2009 - Ben Spies had to face one tough weekend going into the Nurburgring round: Haga's shoulder had had time to heal and the circuit suited the Japanese rider, after he had scored a double in 2008. After qualifying the situation seemed clearly in favour of Haga, as Noriyuki took pole and his direct rival Spies, for the first time of the season, was left off the front row, gaining only a fifth place.

At the start of race 1 Haga rocketed away followed by Biaggi and Spies, but a huge pile-up in the middle of the pack brought out the red flags; on the restart Haga was equally impressive and took the lead from Corser, Spies and Rea. In the following laps Haga was able to maintain a small advantage thanks to the fight between Spies and Rea behind him, while Corser slipped back. Spies was able to get rid of Rea after six laps and after four laps he was able to close on the Japanese rider. The American took the lead on lap 11, Haga fought back and was able to take the lead at the first corner, but his efforts were fruitless: on lap 17 he nearly hit Spies, while on the following lap he went wide. On the penultimate lap Spies raised his game, and carved out a decisive advantage over Haga, who had to settle for second.

In race 2 the sky was overcast and the lower temperatures reshuffled the performances right from the start: Haga took the lead from Corser, Checa and Haslam, while Spies dropped to eighth. In the opening laps Haga was under attack by the Honda riders: Nori was able to stay in the lead, but he had trouble holding off Rea and Checa, so that at the fifth lap they crossed lines in a way that Jonathan touched Haga exiting the first corner, causing Noriyuki's fall. Rea took then the lead, while Checa wasn't able to contain Haslam and Spies, the couple went past on the seventh and ninth lap, leaving him behind. Spies tried then to get rid of Haslam, which overdid things going on the escape road at the Veedol chicane, and falling to fourth, passed also by Checa. Ben was then able to close the gap to Rea, but he was never able to mount a serious challenge: the second place, together with Haga's fall, allowed him to leave the Nurburgring for the first time at the top of the Championship table.

2008 - After ten years the Superbikes came back to the Nurburgring, finding out that the weather conditions were quite unpredictable: rain was often present and didn't help the riders to acclimatize with the track. Several crashes were recorded, two particularly heavy: the first by Kagayama, broken right hand; the second by Biaggi in the warm-up. The Italian suffered concussion in the left foot and he had to take the starts under considerable pain.

The first race was a Bayliss-Haga duel: the pair took off after a few laps, leaving behind Neukirchner, Fabrizio and Corser. Bayliss had troubles at the first corner: he made several mistakes there, until the seventeenth lap, when he went up the escape road, leaving a four-second advantage to Haga, who won the race.

Race 2 was a private affair for the works Yamaha riders Haga and Corser, once again helped by Bayliss' mistakes: Troy fell behind after a handful of laps. Neukirchner was able to stay with the aforementioned duo for eighth laps, but he too had to raise the flag. Once alone, Corser and Haga didn't ease off and swapped places several times. On the sixteenth lap, it looked like Corser was able to get the better of Haga with a spectacular move on the outside at the first corner, but during the same lap the rain started to fall, the race was stopped and the classification taken two laps before, so that Haga was able to score the double.

There are no prizes for guessing what Leon Haslam (photo, on Silverstone grid with Red Arrows flying officers) and his entire Suzuki Alstare team will be aiming for on raceday at the Nürburgring - get ahead of championship leader Max Biaggi and his factory Aprilia Alitalia machine. He is currently 60 points behind the Italian rider, with six individual races left to run. Haslam has good recent experience of the German circuit, having posted two strong finishes there when riding a private Honda. His team-mate Sylvain Guintoli has never raced at this German circuit, another circuit new to him in his rookie WSB year. Haslam, a three time race winner this year, he has waited long enough to get back into action, and has his sights set on a double order of top three finishes.

"Last year, I managed a sixth and a fifth on a privateer bike, so I am looking forward to this year's round and challenging for the podium in both races," said Leon. "For sure I would like to win both races and put pressure on Max, but there are a lot of good riders and good bikes out there and it's not going to be an easy weekend. But, I wouldn't be out there if I didn't like the battle and I get a real buzz mixing it with the rest of the top riders. We've had a good, long break and although I have been training hard and doing a lot of riding, mainly off-road, there is nothing like being on the track and racing flat out. All I can do is the best I can, beat Max in both races and hope he gets a couple of poor results."

For Frenchman Guintoli, the circuit in the Eifel Mountains of Germany is a puzzle, but one he hopes to enjoy solving. "I didn't race at the Nürburgring last year, so this will be my first time there on a Superbike," he stated. "I have definitely been happier these past few races and feel I now know a lot more about World Superbikes then at the start of the season. I know I say it a lot, but this series is so competitive and the smallest of margins can make such big differences. I have been keeping fit during the long break and cannot wait to be at the racetrack again and get back on my Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000. As usual, my aim is to qualify well, be in a good place on the grid and then fight for the podium."

Double Silverstone race winner Cal Crutchlow had a fabulous winning experience at the Nürburgring in the Supersport World Championship in 2009, but his Yamaha Sterilgarda team-mate has not raced at this circuit for over ten years. Realistically the best either Crutchlow or Toseland can hope for by season end is a top three finish, but there is a lot of racing to be done before the season finishes in France on October 5.

