From a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

FRANCE TAKES AN EARLY LEAD IN GSX-R WORLD CUP

Magny Cours, France, September 12th:

OLIVIER FOUR from France claimed provisional pole position during the first qualification for the Suzuki GSX-R Cup Final at Magny Cours today.

Frantic action filled the first 25-minute long qualifying session, with Four consistently heading the time-sheets – he is the only rider to get under 1m 46s for the lap. Four, a Suzuki dealer during the week, is very familiar with the Magny Cours circuit. In 2001, the 24-year-old rode for the Suzuki Endurance Race Team junior team in World Endurance. This year he is lying third in the French Superstock Championship on a GSX-R1000.

Four said: “Today the track was better than yesterday, that’s for sure. My GSX-R750 is going very well, but I am having a problem with the footpegs because they are too low and I cannot turn my feet. I can take another one-second off my lap time tomorrow. Maybe even a bit more if I need to.”

Behind the French rider was 32-year-old Italian veteran Giuseppe Fiorillo. The Italian is no stranger to top-level racing and as well as finishing second in the Italian GSX-R Cup this year, he raced in 125 Grands Prix in 1990-91 and won the 250cc European Championship in 1993. Fiorillo, a mechanic by trade, said: “Today was mostly about learning the track. During the session, I suffered from a spongy front brake and we are checking it now. Tomorrow we shall check our tyres as we didn’t change from the first two practice sessions. There is long life in these tyres and it might be better to race on a set already scrubbed in. Tomorrow we think we can go better.”

In third place after first qualifying is 22-year-old Australian hot-shot Scott Charlton. He said: “I love the track, it is just great. I made a few mistakes, but I am still learning the circuit. I’m not far off and pretty pleased with my position.”

The final place on the provisional front row will be taken by 28-year-old French rider Stephane Jond. The quality of the riders competing was evident in the close qualifying times, with the top 10 riders separated by just two seconds.

While most riders are looking forward to second qualifying and the first race tomorrow, British rider Benjie Cockerill was forced to retire. Cockerill, 21, cracked his right wrist in an accident last month and rode through practice. But today the pain was too much and he decided to retire from the event.

Suzuki’s GSX-R Cup Final 2002 brings together the best motorcycle riders from around the globe to compete on identical GSX-R750 machinery. Riders will race in two finals – one on Friday 13th, the second on Saturday 14th. Each competing country is desperate to win the title for national pride. Every rider uses a Suzuki GSX-R in their home country and is already familiar with the awesome performance of the GSX-R range, which started the race-replica class of motorcycles in 1985 with the first GSX-R750.

Results, First Qualifying: 1: O Four (France) 1:45.725, 2: G Fiorillo (Italy) +0.353, 3: S Charlton (Australia) +0.762, 4: S Jond (France) +0.931, 5: S Brogan (UK) +1.154, 6: J Kirkham (UK) +1.376, 7: T Fluckiger (Switzerland) +1.502, 8: KH Hennemann (Germany) +1.612, 9: L Conforti (Italy) +1.967, 10: John Dugan (USA) +2.067.