From a press release issued by FG Sport Group:

ALL TO PLAY FOR AT WORLD SUPERBIKE FINALE

FINISHING LINE IN SIGHT: New technical and tyre supply regulations have made the 17th season of World Superbike one of the most exciting and closely contested ever. After the latest full drama action, at the penultimate round at Imola on 26 September, three riders enter the final hurdle of the championship race – at the Circuit Nevers Magny Cours in central France – with more than realistic chances of lifting the world title. For Regis Laconi (Ducati Fila), James Toseland (Ducati Fila) and Chris Vermeulen (Ten Kate Honda) the ultimate spoils are very much up for grabs, and even fourth placed rider Noriyuki Haga (Renegade Ducati Koji) has a purely mathematical chance of lifting the title.

TALE OF THE TAPE: One thing is certain this year, on Sunday evening there will be a new name on the World Superbike roll of honour, as none of the top contenders has ever won the SBK series outright before. Leading the championship table is Regis Laconi, who took the title lead back last weekend after the latest of his seven race wins. On 295 points Laconi is also on home turf at Magny Cours. In second place currently, Toseland has found additional pace and mountains of Yorkshire grit in the last few races, and is only four points behind, with a possible 50 for any rider who wins both races. In third place now, after a spectacularly dramatic last race, in which he scored second and sixth after a huge crash in warm up, Chris Vermeulen is still well capable of catching his opponents, aided by his fast four-cylinder machine. His total of 282 is only 13 from the lead. Taking the title seems impossible for Haga now, the Japanese rider being some 41 points behind Laconi. Of the championship contenders, all four are under 30 years old, with Vermeulen 22 and Toseland 23 – a good sign for the future direction of the class.

FRENCH FINALE: Magny Cours, positioned in central France, will provide a magnificent backdrop for the final round. It was the culmination of the season last year, and the 4.411km track is a very well appointed venue, with vast grandstands and a high level of fit and finish. None of the current riders has won at the venue before, adding still more uncertainty to the potential outcome of the races themselves.

CHILI PREPARES: Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) is currently a strong fifth in the title hunt, having dropped out of an early season lead due to the occasional fall and technical problems. The 40-year-old fighter would like nothing more than to sign off this season with his second win.

SIXTH SENSE: Garry McCoy (Ducati Xerox SC 999RS) has been a winner in 2004, and was back to more expected form at Imola, posting a pair of fifth places. He currently enjoys a 15-point advantage over another top Aussie privateer, Steve Martin (DFX Ducati). In the same team as Haga, the Renegade Koji outfit, Briton Leon Haslam has been a podium finisher in 2004 (race two at Oschersleben) and will be out to score a similar level of success on his 999RS.

TRIPLE TWOSOME: Troy Corser and Chris Walker have one more 2004 adventure to play out on the 900cc, three-cylinder Petronas FP-1. The unique machine, with backwards-slanting cylinder heads, reverse exit exhausts and distinctive engine note has pushed each rider to a single podium finish in 2004 so far. Corser currently sits ninth in the championship battle, Walker 11th. Splitting them is the second DFX Ducati of Marco Borciani.

QUICKENING PULSE: In a field of interesting entries, machine diversity will be much in evidence in France. The Bertocchi Kawasaki ZX-10 duo of Mauro Sanchini and Ivan Clementi, with Suzuki represented by the privately entered Zongshen team, on GSX-R1000s ridden by Warwick Nowland and Piergiorgio Bontempi. Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha France R1), Carl Berthlesen, Berto Camlek, Laurent Brian and Giovanni Bussei will be wild card riders in France, as will Polish duo Pawel Szkopec and Andrzej Pawelec.

SUPERSPORT: Karl Muggeridge has been crowned 2004 World Champion for his Ten Kate Honda team one race early, but behind him the competitive Supersport spirit is burning with its usual incandescence. Only three riders have beaten Muggeridge this season, and of those two will be out for win number two at Magny Cours. Jurgen van den Goorbergh (Yamaha Italia R6), is one of them, his team-mate Fabien Foret the other. Third placed rider Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR) could well overtake van den Goorbergh for second, as could current fourth placed rider Sebastien Charpentier (Klaffi Honda CBR600RR). On the entry to the race, van den Goorbergh has 119 points, Parkes 115 and Charpentier 104.

SUPERSTOCK: Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni Yamaha riders Lorenzo Alfonsi and Gianluca Vizziello failed to score any points at the previous round, with Vizziello injured pre-race and Alfonsi suffering a technical problem with his machine. With only the last race to compete in Vizziello leads by 16 points, and despite his extensive right wrist injuries, he is entered for the Magny Cours race. If he does not ride, Alfonsi has to finish second or first to take the title from Vizziello.