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DARK DOG rider Sylvain just missed the podium by seconds.
Leon struggled with new tyres and set up.
Brno, Czech Republic:
The Suzuki Alstare Team had to struggle with some difficulties with the new tyres and a lack of grip during the first day of practice and qualifying - the same situation they have already experienced in Misano. At the end of the day Sylvain Guintoli ended as 15th fastest and his teammate Leon Haslam finished two places back on 17th place.
There were mixed fortunes for the DARK DOG riders on the second day. Sylvain managed to improve his bike's grip problems and advanced into Superpole 3, before just missing out on a front row grid spot finishing with the fifth fastest lap and qualified for the pair of 20-lap races on race day from the second row of the grid. It was not such a good day for Leon, who struggled to find grip with his qualifying tyres and ended 14th - his worst performance of the season.
The difficulties for Team Suzuki Alstare continued on race day. Both riders hoped that solutions had been found to the problems in practice and qualifying, but while Sylvain took a superb fourth in race 1 and a seventh in race two, Leon's struggles continued. It was never going to be easy for Leon, starting from the fourth row of the grid, but lack of grip in both races meant that he could only finish eighth in race one and tenth in race two. Both Sylvain and Leon were using the new Pirelli tyres, which seem to be causing difficulties setting up the bike. Team Suzuki Alstare were not the only ones to experience tyre problems today and they will probably try and use the older ones next time out - as they did in race 2 in Misano in the last round.
DARK DOG congratulates Team Suzuki Alstare and its rider Sylvain Guintoli to his result at the Superbike World Championship and is convinced that the tyres are going to work for the team during the upcoming race taking place on 1st August in Silverstone, Great Britain!
Leon Haslam
Race 1: 8th, Race 2: 10th
It's hard to say how disappointed and frustrated I am today. If I thought that the problems were my fault, I'd put my hand up straightaway. We first experienced grip problems with the new tyres in Misano. Whatever we tried just didn't seem to work. We used the new tyres in race one there and I had a poor result, so we changed to the older tyres for race two, went back to our base set-up and I finished second! We worked with the new tyres all weekend and we have struggled all weekend. We did manage to improve the bike a bit for today, but the engine is pushing in almost everywhere and the bike is not easy to ride. The new tyres have got more grip, but getting the bike to work with them is another thing. There are a few people who have got them to work, but the majority of us are struggling. The tyre in race two didn't work at all and I almost couldn't finish the race - it was that bad! I felt that I was going to be highsided all the time and I don't think I've been passed by that many people all year! I'm trying to think what positives we can take from this weekend and my comment is... none. The only thing I do know is that we will not be using these new tyres again. We'll go back to the older tyres, a base set-up we know and I am convinced that I'll be able to lap a lot faster and be challenging for the podium again.
Sylvain Guintoli
Race 1: 4th, Race 2: 7th
I am quite happy with my results today, especially my fourth in the first race. I felt good today and I enjoyed the first race more than the second. Just like Misano, we have been struggling getting our bike to work with these new tyres. We've been having problems setting up the bike with these tyres, but when we use the older tyres we have much less problems. I used the new tyres in both races today, but the one in race two behaved very differently to the one in race one, even though it was the same type! After my fourth in race one, I was looking forward to giving it a real go in race two, so it was a bit disappointing that the tyre didn't grip. It meant that I just couldn't push as hard as I wanted to and I struggled throughout the race.
Results / Race 1
1 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda)
2 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia)
3 Cal Crutchlow (GBR-Yamaha)
4 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare)
5 Ruben Xaus (ESP-BMW
6 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati) ...
8 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare) ...
Results / Race 2
1 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia)
2 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda)
3 Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Ducati)
4 James Toseland (GBR-Yamaha)
5 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati) ...
7 Sylvain Guintoli (FRA-Suzuki Alstare) ...
10 Leon Haslam (GBR-Suzuki Alstare) ...
Overall standing
1 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia) 352
2 Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) 284
3 Jonathan Rea (GBR-Honda) 203
4 Carlos Checa (ESP-Ducati) 189
5 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Ducati) 172
6 James Toseland (GBR-Yamaha) 160 ...
11 Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) 138 ...
