Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) did enough during a tough Imola race day to earn his, Aprilia’s and Italy’s first Riders’ World Championship in WSBK. Biaggi had to work hard for his title on home soil, finishing in 11th place in race one and enduring another dramatic race to fifth that finally gave him the title. Once his only title rival, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), was forced out of race two at mid-race distance Biaggi did not need to finish to be crowned champion, but he crossed the line fifth in any case, to the roars of the 69,000 strong weekend crowd. Biaggi now has 413 points to Haslam’s 350, with one round and a maximum of only 50 points remaining.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) won both Imola races, the first after a race-long fight, the second after breaking away early. He is now only 14 points behind the injured Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in the fight for an eventual third place, with Rea not racing today and also not sure if he will be racing in the final round or not. Cal Crutchlow is in overall fifth, 35 points behind Checa, posting tenth and third places today. Haga’s double podium today puts him one point behind Crutchlow, in sixth. James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) is seventh, but only three points up on Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) due to two crashes and non-finishes today.
Raceday in Italy was all about Biaggi and Aprilia, but in one way the job is not quite finished, as the Manufacturers’ Championship is still to be decided at the final round, with Aprilia currently 41 points ahead of Ducati.
Max Biaggi: “I’m so happy, it’s a big emotion through all my body. This is fantastic. It’s like a dream come true, I never stopped to dream to make it happen. It was always in my mind. In fair conditions I expected it myself, OK this year we at Aprilia did a good job, there are tough riders out there, I don’t want to take anything away from them, some are more consistent than others but they are all fast and this championship is very competitive. I had so many problems in race 1, off the track, on the track, the bike sideways but I didn’t crash. It was very tough, for sure we didn’t get the best set-up here at Imola, it’s not an easy track but I never stopped to try. In race 2 we changed the bike and I attacked from the first lap. This is a really great day for me, for all my team, for Aprilia Alitalia, my sponsors, everyone who supported us to make this dream come true. We really made it happen.”
Race 1
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) put in a cool-headed win despite great pressure from eventual fifth place man Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) in the final few laps. Haslam ran on trying to pass Checa into the first Rivazza corner of the final lap, and dropped back as a result, allowing Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) to finish second and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) to go third. Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Aprilia) was fourth and long-time race leader from pole, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), was sixth, ten seconds down on the winner. Haslam was fifth.
Carlos Checa: “Fantastic race, we struggled yesterday for qualifying in the wet but today it was more hard for the Ducatis and the top guys because it’s not easy trying to pass and everyone is going fast in the beginning. I didn’t want to make any mistake. Right to the very end I was pushing quite strong, at the end I didn’t expect Haslam to push so strong. I saw him braking very late, but I was able to have a clean track and finish a special and nice victory. This was like a home race for the team so a big race for them.”
Lorenzo Lanzi: “Today was a very beautiful day for me, an Italian on the podium so fantastic. My team have worked very well this weekend, conditions were difficult, rain no rain, so it was very strange. Yesterday in Superpole I worked a lot because I wanted to finish on the podium in the race, which is important for next year. I was in the lead for a few laps, which was very good, It’s been so long I don’t remember what it’s like!
Noriyuki Haga: “It’s a very good result after a really tough race, because also conditions were hard by getting hot: And I was starting from 14th on the grid. Here the first lap is very dangerous but I was looking for a good pace for the race, finally I could not catch up with Lorenzo, but I was very happy with the result. Like last year, this year I went well at Imola, the top 3 were all Ducati bikes so I am very happy.”
