FIM Supersport World Championship Magny Cours, France October 4, 2009 Race Results (all on Pirelli tires): 1. Joan LASCORZ (Kawasaki ZX-6R), 19 laps, 32:21.660 2. Cal CRUTCHLOW (Yamaha YZF-R6), -0.937 second 3. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Honda CBR600RR), -5.910 seconds 4. Anthony WEST (Honda CBR600RR), -20.797 5. Mark AITCHISON (Honda CBR600RR), -20.992 6. Andrew PITT (Honda CBR600RR), -21.232 7. Kenan FUJIWARA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -21.441 8. Massimo ROCCOLI (Honda CBR600RR), -23.539 9. Matthieu LAGRIVE (Honda CBR600RR), -24.654 10. Michele PIRRO (Yamaha YZF-R6), -35.848, crash 11. Olivier FOUR (Honda CBR600RR), -36.243, crash 12. Miguel PRAIA (Honda CBR600RR), -36.803 13. Eugene LAVERTY (Honda CBR600RR), -52.022, crash 14. Kevin COGHLAN (Yamaha YZF-R6), -55.274 15. Arie VOS (Honda CBR600RR), -55.831 20. Barry VENEMAN (Honda CBR600RR), -25.198 seconds, DNF, retired 21. Michael LAVERTY (Honda CBR600RR), -1 lap, DNF, crash 23. Garry MCCOY (Triumph Daytona 675), -6 laps, DNF, retired 26. Fabien FORET (Yamaha YZF-R6), -13 laps, DNF, crashed 28. Chaz DAVIES (Triumph Daytona 675), -16 laps, DNF, retired World Championship Point Standings (after 13 of 14 races): 1. Crutchlow, 230 points 2. Eugene Laverty, 211 3. Sofuoglu, 169 4. Lascorz, 163 5. West, 117 6. Foret, 115 7. Pitt, 114 8. TIE, Aitchison/McCoy, 82 10. TIE, Roccoli/Fujiwara, 70 More, from a press release issued by Parkalgar Honda: Eugene down but not out PARKALGAR HONDA’S Eugene Laverty crashed, remounted and bravely finished 13th at today’s 13th round of the World Supersport Championship at Magny Cours in France to keep his title hopes alive – he is 19-points behind Championship leader Cal Crutchlow with only one round remaining and a maximum of 25-points for the win still up for grabs. Eugene had been challenging eventual winner Juan Lascorz on a Kawasaki for the lead of the race and was in second place at mid-race distance when he crashed. Miguel Praia finished 12th on his Parkalgar Honda. He will be going for a better result in the final round of the Championship at his and the team’s home state-of-the-art track at Portimao in Portugal on 23rd 25th October (to book tickets in advance, visit http://www.autodromodoalgarve.com/). Eugene: “That was not what we wanted from today. I had been cruising behind Cal and when I passed him I was leading the Championship on track. Overnight the team had made changes and improved the bike significantly so we knew we would be in with a chance. I wanted to put Lascorz between us but the fuel load had dropped and it caught me out. Usually I have a few warnings and put more weight on the front but this time I had none and down I went. I got back on but the right lower fairing was dragging through the corners and slowing me down on the straights. I am not hurt but I am disappointed, however, it is not over yet and now we will go to our home track at Portimao and we have got to win either-way – who knows what will happen. We still have a shot at the title and want to win at our home circuit in Portugal.” Miguel: “My start was not so bad but I was blocked at the last hairpin by another rider out-braking himself and then lost four places on the opening lap. In the beginning I couldn’t do the lap times I expected but after half distance I was comfortable and able to go faster. We are 15th in the Championship now which was our start of season goal which is good. I have higher hopes for the final round at my home track and have a big expectation for that race at Portimao; it is going to be great and I would encourage everyone to book their tickets now.” Simon Buckmaster, Parkalgar Honda Team Manager: “That was turning into a great race and everyone was pushing hard when Eugene slid off. Last weekend it was Cal, this weekend it was us. It isn’t over yet though and while we are disappointed not to win today we will go to our home track at Portimao with the clear intention of winning the race and seeing what happens Eugene was down today but he is not out of the running. Miguel didn’t get going quick enough but his lap times at the end were good 12th is still a strong result for him and solid points. Well done to the whole Parkalgar Honda team, everyone gave their all this weekend and I am proud of them.” More, from a press release issued by HANNspree Ten Kate Honda: Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Kenan Sofuoglu finished third in today’s 13th round World Supersport championship race at