Max Neukirchner - Hanspree Ten Kate Honda 2010

The World Superbike rider Max Neukirchner will be a wild-card rider at the German Superbike series in Assen later this month with the Ten Kate Racing Products team.

The IDM German Superbike round will take place on the weekend of the 20-22 of August where Max will debut for his one-off outing on a CBR1000RR in the customer race division of the 2010 championship.

Neukirchner said;

“I’m really happy to have an opportunity to ride again at Assen – it’s a fantastic circuit and I enjoy riding there. It should be a good weekend because I know quite a few of the IDM guys very well. I know Assen well, too, and we’ve done a lot of laps there this season testing and racing. However, I know for sure it won’t be an easy weekend because the level in IDM is very high.”

“There are factory teams and very good privateer teams, all with almost a season of racing this year. We will start on Friday with a completely new bike and a new team but the Ten Kate guys are very experienced and I’m sure we’ll be able to find a good way forward very quickly. It will be a fun weekend.”

Yoshimura Suzuki Team

The Yoshimura Suzuki team have confirmed that they will now make their first of three appearances at the next round of the World Superbike championship, having missed out on their planned outing at Assen due to the grounding of airlines after the Icelandic volcano eruption.

The Japanese rider Yukio Kagayama will be on the modified version of the Suzuki GSX-R1000 at the Italian circuit, the winning bike of the Suzuki 8 hour race.

The team are also planning on using the same rider and machine for the final race of the season at Magny-Cours in October but in September will have the rider Daisaku Sakai at the Imola circuit.

Jonathan Rea - Hanspree Ten Kate Honda 2010

Jonathan Rea completed a successful weekend for the Ten Kate Honda team after a pole position and winning both races at the Assen round of the World Superbike Championship.

Race 1

After starting from pole position, Rea sat behind Troy Corser on the BMW Motorad and Leon Camier on the Aprilia.  Jakub Smrz was in fourth followed by Max Biaggi and an impressive James Toseland who had started from the third row of the grid.

Toseland soon made a pass on the Aprilia of Biaggi, slotting his Yamaha Sterilgarda into fifth position by lap 2 and begun to hunt down the leading pack.

Leon Haslam had dropped back to ninth position by lap 4 after making a mistake going into the chicane and by lap 5 the Suzuki Alstare rider was out of a point scoring position after another error.  It was later discovered that Haslam had been suffering from a slow puncture throughout the race.

With Troy Corser leading the race, Rea made his move up to second position after passing British rider Camier and by lap 10 had fought his way past the race leader.  Toseland had moved up to third position ahead of Smrz and Camier.

Corser stuck to the tail of Rea while be challenged by both Toseland and Camier for his position but before long both had managed their task seeing Corser out of a podium spot once again.

With only three laps of the 22 lap race to go, Toseland made a move to pass Rea at the chicane which he did but only briefly after making a mistake by running wide and allowing Rea to re-pass.

Camier also made an unsuccessful move on Toseland, passing him on the inside of lap 10 but he too ran wide allowing Toseland back through.

As Rea crossed the line to take the chequered flag, Toseland claimed the second position on the podium with an impressive Camier in third.  Carlos Checa took fourth position ahead of Corser in fifth, Biaggi in sixth, Smrz in seventh, Cal Crutchlow in eighth, Shane Byrne in ninth and points leader Haslam in tenth.

Here are the results;

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 35mins 38.483secs
2. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +1.106s
3. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +1.249s
4. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +1.548s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +2.738s
6. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +2.813s
7. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 +6.296s
8. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +12.022s
9. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +12.146
10. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +19.753s
11. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +22.204s
12. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +22.282s
13. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +22.780s
14. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.364s
15. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +37.097s

21. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR 9 laps completed
22. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR 8 laps completed

Race 2

Jonathan Rea went on to claim the victory in the second race of the day despite a spectacular battle between eight of the best WSB riders vying for the number one spot.

Despite being beaten off the line once again by Troy Corser, Rea had taken the lead position by the end of the first lap, however, Corser regained the front spot by lap 4.

Leon Haslam was in third position with Leon Camier in fourth, Jakub Smrz in fifth and James Toseland in sixth followed closely behind by Max Biaggi, Shane Byrne, Carlos Checa and Cal Crutchlow.