Results (with Pirelli Race Tyre Selection – Front/Rear): 1.Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 38’27.631 (161,708 kph) (C/A); 2.Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1.171 (B/A); 3. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1.472 (A/A); 4. Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 6.691 (B/A); 5. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-1000 9.584 (A/A); 6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 10.979 (C/A); 7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 15.023 (A/A); 8. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 15.913 (B/A); 9. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 17.025 (B/B); 10. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 20.795 (B/A); 11. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 21.243 (B/A); 12. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 25.860 (B/B); 13. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 31.551 (A/A); 14. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 31.689 (C/B); 15. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 44.349 (B/B); 16. Sandi F. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 58.693 (B/A); 17. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’10.388 (A/A); 18. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’13.648 (C/A); 19. Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’15.939 (C/A)
Race 2
Checa was a clear race winner and new lap record holder in race two, setting a new best of 1’48.877, while Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) and Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) took podium finishes in second and third place respectively. Leon Haslam had been in a strong position to take the championship all the way to France and the final round, but when his engine let go, the championship was over there and then. Tom Sykes, for the second time, showed true competitive pace on his Kawasaki Racing Team machine, leading four laps.
Carlos Checa: “It’s a fantastic weekend, I can’t remember one like that. It was a very good job by the team. Yesterday I was struggling on the wet, but today they were two exciting races, more the first than the second. But the second I could see that I could win, I just had to keep my concentration. Anyway it was fantastic, for all my team, for Ducati, for everyone here, congratulations to Max for the title and a shame for Leon Haslam.”
Noriyuki Haga: “I am very happy today, and the bike was much better than in the first race. I was approaching Carlos in the last laps but couldn’t catch him. Now I try my best at Magny-Cours to improve my position.”
Cal Crutchlow: “After a tough race 1 for me, to come from 12th on the grid with such close racing this weekend and such a depth of field was a very good result. I really had to work for it so all credit to Yamaha Sterilgarda, they did a good job for me especially in the second race. We made a few changes in the meantime, it was a bit of a gamble but a good job all round.”
Results: 1.Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 38’24.452 (161,931 kph);2.Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 2.129; 3.Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 3.926; 4.Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 5.762; 5.Biaggi M. (ITA)Aprilia RSV4 Factory 7.025; 6.Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 12.147; 7.Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 14.212; 8.Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 18.029; 9.Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 18.249; 10. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 19.446; 11.Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 23.674; 12.Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 34.804; 13.Sandi F. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. 53.540; 14.Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 1’03.102; 15.Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’07.185; 16.Lowry I. (GBR)Kawasaki ZX 10R 1’08.926
Pirelli: Race Tyre Selection (Front/Rear): All riders on same solutions with the exception of Corser, Xaus, Guintoli and Neukirchner who changed to the “A” rear for Race 2.
Points (after 12 rounds of 13): 1. Biaggi 413; 2. Haslam 350; 3. Rea 288; 4. Checa 274; 5. Crutchlow 239; 6. Haga 238; 7. Toseland 187; 8. Guintoli 184; 9.Fabrizio 169; 10.Corxser 165. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 433; 2. Ducati 392; 3.Suzuki 379; 4.Yamaha 307; 5.Honda 305; 6. BMW 201; 7. Kawasaki 100.
World Supersport
Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) went from fourth to the race winner on the last lap at Imola, after long time race leaders Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) collided at the final chicane. They restarted to finish, but not before Pirro had seen Chaz Davies (Triumph BE-1 ParkinGo) retire on the last lap, and then sweep home to take the win. Sofuoglu was second, Laverty third, and Broc Parkes (Motocard.com Kawasaki) fourth. In the points, Sofuoglu now has 243 points to Laverty’s 227.
Results: 1.Pirro M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 36’07.906 (155,737 kph); 2.Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Honda CBR600RR 2.888; 3.Laverty E. (IRL) Honda CBR600RR 4.569; 4.Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-6R 4.865; 5.Fujiwara K. (JPN) Kawasaki ZX-6R 5.718; 6.Roccoli M. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 6.102; 7.Aitchison M. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 9.977; 8.Migliorati C. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-6R 18.563; etc.
