Crash, podium finish and injuries for Haslam in Germany

Haslam also closed the gap to Championship leader Max Biaggi and now lies 58 points adrift of the Italian with four races and a maximum of 100 points still available.

Haslam crashed on the first lap of the opening 20-lap race in Germany and was involved with three other riders as the race was stopped to ensure the riders received medical attention, all escaped without serious injury.

In the restart Haslam rode the Alstare Suzuki to sixth place on his spare machine and to 10 World Championship points. Hand and knee injuries were diagnosed after the race and Haslam under went medical treatment before scoring a battling third place in the day’s second race.

Overall, Haslam reduced the deficit to Biaggi by two points and must now try to overhaul the 58-point deficit in the next round at Imola, Italy in three weeks and at Magny-Cours, France in the final round a week later.

“I made a really good start to race one,” explained Haslam. “Then at turn four I had a highside and ended up on the ground then my legs were run over by Cal Crutchlow as he tried to avoid the debris.

“Luckily nothing was broken and I was able to get back and take my spare machine to the startline for the restart. The crash was my fault and all things considered I was pretty happy to get a sixth place finish.

“The second race was a hard, long battle. The doctors did really well with the strapping they’ve gave me for my knee and my thumb. The thumb was dislocated and they think the ligament in my knee has torn away from the bone.

“I didn’t make the best of starts but I was able to defend third place and it was good to be back on my number one machine so a big thanks to the Alstare Team for the repair job!

“I’ll have to wait and see the extent of the injuries but there is a small chance that I’ll need surgery to repair my knee. I’ve an appointment with a London clinic on Monday so hopefully it will be good news.”


World Superbike Championship, round 11, Nurburgring, Germany.

Race results (both races 20 laps – 102.740km / 63.699 miles):

Race one: 1 Jonathan Rea, GB (Honda) 38m 42.640s – 159.243kmh / 98.731mph, 2 Carlos Checa, Spain (Ducati) +1.126s, 3 Cal Crutchlow, GB (Yamaha) +10.006s, 4 Max Biaggi, Italy (Aprilia) +10.716s, 5 Tom Sykes, GB (Kawasaki) +17.391s, 6 Leon Haslam, GB (Alstare Suzuki) +19.301s, 7 Ruben Xaus, Spain (BMW) +19.613s, 8 Sylvain Guintoli, France (Alstare Suzuki) +19.880s, 9 Shane Byrne, GB (Ducati) +21.176s, 10 Luca Scassa, Italy (Ducati) +29.752s.

Race two: 1 Noriyuki Haga, Japan (Ducati) 38m 43.565s – 159.180kmh / 98.851mph, 2 Jonathan Rea, GB (Honda) +3.061s, 3 Leon Haslam, GB (Alstare Suzuki) +8.060s, 4 Cal Crutchlow, GB (Yamaha) +8.457s, 5 Max Biaggi, Italy (Aprilia) +9.392s, 6 Sylvain Guintoli, France, (Alstare Suzuki) +9.556s, 7 Tom Sykes, GB (Kawasaki) +16.819s, 8 James Toseland, GB (Yamaha) +20.564s, 9 Ruben Xaus, Spain (BMW) +21.040s, 10 Shane Byrne, GB (Ducati) +21.168s.

World Championship points after 11 of 13 rounds: 1 Biaggi 397, 2 Haslam 339, 3 Rea 288, 4 Checa 224, 5 Crutchlow 217, 6 Haga 202, 7 Toseland 187, 8 Guintoli 169, 9 Camier 164, 10 Fabrizio 160.

Manufacturers points: 1 Aprilia 409, 2 Suzuki 360, 3 Ducati 342, 4 Honda 299, 5 Yamaha 285, 6 BMW 190, 7 Kawasaki 77.

Next round: Imola, Italy – September 24-26 2010.


Ends.

2010 World Superbike Championship: 1. February 28 – Phillip Island, Australia; 2. March 28 – Portimao, Portugal; 3. April 11 – Valencia, Spain; 4. April 25 – Assen, Holland; 5. May 9 – Monza, Italy; 6. May 16 – Kyalami, South Africa; 7. May 31 – Salt Lake City, USA; 8. June 27 – Misano, San Marino; 9. July 11 – Brno, Czech Republic; 10. August 1 – Silverstone, Great Britain; 11. September 5 – Nurburgring, Germany; 12. September 26 – Imola, Italy; 13. October 3 - Magny-Cours, France.