As Corser, Rea and Haslam all challenged for the lead, it was Corser who moved backwards until once again retaking the front spot on lap 10.

The three riders continued their battle at the front of the field, swapping the leading position between them.

While Haslam led the race for the first time, Rea began to put his foot down with only seven laps remaining.  Rea passed Haslam at the final bend as the Suzuki Alstare rider made yet another mistake.  The pair continued to swap positions before Rea finally managed to hold onto it seeing him take the top step of the podium for the second time followed by Haslam in second.

Corser had been passed by both Toseland and Camier before the Aprilia rider sneaked up to take third place at turn 12.  Camier managed to create a gap between himself and Toseland only to run wide at turn 14, running over the kerb and causing him to lose the rear of his machine and ending his possible second podium spot of the day.

Toseland took the third spot on the podium ahead of Max Biaggi in fourth, Troy Corser in fifth, Carlos Checa in sixth, Jakub Smrz in seventh, Shane Byrne in eighth, Max Neukirchner in ninth and Ruben Xaus in tenth.

Here are the results;

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 35mins 43.137secs
2. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1.942s
3. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +3.928s
4. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +4.067s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +4.176s
6. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +4.525s
7. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 +4.682s
8. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +7.698s
9. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +9.903s
10. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +11.465s
11. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +15.489s
12. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +23.604s
13. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +29.085s
14. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +35.401s
15. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +44.330s

18. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 20 laps completed
19. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 11 laps completed
20. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 6 laps completed
21. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R 0 laps completed
22. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 0 laps completed

Vittorio Iannuzzo - Valencia 2010

Italian rider Vittorio Iannuzzo is to miss this weekends round of the World Superbike championship at Assen after suffering an injury to his hand at the Spanish round earlier in the month.

In race two, there was contact made between the Kawasaki replacement rider Simon Andrews and Iannuzzo, seeing Andrews thrown into the wall followed by his machine and suffering a broken foot.  Iannuzzo was seen moments later riding off circuit, dropping his bike and in obvious pain.

The Honda rider has said that he is unable to get his glove over his hand at the moment and so he will be unable to participate in this weekends race but does expect to be back for the Monza round of the series.

Simon Andrews At Valencia 2010

Broc Parkes and Chris Vermeulen are both expected to be fit for the next round of the World Superbike Championship taking place at Assen on 23-25 April.

Parkes was injured in a pre-season training accident where he sustained a broken right tibia, seeing him miss the first three rounds of the series while he recovered.

The Echo-CRS team drafted in Josh Brookes to ride for them at the opening round of the championship at Phillip Island in Australia with the following two rounds being ridden by the South African rider Sheridan Morais.

Meanwhile, Chris Vermeulen is also eager to return to his factory Kawasaki team after suffering a seriously damaged right knee at the opening round at Phillip Island and has been undergoing daily phyiotherapy following his key-hole surgery on the injury in order to be fully fit.

Simon Andrews replaced Vermeulen at the last round of the championship at Valencia, which saw the BSB rider suffer an horrendous accident after only a handfull of laps and receiving a broken ankle in the carnage.

Eurosport

Motorcycle legend Carl Fogerty has been confirmed as the guest pundit for British Eurosport World Superbike studio at the Assen round of the championship on April 25.

The 44-year-old, four-times World Superbike champion will join Eurosport presenter Tony Carter and the British Superbike rider Josh Brookes for the fourth round of the series for the six hours of live coverage from the Assen circuit.

Nicknamed the ‘King Of Assen’, Fogerty claimed 59 Superbike wins during his career, winning all but two of the Dutch circuit races between 1993 and 1999, with 15 podiums positions out of 16 races.

Every round of the Superbike World Championship is broadcast live on British Eurosport, including qualifying, while the European rounds are also available in high definition on Eurosport HD. The Eurosport Player will simulcast the live action from each round as well as providing extensive on demand coverage.

Saturday 24 April

1400-1500 LIVE Superpole on British Eurosport 2

Sunday 25 April

0930-1535 LIVE WSB Race Day on British Eurosport 2

1800-1830 Race One on Eurosport HD

1830-1900 Race Two on Eurosport HD

British Eurosport is available on Sky (Channel 410) and Virgin Media (Channel 521).

