How Latin Americans Did At Infineon Sunday Defending FMV Venezuelan Superbike Champion and FIM Latin American Superbike Champion Robertino Pietri of Venezuela finished ninth in the AMA Superstock race on a Suzuki GSX-R1000. He is currently 10th in AMA Superstock Championship points. Former BQR Honda and Repsol Honda 250cc Grand Prix rider Martin Cardenas of Colombia finished 12th in the AMA Supersport race on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Dirk Sanchez of Mexico finished 27th in the AMA Supersport race on a Suzuki GSX-R600. Sanchez finished 17th in the AMA Formula Xtreme race. Former FMV Venezuelan Superbike Champion Fernando Amantini of Venezuela finished 33rd in the AMA Supersport race on a Kawasaki ZX-6R. Carlos Rodrigues of Venezuela did not qualify for the Supersport race; he was 46th fastest in Supersport qualifying on a Kawasaki ZX-6R, but the race is limited to the 44 fastest qualifiers.

Team Yoshimura Suzuki rider Joshua Waters gave Suzuki’s 2007-model GSX-R600 a stunning maiden win at round five of the Australian Supersport Championship at Launceston’s Symmons Plains Raceway at the weekend. With a crowd of 5000 attending the Tasmanian event, Waters claimed a dominant 5.188sec win over defending Australian Supersport Champion Jamie Stauffer in the second of the day’s two 20-lap Supersport races, moving to third overall in the eight-round national series. It may well have been a double race win for the 20-year-old, as he held the early lead in the opening Supersport race when it was red-flagged by race officials. A slow start by Waters in the restarted opening race saw him finish a determined fourth as he chased the leading group, the combined points from the two races giving the Victorian second overall for the round. Waters joined Team Yoshimura Suzuki at the start of the 2007 season; Sunday’s win was the first for the ex-Australian 125GP Champion in his new colours and the first for the Suzuki GSX-R600K7 in what was only its sixth race meeting for the team. There was further success for Team Yoshimura Suzuki in the Superbike class where Craig Coxhell finished the round third overall on his GSX-R1000K7 after recording two second placings in the two 20-lap Superbike races. Coxhell, the 2003 Australian Superbike Champion, finished just 1.050sec adrift of reigning champion Jamie Stauffer after a spirited charge in the closing laps of race one. In race two, the 24-year-old was again second, 1.906sec behind race winner Glenn Allerton. The Victorian’s results were all the more impressive as unlike his opposition he had not raced at the daunting 2.41km Symmons Plains circuit previously. It was only Coxhell’s second race meeting on the new 2007 Suzuki GSX-R1000, which he debuted at the previous round of the series at South Australia’s Mallala circuit with a race win and new lap record. Three times Australian Superbike Champion Shawn Giles carded two top-10 results at Symmons Plains – eighth in race one and ninth in race two – although the experienced Giles admitted it was taking longer for him to find a confident set-up on the new 2007 bike than he would have liked. Team Yoshimura Suzuki satellite rider Robbie Bugden recorded ninth and seventh placings to end the round eighth overall on his 2006-model Suzuki GSX-R1000 Superbike and give the team three riders in the top nine for the round. Phil Tainton – Team Manager: “It’s been a good weekend for us and I’m extremely happy with the results – a race win for Josh in the Supersport class on the GSX-R600 and two podiums for the new 2007 GSX-R1000K7 in only its second race meeting. “Josh rode two great races in the Supersport Championship on a bike that’s still being developed and now that he’s got that first win under his belt I’m sure there are more to come. “Craig’s two second placings on a circuit he’d never raced at before was a superb effort too and backs up his results at the previous round at Mallala. We only got the race-kit parts for Craig’s and Shawn’s 2007 bikes a few days before that Mallala meeting so it’s still early days for the GSX-R1000K7. “Congratulations to Jamie Stauffer and Glenn Allerton on their Superbike race wins today. Joshua Waters: “That win in race two was just the best feeling – not just for me, but I was so happy for the team. The guys made some minor changes to the bike’s set-up after the first race and I had a fresher rear tyre in the second. Once I got in front I was confident I could stay there as I knew the bike was strong. “My bike had good speed all weekend and I was able to brake late because it was so stable, two things that are important on this circuit. To have jumped to third in the points with three