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Kawasaki Riders Look for Success in Spain
Valencia, Spain, 31 March 2008
After two intense long haul races at the start of the season Régis Laconi and Makoto Tamada return to Europe for the third round of the World Superbike Championship, at the 4.005km Valencia track. Each PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Team rider has had his share of ups and downs already this season, but after a recent two day official FGSport test at the Valencia circuit each rider gathered more information about their 2008 Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10R racebikes.

This most recent test allowed the team to test a new swingarm design, among many other upgrades and improvements, all of which form a natural part of turning an awesome road machine into a full-on racer, capable of competing on the biggest Superbike stage of all.

After the relatively fast and flowing circuits of Losail and Phillip Island, Valencia is a return to a typically slow and tight modern European track, with the circuit almost completely contained within a man-made stadium. Valencia’s track surface is particularly prone to unpredictable behaviour, meaning that despite the recent tests there will be work to do to make sure the riders start the races on Sunday 6 April with the correct machine settings and tyre choices.

At the Valencia tests, held between 13 and 14 March, Tamada made good progress with his new materiel but 11-time SBK race winner Laconi still feels he has to find the correct set-up with which to attack the twisty Ricardo Tormo circuit in race trim.

Makoto Tamada: “I definitely found the new swingarm an improvement at the recent tests, and we did some other good work. There are so many corner entries and exits each lap at Valencia that every improvement we get from the chassis and electronic system will be important in the races. The bike also seemed to work better with the tyres at the test so I feel we will go to Valencia in good shape.”

Régis Laconi “I still have to work when we get to Spain to stop the chatter we experienced in the tests. It was better to find out what we need to improve in the tests rather than find them in qualifying, so I am sure we will be much more ready for the races on Sunday.”


Valencia Next Up for WSS Duo
Valencia, Spain, 31 March 2008
A recent test at Valencia was an ideal preparation for GIL Kawasaki riders Katsuaki Fujiwara and Chris Walker before this weekend’s race in Spain. Both the team’s riders are new to the race-winning Kawasaki Ninja ZX-6R this year, although each has had vastly different experience on Supersport machinery. Fujiwara is a seasoned campaigner and multiple race winner in this class, while Walker will take only his third ever career WSS start at Valencia on Sunday 6 April.

Fujiwara took one of his six previous WSS race wins at Valencia, in 2003, and he clearly enjoys the busy nature of the intense Spanish circuit.

Walker is also clearly a fan of the Valencia circuit, taking three podiums on three different types of machinery at this track during his World Superbike career, including a third for Kawasaki in 2005. His all-action style of riding may prove to be particularly effective at such a relentless circuit, especially as he is still a relative newcomer to WSS racing.

Katsuaki Fujiwara: “After our test at Valencia we found a way to be more consistent in our setup, even when the air and track temperature changed between sessions. That was a very positive result. It should mean that even though the track conditions for the race will probably be different from the test, we should be able to find a good race setting faster than we have before.”

Chris Walker: “I think after all the work we did in the test we’ve found a race setting that can let us be more competitive. I equalled Fabien Foret’s time from the 2007 season, in pretty much the same weather conditions, and I didn’t really push too hard. I wanted to keep my best for the race this weekend!”

Tamada 12th in Spanish Superpole
Valencia, Spain, 5 April 2008
Two dry days of qualifying saw each PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse rider, Régis Laconi and Makoto Tamada, qualify with ease for the Superpole session, with Tamada eventually finishing up 12th on the grid. Tamada had also found himself 12th going into Superpole but on qualifying tyres he set a weekend best of 1’34.930 in the final one-lap contest that determines the front four rows of the grid, putting down a good marker for raceday.

Around the 4.005km Valencia circuit in Spain, Laconi was 13th before Superpole and 15th afterwards, earning a fourth row start - one row behind his team-mate. He did not enjoy the same level of gradual improvement in his machine set-up as Tamada at this race and had to fight hard, particularly when running a qualifying spec.

The races at Valencia will be run over 23 laps, with the first starting at 12 noon, the second at 15.30 local time.

Makoto Tamada: “The biggest satisfaction we can take from today was the battle in Superpole. I’m happy about the progressive improvement that I made together with the team. We worked very well and achieved a balanced machine. I’m sure that the hard work and the continuous support we have from Kawasaki will soon bring us our rewards. I know this circuit and a good start can make the difference, so realize I have to get off the line well and gain some early positions.”

Régis Laconi “I cannot say that I’m that happy even though I improved my time a bit. Today, track conditions were different from yesterday and the bike started to chatter again. We have to adapt the bike to make me able to push the way I really want. Right now I cannot do it because as soon as I try to make up a few tenths the bike starts to chatter. Tomorrow we’ll try different solutions during warm-up in order to improve our race times.”


Fujiwara Close to the Front Row in Qualifying
Valencia, Spain, 5 April 2008
GIL Kawasaki competitor Katsuaki Fujiwara was only one thousandth of a second from a front row start after qualifying in fifth position for Sunday’s Valencia WSS race. Fujiwara’s best time of 1’37.232 was set on the first day of qualifying, as the higher temperatures on day two at Valencia prevented him from improving his lap time in the final session of timed practice.

