Fabrizio leads the way in opening Kyalami qualifying

Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox) continued his recent run of positive form as he powered to the provisional pole in the opening qualifying session for the sixth round of the Hannspree FIM Superbike World Championship at Kyalami. The 24-year-old Italian, who dominated the pre-season testing session here last December, set a new official benchmark of 1 minute 38.103 seconds around the 4.246 km circuit.

Second place went to Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), the British rider four-tenths of a second behind Fabrizio, with his Honda CBR machine showing major signs of a renaissance in the last couple of races. Texan rookie sensation Ben Spies (Yamaha World Superbike) moved up from 14th to third in the last few minutes of the session, while Leon Haslam (Stiggy Racing Honda) was back on form with the final provisional front row slot.

Shinya Nakano was next up for Aprilia, followed by points leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox), whose arm is still swollen following last Sunday's incident at Monza. Jakub Smrz (Guandalini Ducati), Tom Sykes (Yamaha World Superbike), Max Biaggi (Aprilia) and Ruben Xaus (BMW) make up the top 10, while South African champion Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki World Superbike Racing Team) caused a few eyebrows to be raised at one point as he was running in an impressive third place before ending the session in twelfth. Suzuki Alstare riders Yukio Kagayama and Fonsi Nieto, in for the injured Max Neukirchner, struggled today, finishing in 15th and 22nd position respectively.

Laconi taken to hospital after crash

Friday, 15 May 2009 17:32

During the first lap of the morning's free practice session, Regis Laconi (Ducati DFX) crashed in the section between Turn 11 and Turn 12. Unfortunately in the crash the French rider, despite not hitting any obstacle, suffered a severe trauma to the cervical vertebrae. Transported by helicopter to the nearby Sunninghill Hospital in Johannesburg,

Laconi suffered two broken cervical vertebrae (C3 and C5), severe concussion and a contusion of the lung. A CT scan for eventual neurological damage, proved to be negative and for the moment he is in an induced coma and in a stable condition. After consultation with Dr. Maurizio Zorzi, the South African neuro-surgeon who was called from Pretoria to check on the patient's condition, it was decided not to operate immediately and to postpone any eventual intervention for a few days.

Barring complications, a further three weeks will be required before a clear clinical picture of the situation can be made, during which the French rider will have to remain totally immobile.

Kyalami Superbike - Free Practice 1st Session

Friday, 15 May 2009 13:42

1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'40.067
2 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.102
3 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.119
4 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.137
5 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'40.322
6 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'40.498
7 132 Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.502
8 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'40.514
9 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'40.531
10 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'40.599
11 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'40.623
12 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'40.652
13 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.738
14 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.801
15 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'41.099
16 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'41.317
17 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.324
18 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'41.713
19 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'41.783
20 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'42.073
21 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'42.389
22 49 Whyte S. (RSA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'42.400
23 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'42.496
24 17 Martin S. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'42.775

Kyalami Superbike - Qualifying 1st Session

Friday, 15 May 2009 16:15
1 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 1'38.103
2 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.506
3 19 Spies B. (USA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'38.600
4 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.865
5 56 Nakano S. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'38.998
6 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 1'39.055
7 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 1'39.230
8 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 1'39.258
9 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1'39.284
10 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 1'39.357
11 7 Checa C. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.370
12 132 Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.388
13 36 Lavilla G. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 1'39.389
14 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 1'39.470
15 71 Kagayama Y. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'39.475
16 9 Kiyonari R. (JPN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'39.788
17 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'39.961
18 25 Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.105
19 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 1'40.192
20 31 Muggeridge K. (AUS) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.304
21 33 Hill T. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 1'40.308
22 10 Nieto F. (ESP) Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 1'40.544
23 49 Whyte S. (RSA) Yamaha YZF R1 1'41.737
24 17 Martin S. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 1'42.015