1999 SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ASSEN, NETHERLANDS (3rd - 5th September)
Assen Preview (from World Superbike)
THE SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP GETS READY FOR A TENSE FINISHAssen (Netherlands), 2nd September 1999 - The Superbike world championship is still in the balance between Ducati and Honda. The Austrian round which was disputed last Sunday at Zeltweg has left the top of the leadership board non-varied: the Briton Carl Fogarty put up an excellent defense against the attack from Honda, maintaining the 62 point advantage he had before the challenge at Zeltweg. Ducati, with three dates left before the end of the championship, therefore took another step towards triumph in the championship.
STRAIGHT ONTO THE TRACK AT ASSEN - The trial of strength will continue on Sunday at Assen, the fascinating Dutch track which will play host to the eleventh round of this season. For Honda it is make or break time: with six races left and 150 points still to be fought for, Edwards is still not out of the running for the title, but to have any chance he must reduce the deficit before the coming meetings which are to be held on the German circuit at Hockenheim, on 12th September and at Sugo (Japan) on 10th October. Edwards has no alternative: he must win under all circumstances. This is a plan which is easier said than done because Assen, in the past, has always favored the Fogarty-Ducati pairing, ten times the winner in twelve starts!
In Austria Colin Edwards was able to do no more than get nearer to the second spot in the standings: the Australian Troy Corser, the other Ducati star, only brought home twenty points due to the fall that removed him from race-1 and now he has a lead of just one point over Edwards.KEEP AN EYE ON CHILI AND SUZUKI - The man of the moment is Pierfrancesco Chili. At Zeltweg the Italian rider was in excellent form and managed to achieve the objective he set himself at the beginning of the season: to ride to victory the Suzuki GSX-R750, a bike which had been very much in the sidelines in the three previous seasons, surpassed by Honda, Ducati, Yamaha and Kawasaki. Exploiting his riding skills in the wet like a champion, Chili dominated race-2 and would have brought off an astounding double victory had he not crashed during the first race when he was well in the lead. "Frankie" is capable of repeating the achievement at Assen, a track on which he has always performed supremely well, like last year, when he managed to beat His Majesty Carl Fogarty.
YAMAHA ATTEMPTS TO GET BACK ON COURSE - At the moment one of the major protagonists is in crisis. This is Noriyuki Haga, who seems to have misplaced the competitive edge he had at the start of the season. In Austria the acrobatic Japanese twice succumbed to skidding off and though this caused him no physical injury it has seen him drop to seventh in the overall standings. On the other hand, things are looking really good for his team mate Vittoriano Guareschi who last Sunday got his first taste of the podium when he rode his Yamaha R7 to third place.
PREVIOUS PERFORMANCES AT ASSEN - The first edition of the Dutch round was held in 1992. On that occasion there were victories for the American Doug Polen and the Italian Giancarlo Falappa. Then the Fogarty era began - he was triumphant in the '93, '94, '95, '96 (on a Honda) and '98 editions. The only ones who have been able to interrupt this procession of successes have been John Kocinski (Honda) in '97 and Chili last year, both times in race-1. The English champion has been unbeaten with regard to race-2 since 1993. At Assen Ducati has won 11 races out of 14; the others have gone to Honda.
THE TEMPLE OF MOTORCYCLING - The Dutch track is located 180 kilometers north of Amsterdam. Assen is truly a temple of motorcycling: the track, which measures 6.049 km, is much loved by the general public. Given its special geographical position, every year fans arrive here from various nations: Germany, Belgium, France and especially from England. In 1998 there were over thirty thousand fans who arrived from across the Channel to acclaim their idol, Fogarty.
THE RECORDS AT ASSEN - Official lap record (set during race) : Pierfrancesco Chili (ITA-Ducati) in 2'04"526 at an average speed of 174.874 k.p.h. (1998). Race: Pierfrancesco Chili (ITA-Ducati) 16 laps for a total of 96.784 km. in 33'28"451 at an average speed of 173.478 k.p.h. (98). Unofficial lap record (set during practice) : Aaron Slight (NZL-Honda) 2'03"708 at an average speed of 176.030 k.p.h. (98). Superpole: Pierfrancesco Chili (ITA-Ducati) in 2'09"983 at an average speed of 167.532 k.p.h. (98).
THE SBK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after 10 rounds out of 13): 1. Fogarty (GBR-Ducati) 363; 2. Corser (AUS-Ducati) 302; 3. Edwards (USA-Honda) 301; 4. Slight (NZL-Honda) 252; 5. Yanagawa (JPN-Kawasaki) 215; 6. Chili (ITA-Suzuki) 185; 7. Haga (JPN-Yamaha) 144; 8. Lavilla (ESP-Kawasaki) 120; 9. Fujiwara (JPN-Suzuki) 96; 10. Guareschi (ITA-Yamaha) 86. MANUFACTURERS: 1. Ducati 443; 2. Honda 370; 3. Kawasaki 252; 4. Suzuki 217; 5. Yamaha 202; 6. Aprilia 76.