rounds still remaining is a position I’m happy with, especially as it’s the first season for the Suzuki GSX-R600. There’s more to come, I’m sure.” Craig Coxhell: “I’m happy to come away with two strong results on a track I haven’t raced at before, but in some ways I’m a bit disappointed too as I thought we could have taken the win. On the slow-down lap after the last race I actually thought I’d won the meeting overall with two second placings and it was only when I got back to the pits I found out I’d missed out by two points. “The pace was really hot in the opening laps of the second race and I couldn’t stick with the front guys when I had a full fuel load as I couldn’t brake as hard as I wanted to. Once the fuel burned off I could up the pace and chase them down, and then when Dan and Jamie ran wide at the hairpin, I said ‘Thank you, I’ll take that’. “I’ve quite enjoyed this circuit, and trying to go through the fast sweeper on full throttle is a real challenge on a Superbike. I managed it on my qualifying lap, which was pretty exciting.” Shawn Giles: “It’s good to come away with points in both races, but I’m disappointed with my results. I had some problems getting a fast lap in qualifying and that put me back on row three for both races. “My bike had good speed all weekend and I can’t say enough about the team. But starting from row three was always going to be difficult at this circuit as it’s pretty much single file through the first three corners. “The Superbike class is so competitive this year, and less than a second covered the top 11 riders in qualifying. It’s difficult if you don’t get away in the leading group. The 2007 bike is quite a bit different to the 2006 bike I raced in the first three rounds and it’s a matter of setting it up to suit my riding style. It’s taking a little longer than I’d like, but we’re heading in the right direction.” Robbie Budgen: “It’s been a consistent weekend and I guess eighth overall for the round isn’t too bad. I was the only rider in the top 10 who didn’t attend the recent Superbike test session at the circuit, so we were playing a bit of catch-up on bike set-up. “I was happier with my second race and seventh in that one – and I was only five points off fifth overall for the round. The pace was pretty hot today, as a new lap record shows.” 2007 AUSTRALIAN SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP: Superbike Overall Results: 1 Glenn Allerton, 2 Jamie Stauffer, 3 Craig Coxhell (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 4 Dan Stauffer, 5 Scott Charlton, 6 Russell Holland, 7 Wayne Maxwell, 8 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 9 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000), 10 Chris Seaton. Superbike Championship Points (after 5 of 8 rounds): 1 Jamie Stauffer 235, 2 Daniel Stauffer 185, 3 Craig Coxhell (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 175, 4 Glenn Allerton 169, 5 Wayne Maxwell 140, 6 Shawn Giles (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 132, 7 Shannon Johnson 126, 8 Scott Charlton 118. 9 Russell Holland 117, 10 Robbie Bugden (Suzuki GSX-R1000) 100. Supersport Overall Results: 1 Jamie Stauffer, 2 Joshua Waters (Suzuki GSX-R600), 3 Jason O’Halloran, 4 Russell Holland, 5 Sam Smith, 6 Gareth Jones, 7 Jeremy Crowe, 5, 8 Nick Henderson, 9 Chris Trounson, 10 Wayne Maxwell. Supersport Championship Points (after 5 of 8 rounds): 1 Jason O’Halloran 224, 2 Jamie Stauffer 211, 3 Joshua Waters (Suzuki GSX-R600) 176, 4 Jeremy Crowe 169, 5 Russell Holland 168, 6 Gareth Jones 109, 7 Wayne Maxwell 104, 8 Bryan Staring 97, 9 Chris Seaton 94, 10 Mick Kelly 93. More, from a press release issued by Yamaha Australia: Stauffer on song at Symmons Plains for Yamaha After a wet and wild start to its Symmons Plains weekend, the Yamaha Racing Team has delivered a solid showing of results in both premier classes, with Jamie Stauffer taking the Supersport round win and coming a close second in Superbikes. Friday’s free practice sessions saw riders take to the track in extremely wet conditions, with many opting to wait out the deluge in the garages before chasing a setup. Having tested at the Tasmanian circuit prior to the round, the Yamaha Racing Team was confident its race machines, the dominant R1 and R6, were on song and risked little, setting a few “banker” laps across the course of the day but holding off their biggest attack for qualifying. And attack they did, with Dan Stauffer putting his hand up for a deserved Superbike pole position and Jason O’Halloran maintaining his electrifying form for the number one grid position in Supersport. Yamaha Racing Team Superbike Jamie Stauffer has today put the