The current World Superbike leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) contniued to gain points for the championship as he finished in third position ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) and Eugene Laverty, while Alex Lowes and Leon Camier both crashed out of race two.

Others not to finish race two included Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team), Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing), Matteo Baiocco (Barni Racing Team) and Chris Vermeulen who was a non-starter.

WSB Brno Results:

1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) 40′21.646
2. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40′21.868
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′25.204
4. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 40′29.509
5. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40′30.180
6. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 40′39.731
7. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 40′43.296
8. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40′43.508
9. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′46.952
10. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40′49.012

Honda returned to the FIM Superbike World Championship this year with a  new Castrol Honda team, with team riders British born Jonathan Rea (currently sixth in the WSB 2011 standings) and the Barcelona born Ruben Xaus (16^th).

The Castrol Honda team are racing on Honda’s CBR1000RR Fireblades, and managed by the Dutch-based Ten Kate Racing.

While Honda provide the bikes and use sponsorship deals in World Superbike racing they are known for their own sponsorship deals in both sport and media.  Viewers of Channel 4 may be aware of their on-going sponsorship deal with Channel 4 documentaries which began in 2010 with the now familiar strapline ‘Documentaries on 4, sponsored by Honda’.

They have recently renewed the sponsorship contract and commissioned four new mini-documentary films.

Each film will be shown during Channel 4 television documentaries such as Cutting Edge.  The films do not use professional actors but instead focus on telling a story of real-life Honda customers and how they use their Honda vehicles in very special ways. The first of four films tells how Philippa, an alpaca farmer uses her Honda ATV on her Oxfordshire farm.

Martin Moll, Head of Marketing at Honda (UK) said, ‘”I am very excited that our continued relationship sponsoring Channel 4 documentaries allows us to focus on our customers, highlighting their warm – sometimes quirky – personal experiences of Honda products either for fun or as a necessary part of their daily livelihood.  We hope that this campaign will unveil further examples from our customers, one of which will be nominated to be brought to life on TV for a final set of idents later on in the year”.

Chris Groom and Sam Heath, Creative Directors at Wieden + Kennedy (W+K) who created the films said, “We knew there were all sorts of people using all sorts of Honda products in extraordinary ways. A documentary format provided the perfect platform to celebrate them.”

To accompany the new Channel 4 campaign, Honda are using Facebook and Twitter and an online hub www.honda.co.uk/stories where the videos will be available in full along with articles and other interesting stories.  There is also a competition in the ‘Take Part’ section of the website, where Honda owners can upload their own amusing and interesting stories explaining how they use their own Honda.  The films’ creators, W+K will select their favourite story and make it into the final mini-documentary to be shown later in the year as part of the Channel 4 campaign.

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Checa’s time is faster than the official Misano WSBK Best Lap of 1min 35.001sec and only one second slower than the 2010 MotoGP pole time.

The Althea Ducati rider still leads the 2011 World Superbike Championship but had his lead cut to just 27 points after his 9th-10th Monza finishes.

Misano will host round six of this year’s WSBK championship on 12th June.

“We have worked well, concentrating on both chassis settings and electronics, as well as on the tyres of course,” said Checa. “We have found a good set-up for the Misano race and have also identified a few things that could be useful [next time] at Miller too.

“Let’s say I’m satisfied. I’ve got good sensation back again; after Monza, a really difficult round for me, I’m happy to have been able to come here and be competitive once again. I’m very pleased.”

Carlos Checa has won an amazing four of the eight races so far this season and managed top three finishes in every race before his disappointment at Monza.

It was Checa who who pulled away from the start putting some distance between himself and the chasing pack with another cracking ride.

But both Rea and Biaggi managed to catch the Spaniard and crucially pass him, putting fresh air between themselves and the Althea Ducati.

While Biaggi and Rea would swap places a couple of times it was the British rider who came out on top of the tussle, claiming his third win in as many races at the Dutch circuit.

Checa continued his own incredible run in 2011 with another podium finish in third place, maintaining his lead in the 2011 championship.

