KAGAYAMA THE FASTEST IN COOL CONDITIONS – AND AT RECORD PACE

After early mist was blown away by the 31 Superbike on display at Magny Cours the afternoon session belonged to class ‘rookie’ Yukio Kagayama (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), who set a time of 1’40.512. This was 0.242 seconds faster than the previous best of Neil Hodgson (Ducati), set in 2003 - before the advent of control Pirelli tyres in Superbike. Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda) went second fastest, and like Kagayama, was one of the riders who have tested at the French circuit this year already.


PITT AND LANZI PUSH HARD IN EARLY STAGES Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) scored the third fastest time of day one, with an all ’rookie’ provisional front row running up front of the established Superbike stars. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati SC Caracchi 999F05) was fourth, hoping to regain the winning status first experienced at Eurospeedway Lausitz. Lanzi, once more on a full-factory Ducati, was fastest in the morning session.

NEW CHAMPION CORSER LOOKING TO RACEDAY Troy Corser (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) secured fifth fastest time, some 0.712 from his team-mate’s provisional pole. Recently crowned champion for the second time in his career, last weekend at Imola, Corser is keen to win on Sunday, to prove his prowess as champion after the bizarre Imola meeting. He was awarded the title after the cancellation of race two, on safety grounds.

PETRONAS PERFORMANCE IMPRESSES AGAIN With his team-mate Garry McCoy replaced at Magny Cours by team test rider Andy Notman, Petronas FP-1 regular Steve Martin backed up his recent good form with a superb sixth fastest time. Notman scored 28th in qualifying.

TRACK EXPERT CHECA BATTLES WITH THE BIG GUNS Davide Checa (Yamaha GMT 94) was in immediate force at Magny-Cours seventh fastest, ahead of the championship runner up, Chris Vermeulen (Winston Ten Kate Honda). An eclectic mix of bikes and teams in the top ten left Chris Walker (PSG-1 Kawasaki) and Giovanni Bussei (Kawasaki Bertocchi) to complete the upper echelons.

BOSTROM 11th AS HE SLOWLY REGAINS FITNESS Ben Bostrom (Renegade Honda KOJI) scrapped out the opening day in top form, finishing just outside the top ten, despite a still-injured back. Just behind Bostrom, multiple 2005 race winner Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha Motor Italia) was 1.169 seconds from provisional pole. Haga completed the provisional third row.

ROW FOUR CLOSE AFTER DAY ONE SLIPS AWAY The last Superpole spots on offer after day one were provisionally taken by Max Neukirchner (Klaffi Honda), Sebastien Gimbert (Yamaha Motor France), Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor France) and Fonsi Nieto (PSG-1 Kawasaki). Nieto started the season on Ducati and moved to Kawasaki only recently.

DUCATI HUMBLED BY OPENING DAY LACK OF PACE James Toseland (Ducati Xerox) was only 17th fastest on day one, with his team-mate Regis Laconi 19th. A tough day for the factory squad shows up the fact that they, compared to most of the other top teams, have not tested at this venue. Pierfrancesco Chili (Klaffi Honda) split the full factory Ducati partners, with Ivan Clementi (Pedercini Ducati) the last rider in the top 20.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP With new champ Sebastien Charpentier (Winston Ten Kate Honda) out of the Magny Cours meeting due to an Imola shoulder injury, Michel Fabrizio (Team Italia Megabike Honda) stole the provisional pole position time, with the top three riders already under the race lap record.
Kevin Curtain (Yamaha Motor Germany) crashed but still went second, with Fabien Foret (Team Italia Megabike Honda) third and Broc Parkes (Yamaha Motor Germany) fourth. Katsuaki Fujiwara (Winston Ten Kate Honda) riding despite his Imola crash injuries was seventh fastest. Javi Fores (Alstare Corona Extra Suzuki) and Gianluca Nannelli (Ducati SC Caracchi) made it a cosmopolitan first couple of rows.