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RESCH TAKES THE WIN AND THE TITLE!
Austrian Roland Resch dominated the sixth and final round of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup at Magny-Cours today, winning the 10 lap race by a comfortable margin and also taking the title in the process. Resch took the lead after just one lap and from then on in was never headed on his way to the chequered flag. At the end, he was over seven seconds ahead of Italian Simone Saltarelli, with Spaniard Arturo Tizon third. Before the race, local favourite Emeric Jonchiére had been Resch’s biggest threat, only one point behind in the standings, but the Frenchman could only manage fourth place.
Roland Resch - 1st (GSX-R Cup Champion)
Today was amazing and I am almost speechless. It is impossible to describe my feelings today and I cannot believe it. I didn’t make such a good start, but I was able to take the lead after one lap. After that, I wanted to push hard and extend my lead and leave the rest behind and that’s what I did. The last lap of the race seemed to last forever. I wasn’t nervous, but I kept telling myself not to crash!
Racing in this championship has been a great experience and the level is very high. My team have worked hard all year and I want to give them a special thank you today. It is a big shame that this is the last year of this tremendous series. It has given all of us riders fantastic exposure on a world stage and I am so happy to be the final winner.
Championship Standings
Results race
RESCH RULES IN QUALIFYING
Austrian Roland Resch dominated final qualifying for the sixth round of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup at Magny-Cours and will start tomorrow’s final round of the series from pole position. Second quickest today is Briton Tommy Bridewell, with Spaniard Arturo Tizon third and Frenchman Lucas de Carolis fourth.
Roland Resch - 1st, 1:45.498
The track was dry today but the problem was that it was very cold and if you came into the pits to make some changes, the tyres would get cold and it would take some time back on the track to get them up to temperature again.
My mechanics have done a great job with the suspension and I am looking forward to the race tomorrow. I am leading the championship, but there is only one point between me and my nearest rival, so it’s all going to come down to what happens tomorrow. I like this track a lot and I hope to have fun in the race and end with the title.
Suzuki GSX-R Cup news
The final round of the 2008 edition of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup in Magny-Cours will bring the curtain down on what has been one of the most popular monomarque series in motorcycle history. The original contract began in 2005 and was initially to be for three years, but it was so well received that it continued into 2008.
But, all good things come to an end, and this year will be the fourth and final year of the series. Throughout its four year history, the Suzuki GSX-R Cup has been a huge source of entertainment to fans worldwide and a thrilling competition for the scores of young riders who have been taking part. All have grabbed the chance to show off their skills in front of a global Superbike audience and have provided race fans with thrilling spectacles at the best racetracks in Europe.
Among the riders who have taken part in the series and then gone on to greater things are Briton Tom Sykes (now in the British Superbike Championship and about to move up to the Superbike World Championship in 2009) and young Belgian sensation Xavier Simeon, currently fighting for the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup title.
The success of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup has only been possible thanks to good organisation, superb planning and a level of professional equal to that of any top World Superbike team. All concerned with the Suzuki GSX-R Cup are sad that it is coming to an end, but the people behind its success are already starting to work on their next project and, be assured, it will be no less exciting.
RESCH WINS, DESPITE PENALTY!
Austrian Roland Resch won the fifth round of this year’s Suzuki GSX-R Cup at Donington today, despite having to endure a ‘ride-though’ penalty for jumping the start! Resch had dominated both qualifying sessions and was favourite to take victory in today’s 10-lap race, but made a mistake on the grid and made a jump start. He came in for his ‘ride-though’ penalty, but somehow was still in the lead when he rejoined the track, such was his advantage over his nearest rival. Hungarian David Juhasz took second place, nearly six seconds adrift, with Italian Simone Saltarelli third.
Roland Resch - 1st
I can’t tell you how happy I am today. This was a crazy but fantastic race and I thought I’d blown all chances of victory because of my jump start and ride-thorugh penalty. When I began my ‘ride-through’, I did not expect that I would still be in the lead when I got back on the track, but I was! The conditions were difficult because we started with a damp track and then it began to dry in places and that made life hard for us all. Also, I think we all had tyres suited for wet conditions, because the race was declared a ‘wet race’ and those are the tyres we had to use. Towards the end of the race, the tyres were gone and the last two laps were a bit of a problem, but I kept it all upright and took the chequered flag. I am happy because I won the race today, but also because I have now got the championship lead, with just two races to go.
Results Race
Championship Standings
Saturday, 6 September 2008
RESCH CONTINUES HIS DOMINATION AND TAKES POLE!
Austrian Roland Resch continued his domination of the wet conditions at Donington today to take pole position for tomorrow’s fifth round of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup. In the end, he finished two tenths of a second ahead of his nearest rival, David Juhasz, with Arturo Tizon third and Alastair Fagan fourth.
Roland Resch, 1st, 1:47.249
The conditions were more difficult today, especially when the track started to dry a bit and then it became difficult to see which parts were dry and which parts were wet. You really had to concentrate throughout each and every lap, otherwise it would have been very easy to crash.
For me, the bike worked very well and I still like this track so much, even thought he conditions were not so easy. The new section has good grip and the old section does not, so you have to be careful what you are doing. I want to thank my team for the great job they have done and I would like to say another thank you tomorrow with a win!
Qualifying Practices
RESCH DOMINATES IN THE WET!