equivalent of an entire round worth of championship points between himself and second place in the YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship title hunt, rounding out the weekend to finish on equal points as the eventual round victor. The points system favours the winner of the second and final race of the event, therefore Stauffer was forced to take a back seat to Glenn Allerton, after the pair recorded 1-4 and 4-1 race finishes respectively. Stauffer headed into Sunday nursing a slight soreness from a spectacular qualifying crash, but was determined not to use it as an excuse. From second place on the grid he rode a smooth opening race to take the win, pleased with the ability of his R1 to put the power down strongly and handly equally as well through the tight corners. He fought a close battle with his brother and rival manufacturer frontrunners for much of the second race, and was disappointed to have his late charge thwarted by a backmarker, having to settle for 4th. “The opening race was pretty good, I knew the bike had some good pace and I sat with Dan there for a while, mirroring what he was doing as he was having a great race,” said Stauffer. “I coasted around before making the move for first and brought it home, it all came together in the second half of the race for Yamaha and Dan was unlucky to lose out to Craig Coxhell there for second.” “The second race didn’t really go to plan, I’d gotten off to an average start and was reeling in the leaders but ended up having my run slowed in the last few laps so there was no opportunity to give the win a shot.” “It was a good weekend however and to stretch the championship lead to an even round (50 points) is a good position to be in.” Dan Stauffer had one of his most competitive showings of the year, beginning with a fantastic pole position after a day of trying conditions and uncertainty as to the track’s condition. He got away to a good start in the first race and found himself leading the pack for a number of laps, with brother Jamie shadowing his every move. Pacesetter and pioneer lap after lap, Dan revealed post-race that he had pushed the rear tyre to the limit and after falling back to third he had little grip to push ahead with. He crossed the line in third in race 1, and recorded an identical result in the second and final race of the day to finish in 4th overall for the weekend, adding a valuable 37 points to his championship standings. “It was a pretty good weekend, starting off very well with the pole position and we really showed some good pace there, enjoying a few good fights at the front,” said Stauffer. “I pushed quite hard at the beginning of both races and it probably hurt me in the long run, I might have given the tyres too much of a hard time there but Dunlop certainly gave us a good package to work with.” “Full credit to the team for a good result once again, it’s good to be up at the pointy end of the standings and still firmly in second place on the home run in the championship.” Yamaha Racing Team Supersport The Yamaha Racing Team’s Supersport trio was once again leading the charge on track this weekend, with pole position, a race win and the eventual round win all claimed by the dominant factory R6 machine. Jason O’Halloran, the form rider and championship leader got off to the best possible start, snaring pole position from Jamie Stauffer by less than a tenth of a second. This intriguing internal battle continued on track, with O’Halloran and Stauffer dicing for the race lead, both strong under brakes and producing some close and spectacular racing. Stauffer eventually found a way past, and took the race 1 win by just over a second from O’Halloran. The battle raged again in race 2, but the Yamaha duo found themselves bumped down a position by a determined Josh Waters who was the runaway winner, Stauffer second, O’Halloran finishing in third. In terms of the round, Stauffer’s 1st and 2nd placings handed him the overall Supersport win, his first for the year, and O’Halloran rounded out the podium in third. While disappointed to see his win streak come to an end, O’Halloran was pleased he had not lost much ground in his championship campaign and was looking forward to a competitive showing at Queensland Raceway. “Everyone worked really hard at it this weekend but we just weren’t quite good enough,” explained O’Halloran. “It was great to start on pole but I didn’t quite have the race pace hold on for a win, Jamie was strong under brakes in a number of corners a and managed to slip by me.” “It was a competitive class this weekend and some really tight corners and short areas to get the power down meant I was giving the rear