Thursday Oct 5 2006
Preview

Magny-Cours (France), Thursday 5th October: The final act of the 2006 World Superbike Championship takes place this weekend at the Magny-Cours circuit, near Nevers in central France. After Troy Bayliss's splendid triumph last weekend at Imola for the Ducati Xerox Team, the Manufacturers' title now remains to be assigned. A fifth place (11 points) is all that is required for Ducati to clinch title number 14 in this particular category.

Troy Bayliss arrives at Magny-Cours directly from Paris, where together with team-mate Lorenzo Lanzi he took part in a promotional event for Oakley and Ducati France, which included a photo-session beneath the Arc de Trionfe.



"I feel really good, we've achieved what we set out to achieve" declared Troy. "It's not over yet though because when you win the championship you've got to back it up and prove you are the number 1 and also we want to win the manufacturers' championship so it'll be lovely to finish that off this weekend and we'll all be very happy. I've never been to Magny-Cours before and just rode the scooter round for a couple of laps. Davide Tardozzi took me around and showed me where we were good last year. The layout didn't do a lot for me but I think we can find our way around here pretty good and you never know when I actually ride the real bike I might take a liking to it".

Lorenzo Lanzi won his second race here last year on a factory Ducati 999 machine run in Scuderia Caracchi colours. This year he aims to finish off the season with a similar performance for the Ducati Xerox squad.

"Last year I won race 2 here after a great battle with Chris (Vermeulen) so I hope to be able to repeat that feat this year. I really like the track, and I've always gone well here since 2003 and Superstock days. The weather conditions are not very promising, with the possibility of some rain, but we will try and go well in practice and qualifying to get the best set-up for the races".

THE CIRCUIT
Name: Magny-Cours
Length: 4.250 km
Pole Position: right
Finish line length: 250 metres
Race distance: 2 x 23 laps/101.453 km

CHAMPIONSHIP POINTS (after 11 of 12 rounds): Riders - 1. Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) 393 (2006 World Champion); 2. Toseland (Honda) 295; 3. Haga (Yamaha) 293; 4. Pitt (Yamaha) 239; 5. Barros (Honda) 231; 6. Corser (Suzuki) 218; 7. Kagayama (Suzuki) 193; 8. Lanzi (Ducati Xerox) 152. Manufacturers - 1. Ducati 412; 2. Honda 373; 3. Yamaha 368; 4. Suzuki 336; 5. Kawasaki 211; 6. Petronas 19.

STATISTICS: Best lap: Vermeulen (Honda), 1m39.836s (2005). Lap record: Lanzi (Ducati), 1m40.601s (2005). Superpole: Vermeulen (Honda), 1m39.836s (2005).

2005 RESULTS: Race 1 - 1. Vermeulen (Honda); 2. Kagayama (Suzuki); 3. Toseland (Ducati). Race 2 - 1. Lanzi (Ducati); 2. Kagayama; 3. Haga (Yamaha)

TV COVERAGE: Eurosport (Pan European): Sunday 8 October - 1200 SBK race 1 (live). Eurosport 2 (Pan-European): Sunday 8 October - 1530 SBK race 2 (live). La7 (Italy): Sunday 8 October - 1430 SBK race 1 (delayed), 1530 SBK race 2 (live).