Magny-Cours in France. The Turkish rider followed race winner Joan Lascorz and series leader Cal Crutchlow across the line. Starting from second place on the grid, Sofuoglu got a good start but was pushed wide as the World Supersport pack headed on to the Magny-Cours back straight for the first time. He was dropped to eighth place but had fought his way back to third when the race was stopped two laps early because of oil on the circuit. The red flag did no favours to Sofuoglu’s team-mate, Andrew Pitt, however, who was in fourth place when the race was stopped. Under FIM regulations, the results go back to the lap before the red flags were shown, when Pitt was sixth. Kenan Sofuoglu 3rd My start was OK but then Crutchlow forced me off the track on the back straight and I nearly crashed. I don’t think it was deliberate but I had to fight my way back from there. I made some mistakes and didn’t really have the pace to challenge the riders ahead of me so third was the best I could do. We will try to come back strong at the final round in Portimao and finished the season with a win. Andrew Pitt 6th The red flags didn’t exactly come out at the right time for me. I’d been in a good battle with West and Aitchison and had just got past them and was making a bit of a break when they stopped the race. We still have some problems with stability entering the turns and the rear trying to push the bike straight on. Because of that, I was struggling to match the pace of the guys up front but the bike is still a heap better than it was a few races back. Ronald ten Kate team manager Of course, we were hoping for a better result but we are satisfied with Kenan’s podium and Andrew’s strong race. We have definitely made another step forward this weekend and we want to carry that progress forward to the final race in Portugal and into the start of next season. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha: Crutchlow takes a big step towards the championship title at Magny Cours Yamaha World Supersport rider Cal Crutchlow stepped closer to taking the 2009 World Supersport championship title today, increasing his lead over rival Eugene Laverty in another Supersport race marred by incident. Crutchlow started well from his pole position on the grid, momentarily taking first going into the second lap before dropping to second again behind Lascorz with a comfortable pace below his proven race pace. Rival Laverty came past on the second lap before going wide a lap later allowing Crutchlow back through along with his team mate Foret. Laverty then came back through, but low sided on lap 12, rejoining in 15th position. Crutchlow then began to close in on Lascorz, and was gaining ground for a pass when the race was red flagged with another rider dropping oil, giving the win to Lascorz. Crutchlow’s team mate Fabien Foret had a frustrating race day. Having shown excellent race pace all weekend Foret started well in the race, moving up from his sixth position start he quickly moved through the field, capitalizing on a mistake from Laverty to reach as high as third before crashing out on lap five after losing the front end going into a tight right hander. Crutchlow goes to Portimao for the final race on 230 points, leading rival Laverty by 19. Team mate Foret heads to the final round in sixth place on 115 points, just two points behind fifth placed rider Anthony West with 117. Cal Crutchlow, Yamaha World Supersport Team (2nd) “It was a good enough race in the end, I felt like I could have won it, and it was about time we had some more luck. Eugene crashed but he was no real problem during the race, the pace was really slow and I knew I could go to low 1’41s towards the end of the race if I needed to. We did what we needed to do, and we got a good second place which was nice. The team has worked really hard, so we’re all looking to keep it going for the next one at Portimao.” Fabien Foret, Yamaha World Supersport Team, (DNF) “I’m obviously very disappointed because I think I had a good pace to do a good race, unfortunately I had an issue going into the corner and unfortunately crashed out. I think I could definitely have got to a good podium finish so it’s a real shame. I’m going to look forward to the final round in Portimao and see if I can get up to fifth in the championship.” Wilco Zeelenberg, Yamaha World Supersport Team Manager “What a race, it was unbelievable. A really exciting one to watch, the guys were really riding for the championship the first few laps. Cal