THE FINAL DASH IS ON FOR THE 2012 SUPERBIKE SEASON. THIRD LAST ROUND OF THE YEAR FOR MAX BIAGGI, IN THE THICK OF THE BATTLE FOR THE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP. EUGENE LAVERTY ARRIVES AT THE NÃœRBURGRING READY TO CONTINUE HIS PROGRESS ASTRIDE THE RSV4. Nürburgring, 5 September 2012 After the Superbike début in Russia, the factory derivatives head for the round at the Nürburgring, the historic name that brings to mind the undertakings achieved by great champions on the old Nordschleife track. For Max Biaggi this will be a decidedly particular round, both due to the Championship situation and because it was precisely on this German asphalt that the Corsair suffered an injury in 2011 which effected the rest of his season. With three rounds left in the Championship, Max is in the thick of the battle for the final victory. The difficulties of Silverstone and Moscow reopened the top end of the championship standings, but they were unable to dampen the tenacity of the five time world champion. At the Nürburgring Max Biaggi wants to get back to battling for the win. “I’ve always liked the Nürburgring circuit, even if it played a cruel trick on us last year. After Silverstone and Moscow we are chasing the leaders now an uncomfortable position but we need to use this as motivation to get back to being competitive. Every round from here to the end will be a match point and the winner will be whoever manages to stay calm and focused. It goes without saying that even the slightest mistake is out of the question”. The Russian weekend ended with a crash, but Eugene Laverty garnered a good feeling in the races at Moscow Raceway. His sights ever set on the podium, the rider from Toomebridge seems to have reached a promising feeling with his RSV4 in the various conditions, and in Germany he will put forth his best effort to confirm this impression. “The rain seems to have followed us everywhere lately and this weekend we return to Nurburgring, where we suffered monsoon rain during race two last year. Let’s hope we don’t get a repeat of those conditions! Nurburgring is a fun circuit to ride with so many cambered turns. All the changes of direction make it quite a physical circuit which I enjoy. We’ve been strong during the last three races but we haven’t been rewarded with the results we deserve so I hope that everything falls into place this weekend in Germany”. More, from a press release issued by Bogdanka PTR Honda: Lowes targets strong end to the season BOGDANKA PTR HONDA’s Sam Lowes is looking to end the World Supersport season on a high and aiming for a strong finish in round 11 from 13 at the legendary Nurburgring in Germany this weekend. His rookie teammate, Mathew Scholtz, knows part of the track having raced there in the German Championship in 2010, and fresh from his season’s best result in Moscow last time out, is looking for another top ten finish. The world famous and picture-square Nurburgring circuit holds special memories for the Bogdanka PTR Honda squad with the team’s first World Supersport podium finish last year. The Bogdanka Honda PTR squad will be joined by the Portuguese rider Miguel Praia, who’ll be looking for a strong result on his World Supersport return when the lights will go off at 13:30 CET on Sunday. Sam Lowes: “I’m really looking forward to the last three races. The pressure is on Kenan, it’s not on me, so I can just focus on going out there and fighting to win the last three races and then we’ll see what happens. The last three tracks I like and I’m good at so I’m in good spirits. Nurburgring is a mega circuit and reminds me of some of the big, fast British tracks, so I feel really good at it and enjoy riding it. The forecast for the weekend is good and I’m looking forward to this race more than any other this year, so I can’t wait to get there and go out on track.” Mathew Scholtz: “I’m really looking forward to Germany after two of my best races of the year and my best result last time out in Russia. I hope to keep improving, especially as this is one of a few tracks that I’ve been to before, having raced there in the German 125 Championship in 2010. I only know half of the track but really enjoy it. I’m sure the Bogdanka PTR Honda will be a lot of fun to ride there so I can’t wait to learn the other half and hope I can improve from the tenth position in Moscow.” Miguel Praia: “I’m very happy to be a part of the Bogdanka Honda PTR team. I’m really looking forward to the weekend and aiming for a good result. I want to come back to the World Supersport Championship full time and Bogdanka have given me a great opportunity to put in a strong result. Of course, I know how fast my rivals are, so I’m working really hard and I’m really motivated. I like the Nurburgring circuit. It’s an old style track which is a lot of fun to ride, but it’s not easy. I’ve been a bit unlucky there in the past but it should suit both myself and the Honda bike, so I’m looking forward to the weekend.” Simon Buckmaster, Bogdanka PTR Honda Team Manager: “Sam made a big mistake jumping the start in Moscow and despite fighting back to 12th after his ride through he has left himself a huge task to catch Kenan with only three rounds to go. As always we work as a team and will be giving Sam all our support in the last three races, so let’s see what happens. It was a season