Crutchlow had an unfortunate pushbike accident over the summer break, but expects this to cause him few problems in the races in Germany. "I managed to dislocate my knee riding my bicycle over the holiday but it is pretty much back to normal now and will be fine for the races!" said Cal. "I had a brilliant result at the Nürburgring last year. It would be perfect to repeat the success I had on the R6 Supersport bike on the R1 Superbike. I can't wait to get back on the bike again. Finally winning two races at Silverstone was the result of lots of hard work by the team and I. We all want to get straight to Germany and hope to do it again. I always find the summer break too long and really miss racing so I'm happy it's time to go again."

Toseland is looking for his first race victory since his return to the championship series he has won twice, and has six more chances before the season wraps up. He said, "The last time I was at the Nürburgring I was 18 years old, so it's been a couple of years. Since then I've been to Oschersleben in Germany but not back to the ‘Ring so I'm really looking forward to it. There are only three rounds left now, we were close to the podium at Silverstone but due to my unfortunate fall in qualifying I was held up. I have had a good holiday and I'm now raring to go to get on with it. I can't wait to get to the track and get stuck in on Friday morning."

Yesterday and today have seen two days of pre-race testing by the factory Aprilia and Ducati outfits at Mugello in Tuscany, in view of this weekend's round at the Nurburgring circuit in Germany.

For both teams it was an opportunity for a further run-out before the final three rounds of the season that get underway in Germany as well as a chance to give their riders some testing time after almost one month's inactivity.

Max Biaggi set a time of 1m53.0s for Aprilia Alitalia, while Michel Fabrizio went slightly quicker for Ducati Xerox with a 1m52.7s lap, before handing over to team-mate Noriyuki Haga for today's session.

Located in western Germany, the Nürburgring is one of the most popular circuits for the riders, as it offers a series of challenges along its 5.137km length, and a high degree of rider satisfaction if a ‘perfect' lap is achieved. Competition in the World Superbike Championship is far from slowing down as the season begins to wind up, as current leader Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) has Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) 60 points behind him, but with 150 points up for grabs for any rider who wins the final six individual races.

Both of these riders raced at the Nürburgring last year but neither managed to post a podium finish. They have no shortage of immediate competitors who did in, however, with championship third place rider Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) winning the second race in ‘09, Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) going second in race one and Carlos Checa, now riding for Althea Ducati, third in each German race. Rea is currently third on 243 points, 130 behind the lead. Checa is fourth, on 204 points.

The long summer break during August has been a welcome one for some riders, but with valuable points up for grabs the mass of WSB riders will be keen to get back into full race mode this weekend. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) pushed himself up to fifth in the championship with his first two wins in WSBK racing last time out at Silverstone. He knows his machine can win at Nürburgring, as eventual champion Ben Spies was victorious on the same model of machine in race one last year. Crutchlow's team-mate James Toseland is a two-time World Superbike Champion, but still looking for his first race success in Yamaha colours. He is sixth in the rankings, only nine points behind Crutchlow.

The fight for the last few top ten places is already at fever pitch, with Noriyuki Haga, Leon Camier (Alitalia Aprilia), Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox), Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) and Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) closely packed together, from seventh to 11th in the rankings. Even from Crutchlow in fifth to Guintoli in 11th, there is a spread of only 37 points, making almost anything possible in the midfield before season's end.

Since the last round in Silverstone, Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) has won a race at the IDM Superbike championship. At his home circuit in Germany he will be particularly keen to make a move back up the championship rankings from his current 18th place. Shane Byrne (Althea Ducati) is a lonely 12th at present; over 50 points clear of Jakub Smrz (PATA B&G Aprilia) and Ruben Xaus (BMW Motorrad Motorsport). Ducati privateer Luca Scassa (Supersonic Team) is the last rider inside the top 15 so far, but works Kawasaki Racing Team man Tom Sykes wants to be on the march forward at this round. He will, in his turn, have Lorenzo Lanzi pushing hard to get ahead of him on his DFX Corse Ducati. Sykes has another new team-mate in the KRT squad this time out, Northern Irish rider Ian Lowry, who is standing in for the injured Chris Vermeulen. Pedercini Kawasaki team-mates Roger Lee Hayden and Matteo Baiocco will be back in the mix in Germany. Replacing Broc Parkes in the Echo CRS Honda team will be Italian WSB debutant Fabrizio Lai.

WORLD SUPERSPORT: Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) now has only one realistic championship challenger, Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) after the accident suffered by Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Motocard.com) at Silverstone. Laverty has scored a fabulous six wins so far, but he is still behind three-time race winner Sofuoglu, by 17 points. In fourth place ParkinGO Triumph BE-1's Chaz Davies is 43 points ahead of his closest challenger, Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda) who scored his first podium last time round at Silverstone. Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Honda) is close behind Rea, with David Salom also right in there for fifth, on his Triumph. Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) will come back into the fray after suffering injury at the Brno round and missing out on the Silverstone round.

