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*** Warning! This post may have spoilers!!!***
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SUPERBIKE 500 - Race 2 in Brno will be the 500th race of the World Championship. The other milestones of the past were race #100, held at Jarama in 1992 and won by Rob Phillis on a Kawasaki; race #200 at Laguna Seca in 1996 (John Kocinski, Ducati); race #300 at Misano in 2000 (Troy Corser, Aprilia) and race #400 at Silverstone in 2004 (Chris Vermeulen, Honda).
BAYLISS EYES SLIGHT - After the Misano races, Troy Bayliss can count 86 podium placements and he is only one podium shy of Aaron Slight, who stands in the third all-time spot behind Troy Corser (121) and Carl Fogarty (109).
6000 - Troy Corser is only 19 laps short of becoming the first rider in history to have run 6000 laps in the World Superbike Championship.
MISANO PERSONAL SCOREBOARD
* Troy Bayliss started on the front row in 2006 (4th) and in 2007 (3rd), but from these grid positions he collected a couple of retirements, an eighth and a sixth. In the MotoGP World Championship, Bayliss entered three races, coming third in 2003;
* Max Biaggi in 2007 scored a second place and a win, extending his excellent record at Brno; Max was unbeaten here from 1994 to 1997 for a total of four wins in the 250cc World Championship, while in 500cc/MotoGP he won three times (1998, 2000 and 2002) gaining a total of five podium places and three pole positions;
* Troy Corser recorded three straight wins at Brno: both 1996 races and the first one of 2005, finishing second in race 2; that was the last podium for Troy at Brno. Last year he was seventh in race 1 and retired with a mechanical failure in race 2. Corser started from pole in 1996 and 2005;
* Michel Fabrizio has climbed onto the podium three times out of four starts at Brno;
* Noriyuki Haga started from pole in 2006 and 2007 and won race 2 in 2005. After that win Haga collected a podium and three fourth places;
* Yukio Kagayama scored two wins and a third in his last four races at Brno, his only low point of the last two years was the fall in race 2 last year;
* Regis Laconi scored a third in his first race run at Brno in 2005, a result he has never repeated. In the last two years he hasn't been able to finish inside the top 10;
* Lorenzo Lanzi finished five times in the top 10 out of six starts, obtaining a double sixth in 2005; for him also a retirement, in race 1, 2006;
* The best result for Max Neukirchner out of four starts is a ninth place in race 1 last year;
* The best result for Fonsi Nieto is a sixth place, obtained in both races in 2006;
* Ruben Xaus has recorded a gradual improvement in his results at Brno: a retirement in race 1 in 2006, then a 14th, a 12th and a 10th;
* The last placement on the podium for Ducati in Brno dates back to 2005, in race 1, when Toseland finished second and Laconi third;
* In all the races contested from 2005 onwards, Suzuki has always placed a rider on the first or second step of the podium;
THE LAST THREE EDITIONS OF THE BRNO RACE
2005 - Superbikes were back in Brno after an absence of eight years and surprisingly the winner was the same, Troy Corser, who started race 1 from pole, won and recorded the fastest race lap without being challenged by anyone.
In race 2 it was Haga's turn to work wonders and from 17th on the grid he took the lead on the eighth lap; he then pulled away, leaving Corser in second. The Aussie however had his eyes on the World Championship standings and since Vermeulen, his closest rival, was able to take third only on the penultimate lap, his task was accomplished.
2006 - The star of the Championship, Troy Bayliss, was out at the first turn after a collision with Laconi and thus the fight for the win was wide open. A group made up of Toseland, Kagayama, Haga and Pitt took the lead, but after a handful of laps Toseland and Kagayama parted company, fighting for the win alone. Yukio had the upper hand and on lap 15 attacked and passed James. On the following lap he had one and a half seconds lead over Toseland and started to pull away for the win. Behind Kagayama and Toseland, Fabrizio took third, his first Superbike podium, obtained with a broken collarbone.
In race 2 Haga rocketed away and after five laps had an advantage of a couple of seconds over his rivals, a group made up of Toseland, Corser, Bayliss and Kagayama. Bayliss however dropped off soon: he opted for a softer compound that gave him traction problems. Troy was forced to race in the middle of the pack and in the closing stages Lanzi gave him the eighth place for a point in the World Championship standings. Among Haga's pursuers Kagayama was in a class of his own: he passed Toseland and Corser and on the fifteenth lap he started chasing Noriyuki. It took him only a couple of laps to recover his 2.5 seconds deficit and when he arrived on his back Haga waved him past: he was in trouble with his tyres and he wasn't able to fight for the win. Kagayama then took the double and on the last lap there was a spectacular fight for second place that saw Haga, Corser and Fabrizio involved. The Italian was behind his more experienced rivals but in the last couple of turns he was able to pass them and score his best career result, a second place.
