To wrap up this Sunday’s WSBK round one at Phillip Island we have a bunch of rider quotes for you to go through and find out what your favourite rider finished in the double header and his personal comment regarding his performance.
Carlos Checa (Race 1 – 1st, Race 2 – 1st)“The sessions went extremely well and we knew we had good rhythm but you never know what might happen in the raecs, especially if you find a wet track on Sunday morning, as we did today.
My strategy was to get ahead and keep pace as I knew my pace was stronger than that of my rivals.
In Race 1, once past Laverty, I was able to find a good rhythm.
It was a really great race.
Every so often you have a weekend like that and we were lucky to be able to start the season in such a fantastic way.
Race 2 was very similar, I managed the situation and we did it! A really great weekend in which we dominated from start to finish.
We were also lucky with the weather; we couldn’t have asked for a better start.
I want to thank Ducati and the team for believing in me.
Next we head to Donington where we’ll continue to give 100%.
” Max Biaggi (Race 1 – 2nd, Race 2 – 2nd)“The results are truly beautiful, especially if we think about how we were last year and the year before.
It has been no secret that this track has always put us in a difficult place, but this time we worked hard to prepare as best as possible and I can truly say that we succeeded, also considering the fast lap that we earned in both races.
I must thank my team for this, which was quick to analyse my observations.
The two cylinders on this track still maintain a certain advantage, without taking anything away from the extraordinary performance by Carlos Checa.
For the first race of the year, I’d say that we’ve gotten off on the right foot.
Now we need to keep on working as we are accustomed to.
” Leon Haslam (Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – 5th ) “As a team we have made huge steps forward from two weeks ago.
We still have some issues that need looking at in more detail to ensure we can become regular podium finishers, but on the whole we can be happy with the two races.
The first race was great; we encountered some issues in race two but still managed to finish in the top five so we are definitely happy.
A huge credit to the team for their efforts this weekend but we now have to sit down and detail how we plan to make that next step forward.
”Eugene Laverty ( Race 1 – 4th, Race 2 – 15th)“In the first race I had problems with arm pump and had just to sit there, I had the possibility to go third but didn’t want to risk my arms.
I got it fixed at Clinica, it was just really stiff after five days riding on a Superbike this week! Marco upped the pace in second race; it would have been tough to beat, but there was a definite fourth there for me.
Unfortunately two false neutrals killed the race leaving me with one point.
On the plus side I’m very positive for Donington, we’ve clearly got a very competitive package and under race conditions we can see that our competitors aren’t as fast as the practice sessions suggested.
”Marco Melandri (Race 1 – 5th, Race 2 -3rd)“I’m pretty happy with the end results of today, although I wasn’t too happy about race one.
We’ve been struggling all week with a rear grip issue, which could be seen in race one.
I think we made a good job before race two, changing our set up to deal with it and we were a little bit more aware of our potential afterwards.
The bike was a lot better and I felt a lot more comfortable.
It’s nice to be back on the podium! I wanted to challenge Biaggi for second but in the end my body was slower than my mind at the end of the race, it felt a bit dangerous to make some passes so I was happy to settle for third.
”Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 6th, Race 2 – 8th)I am happy and I am not so happy.
I am happy because I was able to fight with the top guys in both races and that is a great boost to my confidence.
I am not so happy with the result in race two.
I didn’t know exactly what to expect in my first race with Team Suzuki Alstare and it was good to be able to battle for the podium in the first race.
Maybe if I had made a good start in that race, I might have ended up on the podium.
Instead, I found myself eleventh at the end of lap one and then had to fight through the pack and that’s not easy because there are so many good riders and good bikes.
It took some time, but I was up to seventh at half race distance and then up to fifth after fifteen laps.
That’s when I was in a three way fight with Laverty, Melandri and Haslam and it was a lot of fun racing with them.
Just when I thought I might be able to make a charge, my tyres started to go off and I couldn’t push as hard as I wanted.