best for Mathew in Moscow and he’s broke into the top 10. He’s had the potential all season and we are confident he will have another strong finish in Nurburgring.” More, from a press release issued by PTR Honda: Jules looking to continue good form PTR HONDA’S Jules Cluzel is hoping to keep his recent run of good form going when he takes to the track at the Nurburgring in Germany this weekend for the 11th round of the World Supersport Championship. Ronan Quarmby likes the Nurburgring but has no expectations on results – he just wants to enjoy riding his PTR Honda and is sure success will follow. Martin Jessopp on the Riders PTR Honda made a positive step forward at the last round and is looking to keep the momentum going when the racing starts at 1330CET on Sunday, September 9th. Jules: “I have never been to Nurburgring; although I know the track from video games and it looks nice. Like the last races, I want to try to do my best, to be at the front, beat Kenan and continue my good form. Everything now is clear, I know better the PTR team and my Crew Chief – we have more experience together to improve the bike and work for the weekend. Also I know my PTR race bike better – when I started the first race it was all last minute but now I am much more comfortable.” Ronan: “I really enjoy Germany as it has fast and flowing corners. I am excited and want to get back riding. I am not putting my expectations too high but I want to enjoy my riding and the success will follow.” Martin: “Nurburgring is a new track for me and I’ve been looking forward to going to it. It is up and down and there is massive history, which I like. I definitely was riding the bike a lot different to normal at the last round and want to pick up from where we left off. Sam (Lowes) is coming over with me this round and I hope he can show me the way round the circuit the day before and I can start in a better position straight away.” Simon Buckmaster, PTR Honda Team Manager: “Jules goes into the last three rounds second in the Championship and it will be a tall order to catch Kenan but we will see if we can win the last three races – he is enjoying a fantastic debut in World Supersport this season. Overall Russia was a disappointing performance for Ronan but he likes the last three tracks and I expect him to bounce back at the Nurburgring and get inside the top six. Martin closed the lap time gap to the leading group in Moscow and we will be working hard with him to get a points scoring finish in Germany.” More, from a press release issued by Honda World Superbike Team: Nurburgring beckons Honda riders Jonathan Rea and Hiroshi Aoyama will take different approaches to this weekend’s (7-9 September) 12th round of the 2012 World Superbike championship at the Nurburgring in Germany. For Rea, the 5.137km circuit nestling in the Eifel mountains has been a happy hunting ground since his SBK debut in 2009 and the 25-year-old took three podiums, including two wins, in his first four races there. Last year marked Rea’s return to racing following a three-month injury layoff, but he still took a fourth place in atrocious conditions in race two. This weekend’s World Superbike event follows a two-day test with the Repsol Honda MotoGP team as Rea embarks on a hectic five-week programme in which he will replace the injured Casey Stoner. Two MotoGP races at Misano and Aragon will be dovetailed with the final three rounds of the SBK season. For Rea’s Honda World Superbike team-mate, Hiroshi Aoyama, the Nurburgring will be a new circuit. However, the 30-year-old Japanese rider was on the pace from day one at the last SBK round in Moscow a brand-new circuit on the calendar. Aoyama will therefore be looking to carry forward the speed he showed in Russia, together with a better feeling with his bike, on to a circuit where Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblade has performed well in the past. Jonathan Rea I’ve certainly got a tough few weeks coming up, competing in two world championships, but I’ve enjoyed everything so far it’s going to be an incredible experience. I’m really looking forward to this Nurburgring weekend I like the circuit and I’ve had some success there in the past. We struggled a little at Brno and Silverstone, but managed to sort a few things for the last round in Russia. Although the results didn’t show it, I was much happier with the feel of the bike and we were able to cure a problem with engine braking which had almost crept up on us unnoticed. I’m excited to see how the CBR performs at the Nurburgring and to see if we can maintain the pace that we ended up showing in Moscow. We’re going into the last three rounds of the season now and the team is working just as hard as they were at the beginning of the year, coming up with new things to try. Hopefully, that will al low us to consolidate and even improve our championship position in the last few races. Hiroshi Aoyama I was happy after the race in Moscow that we had found a much better feeling on the bike. I enjoyed taking part in my first Superpole and, even though the results in the two races were very disappointing especially when another rider crashed into me on the first lap in race two I enjoyed the weekend in Russia. Of course, the Nurburgring is another new circuit for me but I know that Jonathan has had some good results there before. I