finished the day eighth fastest with a time of 1:28.795 while local hero Chris was 14th with a time of 1:29.301. While golden oldie Frankie Chili set a blistering pace of 1:27.990 under the hot Kent sunshine, both FPR men were pleased with the performance of the FP1 on Pirelli race rubber.

Troy said: “I am reasonably happy to be that close on the first day – only a few tenths off third. I feel good on the bike, which is handling well and the mapping has improved the roll-on and roll-off connection of the throttle. We are just losing little bits of time on the straights. But I still think we can pick up a tenth here and there and I am pretty confident I can get into the low 28s tomorrow. We are going in the right direction with race tyres even though it was probably the hottest track temperature we’ve had at 47 degrees. I tried a qualifier but only went a tenth quicker. The grip was better and, now that I have got the feel for it, I know I can go quicker on it tomorrow. I have also been going from one bike to the other, testing out the new clutch. But I have got used to the old clutch so, while the new one feels different, I’m not yet sure if it is better yet.”

Chris said: “All in all it was a good day. I’m `smashed’ to be down in 14th but I have been running seventh or eighth all day on race tyres and that is good news. The settings were good straight out of the box and the bike was running well and working well. There are a couple of places on the track where the bike is a little down on power so I just need to let the brakes off a bit more in a couple of the faster corners! I didn’t get a good time on my first lap on the qualifier so went for it on the second. When I went through the dip at Dingle Dell the hugger hit the exhaust, broke off and sliced the tyre, so I wasn’t able to go any quicker on that lap. We changed the fork settings in the morning and the improvement was like night and day. Apart from that we have just been working through rear tyres and tweaking the suspension here and there.”


More, from a press release issued by FGSport Group:

FRIDAY QUALIFYING

CHILI THE EARLY CONQUEROR AT BRANDS HATCH

FRANKIE GOES TO PADDOCK WOOD: Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati 998) slotted his 998RS/999 hybrid machine into the provisional pole position spot with a best first day lap of the 4.197km Brands Hatch circuit. The 40-year-old Italian’s prowess was closely contested by a whole field full of competitive runners, but his experience as a former Brands Hatch winner proved to be the difference on day one as he set a best of 1:27.990.

PRIVATE PACE: Gianluca Nannelli (Pedercini Ducati) was a surprise second fastest on day one, his performance particularly impressive as he is running a 998RS Ducati, not one of the more powerful big bore Ducati machines which now pack the SBK grid. The 30-year-old Italian has had some impressive rides in his rookie season in SBK, after and up and down career in Supersport. A good day for the Pedercini team saw team principle Lucio Pedercini qualify fifth, ahead of both factory Ducati machines.

BORCIANI BOOST: With only ten minutes of qualifying left the name of Marco Borciani stood proudly at the top of the time sheets, the DFX Ducati 999RS rider proving to be a potent threat once more after only one day of track time. His fourth overall is still a more than creditable position, with his double Superpole winning team-mate Steve Martin down in 12th.

NORIYUKI NOW: Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati 999RS) slipped himself into the top three places after a late charge through the order on his locally entered Ducati. His team, sporting a new pit backdrop from sponsors Koji, also had Leon Haslam in the upper echelons, seventh overall with a time of 1:18.734, 0.744 seconds from provisional pole.

DUCATIS DUKE IT OUT: Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila 999F04) was the best of the works Ducati riders, but he struggled to cope with the privateer onslaught on day one, riding his fast but fickle Ducati Fila machine into sixth place on the time sheets. James Toseland (Ducati Fila 999F04) his team-mate, suffered more set-up woes as he qualified only 15th, 1.440 seconds from Chili and in 15th place.

THREE OVER FOUR: Troy Corser (Petronas FP-1) used a revamped engine and mapping specification to take the last spot on the overnight second row, his eighth place fully six places ahead of his team-mate Chris Walker. Brands was always going to be a challenge for the riders of the 900cc Petronas triple, but Corser at least was in less trouble than double SBK race winner from the previous round, Chris Vermeulen, who spend most of his two hours of practice trying to find a workable set-up for his Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR. Nonetheless, Vermeulen was the fastest of the four-cylinder riders, on a track that clearly favoured the booming twins in the early stages. Top Yamaha R1 rider proved to be wild card entrant Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha France), in 11th place.

TIME WARP: Garry McCoy (Xerox Ducati 999RS) had a tough introduction to Brands Hatch, completing day one in 18th place on his Ducati 999RS, with a total of 25 riders taking part in the first day of action.

SUPERSPORT: An exciting first qualifying session, held on idyllic conditions, delivered Ten Kate Honda rider and championship leader Karl Muggeridge to the top of the provisional qualifying order. His best time of 1:29.200 was 0.354 seconds ahead of second quickest rider Fabien Foret (Yamaha Belgarda, and 0.425 better than third place man Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Deutschland). The Yamaha/Honda wars in the early stages were added to by fourth and fifth place men Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda) and Muggeridge’s team-mate Broc Parkes.

