Brno WSB: Biaggi tops Free Practice after intense battle with Fabrizio

Max Biaggi made an impressive start to the Brno race weekend by topping the timesheets in the opening Free Practice session this afternoon. On board the factory Aprilia RSV4 the Italian clearly benefited from a two day test at the Czech circuit three weeks ago and led the session from start to finish.

Biaggi was pushed all the way by fellow Italian Michel Fabrizio riding the Xerox Ducati with the two men treating the session like it was the last lap of the race. Despite running second for most the session Fabrizio dropped to fourth at the finish.

Second place went to Stiggy Honda man John Hopkins with an impressive lap at the very end of the session after making big set-up changes to the front of his Honda.
Fellow American Ben Spies continued his relentless charge at the front of the field by securing the third fastest time on his first appearance at the Czech track.

BMW men Troy Corser and Ruben Xaus utilised a new specification engine and found that the chassis of the S1000RR clearly works at the flowing track by posting the fifth and eighth fastest times respectively.

Brit Jonathan Rea made an unexpectedly slow start, especially after topping the timesheets in last weeks Imola test. Rea gradually progressed up the leader board finishing the session in 11 place 0.718 seconds off Biaggi. Shane Byrne finished in 16th with Leon Haslam complaining of chatter in 19th and Tom Sykes in 21st after being forced to use his number two bike.

Championship leader Noriyuki Haga took 18th place, 1.315 seconds off the fastest time despite riding with his shoulder and forearm injuries sustained at Donington Park.

First WSB qualifying gets underway at 16.15 local time.

1 3 M.BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’01.353
2 121 J. HOPKINS USA Stiggy Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 2’01.399
3 19 B. SPIES USA Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 2’01.573
4 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 2’01.616
5 11 T. CORSER AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 2’01.733
6 9 R. KIYONARI JPN Ten Kate Honda Racing Honda CBR1000RR 2’01.761
7 7 C. CHECA ESP HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 2’01.829
8 111 R. XAUS ESP BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 2’01.881
9 71 Y. KAGAYAMA JPN Suzuki Alstare BRUX Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2’01.951
10 57 L. LANZI ITA DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 2’02.032
11 65 J. REA GBR HANNspree Ten Kate Honda Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.071
12 100 M. TAMADA JPN Kawasaki World Superbike R.T. Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’02.087
13 56 S. NAKANO JPN Aprilia Racing Aprilia RSV4 Factory 2’02.136
14 23 B. PARKES AUS Kawasaki World Superbike R.T. Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’02.331
15 14 M. LAGRIVE FRA Honda Althea Racing Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.393
16 67 S. BYRNE GBR Sterilgarda Ducati 1098R 2’02.395
17 96 J. SMRZ CZE Guandalini Racing Ducati 1098R 2’02.570
18 41 N. HAGA JPN Ducati Xerox Team Ducati 1098R 2’02.668
19 91 L. HASLAM GBR Stiggy Racing Honda Honda CBR1000RR 2’02.689
20 10 F. NIETO ESP DFX Corse Ducati 1098R 2’02.710
21 66 T. SYKES GBR Yamaha WSB Yamaha YZF R1 2’03.168
22 53 A. POLITA ITA Celani Race Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2’03.549
23 25 D. SALOM ESP Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’03.847
24 99 L. SCASSA ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX 10R 2’03.865
25 77 V. IANNUZZO ITA Squadra Corse Italia Honda CBR1000RR 2’04.077
26 94 D. CHECA ESP Yamaha France GMT 94 Ipone Yamaha YZF R1 2’04.250
27 88 R. RESCH AUT TKR Suzuki Switzerland Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2’05.556
28 51 M.CIHAK CZE ProRace Suzuki GSX-R 1000 K9 2’06.820