SBK WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP ON EUROSPORT (All timings CET) : Saturday 4 Sept.: at h. 17 :00 SBK SBK (delayed) ; Sunday 5 Sept. : starting from h. 18 :30 SBK race 1 and race 2 (delayed) ; at h. 00 :15 Supersport race (delayed)
TITLE STILL WIDE OPEN IN THE SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP- While the superbike championship situation is tending to favour Carl Fogarty more and more, in the supersport world championship the title is still far from decided. In Austria, the standings leader Stephane Chambon fell on the first lap and this allowed Piergiorgio Bontempi, who came home fifth, to get within just ten points of the top spot. Thanks to a first and second in Austria the Germans Teuchert and Kellner, 37 and 38 points behind Chambon respectively, are now back in the hunt: the gap is significant but mathematically they cannot be counted out yet. With Suzuki as the hare and Yamaha doing the chasing, the cadet championship can look forward to a thrilling finish: the Supersport teams will not be in Japan and so just two races remain, in the Netherlands and Germany. And now it is clear that, barring enormous surprises, the world championship will involve a photo finish. The situation is more clear-cut in the manufacturers' championship. The victory of the German Teuchert at Zeltweg has Yamaha near to the title: there is an advantage of 44 points over Suzuki (with a total of 50 still available) and so it is highly likely that the men of Iwata will be able to celebrate already on Sunday afternoon in Holland. Chambon and Bontempi, the two front-runners in the fight, will have to keep an eye on the outsiders like Wilco Zeelemberg, the ace on his home territory who has always ridden superbly at Assen.
THE SUPERSPORT RECORDS AT ASSEN - This circuit has already been the setting for Supersport as a part of the World Series. In 1997 Zeelemberg (HOL-Yamaha) won while last year victory went to Guareschi (ITA-Yamaha). The records: official lap record (during race) Wilco Zeelemberg (HOL-Yamaha) in 2'11"478 at an average speed of 165.267 k.p.h. (97). Race: 16 laps for a total of 96.784 km. in 35'26"496 at an average speed of 163.848 k.p.h. (97). Unofficial lap record (set during practice): Vittoriano Guareschi (ITA-Yamaha) 2'10"706 at an average speed of 166.605 k.p.h. (98).
THE SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (After 9 rounds out of 11): 1. Chambon (FRA-Suzuki) 126; 2. Bontempi (ITA-Yamaha) 116; 3. Teuchert (GER-Yamaha) 89; 4. Kellner (GER-Yamaha) 88; 5. MacPherson (GBR-Kawasaki) 80; 6. Pirovano (ITA-Suzuki) 74; 7. Zeelemberg (HOL-Yamaha) 66; 8. Xaus (ESP-Yamaha) 65; 9. Costes (FRA-Honda) 65; 10. Meregalli (ITA-Yamaha) 53. MANUFACTURERS: 1. Yamaha 199; 2. Suzuki 155; 3. Honda 91; 4. Kawasaki 87; 5. Ducati 56; 6. Bimota 15.
CHANGE ROUND IN AXO-SUPERSTOCK LEADERSHIP - There is also great uncertainty in the Axo-Superstock European championship, the championship for the stars of tomorrow. At the A1 Ring the Austrian Bauer (Kawasaki ZX-R900) came home
ahead of the Frenchman Jond (Suzuki GSX-R 750) and the Belgian Fissette (Suzuki GSX-R 750). In the standings the Englishman Karl Harris (Suzuki GSX-R750), placed fourth, has managed to get ahead of the Spaniard Daniel Oliver (Aprilia RSV Mille) who had something of an off day which saw him come home as lowly as fourteenth after countless vicissitudes. But everything is still wide open: the two challengers are only separated by four points.
EUROPEAN SUPERSTOCK CHAMPIONSHIP STANDINGS (after 7 rounds out of 9): 1. Harris (GBR-Suzuki GSX-R750) 135; 2. Oliver (ESP-Aprilia RSV Mille) 131; 3. Fissette (BEL-Suzuki GSX-R750) 78; 3. Notman (GBR-Yamaha R1) 78; 5. Tosolini (ITA-Yamaha R1) 74; 6. Duchene (GER-Kawasaki ZX-9R) 47; 7. Jond (FRA Suzuki GSX-R750) 44; 7. Ellison (GBR-Honda CBR600) 44; 9. Pellizzon (ITA-Aprilia RSV Mille) 36; 10. Bauer (AUT-Kawasaki ZX-9R)
SUPERSIDECAR MOVES TOWARDS A TIGHT FINISH - Great excitement continues to be offered by the Sidecar World Cup too. In Austria the world champions Webster-James were able to get one up on their main rivals, and riders on their home turf, Klaffenbock-Hanni. The standings in the event have again become bunched up with Webster now just seven points off their rivals, who still occupy top spot.
