CARL Fogarty has turned a deaf ear to the attempts by World Superbike Championship rivals to wind him up.

American Colin Edwards was accused of playing mind games in the run-up to last weekend's 10th round in Austria.

But Fogarty has maintained a steely focus in this week's build-up to round 11 of 13 at his favourite Assen circuit in Holland.

And that determination was in evidence today as he was quickest in the morning's free practice session.

Fogarty was one tenth of a second quicker than Frankie Chili, while Edwards was fourth behind Troy Corser, and also recorded the fastest speed at 173.923kmh.

He knows that two steady displays, at Assen on Sunday and Hockenheim next weekend, will almost certainly clinch an incredible fourth world title.

So the attempts by Edwards, who accused Fogarty of whinging about the Castrol Honda bikes, fell on stoney ground as the world champ refused to be drawn into a war of words.

The Blackburn ace said: "I have been up there at the top for the last five years so they always try to find a weakness and find a chink in my armour.

"I actually get on with Edwards all right. He has been out of America for four or five years so he has become a bit more normal."

Edwards, who has won three out of the previous four races, trails Fogarty by 63 points while Ducati team-mate Corser is 61 points behind. With two races at each round and three rounds remaining, a total of 150 points are still up for grabs and anything can still happen.

Fogarty added: "The pressure is on, for sure. I put a lot of pressure on myself but, over the years, I have coped with it very well.

"A lot of people are taking it for granted and are saying that I am miles in front.

"But I know there's a lot of work to be done."

The priority is to protect his lead before heading for Germany, when the title would there for the taking.

Fogarty, however, has won 10 of the last 12 races at Assen and he will want to put on a show for the 30,000-plus British fans expected to cross the Channel.

"There has never been one point in the year when I thought I might do it at Assen. It will be virtually impossible.

"You are asking two riders to crash out in both races and for me to win both races.

"I have felt all along that my chance to win it would be at Hockenheim."

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