look forward to riding at the circuit and I hope we can have another good weekend and this time get some better results. Ronald ten Kate team manager It was certainly a hectic event in Russia, both on the track and off it in fact, getting the trucks in and out was an event in itself. But we still managed to get a few days to work on the bikes when we returned to prepare for Nurburgring. It’s a great circuit to race at so we’re looking forward to the weekend. Of course, the big news since Moscow is that Jonathan has tested with the MotoGP team at Brno and, this week, in Aragon, so this should be an exciting motivation for him. We hope he can gel again quickly with his CBR but, looking at his calendar for the coming weeks, he can probably rent out his new house for a while! When the request came through, we had a sit-down to discuss it all with Jonathan, but we didn’t want to prevent him enjoying this opportunity so we were happy to release him during this period. These are exciting times for all of us but, of course, we’re looking forward to a solid weekend at Nurburg ring. It’s a new track and a new challenge for Hiroshi but he made a good step forward at Moscow. Unfortunately, he wasn’t able to turn his practice and qualifying performance into good race results but we hope that he can bring that form from Russia with him to Germany. More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service: FIXI Crescent Suzuki has made a cross-European road-trip to the famous Nürburgring in Germany for the 12th round of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship this coming weekend. Leon Camier and John Hopkins will both be heading to the German circuit aiming to build on the promising performances last time out in Russia. Camier is still suffering the after-effects of a huge crash from the last event, but is determined to not let this hamper him at the 5,137m track, whilst Hopkins is planning on improving on his recent best results, by going for top-fives in Germany on his Yoshimura-powered GSX-R1000. The Nürburgring is located about 70kms south of Cologne and is built around the village of Nürburg, in the Eifel region of Germany. The huge and historical complex features a Grand Prix race track that was built in 1984, as well as the longer old North loop track, or Nordschleife as it is better known, which was built in the 1920s and is considered to be one of the most demanding and difficult racing circuits in the world. The Nordschleife has remained a one-way, public toll-road for nearly 80 years and anyone with a road legal car or motorcycle – as well as tour buses, motor homes, or even cars with trailers – is welcome to take the challenge of this iconic circuit and as such has become a must-do for many race enthusiasts and petrol-heads alike. This weekend’s World Superbike action will get underway on Friday morning with the first free practice session, followed by the opening qualifying period in the afternoon. Saturday morning will have a second qualifying session to confirm the 16-riders that will progress towards that afternoon’s Superpole. The first of Sunday’s two races – both to be held over 20-laps – will see the lights change for go at 12.00hrs local time (11.00hrs BST); with the second event set to get underway at 15.30hrs local time (14.30hrs BST). Leon Camier: “I saw my osteopath yesterday and he told me that there is some damage to the muscle above my right hip. I’m a little stiff, but it’s not going to affect me on the bike and I’m looking forward to riding this weekend. The Nurburgring hasn’t been particularly lucky for me – I broke my wrist there in 2010 and last year the weather was awful. I like the track, with its ups and downs and it has a few interesting technical places where you have to know what you are doing. I’m not sure how the FIXI Crescent Suzuki will go round there, but we’ve made good progress recently and hopefully we can qualify well and have a good weekend.” John Hopkins: “I don’t have any good memories of the Nürburgring, because the last time I was there in 2009 I was run over on the first lap of race one and got knocked out! What I do remember is that it’s quite a technical circuit, with a bit of everything and also many elevation changes. There’s a mix of fast and twisty corners but I think the FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s chassis should work pretty well there. We’ve had our best races of the season in the last two rounds and I think we’ll continue to get better. I’m going to Nurburgring with the hopes of getting our best results this season and I’ll be doing everything possible to finish both races inside of the top-five.” Jack Valentine – Team Manager: “As well as the Crescent-based team, I know that Yoshimura have been working hard in Japan and I’m looking forward to seeing what improvements they have made. Recently there have been good signs that our hard work is paying off and we can be competitive. If Leon had not been involved in a crash during practice in Russia, he would’ve finished much higher up the grid than the fifth row and would’ve challenged the leaders for sure. Our aim this weekend, as usual, is to have both Leon and John qualify well and take it from there. I feel we haven’t showed our true potential, but I’m looking forward to the Nürburgring and our guys fighting with the leaders.”