TOP 10 IN PRACTICE FOR RIZLA SUZUKI
14 April 2006 - Rizla-Suzuki

RIZLA SUZUKI’S Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne finished sixth and James Haydon ninth in today’s opening practice sessions for the third round of the Bennetts British Superbike Championship at Thruxton.

The morning one hour session at the 2.35-mile long Hampshire track was wet and all of the riders posted their fastest lap times in the afternoon’s dry practice. Both Rizla Suzuki riders tested a host of settings and tyres and ended the day confident they can improve their lap times considerably. Honda’s Karl Harris was quickest.

There is a day off for the team and riders tomorrow because of a noise restriction at Thruxton. Practice and qualification resumes on Sunday in preparation for the races on Easter Monday.

Superbike racing starts at 13:30 on Bank Holiday Monday, April 17th. You can catch all of the action on ITV1 at 15:00 and then again on Sky Sports 3 on Tuesday morning at 11:30.

Shakey:
“In both the wet and dry sessions I was struggling with corner entry and we were wracking our brains to try and fix the problem. At the end of the day we tried a new rear shock and it took nearly half a second off my lap times so that was good progress and is something to build on.

“We have a new front tyre we want to try on Sunday that worked superbly at our Spanish test last month and I think could suit Thruxton well. I am really fired up for this weekend and will be working with my crew to improve the bike’s set up before we are back on track on Sunday.”

James:
“I deliberately stayed out on track for a long time tyre testing and I have finished with a really nice feeling for my GSX-R1000. I am not looking for huge chunks anywhere but need small incremental improvements and that will be the way forward.

“I completed near race distance on a rear tyre and was recording my fastest laps towards the end, which means it’s a strong contender for the races. I think just riding the bike has given me more confidence and on a new tyre I could have went a lot faster. Roll on Sunday and qualification.”

Niall Mackenzie, Race Operations Manager:
“It’s been a solid performance from both riders today. Shane is looking for a little more confidence from his bike but made a leap forward at the end of the day and finished very promisingly in sixth place. He has a new tyre to try on Sunday and there is more to come.

“James completed a lot of laps and is riding confidently and with enthusiasm. He is happy with his bike and looking for small improvements. If he had put in a new tyre at the end of the session he would have been competing for a top six position on the time sheets.

“It’s a strange weekend with a day off tomorrow and then qualification on Sunday, however, Rizla Suzuki is itching to get back on track and keep our momentum going forward.”

Practice times: 1: Karl Harris (Honda) 1:15.636, 2: Gregorio Lavilla (Ducati) 0.364, 3: Leon Haslam (Ducati) +0.688, 4: Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda) +0,872, 5: Jonathan Rea (Honda) +0.970, 6: SHANE BYRNE (RIZLA SUZUKI) +1.229, 7: Dean Thomas (Kawasaki) +1.255, 8: Michael Rutter (Honda) +1.415, 9: JAMES HAYDON (RIZLA SUZUKI) +1.449, 10: Michael Laverty (Honda) +2.073.

www.rizla-suzuki.co.uk

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