BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team - Brno - Practice Day 1

Two riders in provisional Superpole for the  BMW Motorrad Italy Superbike Team . Ayrton Badovini lies in the top ten, while James Toseland had to give in to his injury and Lorenzo Lanzi runs for the weekend. Barrier is second in Superstock, Zanetti fell after setting the sixth fastest time.

The BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike team made a positive debut on the track at Brno with Ayrton Badovini concluding the first day of qualifying in tenth position. The Italian rider worked on race pace but still managed to set times well up in the classification.

James Toseland only took part in the first practice session this morning, covering 15 laps and finishing in eighteenth place. After discussions with the team James decided to postpone his return until the race at Silverstone (Great Britain) scheduled for July 31.

Springing into action for qualifying,  Lorenzo Lanzi  was able to quickly get settled on the bike, setting a time that puts him in fourteenth place, allowing him into Superpole on today's results.

In Superstock,  Sylvain Barrier set the second fastest time, just over four tenths off the provisional pole position, and tomorrow will have another attack at taking first place on the grid.  Lorenzo Zanetti, however, while he was showing that he can lap with the front runners fell, finishing the session in sixth. Lorenzo sustained no serious injury - he is just badly bruised.

Serafino Foti, sporting director of BMW Motorrad Superbike Team Italy said: "We have worked with Ayrton Badovini on the race set-up and we have not used a lot of tyres, trying to focus on the distance. Today we achieved our main goal of being on Superpole pace and tomorrow we should be able to improve again to be in the top ten.It wasn't all good though after James tried to ride this morning and unfortunately found that he wasn'tphysically fit enough yet. Together we decided to postpone his return to Silverstone.In the afternoon we put Lorenzo Lanzi on the bike, who came to Brno as a reserve. We are very pleased with his performance. Although he did not practice this morning he managed to set the 14th fastest time and there is still scope for improvement.As for the Superstock team, Sylvain was able to take the second fastest lap behind the Ducati and we have confidence for tomorrow's practice. Unfortunately Zanetti was the victim of a nasty fall at turn 11. Although he has not reported anything serious, it can take time for the effects to be felt. We'll see he reacts through the night and we all hope that tomorrow he is fit and can improve his time. "

SUPERBIKE:

Qualifying: 1° C. Checa (DucatI) 1'59"322 - 2° J. Smrz (Ducati) a 0.263 - 3° M. Melandri (Yamaha) a 0.331... 10°  A. Badovini (BMW) a 1.026... 14°  L. Lanzi(BMW) a 1.258

SUPERSTOCK:

Qualifying: 1° D. Petrucci (Ducati) 2'03.625 - 2°  S. Barrier (BMW) a 0.454 - 3° M. Reiterberger (BMW) a 0.461... 6°  L. Zanetti (BMW)  a 1.077