Motorcycles and news

SBK: Kawasaki’s Fonsi second quickest after busy opening day at Brno July 23, 2006

Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) made a very positive early start for the PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse team at Brno, taking the second fastest time in what was an eventually rain-affected qualifying session. His team-mates, Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) and Regis Laconi (PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse) were eighth and ninth fastest respectively, and were deprived of a final opportunity to go for a faster lap when the rains showed up, with around ten minutes left to run in the session.

James Toseland set an early provisional pole time, with the Ducati of Lorenzo Lanzi third after one day. One more timed session remains, on Saturday 22nd, before Superpole will determine the shape of the first four rows.

FONSI NIETO: 2nd - 2′02.723:
“A lot of today’s performance was down to our recent tests at Lausitzring. We used a lot of part worn race tyres to test our race set-up there and it worked out well. I lost out on the chance to improve my time with a softer tyre in the last laps, due to the rain, but the bike is working well for me, and we should have another chance tomorrow.”

CHRIS WALKER: 8th - 2′03.178:
“We lost the chance to set a better time at the end but it was important to get a good top 16 qualifying place in case it rains again tomorrow. The track is not as good as it was when we tested here, just not offering the same level of grip.”

REGIS LACONI: 9th - 2′03.389:
“I am quite happy with that time considering we missed the chance to set a final fast couple of laps with the rain, and t because I have not tested recently I have been off the bike for a month. It’s also pleasing that I was fast immediately. The set-up of the bike is very good now and for the first time this year it allows me to use my natural riding style. I have never had such a great feel for this track, but the bike has allowed me to ride the way I want.”

Sacchetti drops from fifth in dry to 23rd in wet

PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse rider Denis Sacchetti found himself in an almost impossible situation in the first qualifying session, after the rains had fallen shortly beforehand. Opting to wait to see how the track surface changed, he fitted full wet tyres, but as the track dried out he found it the wrong choice and he had to do two laps on a rapidly drying circuit, simply to set a qualifying time. Thus Sacchetti ended day one in 23rd place, just making the cut-off for the qualifying maxima. It was a particular disappointment as in dry unofficial practice he had set the fifth fastest time.

Richard Cooper, the British rider making use of the wet-weather experience gained from his British Championship seasons, headed qualifying. One more session remains for Sacchetti to get himself closer to the front row.

DENIS SACCHETTI: 23rd - 2′26.560:
“The rain made everything so difficult for us today, especially as free practice was dry. I was fifth in that session so it is very disappointing to drop down that far in the wet. I had only a couple of laps in the wet tyre, as the track was drying, so I rode as hard as I could just make sure I set a qualifying time.”