26/04/09 - Kiyonari philosophical after Assen frustrations
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Ryuichi Kiyonari, endured a tough race day in round four of the 2009 World Superbike championship at Assen in Holland, the Ten Kate Honda Racing rider taking 15th in race one and suffering a DNF in race two.
The two 22-lap encounters around the historic 4.55km circuit were won by American Ben Spies and Japanese rider Noriyuki Haga – the latter extending his championship lead to 60 points.
Kiyonari lacked confidence in the front end of his CBR1000RR machine during practice and qualifying for today’s two 22-lap encounters around the 4.55km Assen circuit and the feeling continued in race one today, allowing him to make up only one place on his grid position of 16th.
In the second outing, Kiyonari felt more confident but a technical issue forced him out of the race after just seven laps.
Ryuichi Kiyonari – 15th and DNF
It’s been a very frustrating weekend, because it felt like we were making some progress after Valencia. The front end was the main problem for me, and difficulties in qualifying meant the races would be very hard. In race two, we made some small changes and the front end felt much better but, unfortunately, I couldn’t make the best of it. I will just have to look forward to Monza, which is a circuit I like very much but we will need some luck there I think.
Ronald ten Kate – team manager
I think we’ve made some progress with the overall setting of Kiyo-san’s CBR1000RR and he had a much better feeling from the front in race two. It’s a shame we didn’t get the chance to see what progress we’d made because he had a technical problem which we’re investigating now. It’s a shame for Kiyo and hopefully he will enjoy some better fortune in Monza.
2009 World Superbike championship, round four – Assen, Holland
Race one (4.55km, 22 laps) results:
1 Ben Spies (USA) Yamaha 36’31.338s
2 Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Ducati +0.154s
3 Leon Haslam (GBR) Honda +0.779
7 Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +19.555
15 Ryuichi Kiyonari (JPN) Ten Kate Honda Racing +41.505
Race two (4.55km, 22 laps) results:
1 Noriyuki Haga (JPN) Ducati 36’31.712s
2 Leon Haslam (GBR) Honda +2.678s
3 Jakub Smrz (CZE) Ducati) +4.603
5 Jonathan Rea (GBR) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +12.104
7 Carlos Checa (ESP) Hannspree Ten Kate Honda +17.449
Championship points after four of 14 rounds:
1 Haga 180, 2 Spies 120, 3 Haslam 84, 9 Rea 53, 11 Checa 40.
Next round: Monza, Italy – 8-10 May