Snetterton; Q8 Oils Team News
Added on Sunday, May 20th, 2007 by Carole Nash Editor
Snetterton; Q8 Oils Team News
The news from Snetterton, courtesy of the Q8 Oils race team, who sponsor Airwaves Ducati;
Haslam on the Podium with Q8 Oils at Snetterton
Both of the Q8 Oils supported Airwaves Ducati riders remain in touch with the British Superbike championship lead following Round Five.
Leon Haslam pushed his Ducati to the limit at the super fast Snetterton circuit, achieving 3rd and 5th place finishes, whilst Gregorio Lavilla came 6th in Race One but, for the first time this season, failed to finish the second race.
In spite of the V-twin Italian Ducatis struggling to match the 4-cylinder Japanese bikes for top speed, both Airwaves Ducati riders started from the front row on the grid after finishing third and fourth in qualifying at the Norfolk circuit. Lavilla also secured the day’s quickest lap of 1:04.730s on lap 16 of the first race, proving that Q8 Oils help to extract every ounce of power from the 999cc superbike engines.
Leon moved into second position from the start of Race One but the speed of the Hondas proved difficult to match on the long straights. Leon was caught by Kiyonari, pushing him into third where he eventually finished.
Greg had battled with Sykes for 4th position, before he ran off the track on lap 17, losing two places yet still finishing in a very respectable sixth.
Race Two looked as though it would be a replay of the first, until Greg pulled out with a suspected fuelling problem on Lap Six. Leon, who had held third position from the start, then lost two positions in the extended 24-lap race, resulting in a hard earned fifth place finish.
After the first race Leon Haslam said, “It was good but I just couldn’t do anything with the speed of those Hondas!” Following the second race Leon summed up his day saying, “It was frustrating out there; the bike felt good but it is such a fast track and we just couldn’t keep up with the likes of Kiyonari and Rea on the straights.”
Greg had an unfortunate day, having crashed at Sear’s corner in this morning’s warm up he then failed to finish the second race. “It was so quick out there; everybody was going quicker in the race than in qualifying and practice!”
Championship Points: Ryuichi Kiyonari (HM Plant Honda) 190, Gregorio Lavilla (Airwaves Ducati) 179, Jonathan Rea (HM Plant Honda) 149, Leon Haslam (Airwaves Ducati) 131, Leon Camier (Bike Animal Honda) 117, Tom Sykes (Stobart Honda) 106.
