WSB. Strong showing for in first Silverstone qualifying

5 — United Kingdom

Silverstone

Date: 26 May 2006

17єC

Weather: Dry

Yamaha Italia rider Noriyuki shone in first qualifying at a and windy Silverstone today, the day in fourth place with Andrew Pitt an equally sixth.

Morning practice place in wet conditions and although the was mostly dry for the one-hour afternoon the tricky conditions caught out big name riders and led to two stoppages by riders crashing.

Haga, who the Yamaha YZF-R1 its first superbike podium finish at 12 months ago, looked in both the wet and dry conditions, setting the fastest time in the rainy session. The Japanese rider himself happy with the set-up of his Yamaha but will overnight with his team to improve the machine ahead of two 28-lap races.

Pitt made a big improvement in the stages of the session to end as the day’s fastest rider at one of his least circuits. Having spent the experimenting with the set-up of his the Australian effectively switched to his base settings to jump up the

With quarter of an hour to go Motor France’s Sebastien topped the leader board. The had suffered a spectacular crash in the practice, when he slid off his R1 down the start-finish straight. The wrecked his machine and left him abrasions on his back. Despite the he finished the day 11th.

Yamaha Motor France’s duo had tougher days, with Abe 16th and Shinichi Nakatomi on his first visit to the circuit. wild-card Tommy Hill was on another YZF-R1.

Grid will be decided in tomorrow’s session for the top 16 riders from With rain a strong tomorrow morning, the superpole could well be decided on times. Fastest rider was championship leader Troy (Ducati), ahead of world Troy Corser (Suzuki) and Nieto (Kawasaki).

Noriyuki (Yamaha Motor Italia)

Not so bad I am a little bit angry not to get pole as I had a problem on what should been my fastest lap. The with the bike is already in both the wet and dry but we will work tomorrow to try and make it better for the

Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Italia)

The track was a bit patchy: go in on the dry but then hit a wet bit, but it went ok for us and quite happy. We started the off well but got a bit lost with the we made, before going to basics to get the lap time. We’ve got a bit of a problem with the bike too much but that’s the only where I think I’m some time.

Sebastien (Yamaha Motor France)

I am with how things have today. The times are very with just 0.7 second me and the pole. It was good to be at the top of the timesheets but at the end I out to test the race tyre than going for an improved

Norick Abe (Yamaha Motor

This morning the feeling the bike was not so good, but then I never been able to comfortable with the superbike in wet The afternoon was not so bad but the conditions were strange, with many going down at one corner. lap I would see someone else go there and as a result I was not able to … that corner the very end. I am still some problems with the hand I injured in Monza.

might cause me some in the race, as there is a lot of hard at this circuit. I am happy to be in the top 16 as I be in superpole if it rains tomorrow although I hope it is dry and I can show my

Shinichi Nakatomi (Yamaha France)

I had a crash at the same as all the other riders and this I could not be as high as I like. I out on a different tyre option and it me out but I am not injured and hope we can have dry conditions tomorrow.

A good Nori’s lap times are very and he seem to be as fast as anyone, Andrew made just a few to the set-up we have used at and Mugello, suggesting that he has a base setting that works for him. He started out by Toseland for a few laps but found he could pass and go faster on his

Compared with last he is looking very strong and pleased because both the are happy with their and seem to have good life around this

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