I kept attacking as hard as I could, but couldn’t get past any of them, so finished sixth.
I used the same bike for race two and the same type of tyre and only made some small adjustments, but I started getting chattering almost right from the start.
It was not an easy race by any means, but I tried to ride as hard as I could without crashing.
I kept pushing wherever possible, but it wasn’t possible to push hard enough to get another top six result.
I am not so happy with eighth, but overall I think we should be pleased with our performance today.
We know the season is going to be very hard this year – probably more than previous years – and to begin with good results is a great start.
Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 9th, Race 2 – 7th)“I’m happy with the result of this two races.
We constantly growned and we can keep on doing it, thanks to an excellent technical package.
Unfortunately we’ve been damaged during the second part of both the races due to some tyre’s problems that didn’t allow us to gain a bigger result.
After some adjustments that the team did on the bike between round 1 and 2, the tyre-lasting got better and I could fight for the firsts places almost ‘till the chequered flag.
I’m sure that the experience gained wil turn out useful to show ourselves even more strong at the start of the second round of the season.
”Tom Sykes (Race 1 – 10th, Race 2 – 9th)“We got two top nine positions and an eighth overall in the championship so it is probably not a bad start.
In race one I got a good run off the line but I was not able to go with the other riders in the early laps.
I caught them back up at the end.
In race two I could not engage neutral coming up to the line, so that did not help my race start and I was well back in the order.
The changes we made for race two were good; I had better grip.
I faded a bit in the middle and came very strong again at the end.
If I had got away clean, I am sure a sixth position would have been on the cards.
No ifs and buts, it is still a new bike and everybody is realistic, we know where we need to improve and we are looking forward to even brighter things.
”Troy Corser (Race 1 – 10th, Race 2 – 19th)“We started the race well, I felt good on the bike but sadly I found a false neutral going into Honda corner and I left the track.
I rejoined down the field and then really struggled for grip.
As the race progressed the tyre became really worn and I was losing traction everywhere, I simply couldn’t do the times I wanted.
We have identified some points that need addressing before Donington Park, but for sure I am looking forward to the rest of the season.
”Jonathan Rea (Race 1 -12th, Race 2 – 4th)I’m absolutely drained but I guess pretty satisfied after everything we’ve been through over the last few days.
I’m annoyed that I out-braked myself in race one but I had no power in my hands.
I passed Nori (Haga) in race two but he came back on a big surge to the leading group and I couldn’t go with him.
I didn’t have much strength but I knew I could be fitter than anyone at the end of the race to keep the lap times.
The bike was working really well and I could stay in the 33s until I caught Fabrizio and Haslam, when I took a bit of a breather just to catch my breath and look at them.
I could’ve passed Leon in a few places I think, but I’ve been doing most of my passing around turns seven and eight and decided to save all my energy to pass him there on the last lap.
If you’d told me when I was lying in hospital on Wednesday that I’d come away from here sixth in the championship, I’d have laughed at you.
Big thanks to the team, who got a physio here to help me between sessions and races to help me relax, and the bike, which never missed a beat this weekend.
We still need to find a little bit of speed on the straights because I struggled passing people into turn one, but overall I’m satisfied with what we got from here.
Leon Camier (Race 1 – 13th, Race 2 – 6th)I’m honestly shocked by today’s results, especially the second race.
I just concentrated on keeping things steady and trying to get into a rhythm, not making any mistakes, and I managed to work my way through.
I have never felt so ill and wasn’t even sure if I’d be able to finish, so to come away just outside the top ten of the Championship isn’t so bad.
It’s frustrating to think what might have been if I wasn’t ill, but there’s no point dwelling on it.
There’s a long season ahead of us and to see what we achieved today, even with my illness, is definitely encouraging.
I can’t really explain just how tired I’m feeling now.
Luckily we’ve got four weeks before the round at Donington Park to try and get myself back to normal.
I really want to thank everyone who has taken the time to send in messages of support this weekend.
