World Supersport race result:

1 Kevin Curtain, AUS (BKM Honda) 45'56.744
2 Adam Fergusson, AUS (Alpha Technick Castrol) 46'04.969
3 Andrew Pitt, AUS (Fuchs Kawasaki) 46'11.320
11 Cristiano Migliorati, ITA (BKM Honda) 47'16.082.

Championship Standings:

1 Yamaha Belgarda 84 points
2 BKM Honda 81 points.

Weather: Dry, overcast 13 C. Track: Dry 18 C.

Kevin Curtain stormed to victory in appalling wet conditions. The 34 year old Australian took the lead on the second lap of the re-started race and crossed the line eight seconds ahead of the rest of the field in the 6th Round of the World Supersport Championship at Lausitzring in Germany.

Controlling the race from the front Kevin put in consistent times never putting a foot wrong. "The Michelin tyres were moving about on the start but once they got working they were great, I felt confident and didn't have any big moments even though it looked like there was about one and a half inches of water on the track. After I took the lead I was watching my board and saw that the second rider was creeping up, so I got my head down and when I took a look back he was no where to be seen, I couldn't believe it." Added Kevin.

Cutains second victory for BKM Honda has brought the Championship even closer, reducing the gap between them and the current leaders to a mere two points. Kevin is relishing his success in his debut year in the World Supersport Championship. After winning at his home track in similar conditions. Both the weather and the podium were mirrored to that at Phillip Island with the BKM rider again taking the honours and putting Honda on top of the podium.

Fantastic team work from BKM Honda and the support of Michelin provided Kevin with the right tyres and great set up for the worsening conditions. Curtain was ecstatic with his finish and applauded the team for their great efforts. Consistent lap times enabled the 34 year old from Sydney to stretch his lead to 6.930 seconds on the track and 8.225 seconds on aggregate time. "I knew I was going to be on the podium come rain or shine but to win so comfortably is a bonus." Said Curtain.

Cristiano Migliorati, 32 from Italy had a harder race but battled through the conditions taking a solid 11th place. With no rider to battle with, Cristiano endured a lonely race but lapped consistently and has improved his overall position within the championship to 19th.

A triumphant Team Manager, Michael Bartholemy was commended on his victory by on looking teams as he walked down pit lane on route to congratulate his riders. Pleased with the teams work he is confident that this success can be repeated and is now looking forward to the next round at Misano on June 24th.

Wetter: Trocken, Luft: 13° C. Track: Trocken 18° C.

Kevin Curtain stürmte dem Sieg unter entsetzlichen Bedingungen entgegen. Der 34 Jahre alte Australier übernahm die Führung in der zweiten Runde im Re-Start Rennen und überfuhr die Ziellinie 8 Sekunden vor dem Rest des Feldes in der sechsten Runde der Supersport WM am Lausitzring in Deutschland.

Das Rennen von der Spitze aus kontrollierend, fuhr Kevin konstante Zeiten und machte keinen einzigen Fehler. "Die Michelin Reifen rutschten zwar ein wenig beim Start, aber als sie dann eingefahren waren, funktionierten sie großartig! Ich fühlte mich sicher und hatte keine weiteren Probleme mehr, obwohl 2cm Wasser auf der Strecke standen. Nachdem ich die Führung übernommen hatte, beobachtete ich meine Anzeige-Tafel und sah, dass ein zweiter Fahrer immer näher kam - also hielt ich meinen Kopf unten und als ich mich nach einer Weile umdrehte, konnte ich niemenden mehr hinter mir sehen; ich konnte es kaum glauben!", sagte Kevin Curtain.

Curtains zweiter Sieg für BKM Honda hat die Meisterschaft noch näher gebracht, da der Unterschied zwischen Curtain und dem derzeitigen Leader nur noch 3 Punkte beträgt. Kevin genießt seinen Erfolg in seinem Debut Jahr in der Supersport WM, nachdem er bereits auf seiner Heimstrecke unter ähnlichen Bedingungen gewonnen hatte. Beides, das Wetter und die Podiumsplätze waren in Phillip Island gleich gewesen.

Fantastische Team Arbeit von BKM Honda und Unterstützung von Michelin rüsteten Kevin mit den richtigen Reifen und dem richtigen Setup für die wiedrigen Wetterbedingungen aus. Curtain war ausser sich vor Freude und applaudierte dem Team für seine großen Anstrengungen. Konstante Rundenzeiten erlaubten dem 34 jährigen aus Sydney seine Führung auf 6.930 sec auf der Strecke und 8.225 sec insgesamt auszubauen. "Ich wußte das ich auf's Podium kommen würde, ob Regen oder Sonne, aber so souverän zu gewinnen ist ein Bonus!", sagte Curtain.

