Meanwhile, a fine fifth place in race two at Assen marked a season's best for
Ruben Xaus, who will stay with the Sterilgarda Berik Ducati squad in 2007. Lausitz has been occasionally good to him in the past, and he hopes that his machinery will allow him to challenge once more, as he attempts break into the top ten at season's end. Currently 12th, he leads a talented trio of Norick Abe, Laconi and
Karl Muggeridge, which completes the top 15.
Ducati SC Caracchi's
Roberto Rolfo has had an eventful rookie season so far, but the missing link has this been the fortune to have his machinery match his obvious talents at the right time and place. He is nonetheless fully 32 points ahead of his closest championship challenger, another rookie, Shinichi Nakatomi of Yamaha Motor France. Sebastien Gimbert, Nakatomi's team-mate, injured his back in a crash at Assen, and is now almost certain to miss Lausitz.
Young German rider Max Neukirchner will have the best wishes of the large German crowd riding pillion with him at Lausitz, as he takes part in his second meeting with his new Alstare Engineering team. Sixth on his Suzuki debut in race one at Assen, only a fall stopped his double points score, but much is expected this weekend at the same circuit where he had his first shakedown laps for Alstare. Neukirchner's former Klaffi Honda team-mate Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda) hopes to make Lausitz a high-point of his season so far and get back into the top 20 again.
Steve Martin give Foggy Petronas its bets results of the team's final season with 12th and 11th places at Assen, despite his power disadvantage on the 900cc triple, and another Aussie force, Josh Brookes (Bertocchi Kawasaki) earned his first point of the season, with a single for 15th in race two. Each is out for points again, while Martin's team-mate Craig Jones is after his first points score of the year.