was very tight and relaxed, and we saw Eugene crashed after losing the front when pushing on. I think Cal was quite relieved after that as he immediately went half a second faster and continued to be consistent. Lascorz was very fast, and although Cal was catching him I was really happy when the red flag came out and the race was stopped, two or three guys crashed out which brought Eugene up to 12th from 15th. We have to stay very sharp, a 19 point lead is great but it’s not done yet. I feel really sorry for Fabien, he did a really good job in the first couple of laps, he’s definitely back in his old shape, unfortunately as he shifted to second going into the corner the gearbox jumped out of second and he lost the front. It wasn’t his fault so we have to see if he touched the lever or something. He deserved to get a better result today but I think he can be proud of what he did.” More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Lascorz Takes Superb First Ninja ZX-6R Win WSS, Magny Cours, France, 4 October 2009 Joan Lascorz took Kawasaki’s first World Supersport race victory of the year at Magny-Cours, winning what was eventually a 19-lap race after a great front running display. Lascorz had just missed pole position but his race pace was such that although some riders challenged his supremacy early on, none could quite stay with him at the finish. Cal Crutchlow was riding one second or so behind Joan when the red flags came out, because of an oil spill with two laps remaining. The the results was taken back to the previous lap, leaving Joan the winner by 0.937 from Crutchlow, with Kenan Sofuoglu third. This was Kawasaki’s first win in WSS since Fabien Foret took a victory at Phillip Island in 2007, and it was also Kawasaki’s eighth win in this category since it became a full FIM World Championship. Katsuaki Fujiwara could have had an even better result than the strong seventh he recorded today, as he felt he could get to the front of a battling group of riders who disputed what was to be fourth place. In taking his first place today Lascorz moved to within six points of third place in the overall rankings, while Katsuaki now shares the same points total with Massimo Roccoli, but is classified 11th to Roccoli’s 10th. The next – and final – round is at Portimao, on October 25. Joan Lascorz: “We have all been working for this for a long time, so I really want to dedicate it to my team and Kawasaki, who have helped to make this happen. Our bike has been really good all weekend, and we are even now preparing the bike for next year, when I am sure there will be a big improvement again. The bike was very constant today and it even felt better at the end of the race than it did at the start. The braking felt easy this race and that helped me defend in corners as well as attack. Next race is Portimao and I am looking forward to it.” Katsuaki Fujiwara: “A good result for me and even more for our team today. All the team was working well and congratulations to Joan, who has been close to a win many times and now he has it. I was riding comfortably in the group and if we had the final few laps we lost because of the red flag, I am sure we could have been even better.” More, from a press release issued by ParkinGO Triumph BE1 Racing: It was a day to forget for team ParkinGo Triumph BE1 Racing as both riders had to retire from the race due to the same damage, i.e. heat exchanger failure in the water/oil cooling system. The problem prevented both Garry McCoy and Chaz Davies from scoring another good result as they were having a very good racing pace, which probably would have enabled them to fight for the top 5. The young Brit was forced to retire after only three laps, while Gaz McCoy did the same after thirteen. The team’s goal for the next and last round is now to end the season with a good result in three weeks time at Portimao. GARRY McCOY | Triumph Daytona 675 | retired: “I realized I was having a problem after the start because the bike was not performing as it did yesterday and this obviously gave the opponents an advantage in the sections where pure power is essential. I decided nonetheless to race on, maybe grab some points but halfway into the race I had to retire”. CHAZ DAVIES | Triumph Daytona 675 | retired: “I’m sure that without the damage, I would’ve repeated the Imola performance. I was recovering many positions and wasn’t that far away from the leading pack. I’ll make it up in the next and last round and hopefully finish in style”.