FIM Motocross World Championship
ROUND 2 – BULGARIA, 23 APRIL 2012

The Grand Prix of Bulgaria sees Searle’s first victory of the season in MX2 while Cairoli finishes 3rd and still heads MX1

Sevlievo (Bulgaria), 23 April 2012 – Pirelli rubber established its credentials at the second round of the FIM Motocross World Championship at the fast and hard-pack circuit of Sevlievo in Bulgaria by maintaining control of both of the principal classes.

MX 1

In MX1 five times World Champion Antonio Cairoli managed to keep a high and effective pace around the Bulgarian hills even though the track is not one of his favourites on the calendar. The Sicilian steered his works KTM with a Scorpion Pro front and a MidSoft 32 rear in both of the motos and finished 4th and 3rd in both sprints.
Tony had to concede victory to Gautier Paulin and second spot to Christophe Pourcel, the latter riding his Kawasaki with MidSoft32 and on a damper track through watering in the afternoon elected for the MidSoft 454.
Fourth overall and using MidSoft 32 front and rear was KTM rider Ken De Dycker, while 2011 vice-champion Steven Frossard had to withdraw from the event after twisting his knee in qualification.

Overall Classification:

Antonio Cairoli, MX1

Championship standings:

MX 2

MX2 was the domain of Pirelli with the first five positions running the MidSoft32, and current world number two Tommy Searle going 3rd and 1st in the two motos for his maiden victory of 2012. At this side on the podium was Jeffrey Herlings, in second spot, and then Joel Roelants who ran away with the opening moto for the first chequered flag of his career. Following in the overall classification was second KTM rider Jeremy Van Horebeek and then Max Anstie.

Tommy Searle, MX2

Overall Classification:

Jeffrey Herlings, MX2

Championship standings:

FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

FIM Superbike World Championship: Assen, Netherlands – Round 03 – Race report

Guintoli and Rea share the wins after another dramatic Assen raceday

Assen (Netherlands), Sunday 22 April 2012 – Changeable weather conditions played a major part in proceedings during raceday at Assen, with the first race stopped and then re-run over only nine laps, and the second race bringing forth a variety of tyre choices on a damp initial track surface that saw the podium places change frequently.
In race one Sylvain Guintoli (Effenbert-Liberty Ducati) took his first ever race win in SBK and the first for his team, while in race two a bad choice for 2011 champion Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) saw him out of the points.
Honda World Superbike team rider Jonathan Rea took his first win of the year in the second full 22-lap race.

Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing) now leads the championship with 92 points even though he was fourth and eighth today. Checa is second but only one point behind, while third ranked rider Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) had to retire from race one, and dropped from a potential podium to sixth in race two, leaving him 13 points from the lead.
The weekend crowd of 56,000 were treated to some incredible action, particularly in the abandoned part of the first race and again for the final podium spot in race two, when a photo finish was required to separate fourth and fifth place riders.
A day of firsts and landmarks for the podium finishers saw Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) take second in race one, ahead of Checa, and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) take his first Aprilia podium.

Race 1
An incredible first race, eventually run over nine wet laps, was won by Guintoli, a rider who has threatened to win a race on many previous occasions. His margin of advantage was 2.6 seconds, from a very determined rookie Giugliano and his team-mate Checa.
Their fight for the podium places was just one of many highlights in the wet race, after the first attempted contest had started out dry, but was halted when several leading riders fell as the rains came down. By regulation a whole new race was declared and the only influence the first leg finishing order had was to determine grid places for the ‘real’ second race.
In fourth place in an all Aprilia racing battle, Max Biaggi beat Eugene Laverty. Early leader Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) fell and no-scored.

Sylvain Guintoli: “We’ve been trying to catch that first victory for a while now. Since the start of the season we have showed that we have pace, but the results haven’t come. Finally I did it today. For me it’s a fantastic feeling, this race was crazy with a lot of crashes and I nearly crashed as well. It’s the first race since the accident to Joan and I want also to dedicate this win to him as well.”

Davide Giugliano: “It’s a very emotional moment because you don’t expect to get this result in your third race. We knew that Assen was a good circuit for us and we could get a good result. For sure the conditions were not great, but I was up front, a bit ‘lost’ even because I found myself up against guys I had only seen from a distance before now.”

Results: 
1. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 18'38.395
2. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 2.633
3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 3.031
4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 3.927
5. Laverty E. (IRL) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 4.374
6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 11.359
7. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 26.412
8. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 37.562
9. Melandri M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 49.896
10. Mercado L. (ARG) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'08.847
11. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 1'11.760
12. Aoyama H. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'13.988
13. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'27.019
14. Zanetti L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
15. Aitchison M. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR
etc.

WSBK Race 1 Podium

Race 2
A great ride from Rea saw him overcome the pain of a hand injury suffered earlier in the day to win his first race of the year, at his team’s home track. He also scored the first win for Honda in 2012.
Race one winner Guintoli was second after his team-mate Jakub Smrz dropped back from his long-time lead after choosing a wet front tyre. Smrz eventually crashed while trying to pass a lapped rider.
The battle for third went to Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing), his first podium of 2012. An all BMW battle right behind saw Melandri beat Haslam (the latter regretting using a front wet tyre) over the line by only 0.002 seconds.
Checa gambled on rain tyres but as the track dried and the rain stayed away, he had to come into change his wheels and he ended up 17th - just out of the points.

Jonathan Rea: “It’s a great result for me, my team and bike. A big thanks to all the guys back in Nieuwleusen for their continued hard work. I have to get my finger stitched up right now after my race 1 crash, I’ve been using local anaesthetic for this race, but on a more serious note this win is also just to let Joan Lascorz know that we’re all thinking of you.”

Sylvain Guintoli: “For sure it’s a great weekend for us, again we started well. I thought I had the double, it was going well and I could control the gap. Then Johnny had a little extra and I was struggling and couldn’t follow. It feels really good and I think I could get used to these results!”

Results: 
1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 36'45.936
2. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 2.819
3. Laverty E. (IRL) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 12.638
4. Melandri M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 12.762
5. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 12.764
6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 20.393
7. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 36.317
8. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 37.747
9. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 41.350
10. Fabrizio M. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 43.930
11. Hopkins J. (USA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 57.515
12. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 1'32.593
13. Aoyama H. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'33.576
14. Camier L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000
15. Mercado L. (ARG) Kawasaki ZX-10R
16. Aitchison M. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR
etc.

WSBK Race 2 Podium

Championship standings (after 3 Rounds of 14): 
1. Biaggi 92
2. Checa 91
3. Sykes 79
4. Guintoli 66
5. Melandri 66
6. Rea 65
7. Haslam 58
8. Laverty 56
9. Smrz 39
10. Giugliano 37
etc.

Manufacturers standings: 
1. Ducati 136
2. Aprilia 100
3. BMW 86
4. Kawasaki 85
5. Honda 69
6. Suzuki 20

World Supersport

Lorenzo Lanzi (PRORACE Honda) took his and Honda’s first race win of the 2012 season in his first ever Honda Supersport ride. In fully wet conditions, Lanzi moved up to the lead and pulled away, lapping everyone up to 12th place.
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki DeltaFin Lorenzini) was second, some 12 seconds behind Lanzi, with the first ever Russian rider to take a Supersport podium, Vladimir Leonov (Yakhnich Racing Yamaha) third. Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Honda Racing Products) was fourth, and Triumph rider Alex Baldolini (Power Team by Suriano) fifth - placing four different manufacturers inside the top five places.
With many of his rivals crashing out, Sofuoglu shares the championship lead of 45 points with non-finisher Fabien Foret (Kawasaki Intermoto Step). Third on an unchanged 31 points is Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) who fell while leading today.

Results:
1. Lanzi L. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 42'56.376
2. Sofuoglu K. (TUR) Kawasaki ZX-6R 12.054
3. Leonov V. (RUS) Yamaha YZF R6 14.460
4. Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR600RR 23.884
5. Baldolini A. (ITA) Triumph Daytona 675 47.063
6. Cluzel J. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 49.755
7. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR600RR 53.850
8. Van Poppel T. (NED) Yamaha YZF R6 1'42.505
etc.

WSS Podium

Championship standings (after 3 Rounds of 13): 
1. Sofuoglu 45
2. Foret 45
3. Lowes 31
4. Parkes 29
5. Leonov 26
6. Lanzi 25
7. Quarmby 25
8. Baldolini 24
etc.

Manufacturers standings: 
1. Kawasaki 70
2. Honda 61
3. Yamaha 31
4. Triumph 30
5. Suzuki 6

Superstock 1000

Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) won a tricky Superstock contest held in cold but mostly dry conditions, which was eventually red-flagged due to oil on the track. The intended 13 lap race distance therefore became eight. It was Barrier's second win of the year, after his victory at Imola.
Team-mates Lorenzo Savadori (Barni Racing Team Italia) and Eddi La Marra (Barni Racing Team Italia) took their Panigale machines to second and third respectively, close behind the French rider. Loris Baz (MRS Kawasaki) went fourth in race during which some big names were forced out by falls or technical issues.

Results:
1. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 22'00.274 (154,078 kph)
2. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW 1000 RR 4.274
3. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 11.241
4. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 11.459
5. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 11.711
6. Reiterberger M. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 13.169
7. Antonelli A. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR 15.742
8. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 17.441
etc.

Championship standings (after 2 Round of 10): 
1. Barrier 50
2. La Marra 32
3. Baz 30
4. Savadori 28
5. Reiterberger 26
6. Coghlan 14
7. Baroni 12
8. Staring 11
etc.

Manufacturers standings: 
1. BMW 50
2. Ducati 36
3. Kawasaki 30
4. Honda 10
5. Aprilia 5

European Junior Cup
Polish rider Adrian Pasek won the opening round of the KTM European Junior Cup at Assen, the series open for 14 to 19 year-olds from all over the world.
In eight supporting rounds to World Superbike, the youngsters will get their hands on identical KTM Duke 690 machines provided directly by the Austrian  manufacturer.
The one-make tyre supply comes from Pirelli, the same as the four production-based categories.
In the seven-lap race, held on a dry track, Pasek finished ahead of Dutchman Rob Hartog, nephew of the legendary 500cc rider of the 1970s, Wil Hartog. The podium was completed by another Polish rider Artur Wielebeski

Results:
1. Pasek A. (POL) KTM Duke 690 13'20.932
2. Hartog R. (NED) KTM Duke 690 1.869
3. Wielebski A. (POL) KTM Duke 690 15.484
4. Demoulin J. (FRA) KTM Duke 690 16.111
5. Patterson J. (GBR) KTM Duke 690 27.293
6. Lewis J. (NZL) KTM Duke 690 29.440
etc.

Points (after 1 Round of 8):
1. Pasek 25
2. Hartog 20
3. Wielebski 16
4. Demoulin 13
5. Patterson 11
6. Lewis 10
etc.

 Official Tyre Supplier
“The Assen round was the scene of great excitement, providing very spectacular races for all WSBK enthusiasts with the contribution of extremely fickle weather conditions. In fact, rain showers alternated with sunshine, making tyre selection strategies fundamental.

Four Superbike, slick tyres were used for the first 13 laps of race 1 and almost all the riders opted for the SC1 (R300) solution on the rear, introduced for the first time this year during the Imola round as a development of the standard SC1, but more suitable for use in lower temperatures. After the race was red flagged due to rain, for the remaining 9 laps of race 1, on the other hand, the riders all used rain tyres.

Race 2, declared as a wet race even though it wasn’t raining at the start, played some nasty tricks on a few riders, including Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) who, convinced that rain was on the way, decided to start with two rain tyres and was then forced to come into the pits to change tyres, mounting two slick solutions, but loosing time and any possibility of another podium.

This was certainly a weekend rich with satisfaction for Sylvain Guintoli and the Effenbert Liberty Racing team as well as for Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) who nailed the right solutions for both races. My compliments also to Lorenzo Lanzi who surprised everyone in his debut Supersport race by taking the top step of the podium." 
Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto

Performance Awards:

SBK Race 1 - Pirelli BEST LAP
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing), 1'57. 793 (Lap 9) 

SBK Race 2 - Pirelli BEST LAP
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing), 1'38.092 (Lap 16) 

Checa (Althea Racing) - BestLap SBK Race 2

Total BEST LAP (SBK):
Checa C. (Althea Racing): 3
Tom Sykes ( Kawasaki Racing Team): 1
Biaggi M. (Aprilia Racing Team): 1
Sylvain Guintolì (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing): 1    

WSS - Pirelli BEST LAP
Lorenzo Lanzi (Prorace), 1'59.828 (Lap 17)

Total BEST LAP (WSS):
Foret F. (Kawasaki Intermoto Step): 1
Parkes B. (Ten Kate Racing Products): 1
Lorenzo Lanzi (Prorace): 1


STK1000 - Pirelli BEST LAP
Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Goldbet ), 1'40.187 (Lap 6)

STK600 - Pirelli BEST LAP
Alex Schacht (Schacht Racing SBK ONE), 1'41.860 (Lap 9)

PIRELLI CONFIRMED AS OFFICIAL TYRE SUPPLIER TO THE
FIM SUPERBIKE WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP FOR 2013-2015 SEASONS

Milan (Italy),July 27, 2011 - Pirelli has been renewed as the Official Tyre Supplier to the FIM Superbike World Championship after a new contract was signed between Pirelli and Infront Motor Sports. The agreement secures Pirelli its current role in the World Championship as unique racing tyre supplier for the four racing classes through the end of 2015. Currently in its eighth year, the technical relationship began at the start of the 2004 season to increasing the competitiveness, quality and fairness amongst participating manufacturers, and as a way of reducing the overall cost of running the championship. This agreement follows on the heels of the renewed experience this year in Formula 1™, where Pirelli was chosen as the Official Tyre Supplier through 2013.

Pirelli continues to demonstrate with success its ability to supply high quality racing tyres matching the specific requests of the organizers, even extending this relationship with initiatives like the Pirelli Best Lap Awards to improve the overall show, the attractiveness of a live paddock, and the competitiveness amongst riders and teams whose increased choices play a significant role in tyre development.

Paolo Flammini, CEO of Infront Motor Sports, declared: “We are delighted to be able to renew the contract with Pirelli until the completion of the 2015 season. Eight years of working together have provided results that go way beyond our highest expectations. Once again we can count on a tyre supplier, whose commitment to the product, service and development is second to none. The presence of 7 manufacturers in World Superbike and full grids in all four classes requires a supplier who can guarantee total excellence from all points of view, and Pirelli have fully respected those guarantees, providing stability to the championships and contributing enormously to their success. We would like to thank them for their commitment and support and look forward once again to a long-term future together.”

“Pirelli is very happy to be chosen again as Official Tyre Supplier to World Superbike, the production-based world racing series which remains close to passionate fans. Our Diablo tyres’ performance and quality were key elements in helping Infront to again select us,” stated Uberto Thun, Business Unit Director for Pirelli Moto. “This new contract confirms our dedication to WSBK, to the sport’s competitiveness, and to a flexible but continued tyre development guaranteeing the best racing tyres are made available.”

Relevant value-adds regarding Pirelli’s role in WSBK:

• Since Pirelli’s arrival as single tyre supplier, the WSBK championship victor has been decided during the final round three times: in 2004, 2007 and 2009, and as well four times during the penultimate round. While only three manufacturers were successful in capturing the title over the 16 proceeding years as an open championship (pre-2004), in the 8 years of control tyre and amongst the 8 participating manufacturers (including Petronas), a total of 5 have captured the title in at least one season: Ducati, Suzuki, Honda, Yamaha and Aprilia.

•      In part due to continued improvements in tyre performance, following the first season, average race time times have fallen year after year1: -0,2 secs (2005), -1,2 (2006), -0,8 (2007), -0,6 (2008), -0,7 (2009) and -0,2 (2010), resulting in an average reduction of race time of -0,4 secs per year for a total of -2.8 seconds. Superpole final qualifying times have quickened as compared previous years: 7 faster Superpoles in 2010, 8 in 2009, 8 in 2008, 8 in 2007, 9 in 2006 and 9 in 2005 (not considering new/modified circuits and wet Superpoles). Excluding any tracks modified from one year to the next, 21 track records have been registered at the 21 circuits on five continents where WSBK has raced.

• The role as tyre supplier remains a significant technical effort for the Italian producer, with Pirelli having furnished a total of 212,633 racing tyres for the 2008-2010 seasons, a quantity comprised of 185 different solutions (compounds, profiles, sizes), and contributing to a total of 454 solutions during the contract period. Considering these solutions were amply used by an average of 20 riders per Superbike race, over a 100 km race distance during each of the two races per GP, Pirelli has obtained professional feedback on its Diablo Superbike slick tyres from over 775,000 competition kilometers. As well as meteorological conditions, temperature extremes remain the biggest challenge for tyre development, but Pirelli was able to develop solutions specifically for asphalt temperatures arriving to an extreme low of 6°C during Race 1 at Donington in 2011 and an extreme high of 58°C in Race 2 at Misano in 2008.

• Nearly 30 Pirelli patents have been derived from the experience SBK racing, ranging from contact patch technology (EPT), to tread designs and even compounding processes. Many of the recently introduced products such as the Diablo Rosso Corsa and the Diablo Rosso II have integrated elements of these technologies in order to offer the most advanced products to consumers for their use in everyday riding, whether on the track or the road.