Chris Walker, like his team-mate, found the warmer conditions on day two difficult to handle when trying to improve his previous best time, and he too relied on his first day high of 1’37.810 to go 14th on the Valencia grid. Walker now faces a start from the fourth row. Andrew Pitt will start from pole for Sunday’s 23-lap race.

Katsuaki Fujiwara: “We have a bit of a problem right now with rear chatter and we are working on that. We almost got on the front row but fifth position is not too bad here. It’s a lot better than the first two races of the season for sure. I think we can be OK for the full race distance, but we have to make sure our settings will allow is to be consistent.”

Chris Walker: “We made a few changes to the bike today but they didn’t work out the way we wanted. Like at the test, when we have a different track temperature like today, we have to try twice as hard, but seem to go half as fast. The bike doesn’t feel bad at all it’s just difficult to get a lap time, because it’s hard to hold a line when the temperature goes up. I am disappointed because I really wanted to get on the second row to give myself more of a chance at the start of the race.”

Laconi and Tamada In the Valencia Points
Valencia, Spain, 6 April 2008
Two 23-lap races allowed the PSG-1 Kawasaki Corse Team’s riders to compete for strong top ten positions in Spain, during round three of the World Superbike Championship. Régis Laconi scored an eighth place in race one today and followed that up with a second race ninth place to overtake his team-mate Makoto Tamada in the championship standings.

Tamada was ninth and then a non-finisher in race two after a crash caused by eagerness to pass an opponent and get to a higher position.

In the first 23-lap contest Laconi recovered from being 12th on lap one to eighth at the end, finishing over four seconds ahead of his own team-mate Tamada. The race was marked by falls for many of the top riders and Laconi himself was forced to run at full pace and high risk through a tight midfield battle to stay in contention. He had qualified 15th in Superpole and had to work his way forward from row four each time.

A crash dislodged a track side kerbstone in race one, causing the World Supersport race to be delayed, but on a repaired circuit Laconi went ninth after a typically brave ride, leading a bunch of four riders across the line, while Tamada collided with another rider and fell, at marshall post 8 on lap eight.

After their latest points scores, Laconi is now 18th on 16 points, Tamada is 19 on 13 points. The next races will be at Assen, on April 27t.

Regis Laconi: “I'm looking for a better result than eighth but we made great improvements today. In race one we had chattering and I had no grip in the bends, but after adjustments to the Ninja ZX-10R we almost eliminated it, and in race two the feeling I had was good. I made a quick start in both races, maintained my rhythm and I was really fighting until the end to defend the positions I had gained. We're heading in a good direction and I want to thank the team, because they are working flat-out.”

Makoto Tamada: “I'm disappointed for what happened in race two. I hadn't made a good start and it was difficult to pass my rivals in order to reach the top group. I was waiting for a good time, but I waited too long and I started to become nervous. I started to push as soon as I saw the possibility to. I crashed into the rider in front of me and fell. It's a pity as the adjustments we made to the suspension increased grip and the bike was behaving well. Race one gave me satisfaction, not only for the result but because I maintained a good rhythm during the whole race. Now we'll go to Jerez for a test to prepare for the next round at Assen.”


Walker Makes Up Time for Ninth
Valencia, Spain, 6 April 2008
After having to wait 40 minutes extra for their race to take place because of track repairs the Kawasaki GIL Kawasaki WSS competitors each ended their Spanish race weekend in the points. Chris Walker was disappointed after qualifying 14th on the grid, but made up places as he found that he suffered from less problems with the Valencia track surface than some other riders. He was even as low as 16th until he found his confidence and then he had an inspired ride to ninth.

Starting from fifth on the grid, Katsuaki Fujiwara gradually slipped down the order to finish 11th, losing grip as he went after choosing a too soft tyre.

Walker is now 12th in the championship rankings, in 16 points, with Fujiwara 20th, largely thanks to a no score in the PI race. The next WSS race will take place at Assen, on April 27.

Chris Walker: “It all went well on Friday but I struggled on Saturday so I’m chuffed to come away with a top ten. The bike was really good but it was just the front tyre that really went off after about ten laps. Front grip has been my problem all year but to be honest I think everyone was struggling with that today apart from the top four, who seemed to be in a different race. From about half race distance everyone was struggling but my problem didn’t really get any worse.”

Katsuaki Fujiwara: “We opted for a soft tyre because we had already tried it over distance. In the race it was not great for grip, and the hard tyre already gave us a lot of slides when we tried it. The biggest problem was the front tucking in the race, it happened many times and was impossible to control. But we scored some points, our best points of the year so far.”

WSS results
Valencia

One thing I have to pay cudos to, is the Kawasaki race team's and rider's abilities, in continuously being able to write unique and varied excuses for losing!!!!!!

I'd like to read Neukirchner's press release.. bet the term scheisenkopf is used frequently!

poor bugger, just read he broke his collar bone when chuca took him out.

MadKaw wrote:Kawasaki Riders Look for Success in Spain

This is where I broke down in incredible belly-hurting laughter !!!

They're only looking for it....still clearly haven't found it yet though.....

smek wrote:I'd like to read Neukirchner's press release.. bet the term scheisenkopf is used frequently!

poor bugger, just read he broke his collar bone when chuca took him out.

here you go mate.......

http://www.crash.net/motorsport/wsbk/ne ... clash.html