2007 - Biaggi came to Brno for the first time in the World Superbike Championship as the king of the circuit, boasting a scoreboard of seven wins collected in the 250 and MotoGP classes and he confirmed his state of form by qualifying in second. He was beaten only by a spectacular Haga, the only man to go below 2'00 in the history of the circuit with an incredible lap in Superpole. In race 1 after a few laps Toseland, Biaggi, Haga and Kagayama formed a group that fought for the lead. Haga maintained the lead until traction problems sent him back and thus Toseland remained in front, followed closely by Biaggi. Everyone expected Biaggi to attack in the last few laps, but his rival was perfect and Max couldn't make his move. Toseland won, Biaggi finished behind him and further back were Kagayama and Haga. A memorable moment involved Troy Bayliss: the Aussie had set-up problems and was fighting for a lowly tenth place when he was rammed by Muggeridge and both ended their race in the gravel trap. Troy right after the collision went to Muggeridge and... thanked him because he wasn't having much fun so far back in the pack.
The start of race 2 was delayed for a few drops of rain, the race was declared wet, but the tarmac was practically dry (everyone was on slicks). Biaggi was not so sure about the conditions, he didn't take any risks in the first laps and he fell in seventh place, while out in front the two Yamahas of Haga and Corser were able to make the difference and pulled away in formation. After five laps however Corser's engine expired and Haga was left alone with a couple of seconds lead over Toseland and Biaggi; the Italian had recovered the positions he lost at the start and sat behind the Honda Ten Kate rider, who he passed on the eleventh lap. Haga's pace was good and everyone expected a win for the Japanese rider, but after ten laps a problem that often afflicted the Yamahas hit Noriyuki: lack of traction. His lap times increased dramatically and he was passed by Biaggi and then Toseland. Soon afterwards Max changed gear and pulled away, winning by a good margin over Toseland. Behind them finished Fabrizio, who passed Haga four laps from the end. Biaggi won the race with three stitches in his left hand, after he was hit by a stone thrown up by Toseland's bike in race 1 that holed the fairing of his Suzuki.
MILESTONES IN BRNO
1993 - 10th win for Kawasaki by Scott Russell;
1996 - 100th race start for Rob Phillis, 25th podium for Troy Corser;
2005 - Troy Corser reaches Carl Fogarty in third place for all-time number of races run (219). The Aussie records the second all-time sequence of podiums (14 in a row);
2006 - First double for Yukio Kagayama and first podium for Michel Fabrizio.
More...
.
*** Warning! This post may have spoilers!!!***
.
.
.
.
.
SUPERBIKE 500 - Race 2 in Brno will be the 500th race of the World Championship. The other milestones of the past were race #100, held at Jarama in 1992 and won by Rob Phillis on a Kawasaki; race #200 at Laguna Seca in 1996 (John Kocinski, Ducati); race #300 at Misano in 2000 (Troy Corser, Aprilia) and race #400 at Silverstone in 2004 (Chris Vermeulen, Honda).
BAYLISS EYES SLIGHT - After the Misano races, Troy Bayliss can count 86 podium placements and he is only one podium shy of Aaron Slight, who stands in the third all-time spot behind Troy Corser (121) and Carl Fogarty (109).
6000 - Troy Corser is only 19 laps short of becoming the first rider in history to have run 6000 laps in the World Superbike Championship.
MISANO PERSONAL SCOREBOARD
* Troy Bayliss started on the front row in 2006 (4th) and in 2007 (3rd), but from these grid positions he collected a couple of retirements, an eighth and a sixth. In the MotoGP World Championship, Bayliss entered three races, coming third in 2003;
* Max Biaggi in 2007 scored a second place and a win, extending his excellent record at Brno; Max was unbeaten here from 1994 to 1997 for a total of four wins in the 250cc World Championship, while in 500cc/MotoGP he won three times (1998, 2000 and 2002) gaining a total of five podium places and three pole positions;
* Troy Corser recorded three straight wins at Brno: both 1996 races and the first one of 2005, finishing second in race 2; that was the last podium for Troy at Brno. Last year he was seventh in race 1 and retired with a mechanical failure in race 2. Corser started from pole in 1996 and 2005;
* Michel Fabrizio has climbed onto the podium three times out of four starts at Brno;
* Noriyuki Haga started from pole in 2006 and 2007 and won race 2 in 2005. After that win Haga collected a podium and three fourth places;
* Yukio Kagayama scored two wins and a third in his last four races at Brno, his only low point of the last two years was the fall in race 2 last year;
* Regis Laconi scored a third in his first race run at Brno in 2005, a result he has never repeated. In the last two years he hasn't been able to finish inside the top 10;
* Lorenzo Lanzi finished five times in the top 10 out of six starts, obtaining a double sixth in 2005; for him also a retirement, in race 1, 2006;
* The best result for Max Neukirchner out of four starts is a ninth place in race 1 last year;
* The best result for Fonsi Nieto is a sixth place, obtained in both races in 2006;
* Ruben Xaus has recorded a gradual improvement in his results at Brno: a retirement in race 1 in 2006, then a 14th, a 12th and a 10th;
* The last placement on the podium for Ducati in Brno dates back to 2005, in race 1, when Toseland finished second and Laconi third;
* In all the races contested from 2005 onwards, Suzuki has always placed a rider on the first or second step of the podium;
THE LAST THREE EDITIONS OF THE BRNO RACE
2005 - Superbikes were back in Brno after an absence of eight years and surprisingly the winner was the same, Troy Corser, who started race 1 from pole, won and recorded the fastest race lap without being challenged by anyone.
