Rider Quotes and Pics from the WSBK Assen Round

We’ve got a lot of rider quotes from yesterday’s World Superbike races at Assen, so you can find out who’s in seventh heaven, who’s happy and who’s disappointed and why.
Jonathan Rea (Race – 1st, Race 2 – 1st):“You know, it’s been great, but I couldn’t have done it without my team; they gave me a fantastic bike today, so thanks to everyone – my crew chief, data guy, suspension guy, everyone involved.

We changed the balance of the b ike quite a lot for this weekend and it’s made it more comfortable to ride.
I guess you could say that today’s two races were probably the smartest I’ve ever ridden; I never got frustrated or caught in traffic and, when it was time to pull the pin, I did, and I’m really, really happy with the double.
It’s a clean sweep with pole position, a double win and, I think the fastest lap, so I’m as proud as punch and I can’t wait to take this home.

I’m looking forward to getting back into the swing of things and going to Monza but we’ll definitely savour the moment and I’ll stick around the hospitality this evening and definitely by the big boss a drink!” James Toseland (Race 1 – 2nd, Race 2 – 3rd):“We’ve had another tough weekend, especially Friday and Saturday, but we’ve pulled through.
Once again the team has worked fantastically well, especially this morning, we had a new linkage system on the rear end just to try and sort some issues and it seems to have worked.
It’s been a long weekend but to come from tenth on the grid and get a second and a third, two podiums is just a great result for me and the team.
It’s been coming slowly, we’ve come from far behind in the first two races so it’s fantastic to be up there at the front and fighting.
There are a lot of Brits out there, and we’re all racing at the front and doing a great job, everybody deserves to be in it.
I’ve had great support from my family and friends and want to thank everyone for supporting me in getting back to where I should be.
”Leon Haslam (Race 1 -11th, Race 2 – 2nd):“Today was very, very hard, but I am happy because I have extended my lead in the series.
In race one I had a problem with the front end and was struggling in 16th after five laps.
I wasn’t sure if it was a brake problem, but when the bike was checked over after the race, the team discovered that air had escaped from the front tyre.
It was a real struggle to keep going especially when I was with a couple of other riders, but I was determined to bring the bike home one way or another.
The team changed the front discs and pads (in case they were part of the problem) for race two and I was able to do a normal race.
It was a fantastic race, with plenty of close contact.
Elbows were everywhere and we were close enough to touch each other’s handelbars.
It was very hard, but fair, and we all enjoyed it a lot.
It must have been great for the fans and of course, having both podiums filled by Brits was also great.
”Leon Camier (Race 1 – 3rd, Race 2 – DNF):“I’m obviously very pleased with race 1 – commented Leon Camier – my first WSBK podium.
But crashing just 2 laps from the end of the second race really disappointed me.
In the second part of the race I was very fast, the tyres slipped, but that was the same for everyone.
Unfortunately I lost a lot of time behind Toseland; he was riding in strange lines which made him very difficult to overtake.
Once in third place I saw the gap with Haslam getting smaller and I wanted to push for it by braking late, but I lost the bike and crashed.
Oh well! We’ll have to look at the glass as half full: we worked well, growing throughout the weekend, and this can’t help but favour us for the next races.
This week we have plans to test in Misano and this will allow me increase my familiarity with my Aprilia”.
Max Biaggi (Race 1 -4th , Race 2 – 6th)“I’m going home quite satisfied, especially if I think about how the weekend began, the difficulties we had in the practice sessions and then in the Superpole and – above all – about the fact that I started in eleventh place on a track where it is extremely difficult to overtake.
In race 1 I struggled a bit to maintain the pace.
In race 2, on the other hand, I got over the problems I had been having up to that point and it went better.
But then certain difficulties came up and I want to concentrate precisely on these problems in the next tests in Misano with my RSV4.
The season is long and these are important points”.
Troy Corser (Race 1- 5th, Race 2 – 5th):“Obviously the improvements we found at the Mugello test were pretty useful.
When we rolled the bike out here we were pretty good right from the start.
We did not have to change a lot.
In the first race the rear tyre just did not last long enough.
I changed the electronics a bit, but that was pretty much it.
For the second race we decided to run the bike a little more controlled at the beginning to save the tyres.
It definitely seemed to work better, and my lap times were more consistent.
I can now change the way I ride the bike.
We have not had that all year.
I am pretty happy.
”Carlos Checa (Race 1- 4th, Race 2 – 6th):“It was great to see Race 2 from my position! Unfortunately there was an obvious difference in acceleration between us and the four cylinders and we weren’t 100% there with regard to the rideability of the bike.
Anyway the overall balance was not bad when you look at my results.
We have a good package but we are lacking acceleration and speed compared to the four cylinders.
I couldn’t do more than I did but I’m still fourth in the standings, in what will be a long championship.
”Jakub Smrz (Race 1 – 7th, Race 2 -7th): “I gave it my all, but we didn’t have any luck today.
I believe I could’ve battled for the victory in race 1, unfortunately the shifter issue caused me to go wide a few times.
In race 2, after losing a couple of seconds halfway into the race, I gained a few positions, but I couldn’t pass the factory bikes that were in front of me”.