tyre a real workout, two third placings is fairly good and means I am still leading the championship by 13 points.” After taking his maiden Supersport round win at Symmons Plains in 2006, Jeremy Crowe was confident heading into the weekend, but understandably deflated this afternoon after having struggled to make an impression on the race leaders across the course of the day. He finished race 1 in 5th place and race 2 in 9th, unable to find a rhythm and getting few opportunities to break through the tight battle pack. “It wasn’t really my weekend, the bike was running well and I went into the round pretty confident after the test and of course last year’s round win but just couldn’t find the pace to catch the front guys,” said Crowe. “It’s disappointing to drop a place in the series standings but there’s still lots of opportunities to make this back, I’m looking forward to heading up to Queensland in the next few weeks and chasing a good balance on the R6 in the initial tests.” 2007 YMF Loan Australian Superbike Championship Rnd 5,Symmons Plains Raceway, Tasmania Superbike 1. Glenn ALLERTON, 42 2. Jamie STAUFFER, 42 3. Craig COXHELL, 40 4. Daniel STAUFFER, 37 5. Scott CHARLTON, 31 6. Russell HOLLAND, 29 7. Wayne MAXWELL, 29 8. Robert BUGDEN, 26 9. Shawn GILES, 25 10. Christopher SEATON, 21 Supersport 1. Jamie STAUFFER, 45 2. Joshua WATERS, 42 3. Jason O’HALLORAN, 39 4. Russell HOLLAND, 35 5. Sam SMITH, 31 6. Gareth JONES, 29 7. Jeremy CROWE, 28 8. Nick HENDERSON, 26 9. Chris TROUNSON, 22 10. Wayne MAXWELL, 22 Current championship points after Round 5 of 8 Superbike 1. Jamie STAUFFER, 235 2. Daniel STAUFFER, 185 3. Craig COXHELL, 175 4. Glenn ALLERTON, 169 5. Wayne MAXWELL, 140 6. Shawn GILES, 132 7. Shannon JOHNSON, 126 8. Scott CHARLTON, 118 9. Russell HOLLAND, 117 10. Robert BUGDEN, 100 Supersport 1. Jason O’HALLORAN, 224 2. Jamie STAUFFER, 211 3. Joshua WATERS, 176 4. Jeremy CROWE, 169 5. Russell HOLLAND, 168 6. Gareth JONES, 109 7. Wayne MAXWELL, 104 8. Bryan STARING, 97 9. Christopher SEATON, 94 10. Mick KELLY, 93

VERY POSITIVE TEST SESSION FOR MELANDRI AND ELIAS AT LE MANS After the success of yesterday with Marco Melandri storming to the second step of the podium in a dramatic race which was interrupted by rain. Today the Gresini Honda riders came back to work for a 2-day test session at Le Mans. TONI ELIAS (58 laps, 1’35″2): “Today the weather conditions were changeable. We needed to test on dry so we waited the sun to start some tyre testing. We also worked on chassis and suspensions to improve the setting of the bike. I’m happy, we are working in the right direction and Bridgestone is helping us a lot”. MARCO MELANDRI (66 laps, 1’35″7): “This morning we completed around 20 laps on wet, then, in the afternoon when the track started to dry, we tested different fork solutions to improve the feeling with the front. I’m satisfied, tomorrow we will confirm the work done and we will do some tyre testing”. More, from a press release issued by Marlboro Ducati: UNCERTAIN WEATHER AFTER FRENCH GP BUT STONER AND CAPIROSSI HAPPY WITH TODAY’S TESTING After yesterday’s rain-lashed French GP uncertain weather conditions kept everyone guessing until 4.30pm when finally the sun came out at Le Mans today. This morning was cloudy and the track was still damp from overnight rain and though the circuit did start to dry another sprinkling of rain threatened to ruin the Ducati Marlboro Team’s test schedule. From 4pm track conditions were good enough for Casey Stoner and Loris Capirossi to complete today’s test program that included evaluation of a new generation of Bridgestone front and rear tyres. The Ducati Marlboro Team is next back on track at its home GP – the Alice Italian Grand Prix at Mugello – from June 1 to June 3. Casey Stoner ( 44 laps) Best lap: 1’35.037 “This morning it looked like the weather was going to make fun of us again and I really think we had already had enough rain yesterday! Finally the track dried out and we were able to complete the tests we had planned. We focused on testing tyres, found several that we like and gave the Bridgestone technicians our feedback so that we can make the best possible preparations for Mugello, which is one of my favourite racetracks”. Loris Capirossi ( 53 laps) Best lap: 1’35.401 “I’m happy with today’s testing. We tried several fronts and rears and we found out some very interesting things. We also worked on engine mapping and traction control, making useful steps forward that make me confident for Mugello. I love Mugello because it suits my riding style a lot better than Le Mans. I have always had good results at the Italian GP and I want to keep that going this year.”