In race 2 it was Haga's turn to work wonders and from 17th on the grid he took the lead on the eighth lap; he then pulled away, leaving Corser in second. The Aussie however had his eyes on the World Championship standings and since Vermeulen, his closest rival, was able to take third only on the penultimate lap, his task was accomplished.
2006 - The star of the Championship, Troy Bayliss, was out at the first turn after a collision with Laconi and thus the fight for the win was wide open. A group made up of Toseland, Kagayama, Haga and Pitt took the lead, but after a handful of laps Toseland and Kagayama parted company, fighting for the win alone. Yukio had the upper hand and on lap 15 attacked and passed James. On the following lap he had one and a half seconds lead over Toseland and started to pull away for the win. Behind Kagayama and Toseland, Fabrizio took third, his first Superbike podium, obtained with a broken collarbone.
In race 2 Haga rocketed away and after five laps had an advantage of a couple of seconds over his rivals, a group made up of Toseland, Corser, Bayliss and Kagayama. Bayliss however dropped off soon: he opted for a softer compound that gave him traction problems. Troy was forced to race in the middle of the pack and in the closing stages Lanzi gave him the eighth place for a point in the World Championship standings. Among Haga's pursuers Kagayama was in a class of his own: he passed Toseland and Corser and on the fifteenth lap he started chasing Noriyuki. It took him only a couple of laps to recover his 2.5 seconds deficit and when he arrived on his back Haga waved him past: he was in trouble with his tyres and he wasn't able to fight for the win. Kagayama then took the double and on the last lap there was a spectacular fight for second place that saw Haga, Corser and Fabrizio involved. The Italian was behind his more experienced rivals but in the last couple of turns he was able to pass them and score his best career result, a second place.
2007 - Biaggi came to Brno for the first time in the World Superbike Championship as the king of the circuit, boasting a scoreboard of seven wins collected in the 250 and MotoGP classes and he confirmed his state of form by qualifying in second. He was beaten only by a spectacular Haga, the only man to go below 2'00 in the history of the circuit with an incredible lap in Superpole. In race 1 after a few laps Toseland, Biaggi, Haga and Kagayama formed a group that fought for the lead. Haga maintained the lead until traction problems sent him back and thus Toseland remained in front, followed closely by Biaggi. Everyone expected Biaggi to attack in the last few laps, but his rival was perfect and Max couldn't make his move. Toseland won, Biaggi finished behind him and further back were Kagayama and Haga. A memorable moment involved Troy Bayliss: the Aussie had set-up problems and was fighting for a lowly tenth place when he was rammed by Muggeridge and both ended their race in the gravel trap. Troy right after the collision went to Muggeridge and... thanked him because he wasn't having much fun so far back in the pack.
The start of race 2 was delayed for a few drops of rain, the race was declared wet, but the tarmac was practically dry (everyone was on slicks). Biaggi was not so sure about the conditions, he didn't take any risks in the first laps and he fell in seventh place, while out in front the two Yamahas of Haga and Corser were able to make the difference and pulled away in formation. After five laps however Corser's engine expired and Haga was left alone with a couple of seconds lead over Toseland and Biaggi; the Italian had recovered the positions he lost at the start and sat behind the Honda Ten Kate rider, who he passed on the eleventh lap. Haga's pace was good and everyone expected a win for the Japanese rider, but after ten laps a problem that often afflicted the Yamahas hit Noriyuki: lack of traction. His lap times increased dramatically and he was passed by Biaggi and then Toseland. Soon afterwards Max changed gear and pulled away, winning by a good margin over Toseland. Behind them finished Fabrizio, who passed Haga four laps from the end. Biaggi won the race with three stitches in his left hand, after he was hit by a stone thrown up by Toseland's bike in race 1 that holed the fairing of his Suzuki.
MILESTONES IN BRNO
1993 - 10th win for Kawasaki by Scott Russell;
1996 - 100th race start for Rob Phillis, 25th podium for Troy Corser;
2005 - Troy Corser reaches Carl Fogarty in third place for all-time number of races run (219). The Aussie records the second all-time sequence of podiums (14 in a row);
2006 - First double for Yukio Kagayama and first podium for Michel Fabrizio.
More...
