Yamaha Wins the 2007 World Superbike Manufacturers Championship
Yamaha has won the 2007 WSB Manufacturers Championship with a 28-point margin following today's season finale at Magny-Cours. Both Yamaha Motor Italia riders put in 100% effort today to give the manufacturer the title with Noriyuki Haga taking the double win and Troy Corser coming home in third and fourth. Both races were nail-biting events with Haga and Corser making good use of team work to gain maximum points.Nobody could have asked for more from Haga as he led both races from start to finish, claiming his second double win of the season; the first being at Monza. Corser also put in a sterling performance during the day, battling with Neukirchner and Bayliss in race one and Biaggi and Nieto in race two, to take third and fourth.
Haga's double win was bittersweet as the rider ended the day just two points off the championship title. This is the third time Noriyuki has finished second in the championship.
Corser's results today means he finishes the 2007 season in fifth place and today saw him take the record for the highest number of WSB race starts ever with 276 - one ahead of Pierfrancesco Chili.After 16 pole positions, 177 podiums and 44 race wins Yamaha has claimed the Manufacturers Title for the first time.
Shinichi Nakatomi finishes 2007 in 15th place following an 11th place finish in race one and a DNF in race two.
Noriyuki Haga, team Yamaha Motor Italia WSB, 'In race one I couldn't see what was happening behind but my pit board was telling me so I built up as much gap as possible to try and stay out of the battles going on. My heart was definitely beating faster though! For race two I didn't change anything on the bike and I just tried my best.
I'm disappointed with second in the championship, who wouldn't be with a gap of just two points! But I'm happy. I've enjoyed fighting with all the riders in the championship this year. The last few races have been really good, from a results point of view; I'll just have to try harder next year. It's been good working with Troy this year, we get on well and I'm looking forward to developing the bike further with him next year. I'd like to thank the team for all their efforts and congratulations to James on winning the championship."
Troy Corser, team Yamaha Motor Italia WSB, "I got a great start in race one; my aim had been to get in front and just go for the win but Nori was very determined to get in front of me! I wasn't going to risk crashing and taking us both out in order to get back past him. I rode as hard as I could but my front tyre went off during the race so I was unable to hold Bayliss off and he got past. In race two I got off the line well again and I just did my best to hold everyone up!
Overall I'm happy; I set out what I achieved to do today and I'm pleased to have played a part in giving Yamaha the Manufacturers Title.'