Points (after 12 rounds of 13): 1. Sofuoglu 243; 2. Laverty 227; 3. Lascorz 168; 4. Davies 137; 5.Pirro 91; 6. Salom 90; 7.Harms 87; 8. Rea 83; 8.Pirro 66; 9. Fujiwara 71; 10. Roccoli 71 . Manufacturers: 1. Honda 270; 2. Kawasaki 185; 3. Triumph 146; 4. Yamaha 22
Superstock 1000
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) made it nine wins in nine attempts after a long battle with Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport Ducati) was effectively ended on lap nine, when Badovini made a pass into the final chicane and gapped Zanetti right away. Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior Honda) had an eventually lone race in third, nine seconds behind the lead on the final lap. In the championship, Badovini has 225 points, a perfect score, and Berger is now guaranteed second, with 122.
Results: 1.Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 22’32.770 (157,629 kph); 2. Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.960; 3.Berger M. (FRA) Honda CBR1000RR 9.632; 4.Giugliano D. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 19.747; 5.Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 20.836; 6.Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 28.627; 7.Petrucci D. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 29.700; 8.Savary M. (SUI) BMW S1000 RR 29.841; etc.
Points (after 9 rounds of 10): 1. Badovini 225; 2. Berger 122; 3. Magnoni 94; 4.Antonelli 89; 5. Giugliano 84; 6. Barrier 71; 7.Baz 65; 8. Petrucci 55; 9. Zanetti 53; 10. Baroni 43. Manufacturers: 1. BMW 225; 2. Honda 165; 3. Suzuki 87; 4.Ducati 79; 5.Yamaha 67; 6. Kawasaki 58; 7.KTM 36; 8. Aprilia 21.
Official Tyre Supplier
Variable conditions seen during Superpole sessions on Saturday left surprising results when the factory Kawasaki took its first pole since 2007 on Diablo Rain tyres in the semi-wet final session. On race day we saw an unexpected 41°C track temperature, forcing many teams to change their setups from the previous two days. With over 4100 tyres transported to this last Italian round including 2 new front and 2 new rear solutions for SBK and 2 new rear tyres for SSP developed in mid-season tests, Pirelli’s Diablo Superbike and Diablo Supercorsa solutions for Imola were ample enough to handle all weather conditions. Race 1 proved to be 4,5 seconds faster and awarded Haslam (Suzuki) with both the Pirelli Best Lap and lap record of 1’48.966. Haga (Ducati) even put in his best lap of the race on the last lap to join the two private Ducati bikes of Checa (Althea Racing) and Lanzi (DFX Corse). Race 2 saw a similar performance to last year, with Checa (Ducati) utilizing the new “B” SC1 and “A” SC0 race-winning solutions to find a double victory and to secure his seventh Pirelli Best Lap / lap record of 1’48.877. With the entire grid on the new DIABLO SUPERBIKE SC0 rear tyre, Pirelli may begin confirming solutions like this one for our 2011 production range of tyres. Sincere congratulations to Max Biaggi and the Aprilia Racing team for their first FIM SBK World Championship, accomplished less than 2 years after the start of the Italian brand’s renewed WSBK project. ” – Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto
Pirelli Performance Awards:
SBK Race 1 – Pirelli BEST LAP
Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), 1’48.966 (Lap 13)
SBK Race 2 – Pirelli BEST LAP
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing), 1’48.877 (Lap 7)
Total BEST LAP (SBK): Checa C. (Althea Racing): 7, Crutchlow C. (Yamaha World Superbike): 6, Rea J. (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda): 5, Biaggi M. (Aprilia Alitalia Racing): 2, Haslam L. (Suzuki Alstare): 2, Guintoli S. (Suzuki Alstare): 1, Fabrizio M. (Ducati Xerox Team): 1
WSS – Pirelli BEST LAP
Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda), 1’52.198 (Lap 5)
Total BEST LAP (WSS): Sofuoglu K. (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda): 5, Laverty E. (Parkalgar Honda): 4, Lascorz J. (Kawasaki Motocard.com): 2, Pirro M. (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda): 1
Stk1000 – Pirelli BEST JUMP FORWARD
Chris Leeson (Team Pedercini), from 24th to 14th (10 positions)
