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05/09/2008 - 12:37 PM
Monza, Italy
Team Alstare Suzuki's Max Neukirchner (Photo: Suzuki Racing) ยป More Photos
Max Neukirchner (Suzuki Alstare) confirmed his positive early season form by setting the quickest time in today's first qualifying session for the IDS Italian Round of the HANNspree FIM Superbike World Championship at Monza. The one-hour session was marked by a qualifying duel between Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) and Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki), but three minutes from the end the 25-year-old German clinched provisional pole with a time of 1 minute 45.990 seconds that his rivals were unable to match.
Makoto Tamada, who is making his debut at the Autodromo Nazionale, also looked impressive on the PSG-1 Corse Kawasaki machine on the long Monza straights, the Japanese rider clocking fourth quickest time.
Row 2 also produced a few surprises, with Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Racing Ducati), Karl Muggeridge (DF Racing Honda) and Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) finishing ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox)), recovering well from his recent operation to reduce arm-pump.
The day was a disappointing one for last year's double winner Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia WSB), who could go no better than 12th quickest, while Carlos Checa (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was a further two places behind in 14th. Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati rider Max Biaggi's difficult moment appears to continue as for the moment the Italian lies just outside the Superpole cut-off point in 17th place.
World Supersport
The first day of Supersport action was dominated by Joshua Brookes (Hannspree Stiggy Motors Honda), quickest in both free practice and qualifying. The Australian grabbed the overnight pole in the final stages of the session with a time of 1 minute 50.334 seconds, a new best lap for the
Italian Gianluca Nannelli (Hannspree Honda Althea) was fifth quickest ahead of British riders Craig Jones (Parkalgar Racing Honda), Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Italian Gianluca Vizziello (Berry Racing Honda). Points leader Joan Lascorz (Glaner Motocard.com Honda) could only manage the 18th quickest time as the Spanish rider searches for the right set-up on his CBR600RR.
Superstock 1000
Italy notched up a 1-2-3 in the opening qualifying session of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup as Claudio Corti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) powered to a new Monza best lap in 1 minute 49.468 seconds ahead of fellow Yamaha riders Michele Pirro and Michele Magnoni (both Lorenzini by Leoni). The two Suzukis of Chris Seaton (Celani Team) and Xavier Simeon (Alstare) were fourth and fifth. Alessandro Polita was the first Ducati rider in the results sheet for Sterilgarda Go Eleven in sixth ahead of wild-card Luca Verdini (RCGM Yamaha) and championship leader Maxime Berger (Hannspree IDS Ten Kate Honda).
Superstock 600
The outcome was the same in Superstock 600 with three Yamahas ahead of the rest of the field, French youngster Loris Baz (YZF Junior Team) taking the provisional pole from Marco Bussolotti (Yamaha Motor Italia Junior Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Trasimeno). Daniele Beretta (Cruciani Suzuki) completed the front row, while points leader and round 2 winner Dan Linfoot (Team StoneBaker formerly Beowulf Racing) could only manage 17th quickest time.
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