Final qualifying for each class takes place on Saturday 31 July.


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

SECOND ROW FOR TROY ON OPENING DAY

Troy finished the first day of qualifying at Brands Hatch, with the eighth fastest time and a place on the second row of the provisional grid. Troy was happy enough with the work done today and is optimistic of further improvements in tomorrow’s two sessions and Superpole.

Provisional pole was set today by veteran Frankie Chili (Ducati) who posted a lap of 1:27.990, two tenths quicker then his nearest rival Gianluca Nannelli (Ducati). Third fastest today is Noriyuki Haga (Ducati), with Marco Borciani (Ducati) completing an unfamiliar-looking front row of the grid.

TROY – 8th, 1:28.795
I’m reasonably happy with today and second row is fine at this stage. Also, I’m only a few tenths off third place, so I know there’s more to come from me and the bike. The bike feels good and the engine feels nice and clean and the throttle response feels better. The mapping has been improved and really the only thing we are missing out on is that acceleration and quickness getting to top speed. Today I spent quite a bit of time trying out the new clutch. I think it is better, but I’m not sure yet. It’s probably because I’m so used to the feel of the old clutch, and this feels quite a bit different. The ‘slipper’ part feels different to what I have been used to. Really, I’m not sure yet, which I will use. The track felt a bit greasy today, but now that one day has gone, quite a bit of rubber has been put down and tomorrow should be better. I am confident that I can pick up a few tenths here and there and get into the low 1:28s tomorrow.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:

STEADY START FOR DUCATI FILA DUO IN BRANDS OPENING SESSION

Brands Hatch (UK), 30 July 2004: The Ducati Fila pairing of Regis Laconi and James Toseland got off to a steady start in the first qualifying session for round 8 of the World Superbike championship with sixth and fifteenth quickest times around the 4.197 km Brands Hatch circuit.

Despite setting only sixth quickest time, Laconi used the one-hour session to good effect and was confident with both the set-up of his 999 F04 and his choice of tyre for the race.

“I’m feeling quite confident, we were working well in qualifying and I was only using one tyre, because I was happy with that one. I did 23 laps with it and it performed well” declared Regis. “We also tried something on the rear shock and it was a bit better and I think we can improve tomorrow. The bike is handling well all the way round the circuit, but in the second split I’m losing a bit of time. I know why and I know where because I need more traction when opening the gas but I am feel sure we can find something extra for tomorrow.”

Championship leader Toseland was disappointed with his Friday qualifying performance, but is confident he and his Ducati Fila team will sort things out for tomorrow.

“Today was a bit frustrating really, we’ve just got to get the bike handling better, that’s all” commented James. “The bike doesn’t really feel comfortable, the rear is skating going in and coming into the faster corners the front is diving. We just need to find a better set-up. I don’t even feel fast, I felt like I was four seconds off the pace, instead it was just one-and-a-half!. We’ve tried some things that have given no improvement so we need to find a better solution for tomorrow.”


More, from a press release issued by Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks – Scuderia Caracchi:

Unsatisfactory the debut day for the team at Brands Hatch

Black debut day today for the team Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks in the eight round of the World Superbike championship around the 4197 meter Brands Hatch circuit, in the East surrounds of London. Garry McCoy, at his absolute debut on this track, set only 18th quickest time in the first qualifying session in the afternoon, after a day full spent to learn a totally unknown and very difficult track and used to find the best setting for his 999RS Xerox Ducati Nortel Networks.

“I didn’t know Brands Hatch at all.” – commented Garry McCoy at the end of the day. “It’s actually a very difficult and demanding track and I’m spending more as my used time to understand it. I’m not happy at all for my result today. There are several blind corner and, while in some part of the circuit I’m fast like the top, as in the second split time for example, some other part, as in the final and the first one, just behind the finish line, I’m not able to manage at the best. We’ve got a few things to try out tomorrow with the suspensions setting, so I’m sure we’ll be much further up the timesheets at the end of the qualifying, I know that this isn’t our true position se tomorrow I’ll make a big effort to improve, it has to be better.”

Worst situation for Miguel Praia, with a couple of broken engines, just returning from the technical revision, in the day and with any qualifying time from the timekeepers.

“A terrible day.” – spoke frankly Miguel at the end of the practice. “Just on this track totally unknown for me and where I have to practice for long time I broke an engine after four laps in the morning session, and during the qualifying session I broke the engine just during the first lap, so the timekeeping service didn’t record any qualifying lap time. And you have to know that they were two engines just returned from the technical revision, just the same that happened in America.”

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