World Superbike News

Max Biaggi - Aprilia 2010

Max Biaggi took victory in both races at the weekend for the Aprilia team at his home circuit of Monza and also set the record for the fastest superbike ever recorded in a straight line.  The Aprilia team are now leading the manufacturer’s standings for the first time.

Race 1

As the first race of the day got underway it was Biaggi who led the race as the riders headed into the first corner ahead of the the two Yamaha Sterilgarda riders James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow.  Leon Haslam followed in fourth position on the Alstare Suzuki with Leon Camier on the second Aprilia in fifth.

Haslam launched an attack on Biaggi on lap 4 of the race, briefly taking the lead after out-braking the Italian heading into Prima Variante.  Two laps later, Biaggi retook the lead as the riders headed across the start/finish line while Troy Corser on the BMW who had moved into third position from twelfth on the grid was shuffled backwards.

The Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea look set to challenge the leading rider after passing the Yamaha pair on the back straight to take third before losing the front end of his machine putting him out of the race and his bike over the tyre wall.

Cal Crutchlow was seen riding across the chicane escape lane after a near run-in with Haslam under braking going into turn 1 while on lap 13, Haslam made his move on Toseland to take second place.  However, Haslam made a mistake and ran wide letting Toseland back past followed by Crutchlow leaving the Suzuki rider back in fourth place.

Crutchlow then began his challenge on Toseland, taking second after passing the British rider on lap 14 but was unable to hold the position for long and gave Biaggi the chance he needed to create a bit of space between himself and the other front runners.

On the final lap, Toseland and Crutchlow were once again on the tail of Biaggi but the Italian continued a faultless race to take his seventh career win at his home circuit.  Toseland crossed the line to take second ahead of Crutchlow with Haslam in fourth.

Leon Camier finished in fifth position after starting in thirteenth position followed by Spanish rider Ruben Xaus on the BMW in sixth, Michel Fabrizio on the Ducati in seventh, Troy Corser in eighth, Tom Sykes for the Kawasaki team in ninth and Sylvain Guintoli on the Suzuki in tenth.

Here are the results;

1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 31′07.044 (200,504 kph)
2 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 0.247
3 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 0.297
4 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.958
5 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 4.493
6 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 7.343
7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 7.369
8 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 9.344
9 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 15.338
10 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 16.761
11 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 16.921
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 22.231
13 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 22.602
14 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 22.742
15 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 26.266
16 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.415
17 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.968
18 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 36.964
19 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 51.646
20 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 71 Sakai D. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000
RET 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR
EX 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R

Race 2

Max Biaggi took his Aprilia across the line to secure his second win of the day in front of his home crowd on the Aprilia in an incident packed second race.

The riders managed to make it cleanly through the Prima Variante but it all went wrong as James Toseland got sandwiched between Jonathan Rea and Michel Fabrizio, sending him and his bike down onto the circuit, Toseland was then caught up between his catapulting Yamaha and the Aprilia of Leon Camier. The British Rider was taken to hospital suffering from mild concussion while Rea, who was also injured in the incident, suffered a sprained ankle.  Ruben Xaus was another casualty from the same accident, managed to walk away unscathed but was out of the race.

Biaggi continued to lead the race followed by Troy Corser who had worked his way into second place from twelfth on the grid.  Tom Sykes had moved up to third position but was soon passed by both Haslam and Crutchlow.

Haslam was soon challenging for the leading spot, passing Biaggi at the Roggia chicane but once again the Brit made a mistake and the lead was retaken by Biaggi as they headed down the home straight followed by Crutchlow in second.

Haslam was nearly out of contention on lap 9 while coming out of the first chicane, as he was seen lifting off of his seat but miraculously regained his position although nearly taking Corser along with him.

Crutchlow was now free to challenge Biaggi until on lap 13 when his engine gave up and he was forced to take to the gravel trap.

Biaggi crossed the line to take his second chequered flag of the day 4.5 seconds ahead of Haslam and Corser. Leon Camier finished in an impressive fourth place despite getting caught up in the tangle at the start of the race followed by the Kawasaki of Tom Sykes in fifth.

Noriyuki Haga took his Ducati across the line to finish in sixth place ahead of Sylvain Guintoli in seventh, Jakub Smrz in eighth, Shane Byrne in ninth and Luca Scassa in tenth.

Here are the results;

1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 31′07.122 (200,496 kph)
2 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 4.547
3 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 5.469
4 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 10.267
5 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 15.561
6 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 15.816
7 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 15.861
8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 20.977
9 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 21.920
10 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 21.974
11 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 27.152
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 29.315
13 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 30.858
14 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 47.160
15 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 48.824
RET 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR
RET 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR