Assen, day one: Disappointing start for Max and Yukio

Friday, 27 April 2007
The first day of qualifying for the fifth round of this year’s Superbike World Championship at Assen took place in perfect conditions, but it was a far from perfect start for Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra riders Max Biaggi and Yukio Kagayama. Max ended the day twelfth fastest and Yukio finished well down the order in seventeenth place. Series leader James Toseland (Honda) posted the day’s fastest time, just over a tenth of a second ahead of his nearest rival Noriyuki Haga (Yamaha). Third quickest was Ruben Xaus (Ducati), with reigning champion Troy Bayliss (Ducati) fourth.

MAX - 12th, 1:40.804
"This morning we had some settings problems, so we made quite a few changes to the bike for the qualifying session in the afternoon. Then we focussed on sorting out the engine braking and tomorrow we will try and find a good balance to the bike so that I can push hard. I have ridden this track many times in the past, but this is my first time riding the new layout, so there was that to learn as well today. "

YUKIO - 17th, 1:41.273
"Normally I like Assen and normally it likes me, but today was very strange. I did not find hardly any good grip at all today and I’m not sure exactly why. We made some suspension changes to the bike for the afternoon qualifying, but we had a little bit of a clutch problem and I couldn’t push hard. Tomorrow we’ll make some more changes to the suspension and see if we can get better grip. We need it!"

Friday qualifying
1 Toseland (GB-Honda) 1:39.603,
2 Haga (J-Yamaha) 1:39.750,
3 Xaus (E-Ducati) 1:39.765,
4 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati) 1:39.806,
5 Corser (Aus-Yamaha) 1:39.938,
6 Muggeridge (Aus-Honda) 1:40.092,
7 Nieto (E-Kawasaki) 1:40.201,
8 Smrz (CZ-Ducati) 1:40.355,
9 Lanzi (I-Ducati) 1:40.445,
10 Brookes (Aus-Honda) 1:40.480,
12 MAX BIAGGI (I-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:40.804,
17 YUKIO KAGAYAMA (J-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) 1:41.273

Alstare