Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/128333
he yellow sun at Laguna had one was a bit scary at first. I got over it to vie with another bright because I passed James Toseland a couple star shining down benevoof times there!" lence and scorching power There was a lot of talk about the relaon the crowds. Two in fact, tive merits of the SBK and AMA as the Ten Kate Honda of Chris VerSuperbike Championships. but with meulen was followed home in race one absolutely no wild card riders from the by the yellow and black PSG-I Ducati AMA championship in the World races. it was going to be the test of who was best 998/999RS of Pier-Francesco Chili. in this year of Pirelli spec tires and so on It was to be an entire day of joy for in purely theoretical terms. The AMA Vermeulen, however, taking the second race win, this time holding off the facguys had dominated the pre-race qualifying times. thanks to their high-octane tory Ducati of James Toseland , the only fuels and supersticky qualifiers, but in race man who was to get close to him in conditions the gap narrowed somewhat. race conditions. "I had a bit of a gap, but it was quite It was all academic in any case. as the claimed (and skeptically rubbished) hard work to get it," Vermeulen said. 92,000 weekend attendance seemed to "The bike is better and better, as everyone can see . This is the first time at enjoy both classes. Laguna for me, the bike and team, and we There was much to admire in the SBK won the race . I think there is still a lot class, partly because the tires allowed the top riders to spin and drive, more to come as well, so hopefully we and with the race to can win a lot more. Coming here for the first time, I would have been happy with the top of top five or six, to be honest. The team worked hard. and we have made a lot - _ .... of progress with the bike recently. Everyone told me this track would be difficult to learn, and it has proved to be that way, but I really liked it. and the team did a great job with the bike. I like the elevation changes here, but turn T the points table the real goal for factory and top privateers alike, the battles were hard and frequent. The opener saw both Toseland and fellow Ducati Fila rider Regis Laconi slip down the order as the laps counted down. each suffering from a lack of rear grip, even though all riders had opted for the softest available rear tires. With Steve Martin's DFX Ducati behind, it was very firmly privates on parade in the opening podium. the early front running prowess of the Fila Ducati of Toseland having fallen by the wayside, almost literally as he and his sliding. spinning teammate Laconi slugged it out over the last few laps. touching on occasion and almost presenting Vermeulen with an even better bite out of the championship lead. Stern words were passed around in the factory pit, and the riders were to have other quarry to vent their passion to win in race two in any case. On the first lap of race one Vermeulen had a terrible start, slipping to eighth before making up four places in one lap, finally joining the leader Toseland on lap six, thereafter blasting past the inside line of Toseland at the awesomely fast turn one on lap eight, even if Toseland fought back hard for a time . After the severe disappointment of qualifying, only 16th in Superpole, Noriyuki Haga was always going to attack the circuit with even more venom than usual. He had more misfortune in the race. starting from Pit Lane when his machine stalled on the start line. Last away but up to 14th on lap four, he was I Ith on lap five, 10th on lap seven and an eventual sixth, a super effort after lap times that often made the leaders look relatively pedestrian. In the top five front-running places. there was a loose conglomeration of Vermeulen. Toseland, Chili, Martin and l.aconi, until Vermeulen turned up the wick. 2.8 seconds clear at the halfway mark. At that stage only