WSBK: 2009 Losail Race Preview

Yamahas Ben Spies made an impressive debut in the season opener, winning race two at the Phillip Island Circuit in Australia. Spies also won the Superpole, putting to rest any doubts about whether hed be competitive in his rookie WSBK season.

We knew we had the pace to battle at Phillip Island, not necessarily to win, but it was important to get the first win out of the way says Spies. Ive kind of been like trying to prove myself on Superbikes for quite a long time, so my win in Australia felt like it had been a long time coming. Qatar is a track where Ive never turned a wheel on, it seems OK, Ill just have to go out and learn it.

Ducati Xeroxs Noriyuki Haga, another early season favorite and the other Phillip Island race winner, will try to increase his lead in the rider standings.

Well I can say that Im very happy with how things went at the first races at Phillip Island and Ill be trying my best to have an equally successful weekend at Qatar, says Haga. I am very pleased with the performance of the 1198 and my team has been fantastic so well be working hard to repeat our Phillip Island success. Each of the fourteen rounds will be a big challenge for me, and I will face each one in the same way, with the aim being always to win.

It was good to start the year with a podium and now I am looking forward to more podiums, says Neukirchner. The 2009 (GSX-R1000) K9 is a very good bike and my team has worked hard over the winter and the bike is very competitive. Of course, because the bike is new, I think that there is still more to come from the K9 and it will get better and better and hopefully the results will be good also.

Former British Superbike racer Leon Haslem was another competitive WSBK rookie in Australia, capturing a third place finish in race two. Racing for the new Stiggy Honda team, Haslem currently sits third in the standings.

If we can quickly adapt the base setting we found in Australia to the Losail circuit then well be well under way with an excellent starting point for the three days ahead, says Haslem. I dont think well be miles away from the front but in the World Superbike Championship this year one tenth of a second can separate four or five places so its really important to be focused from the first lap of practice to the last lap of the second race.

Phillip Island was a learning experience for BMWs new WSBK team. Australian native Troy Corser recorded the fastest lap in finishing eighth in race one on his home track, but tire problems hampered his performance in race two, leading to several near-spills. The former champion says Qatar will present a bigger challenge for the fledgling squad.

Aprilias Max Biaggi was also a podium-contender in Australia, even if the results didnt show it. Biaggi currently sits 13th with six points but the veteran qualified second in Phillip Island and was a lap away from a podium finish in race two before a crash dropped him to 15th. Biaggi earned his first career WSBK win at Qatar in 2007 but he says the new team has a lot of work to do to be equally competitive in Losail.

Phillip Island was high performance on qualifying, nobody expected to see us on the front row and fighting for pole position until the end says Biaggi. But something at the moment is still a bit raw and we need to find the right conditions to make it well done and explore different ways to go for development. At the moment were in early stages.