Cal Crutchlow (Race 1 – 8th, Race 2 – DNF):“It’s been a very frustrating end to the weekend for me, I know I had the pace to achieve really good results and be up there fighting with the front guys in both races.
I made a good start in the first but lost a lot of places on the first corner when the pack pushed me wide, but fought back and was one of the fastest riders on the track mid-race.
Race two was even more frustrating as I was determined and ready to fight for a podium.
Unfortunately the technical issue was out of my control so there was nothing I could do.
” Noriyuki Haga (Race 1 – 10th , Race 2 – DNF):“It was a very difficult day for us today.
In Race 1 I didn’t make the good start that I needed to, and from the fourth row I had to push very hard even to make up one or two positions.
In Race 2, I realized already during the warm-up lap that the engine vibrations I was feeling were maybe stronger than normal.
I hoped it wouldn’t be a problem and started the race but it became worse as I rode and I knew there was something wrong technically.
It’s very disappointing of course because this year, more than ever, it’s important to be consistent – there are so many of us fighting for the positions that count and it’s becoming more and more of a battle.
”Tom Sykes (Race 1 – 12th, Race 2 – DNF): “After Superpole the boys and I had a look at the data and to their credit they came up with a good idea for warm-up, which was a vast improvement.
We suddenly found some extra pace and were fast and consistent for this session.
In race one I had an OK start but the weather conditions were a lot warmer than in the morning warm up.
I got away in the top 10-11 and was holding my own but gradually lost a lot of grip in the front towards the end of the race and had to settle for 12th.
Race two was a big disappointment for me as I got caught up with some desperate riders who made a mistake on lap one and I paid the price.
Both the team and I were gutted as we were looking really good for an improved result for race two.
”Sylvain Guintoli (Race 1- 14th, Race 2- 13th):“This was a weekend to forget and I don’t really even want to think about it anymore.
It didn’t start well and never really improved.
It did get a bit better yesterday and I might have been able to rescue something if I had managed to find my rhythm today.
But I didn’t, and having a problem with another rider in race two didn’t help either.
I’m not sure if it was Sykes or Lanzi but there was an impact and that affected the steering of my bike.
I was lucky not to crash, but I thought I might as well keep going and see what happened.
The steering felt strange and I just could push any harder.
I think it’s better I forget today and start thinking about the next race in Monza, because that is something positive.
”Luca Scassa (Race 1 -18th , Race 2 – 11th ): “In Race 1 we used a hard compound rear tire and it did not give me much confidence.
When I saw the possibility to pass Lorenzo Lanzi for the fifteenth place, I realised it was a high risk.
In race two, we used a softer tire so things improved and I immediately found the usual good feeling.
I had a really good race but we could have done even better.
I’m satisfied, six other points for the championship and we will continue working in the best way.
Thanks to the guys and all those who are confirming their confidence.
”Ruben Xaus (Race 1 – DNF, Race 2 – 10th):“I had some problems in the first race which resulted in me crashing, but we made some changes and the bike worked a lot better in race two.
I got a great start and was with the top guys, but I had one bad lap where four riders passed me, which affected my rhythm.
On the whole I feel I have got the bike working how I want it – I just need to find a traction control setting that suits my style.
”Michel Fabrizio (Race 1 – 13th , Race 2 – 12th):“In Race 1 I got off to a bad start and it was difficult to match the pace of those ahead of me.
We made a few changes to my 1198 between the two races and for the first half of race 2 it was better; I was able to push hard and make up a few places.
But then, in the second half of the race, practically from one lap to the next, the rear tyre performance dropped dramatically.
I risked falling a couple of times and realized I had to take it easy if I wanted to finish the race.
I’m looking forward to Monza where I hope we can perform a lot better in front of my home crowd.
” Max Neukirchner (Race 1 -20th, Race 2 – 9th):“We have changed the bike a lot this week and I adapted my riding style a bit better this morning in warm-up so we thought we could improve more in the race.
The problem was that, although the settings were the same I hadn’t ridden this new style, which requires braking further into the corner, with a full tank.
Anyway, I ended up losing the front, but brought the bike home.
We went harder at the front and the rear for race two and it worked for me, so it feels like a great step forward today.
I can’t wait to get to Monza – not only to close the book there after last year’s crash, but to improve the bike further.
I’m also very happy for Johnny, who did a great job here this weekend.
In fact, it’s been a good step forward for the whole team.
”Chris Vermeulen (Race 1 -17th , Race 2 – 14th ):“We finished both races, one in the points.
It was difficult to race and I had painkillers and taping on the knee all weekend.
We managed to get there even if the bike set-up was not ideal because we had to compromise the settings and my riding position because of the injury.
But that side is only going to get better.
I am hoping it will be 100% better by the time we get to Monza but it may not be.
With two more weeks of physiotherapy my knee will improve and I will see how we are in Italy.
Scoring points is a real positive we can take out of this weekend.
”