Bridgestone MotoGP: French GP Debrief Q+A with Hiroshi Yamada – Bridgestone Motorsport – Manager Motorcycle Sport Bridgestone riders continued to excel in this season’s MotoGP championship with Suzuki’s Chris Vermeulen storming to a dominant maiden GP victory in torrential rain conditions in Sunday’s French GP at Le Mans. Using full wet Bridgestone tyres for the first time in race conditions, Honda Gresini’s Marco Melandri finished a valiant runner-up to claim his first podium of the year, while Casey Stoner was able to extend his lead at the head of the riders’ championship table with a fine third place. With Pramac d’Antin’s Alex Hofmann hassling the front runners for fifth place, four of its teams finished in the top five to cap a strong weekend on French territory for Bridgestone. How do you feel with the fourth win in five races on Bridgestone tyres, Mr. Yamada? “It was an exciting, but hectic GP with the rain getting heavy ten minutes into the race, and we are proud to have seen our tyres play such a vital role in the final result. It was an unusual race but I am pleased we could demonstrate a solid performance with our latest generation of wet weather tyres. It was a fantastic achievement by Chris and Marco and they thoroughly deserved their results. Half way through the race they were at least two seconds a lap quicker than everyone else which was probably the key to their results. Casey also produced a composed ride to take third and extend his championship lead, which is fantastic.” It was the first ever victory for Bridgestone in a wet MotoGP race, did the performance of the wet tyres surprise you? “We have worked a lot on our wet weather tyre development since last year and it was satisfying to see that our work has paid off. We have never won a MotoGP race in the wet before, so it was something of a landmark achievement for Bridgestone. After Chris, Marco and Casey, we also saw Alex Hofmann produce an outstanding ride to fifth while John Hopkins and Loris Capirossi also finished in the top eight, so it was a good all-round achievement.” Did you have any expectations for the race based on the performance of the tyres in dry conditions? “We started the race weekend with some uncertainty over the weather conditions but all practice sessions were held in dry conditions, so we were able to evaluate our range of tyre specifications reasonably uninterrupted. The opening practice session was quite difficult because the track was slippery and the afternoon session was cut short due to a small shower but in the end this did not impact on our work. Saturday morning enabled us to finish evaluating the soft and medium rear tyre specifications that we brought to Le Mans and the results seemed promising.” Was there a big difference in performance between the two options? “Both specifications of tyre worked well, showed good levels of grip and durability and produced good lap times. Saturday saw a big fluctuation in track temperature. According to our calculations the track temperature was 20 degrees warmer in the afternoon session compared to the morning, which resulted in quicker lap times on race tyres in the qualifying session, but both medium and soft rears still performed well. We went into Sunday confident that in our slick race tyre options whatever the conditions.” Bridgestone has worked with the Suzuki team since 2004, do you feel a sense of pride at their recent results? “Yes, this is our fourth season working with Suzuki and it has been very pleasing to see them in the middle of the action at each GP. John and Chris both got pole positions last year but this year has seen the Suzuki-Bridgestone package really step up a level and it has been great to see them get such outstanding results. John’s podium in China was long overdue and Chris’s win in Le Mans on Sunday was impressive. I am hopeful that our tyres can help them achieve equally competitive performances for the remainder of the season, but for now, congratulations to them for their first win since switching to our tyres.”