British Eurosport 2 is available on Sky (Channel 411) and Virgin Media (Channel 525).

Eurosport HD is a simulcast of Eurosport International and is available on Sky (Channel 412) and Virgin Media (Channel 522)

British Eurosport channels also available online via Eurosport Player: www.eurosportplayer.co.uk

Follow us on Twitter! @EurosportUKTV

February 28                                 Australia                                                               Phillip Island

March 28                                       Portugal                                                               Portimão

April 11                                             Spain                                                                   Valencia (*)

April 25                                          Netherlands                                                           Assen

May 9                                               Italy                                                                          Monza

May 16                                            South Africa                                                          Kyalami

May 31                                            United States                                                        Salt Lake City

June 27                                          San Marino                                                            Misano

July 11                                             Czech Repub.                                                        Brno

August 1                                         Great Britain                                                         Donington Park

September 5                                Germany                                                                  Nürburgring

September 26                              Italy                                                                            Imola (*)/(**)

October 3                                        France                                                                       Magny Cours

(*) = To be confirmed

(**) = Subject to homologation

Karl Muggeridge

Karl Muggeridge has now signed to race for Holzhauer Honda team in the IDM Superbike series for the 2010 season after failing to land a ride in the World Superbike Championship.

The Australian rider came to the World Superbike series in 2005 after winning the World Supersport Championship the previous year for the Ten Kate Honda team.

The 34-year-old was given the chance to compete in the WSB class when the Ten Kate Honda team expanded their team to two riders, riding alongside Chris Vermeulen, where he finished his rookie season for the team in eleventh place overall.

The following year he was again failed to secure a podium finish and miss the Valencia round due to a back injury, ending the season in twelfth place overall,

He lost his ride with the team for 2007 season and despite being offered a seat in the Supersport World Championship, he chose to move to the Alto Evolution Honda team to ride alongside Josh Brookes.  A dismal season saw Muggeridge miss his home race at Phillip Island after crashing out during the practice session.  Due to legal problems the team were unable to race at the Misano round and then Brookes left the team.

In 2008 Muggeridge joined the DFXtreme team where he finished the season fifteenth overall before moving onto the Celani Suzuki team in 2009.

In April of 2009, Muggeridge suffered two broken vertebrae after his crash at Assen but the injury wasn’t discovered until he had another fall at the American circuit.  After weeks of being kept on the sidelines due to the need to rest his injuries, the Australian stepped into the British Superbike series for the HM Plant Honda team.

Muggeridge then filled the seat for the Alstare Suzuki team, replacing the injured German rider Max Neukirchner back in the World Superbike series.

Jakub Smrz - Assen 2009

The World Superbike rider Jakub Smrz has confirmed that he will once again be racing for the Guandalini Ducati team for the 2010 season.

Smrz ended his second season with the team in tenth position overall after recording a pole position, a fastest lap and the first podium of his career, in race 2 at Assen this season.

The 26-year-old Czech rider, was a replacement for Roberto Rolfo in 2007 on the Ducati 999 F05, finishing his first season in fourteenth place overall with his best place of eighth.  In 2008, he rode the Ducati 1098 RS 08 for the Guandalini team finishing the championship in eighteenth position overall and gaining a seat for the following year.

Leon Haslam - Stiggy Honda - Assen 2009

Leon Haslam will be the only rider on the grid for the Stiggy Honda World Superbike team for the ultimate three rounds of the Championship.

After John Hopkins was forced to retire for the remainder of the season after suffering an horrendous accident at the Nurburgring at the beginning of the month.  Hopkins had returned to the grid after recuperating from his big crash at Assen where he broke his hip and was side-lined for the next four rounds.  However, at the German circuit, the Honda rider was completely run over during a multi-crash, leaving him with further hip problems and a bleed to the brain.  He has since had surgery on the shoulder and wrist  and has had fluid drained from his hip and will return for a brain scan next month.

The team decided not to replace Hopkins on the grid after suffering with their own financial worries and will go it alone with Haslam for the last three rounds.

The team have also let their Supersport rider Gianluca Vizziello go, after failing to deliver the results they had expected plus the situation with the economic crisis, leaving Anthony West as the only Stiggy Supersport rider for the remainder of the Championship.