Cristiano Migliorati, 32 aus Italien hatte ein härteres Rennen, aber fuhr trotz der Bedingungen auf einen respektablen 11. Platz. Da er mit keinem anderen Fahrer kämpfen musste, erlebete Christiano ein einsames Rennen, fuhr aber konstante Zeiten und verbesserte dadurch seine Gesamtplazierung auf Rang 19.

Ein triumphierender Team Manager Michael Bartholemy wurde von den anderen Teams beglückwünscht, als er die Boxengasse entlang marschierte, um seinen Fahrern zu gratulieren. Zufrieden mit der Team Arbeit ist er zuversichtlich, dass dieser Erfolg wiederholt werden kann und schaut nun mit Spannung auf das nächste Rennen am 24. Juni in Misano.

1 Foret Fabien (Ten Kate Honda) 1'43.52
2 Riba Pere (Ten Kate Honda) 1'43.68
3 Curtain Kevin (BKM Honda) 1'43.72

14 Cristiano Migliorati (BKM Honda) 1'44.68

Weather: Dry 15 C.
Track: Dry 30 C.

FINAL QUALIFYING

Strong consistent lap times in the final qualifying session at Germany's Lausitzring saw the BKM Honda rider, Kevin Curtain, secure 3rd place and a front row for tomorrow's race (1'43.52). The Australian had repeatedly taken pole position during the session, the second time with use of Michelin qualifying tyres. He was only relegated to third after a low-side crash in the remaining two minutes of qualifying. "I don't care about pole, being on the front row is important and I don't believe the two riders in front of me will go that fast in the race." Currently third in the championship, Curtain has enjoyed many class wins in his career and now has his sights firmly set on winning the Supersport World Championship for BKM Honda in this his premier year.

After a successful free practice with a time of 1'44.428, Cristiano had a slightly disappointing qualifying session and will start the race from 14th place (1'44.682). The Italian rider was initially caught in traffic for the first half of the qualifying session but he remains confident that he can maintain a good pace in the race. He added "I am very happy with both the BKM Honda and the Michelin tyres and I will be aiming to get a good start in the race." The Brescia born rider, Migliorati, is determined to repeat such performances that enabled him to take 6th in the World Supersport Championship in 1998 and is enjoying only his third meeting with the BKM Racing Team after joining them at the 4th Round at Monza in Italy.

Michael Bartholemy, Team Manager commented: "We may have put the qualifying tyres on slightly too early in final qualifying but we are happy with the outcome, we hope to repeat our success that we had at Phillip Island when Kevin won the race after qualifying in third place there."

The Belgium based BKM Racing Team, with the preparation complete, are looking forward to achieving further success in Sundays Supersport race at the technical German Lausitzring track.

in Arbeit ...

A relaxed and quietly confident Kevin Curtain put BKM Honda in 11th place (1'54.003) in very difficult conditions during the first World Supersport-qualifying session. He got his head down and rode well within his and the bike's limits. "I knew I had to put a good lap in this first session, if it rains harder tomorrow I should be safe, as it will be so hard to go faster on this slippery track." Added Curtain.

Lausitzring is a new addition to the World Supersport calendar and has a reputation of having minimal grip in wet conditions. Greasy and constantly changing conditions made the first qualifying session for the BKM Racing Team a difficult one. Kevin Curtain had better luck than Cristiano Migliorati (1'56.530) who was unfortunate with the weather, every attempt to find a good set up with tyres and suspension was hampered due only to bad timing with the weather. "I am disappointed but have not lost sight of this weekends goal of getting in the top ten." Said Cristiano. The team worked hard and made good use of the session, although they are all hopeful of better weather for Saturdays qualifying.

Team Manager Michael Bartholemy admitted to having made some initial tyre choices that weren't the most ideal for the conditions. But was rewarded with an 11th position and a happy Kevin Curtain and he is assured that Miglioratis disappointment in this first session will be turned around in tomorrows sessions , with both the riders and the team clear on their direction for Saturday.

Ein ausgeglichener und zuversichtlicher Kevin Curtain brachte das BKM Honda unter sehr schwierigen Bedingungen während der ersten Qualifiying-Session auf den 11 Platz (1'54.003). Er hielt seinen Kopf tief unten und fuhr an seinem Limit und das der Maschine. "Ich wusste, dass ich eine gute Runde fahren musste in der ersten Session; wenn es Morgen noch mehr regnet kann ich mir sicher sein, da es dann noch schwieriger sein wird, schneller auf dieser rutschigen Strecke zu fahen", sagte Kevin Curtain.

Team Manager Michael Bartholemy gab zu, dass seine ursprüngliche Reifenwahl nicht die idealste für diese Bedingungen war. Doch er wurde troz allem mit einem 11. Platz und einem zufriedenen Kevin Curtain belohnt und ist sich sicher, dass die Enttäuschung von Migliorati in der ersten Session sich zum Gegenteil in der zweiten Session wenden wird, da beide Fahrer und das Team klarer Vorstellungen für Samstag haben.