SBK-Preview Assen

By: BMW Motorrad Motorsport

Fresh from recording their best result so far in
the FIM Superbike World Championship at Valencia, Spain, Team BMW Motorrad
Motorsport - headed by BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director Berthold Hauser - are busy
preparing for the fourth race weekend of the 2010 season. Riders Troy Corser (AUS) and
Ruben Xaus (ESP) will be striving to maintain the team's upturn in form at the classic
Assen circuit in the Netherlands.
 
The BMW Motorrad Motorsport test team stopped off at the Mugello circuit in Italy
during the week before Assen. Troy and the crew spent Tuesday and Wednesday
working on the set-up of the BMW S 1000 RR. The Australian racked up a total of 564
kilometres over the two days.
 
 
Troy Corser:
"In the early years of my career we used to race on the old Assen circuit, which I liked a
lot. It was an old-school kind of track, the sort you used to get a lot of in the 1970s: flat,
quick and with a lot of long, sweeping corners. The character of the circuit has been
retained, despite a series of modifications, but it has lost some of its appeal for the riders.
That's not the case for the fans, though; this is still a great event and the atmosphere's
fantastic.
 
I've never really nailed a race at Assen, although I have made the podium a few times. At
Assen you have to take a big risk to be really ultra-fast, and that doesn't necessarily suit
my riding style. If the bike isn't set up perfectly you lose a lot of time - especially in the
last section through the three right-handers Mandeveen, Duikersloot and Meeuwenmeer
and the long left-hander afterwards. I'm just taking each race as it comes. We've made
some key improvements to the bike over the last few weeks and taken big steps forward
in terms of acceleration and top speed."
 
 
Ruben Xaus:
"I'm a fan of Assen, and the track suits my riding style. I've finished on the podium here
several times and won one of the races in 2003. My crew is doing an outstanding job. We
are improving our understanding of the bike all the time and I'm only one small step away
from getting some good results. I hope I can turn things around at Assen and will be
fighting all the way; I owe it to BMW."
 
 
 
Berthold Hauser, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director:
"After our most successful race weekend to date at Valencia, we move on to our next
challenge. The TT Circuit Assen is not one of the better tracks for our bike. However, we
showed in Spain that we're now able to give a good account of ourselves in places where
we've struggled in the past. After six races we've collected 16 points more than at the
same stage in our debut season. Our aim is to continue the upward trend of the past
couple of weekends.
 
With the nature of the Assen track it's important that Troy and Ruben keep everything
very smooth. The traction control software developments our technicians have been
working on should help both riders here."
 
 
Background:
Assen is the capital of the Dutch province of Drenthe. This city of just under 70,000
people lies in the north of the province. The centre of Assen - the oldest part of the city -
has witnessed significant changes during the course of its development and visitors will
find a mix of buildings from various eras. Today, around 5,200 people live in the centre.
This is the signature district of the city, and boasts a swathe of shops and leisure facilities.
 
The TT Circuit Assen has been designed specifically for the demands of motorcycle
racing. Several of its 11 left-hand and six right-hand corners are banked. The grandstands
at this Dutch motorcycle mecca can hold a total of around 100,000 spectators. Bike
racing has a long tradition at Assen, with a round of the World Championship taking place
here every year since 1949. A permanent race track measuring 7.705 kilometres in
length was built in 1955, consigning the original road race through the villages of Borger,
Schoonloo and Grolloo to the history books. In 2006 the length of the circuit was
shortened to 4.555 kilometres. Since 1992 Assen has played host to 36 Superbike World
Championship races, Ruben Xaus winning one of them in 2003.
 
The layout of the "TT Circuit Assen" encourages a flowing style. In the hairpin, the turnin
characteristics and acceleration of the bike are of utmost importance. Changes have
been made to the approach to Ruskenhoek. The rest of the circuit flows easily, requiring
bikes to be set up for good corner entry. The penultimate turn demands a stable bike,
with heavy braking being the order of the day for the final chicane.
 
 
 
 
Facts and figures:
 
Circuit/Date                           TT Circuit Assen / 25th April 2010
Start time Race 1 (local/CET)          12.00 hrs / 12.00 hrs
Start time Race 2 (local/CET)          15.30 hrs / 15.30 hrs
Lap/Race distance                      4.555 km/100.210 km (22 laps)
Corners                                11 left-hand and 6 right-hand corners
Winner                                 Race 1: Ben Spies, Yamaha WSB, 36:31.338 min.
2009                                   Race 2: Noriyuki Haga, Ducati Xerox Team, 36:31.712 min.
Fastest race lap 2009                  Noriyuki Haga, Ducati Xerox Team, 1:38.680 min.
Data 2009:                             Top speed: 281.6 km/h (Max Biaggi, Race 1)
Longest section at full throttle: 8.9 sec / 520 m
Fastest corner: Turn 13, fifth gear, 265 km/h
Maximum deceleration: 265 km/h - 108 km/h
 
Riders                      Troy Corser                                Ruben Xaus
Date of birth               27.11.1971                                 18.02.1978
Place of birth              Wollongong, Australia                      Sant Cugat del Valles, Spain
Nationality                 Australian                                 Spanish
Residence                   Monaco                                     Andorra
Marital status              Married                                    Married
Height                      1.75 m                                     1.83 m
Weight                      66 kg                                      71 kg
WSBK debut                  1992, Phillip Island                       1998, Nürburgring
Race starts                 337                                        180
Pole positions              42                                         1
Wins                        33                                         11
Podium finishes             128                                        11
Fastest race laps           45                                         13
Best WSBK placing           1st  (1996 and 2005)                       2nd  (2003)
WSBK points 2010            46                                         19
 
Team BMW Motorrad Motorsport
Founded                     01.01.2009
Locations                   Munich and Stephanskirchen (DE)
WSBK debut                  2009, Phillip Island (AUS)
Race starts                 34
Pole positions              0
Wins                        0
Podium finishes             0
Fastest laps                2
WSBK points 2010            47
WSBK placings               6th (2009), 141 points

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