The 2007 World Supersport Championship heads to the UK for the seventh round of the series at Silverstone this weekend. HANNspree Ten Kate Honda has led the championship from round one and as the series approaches the halfway point, the team’s aim is to remain at the top of the standings. Following another stunning performance at Monza, Kenan Sofuoglu leads the Supersport contingent with a huge 58-point advantage over his nearest rival. The Turkish rider now has six podium finishes and five race wins under his belt, but he knows that he must continue to be consistent in order to maintain his lead. With this in mind, Sofuoglu’s aim for Silverstone is another podium finish. The first half of the season has been less fortunate for team-mate Sébastien Charpentier, whose run of bad luck has seen him crash out of three races. However, the Frenchman is still determined to prove that he is as fit as ever as he prepares for the seventh round at Silverstone. Charpentier won the race at the British track in 2006 so the team has high hopes that he can achieve the same this year. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “Kenan is definitely riding on a high at the moment. It may look easy from the outside but we know how much effort is going in from him and his crew. Last year Silverstone was the worst track for Kenan but this season everything seems to be different for him so we are definitely aiming for the podium. We are also hoping that some good luck is coming for Sébastien. He has proven at Assen and Monza that he definitely has the speed in him but we’ve got too get some good race results to move onwards in the championship.” Kenan Sofuoglu “Although I have a good lead, I am keeping my focus and I will not let it affect the way that I race. There is no way that I can be complacent because I know that anything can happen and we are still only halfway through the season. I am looking forward to Silverstone. My results last year were not so good, but it was my first year and I didn’t know what to expect. This year I know the track a little better and I am certainly aiming to improve on 20th place! As always, my overall aim is consistency so anything in the top three would be ideal.” Sébastien Charpentier “The season has not gone well for me so far, but I am determined to improve the situation at Silverstone. It is a good track for me – I have had pole position and race wins there for the past two years – so hopefully I can make it a hat-trick. I also hold the best lap record and the Superpole lap record. I enjoy racing there and I just really hope that I can get some good results for the team.”

World Superbike Championship Round seven: Silverstone, UK Monday 21 May 2007 Event preview As the 2007 World Superbike Championship title chase reaches the midway point at Silverstone this weekend, the already fierce competition is set to become even tougher as the front runners up their game. The second British round of the series is sure to be yet another weekend of incredibly close and thrilling racing. Isle of Man resident James Tosleand is determined to keep a firm grasp on his championship advantage as he races in front of his home crowd. The 26-year-old is currently 32 points clear of his nearest rival Noriyuki Haga at the top of the standings. However, Toseland is well aware that consistency is the key to victory and he must continue the strong form he has shown so far in order to reclaim the prestigious title. Team-mate Roberto Rolfo proved that he is a serious championship contender after an impressive performance at Monza. The Italian rider secured his best position of the series so far with a fourth place finish ahead of his fellow countryman Max Biaggi. He hopes to better this performance at Silverstone and is aiming for the podium. Ronald ten Kate, Team Manager: “We are coming to Silverstone with high hopes despite last year’s results, where we only managed to get two third places with James. His racing pace last year was quite good and now that we have the traction control I think the result can be better. James is still riding well and there should be no lack of motivation in front of his home crowd. Roberto Rolfo has definitely picked up the pace. It started at Assen with his best result of the season and continued at Monza. A little disaster stuck in race one that kept him off the podium, but he showed in race two that he is more than capable of running at the front. We are hoping to carry this on at Silverstone.” James Toseland: “I got two podiums at Silverstone last year and I am definitely looking to equal that this year. Of course I am aiming for the double win – that is always the aim – but to get it in front of the home crowd would be awesome. I have come so close this year, but each time it has just been out of my reach. Anyway, whatever happens I know I will enjoy the racing because the home events are always good. I just hope I can give the fans what they want.” Roberto Rolfo: “After Monza I feel like we have finally found a set-up that I feel comfortable with. The feeling on the bike was great and I was able to contend with the front runners for the first time this year. I am happy with the progress I have made over the last couple of rounds and I want to thank the team once again for their support and the way they have really listened to my needs. I am looking forward to racing at Silverstone and can’t wait to get out on the track.”