Austrian Roland Resch dominated the wet and slippery conditions at Donington today in first qualifying for Sunday’s fifth round of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup. Spaniard Arturo Tizon was second quickest, ahead of Hungarian David Juhasz and Briton Jon Pearson.
Roland Resch, 1st, 1:53.210
Conditions were really difficult today and the track was very slippery. I had many slides, but I always felt in control. The balance of my bike felt good and the biggest problem - apart from the rain - was that the tyres cooled down when the race was red-flagged and it took a few laps to get them up to temperature again. I really like this track and this is my first time racing on the big circuit. I have ridden here before, but that was on the shorter circuit, so really there is no comparison. The grip in the first part of the track was not good, but the last part was, so you really have to concentrate on every lap. I hope the weather is better tomorrow and I can enjoy this fantastic track even more.
Results Qualifying 1st Session
PIROVANO KEEPS HIS UNBEATEN RECORD.
‘Wild card’ Fabrizio Pirovano kept his unbeaten Suzuki GSX-R Cup record at Misano today, but it came as a result of a couple of crashes by two of his rivals in the ten lap race. With two laps remaining, Pirovano was in third place and forcing the pace. The crashes by Simone Saltarelli and race favourite (apart from Pirovano!) Spaniard Ismael Ortega allowed Pirovano to run unopposed to the flag. The veteran Italian took the victory, with Emeric Jonchiere second and Austrian Roland Resch third. But as Pirovano was a ‘wild card’ Jonchiere takes the 25 points, Resch 20 and Arturo Tizon 16. Ortega’s no score and Jonchiere’s 25 points tally today moves the Frenchman into the series lead, 12 points ahead of Spaniard.
Fabrizio Pirovano - 1st
It’s always goof to win a race and today was no exception - even though some people may think I was a bit lucky. But in order to win, you have to finish and that’s what I did. The standard of the Suzuki GSX-R Cup riders has definitely gone up this year and these youngsters made me work a lot harder than last year. I had some problems with the front tyre today and couldn’t push as hard as normal. So I rode sensibly and as fast as I could, without risking anything, and my strategy paid off.
Emeric Jonchiere
It was good to finish second to the ‘old fox’ today and even better to take the 25 points and the series lead. This title is going to go all the way to end and that’s going to be exciting for all of us and the fans.
Results Race
Championship Standings
ORTEGA CONTROLS QUALIFYING AND TAKES POLE.
Spaniard Ismael Ortega continued where he left off yesterday to take pole position for tomorrow’s GSX-R Cup race at Misano. He left it late this afternoon, but managed to put in the quickest lap of the day right at the end of the final qualifying session. Second quickest is ‘wild card” Fabrizio Pirovano, with Italian Simone Saltarelli third and Austrian Roland Resch fourth.
Ismael Ortega - Pole, 1:42.254
That was quite a hectic session and I had to pull out a quick lap at the end to maintain my position from yesterday. I am very, very happy to take pole at this track and think it’s going to be a very hard race tomorrow. We will be racing at the hottest time of the day and that’ll be quite different to when we’ve had our qualifying sessions.
We made some changes to the suspension today and altered the balance of the bike so that it was a bit higher in the rear and the changes allowed me to go a bit faster. I’m not worried about Pirovano because he is a ‘wild card’ and will not score any points, but I will keep a careful watch on my main rivals - Saltarelli and Jonchiere. I think it’s going to be an exciting race and I’m really looking forward to it.
Results Qualifying 2nd Session
ORTEGA LEADS THE WAY IN THE MISANO SUN
Spaniard Ismael Ortega once again dominated a GSX-R Cup practice - this time at Misano. Ortega controlled today’s qualifying, held in scorchingly hot conditions, and even managed to keep ahead of ‘wild card’ Fabrizio Pirovano - one of the most experienced riders of World Superbike and Supersport.
Ismael Ortega - 1st, 1:43,427
I am very, very happy to be on provisional pole and delighted to be ahead of Pirovano. But he’s an old fox and nobody knows just what he may do on raceday, so we’ll all be watching out for him. I had some problems with my front and rear suspension today, so we’ll work on improving that tomorrow. The track is very bumpy, more than last year, but it’s just something we have to get used to - just like the heat! If all goes well tomorrow, I think I can be on pole for the race on Sunday.
Results Qualifying 1st Session
Jonchiere in control.
Frenchman Emeric Jonchiere controlled the third round of this year’s Suzuki GSX-R Cup and ran out the winner by over four seconds at the flag. Emeric led from the start to the finish and was untroubled throughout the nine lap race held in gloomy conditions at the Nürburgring today. Second was Spaniard Ismael Ortega, who had dominated qualifying, with Austrian Roland Resch third. Ortega leads the championship, just nine points ahead of Jonchiere, with Resch in third place.
The race was postponed from its earlier slot and took place just after 16.40 and by the time it had ended, and the crowds were beginning to leave, rain started to fall in earnest. Fortunately all riders were safely back in their garages by then, but it had been a close thing.
Emeric Jonchiere - 1st
“For me that was a perfect race. I made a very good start and went hard into turn one, leaving the rest to fight each other. I soon pulled away from the rest of the field and from then on it was a lonely race. I like a battle, but when you ride alone you can chose your own lines and brake where and when you want to, so it is easier. Today I had no problems and although there were some spots of rain during the race, it never became anything serious. This was my first time here and although it’s a bit difficult to learn, I really like the track. Of course winning here makes a bit special to me and moving into second place in the championship is a good way to leave.”
Results Race