World Superbike News

Today saw the start of the World Superbike Championship get underway at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.

In Race One, Troy Bayliss battled his way to the front from eighth place on the Ducati. The final lap saw him under pressure from Max Biaggi on the Sterilgarda Go Eleven Ducati but Bayliss took the victory.

Biaggi led the race between laps 12 to 17 but went wide allowing Bayliss through and having to settle for second place.

Third place man was Troy Corser who started on pole on the Yamaha and stayed within the top three places throughout the race.

Ruben Xaus followed in fourth on yet another Ducati, making that three Ducati 1098’s within the top four bikes whilst Max Newkirchner led for the first half of the race but finished in fifth spot on the Alstare Suzuki.

Carlos Checa finished in sixth on the Ten Kate Honda and Fonsi Nieto came in at seventh followed by Yukio Kagayama in eighth. Noriyuki Haga had a bad high side on lap seven but finished in fourteenth place and also put in the fastest lap of the race with a 1:59.217.

Bayliss has never had a win at the Losail track before and it was the first win for the Ducati 1098.

Race two saw four of the top riders fighting for the lead. Troy Corser led for 9 laps before slipping back leaving Biaggi, Xaus and Nieto to fight it out with Bayliss not far behind the trio. Xaus and Biaggi both took the lead at certain points but could not shake-off Nieto who took the lead with three laps remaining.

It was the Spaniard Fonsi Nieto’s first ever World Superbike win, and he said “this is a dream come true”. Xaus finished in second place and third went to Biaggi. The two factory Ducati riders Bayliss and Fabrizio were in fourth and fifth place and Corser arrived in sixth.