Hopefully I can repay you all at the next round.
”Ruben Xaus (Race 1 – 16th, Race 2 – 10th)The first race was a disaster so we had to find something for race two and we did.
I missed my braking point at turn four on the first lap and lost five places and then got caught with a slower group.
I worked hard to get the places back but used up the tyres’ performance too much in the first laps.
With a few laps to go they were finished but I think I could have finished higher.
No complaints though – I didn’t expect this position after race one, after which we changed the bike completely.
We’ve had some problems on the bike this weekend but I think we’re speaking the same language now.
In the end it’s been good: we finished both races with no bad consequences and learned a lot, so I’m going to Donington with a big smile on my face.
Bryan Staring (Race 1 – 15th, Race 2 -17th )“The first race was good as I managed to enter into the championship points.
I had fun fighting with the other riders and riding for the full distance.
For the second race we changed the bike a little, but even though I had a good feeling, this was the most I could do today.
These races were good training for me, considering my year ahead in Superstock.
Thank you very much to all my team who has worked so hard this weekend”.
Roberto Rolfo (Race 1 – 11th , Race 2 -12th )”Today I’m really very happy because in both races I reached the points zone and that was my target in these two first races of the season with the Pedercini team.
Starting from Saturday’s qualifying I found a good feeling with my Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R and today my pace was really very fast.
Unfortunately my second start was not so good because I was forced to brake roughly to avoid Badovini and I lost the first group of riders.
I’m satisfied also with my lap times.
I really want to thank my entire team because they worked very hard over the whole weekend to prepare my bike in the best possible way.
They did a great job and I hope to give them some more satisfaction during the season.
”James Toseland (Race 1 – 17th, Race 2 – 14th)“After the start in race 2 I thought I could get in the top ten.
We changed the set-up after race 1 and the bike was handing well .
I can only think of race one as a test but it was important to test the two set-ups.
”Ayrton Badovini (Race 1 – 14th – Race 2 – DNF)“We are partly pleased.
In race 1 we rode as a decent test and we found the areas to work on.
In Race 2, a technical problem stopped me.
We’re going to Donington more convinced that things will improve from here”.
Mark Aitchison (Race 1 – 19 -th, Race 2 – 16th )“I really enjoyed my first Superbike races today.
In the first race I experienced a problem with the rear brake and as I entered into Honda corner I could not stop the bike and I ran off the circuit.
Fortunately I managed to rejoin and finish.
In the second race I really enjoyed myself.
I found a good rhythm and feeling with the bike, but after approximately ten or twelve laps I felt a big decrease in performance from the rear tyre.
In any case I’m very satisfied with the weekend our team had here.
We have collected a lot of data and we’ll use these for our future races.
Thank you to my team for all their hard work”.
Maxime Berger (Race 1 – 20th, Race 2 – 18th) “It was an incredible experience.
I think I learned more in these two races than in the entire Championship last year.
Especially in race two, having chosen a soft rubber, I drove very fast in the first laps, but then, gradually worn the tire and I needed to work hard not to crash.
In race one, unfortunately, I exit the track twice because of the humidityat some places.
Luckily I did not fall.
After all, I am satisfied with my first Superbike races because physically I’m feeling very well even after racing two races of 22 laps in a single day.
Now we have to continue on this way and work hard with my team.
I want to thank them for the great job they did here at Phillip Island.
Joan Lascorz (Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – DNF):“I had the pace early in the first race and was quite happy but then I ran off the track, because I had some chatter and had to run straight on at turn nine.
I was heading for the wall and I fell off on the grass.
In the second race it was impossible to finish because I was in a lot of pain and had no power in my body.
In race two we had changed the bike and put in a soft rear tyre, and it made it easier to turn.
I could make a good pace again, but then it started sliding.
Overall, I have to look to the next race but I feel we showed that we have some good pace but in races it was difficult today.
I am building for the next race at Donington, working to be fully ready.
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