SIDECAR WORLD CUP STANDINGS (after 8 rounds out of 10): 1. Klaffenbock-Hanni (AUT-Lcr Brm Honda 500) 127; 2. Webster-James (GBR-Suzuki 1200) 115; 3. Abbott-Biggs (GBR-Windle Honda 500) 99; 4. Schlosser-Hauser (SVI-Lcr Brm Swissauto 500) 81; 5. Soutar-Hopkinson (AUS-Lcr Adm Honda 500)57.
Contact at Assen GMT +2 / Contatto a Assen GMT +2: Marco Liconti - Tel : +31.592.380210- Fax +31.592.380211: - email : <mailto:press.office@superbike.it> All news, photos and results are available on the SBK WC Web Site / Tutte le notizie, le foto e i risultati sul sito ufficiale del Mondiale Superbike : <http://www.superbike.it>
SUPERBIKE - Wild Card Riders
43 Chris Walker (GB-Kawasaki) Team Kawasaki 49 Hans-Jurgen Brikey (D-Kawasaki) Team Kawasaki Hollenstedt 52 Michael Schulten (D-Suzuki) Yacco Schafer Motorsport 56 Jan Greven (NED-Kawasaki) Greven's MCD 57 Ruud Van Straalen (NED-Suzuki) Bulbufst Bleeker Racing Team 58 Heinz Platacis (NED-Kawasaki) BFT Bike Shop 61 Wolfanf Bax (D-Ducati) 1st Attack Racing 63 Jochen Schmid (D-Kawasaki) Team Green Kawasaki Deutschl. 66 Jonnie Ekerold (RSA-Kawasaki) Team Green Kawasaki Deutschl. 71 Thierry Mulot (FRA-Ducati) Ducati France FP Racing
SUPERSPORT - Wild Card Riders
59 Mile Pajic (NED-Kawasaki) Motorsport Druten Kawasaki 62 Harry Van Beek (NED-Yamaha) Saveko Racing Team 64 Torleif Hartelman (NED-Honda) Hartelman Motoren 65 Kyro Verstraaten (NED-Suzuki) Von Sommeren Suzuki Racing
SUPERSTOCK - Wild Card Riders
10 Chris Jennes (B) Motoline Yamaha YZF R1 13 Marc Wauters (B) Kawasaki Belgium Kawasaki ZX 9R 18 Kelvin Relly (GB) Yamaha BT Phonecards Yamaha YZF R1 20 Barry Vaneman (NL) Goulooze Motion Ten Kate Honda CBR 600F 21 Katja Poensgen (D) Stephan Schmidt Motorsport Suzuki GSX 750R 22 Jean-Paul Hejndijk (NL) CRT Yamaha YZF R1 23 Rold Read (GB) Read Racing Yamaha YZF R1 28 Maarten Duijzers (NL) Maarten Duijzers Aprilia RSV 1000 29 John Bakker (NL) Groenrijk Bakker Suzuki GSX 600R 30 David Jefferies (GB) Swift Akito Yamaha YZF R1 31 Bertus Folkertama (NL) Motorsport Frank Jagger Suzuki GSX 600R 32 Arno Slabbekoom (NL) Van Sommeren Motoren Suzuki GSX 600R 33 Michel Van Kloof (NL) Michel Van Kloof Suzuki GSX 600R 34 Mark Wilson (GB) Vacuvin/M&M Autosport Suzuki GSX 600R 38 Andy Notman (GB) Jack Lilley Racing Aprilia RSV 1000 40 Tom Van Wezemael (B) Kawasaki Belgium Kawasaki ZX 9R 41 Bjorn Steinmetz (D) Stelter Yamaha Yamaha YZF R6 44 Josè Maria Bordoj (E) Lozano Racing Yamaha YZF R6 45 Rickard Osterberg (SWE) MR Racing Suzuki GSX 750R 46 Steve Brogan (GB) PR Tyres Racing Honda CBR 900 RR 53 Koen Vleugels (B) Motoline Yamaha YZF R6 54 Alwen His (NL) Edwin Ott Motoren Suzuki GSX 600R 60 Robert Van Der Molen (NL) Image Trading Shingal Suzuki GSX 600R