SUPERSTOCK 1000: Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) carried off the overall FIM Cup last time out at Silverstone, but at the home country of his machine's manufacturer he will be out to keep his perfect win record intact. Second place in the championship is still a very live fight, with Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Racing Junior Honda), Michele Magnoni (Bevilacqua Corse Honda), Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini Honda), Davide Giugliano (Team06 Suzuki) and Loris Baz (MRS Yamaha) all set to try and claim runner-up spot by season's end.

SUPERSTOCK 600: Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Racing Yamaha) leads his fellow Frenchman Florian Marino (Ten Kate Junior Racing Honda) by 26 points, with only these two riders in the final fight for the championship now. Federico D'Annunzio (Martini Corse Yamaha) no scored last time out but is still third, on the same 70 points total as his team-mate Dino Lombardi.

TRIUMPH PARKINGO SERIES: The single make Triumph ParkinGO European Series continues apace in Germany, featuring identical Triumph Street Triple R machines, raced by a mix of experienced and amateur riders. The challenge of the Nürburgring is one that all the riders are eagerly anticipating, especially championship leader Fabrizio Perotti, who could win the title this time out if results go his way. Two rounds remain, at the Nürburgring and then the season finale at Magny-Cours on October 3rd.

THE CIRCUIT: The modern-day Nürburgring is a very different one from the nearby 20th century classic, the ‘Nordschleife'. Nevertheless, the 5.137km circuit that welcomes WSBK racing this weekend still has plenty of elevation changes, fast and slow corners and overtaking opportunities. WSBK racing first started at the Nürburgring in 1998 and 1999, and returned in 2008 and 2009. High drama and close competition have been the keynotes of recent races at this venue, although being located in the Eifel Mountains the track can be subject to rapid and sometimes extreme changes in weather conditions.

Despite intense heat making the Almeria test a real challenge for all involved, Lowry and his crew eventually found a strong set-up to take to the 11th round of the WSBK championship.

Ian Lowry: "It all went well and I'm pretty pleased. The bike is really good; it just took us a little while to get a setting that works with my riding style, but we seem to have found that now. We made some big steps with the bike set-up on the second morning. We worked hard to get there and I am happy with the way things are going. The team has been fantastic in getting the bike to where it is now. The track surface was so hot we did not get out on the final afternoon. The air temperature was 44 degrees at one stage. Coming from Northern Ireland, I have never experienced heat like that before!"

Italian Fabrizio Lai is all set to take the place of Broc Parkes in the Echo CRS Honda Team in this weekend's eleventh round of the FIM Superbike World Championship. The 31 year-old from northern Italy will be the second rider to make his World Superbike debut at the Nurburgring this weekend, and will line up on the grid together with KRT's Ian Lowry.

Lai joining the top class is a major promotional boost for the Italian, who raced several times in last year's World Supersport championship for the same team. This year Lai is racing a Honda CBR600 in the Supersport class of the CIV Italian domestic series: for the moment his best result in CIV is seventh at Monza in the second round.

Fabrizio Lai has considerable experience on the world scene: he made his debut in 2001 in 125GP, and over the years scored five podiums, before moving up to 250GP in 2007. Last year he made his debut in production-based racing on the Echo CRS Honda machine.

Broc Parkes, who parted company with the Echo CRS Honda Superbike team earlier this week, will not be out of action for much longer as he immediately steps into the Spanish Kawasaki Motocard.com World Supersport squad this weekend to replace the injured Joan Lascorz. Parkes will take part in the final three races of the season in Germany, Italy and France.

World Supersport runner-up in 2007, the 28 year-old Parkes is one of the most expert riders around in the category and he comes to the Nurburgring on the back of a test last week at Almeria on the Kawasaki ZX-6R with which he will tackle the final part of the championship.

The rider he replaces, Lascorz, who crashed and was injured at Silverstone, is continuing to recover at the Deseux Institute in Barcelona and will undergo surgery this week to speed up the healing of his left leg.

Max Neukirchner (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is as motivated and expectant as any rider approaching his home race could be, especially as he arrives fresh from a win in the IDM Championship at Assen a couple of weeks ago. For Max his home race is, however, located quite far away from his base in the far east of Germany. The Nürburgring is almost in Luxembourg, in the far west of Germany, making it a much longer journey for many of his fans than another race on the calendar, Brno.

"Nürburgring is my home race and you always have more motivation to race in your own country,' said Max. "But its location is far away from my hometown, 500 or 600kms from here, so it is not really so close to where I live. It is strange to think about it, but Brno is much closer, maybe 300ks, so there are always a lot of fans supporting me there as well. I hope to have a good result and good support in the Nürburgring. I really want to do well for all my fans in Germany."

Max did not race in Germany last year due to injury, but he does enjoy the layout of the hilly circuit, and took two podiums there in 2008. "I like the track, it is nice to ride around, and I know the track even if the last time I raced there was two years ago," said Max. "I have also gone around the Nordschleife, the old long circuit, but as a passenger in a car a couple of years ago. It was just in a regular car, but with a professional driver. It was strange being a racer but not being in control of the vehicle, but it was fun."