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Troy Corser (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) is still trying to find the optimum set-up to match a Monza circuit that is proving to be bumpy and a real test this season. Corser was 12th in Superpole, 1.5 seconds from the winner Bayliss, who set a new track best of 1'44.931.
The weather conditions at Monza have been warm from the outset of first practice, but the 50 degree track temperatures have made the business of set-up complicated for all the teams.
Superpole qualification eluded the rest of Yamaha's main runners, with Team YZF Yamaha rider Shinichi Nakatomi 18th in regulation qualifying, Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha GMT94) was 20th and young American substitute rider Michael Beck (Yamaha GMT94) was 29th, riding in place of the injured David Checa.
Noriyuki Haga (3rd - 1'45.665 - Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) - "We have had problems with the general set up but we have been working hard to improve them through qualifying. Things feel a bit better now. We still need to find a little bit on the main straights. We need to have a bit more top end speed. For tomorrow, we need to make the most of our good starting position and get away with the front group."
Troy Corser (12th - 1'46.496 - Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) - "The bike feels very nervous still, we shortened it a bit in free practice and tried a few other things. Our set-up is not very forgiving right now and the bike flicks you around a bit on the bumps. It's not too bad but we need to find a set-up to push for the whole race. We have one choice of tyre we can use, and the duration is OK. The bump into Ascari was about half the size last year, and I think that's because of the cars pushing it up under braking. We are struggling in a few places on the bumps. We need to get off the line clean tomorrow, stay with them, and see where we end up."
Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team) - "We had a lot of problems at Assen on Friday but like this weekend we got better and better as the race weekend went on. For me, Noriyuki starting on the first row is really important. For sure we are checking and analyzing the data to make some more improvements if possible. For Troy, starting from the third row is not so easy here, but with the slipstream it is less difficult here than some other circuits to pass. We cannot understand why we are slower than last year because the bike is even better this year. We must be positive and for tomorrow I am sure both Noriyuki and Troy will be racing to win."
Shinichi Nakatomi (18th - 1'46.944 seconds - Team YZF Yamaha) - "Today we tried a new setting and it was better right away. I went one second faster but then I had a high side in the final free practice session. Nothing is broken and tomorrow I should be OK. I hope to try and gain some points."
Parkes takes pole at Monza
Yamaha World Supersport Team riders Broc Parkes and Fabien Foret earned front row starts for Sunday's Monza WSS race, with Parkes taking pole and a new track record of 1'49.868 on his Yamaha YZF-R6. It was Parkes' second pole in succession and the third Yamaha pole of the 2008 season. It was also his sixth career pole win. Parkes, carrying elbow, wrist and hand injuries, was unstoppable in the final qualifying session, beating the previous track best of second place qualifier Josh Brookes with the first ever Monza WSS lap under the 1'50 bracket.Foret was just over one second from Parkes' impressive best and fully confident that his pre-race form would be able to be transferred to real race conditions on Sunday.
Massimo Roccoli (Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) made the changes to his machine set up that he knew would be an improvement from those on day one, and subsequently joined Parkes and Foret on the front row, making it three Yamahas in the first four places.
Angel Rodriguez and David Salom (Yamaha Spain World Supersport Team) finished their Monza qualifying sessions 14th and 22nd respectively, finding day two a tough test in such a competitive field of 37 would-be qualifiers.
Broc Parkes (Pole - 1'49.868 - Yamaha World Supersport Team) - "That was a bit of a surprise because from Wednesday to now I have come a long way. I never expected the pole here after suffering some injuries. I knew the bike would be good here, and normally me too, but to get pole is unreal. I'm not sure about running race distance tomorrow, but every day so far I have been getting better, working with the Clinica Mobile. I haven't done many long runs so tomorrow we'll have to see what happens."
Fabien Foret (3rd - 1'50.420 - Yamaha World Supersport Team) - "Not fastest today but I am ready for the race. Taking a front row start was the main thing, and there is nothing wrong with our set-up. Nothing is ever perfect, of course, but we are ready to go. The race here is always like a freight train of people locked together, so I hope to be in this train. If I am, I'm sure I can be strong at the end of the race."
Wilco Zeelenberg (Team Manager, Yamaha World Supersport Team) - "We have to be happy with both riders on the front row and you can't expect more. We were there also in Assen but still we were not that happy after the race, so we should not cheer so loud right now. It will be a tough race; Pitt and Brookes will be there, because they have also done good lap times. But it was good to see that we could do our times here, in the afternoon, on our own, and the others couldn't be as sharp as we were in the warmer temperatures. It is not so easy for Broc but I am happy that he was able to come back and come back so strong. He has another night of rest so we will see how he is in the morning."
Massimo Roccoli (4th - 1'50.533 - Yamaha Team Italia Lorenzini by Leoni) - "Today was very good because we made a new front tyre choice and the bike was completely changed for the better. My best fastest lap was very satisfying, riding with Andrew Pitt. In Monza everyone has the opportunity to slipstream. I think tomorrow my bike and I will be able to fight for the win."
Angel Rodriguez: (14th - 1'51.532 - Yamaha Spain) - "I crashed again during the free session, because I was pushing to go faster and today I had a good engine. The track is amazing, very fast, but here the official bikes are just a bit too strong. Our bike is not bad, but with more acceleration we wouldn't have to take so many risks."
David Salom: (22nd - 1'52.643 - Yamaha Spain) - "I broke an engine after the first lap of qualifying and I had to ride with another for the rest of session. It is not bad but it lacks a little acceleration. We've been working on that. It's a shame, but tomorrow we'll do everything possible to be up ahead."
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