Tyre wear appeared to be a crucial factor throughout the weekend and was costly for some of the Brit’s involved, particularly harsh on both Eugene Laverty and Tom Sykes who had been on a stonking pace early on in the race, scything their way through the pack.

Leon Haslam crashed his bike on lap three but was able to carry on running to finish the race in a disappointing 12th position, while Leon Camier promised much but was let down by his machinery.

2011 World Superbike result – Race one – Assen

1. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 35′46.486
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′47.225
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′50.058
4. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 35′55.994
5. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35′56.378
6. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 35′57.606
7. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 36′01.721
8. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 36′16.567
9. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′18.557
10. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′21.486
11. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′29.773
12. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 36′31.775
13. Barry Veneman (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′31.784
14. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′37.250
RT. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 29′26.185
RT. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 29′26.621
RT. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 28′48.258
RT. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 16′56.882
RT. Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 13′28.961
RT. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 10′50.393
RT. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 5′04.247

The first three riders over the finish line in race two were the same three guys who took the podium in race one, but with the order reversed.

Carlos Checa once again forced himself to the front of the pack and despite being passed by Haga, was able to regain his composure and position where he stayed for the majority of the race.

Biaggi remained in close company with the Spaniard for much of the race and as Checa’s softer tyres began to wear, the Italian sat comfortably waiting to pounce.

It seemed just a question of time before Biaggi would make the move on Checa and it finally happened with three laps remaining when the Italian got a good run out of the chicane with the Ducati struggling for grip.

With Biaggi pulling away it looked certain that he would be claiming his first victory of the season, but somehow Checa fought back and with a lap to go he not only passed the Aprilia with a stunning overtaking manoeuvres, but made sure the door was firmly shut behind him to take a well deserved win in race two.

Four British riders followed Checa and Biaggi home, with Rea finishing in third place followed by Leon Camier, Leon Haslam and Eugene Laverty. Tom Sykes finished race two in 11th position.

2011 World Superbike result – Race two – Assen

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′38.693
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′39.217
3. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 35′42.277
4. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′44.606
5. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 35′55.609
6. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 35′56.068
7. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35′56.433
8. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′57.022
9. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′57.071
10. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 35′57.097
11. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′04.977
12. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′05.746
13. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 36′17.307
14. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 36′19.517
15. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′19.646
16. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′19.675
17. Barry Veneman (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 36′24.116
18. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36′45.657
RT. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 25′56.759
RT. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 11′29.069

It doesn’t seem so long ago when the BBC was home to all of the World’s greatest sporting tournaments, but their commitment to motorcycle racing in particular has diminished in recent times.

While they still show live coverage of  the MotoGP in full, even that is often tucked away on the red button if there is something that the corporation believes to be more popular broadcasting at the same time.

The World Superbike and British Superbike coverage is practically non existent and if it is being shown is seldom, if ever promoted by the channel.

Not every motorcycle fan has access to the excellent British Eurosport live coverage of such events, but it is worth remembering that these championships, particularly World Superbike are streamed live from the official websites of those sports.

From several years of personal experience watching sport or much else for that matter on a lap top is never quite the same as watching it on TV, particularly so if you have the latest HD flat panel variety.

Recently The Times reviewed a product called Veebeam, this is a box that transmits whatever you can see on a PC screen onto your home TV, the added benefit being that if it is being streamed or recorded in HD, that is how it will show on your TV.

The Times article suggests;

“This nifty device wirelessly transmits anything you can see on your computer screen onto your TV – no wires, no clutter, and takes only a few minutes to set up. The unit itself is sleek and unobtrusive and the signal is even effective through a wall. The new HD model streams up to 1080p for a crisp, clean and colourful picture and optical audio output allows you to enjoy your surround sound.”

With technology advances in digital broadcasting changing the way that we already watch TV, and streaming and video quality vastly improving all the time, perhaps the Veebeam represents the future of home entertainment.

Priced at just £139, the Veebeam appears to be a luxury that many of us cannot afford to ignore.

Buy it now

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Partage propulse par ebuzzing

Biaggi was fined €3000 for the assault and it was Melandri who had the last laugh in the Donington Park race although it was British riders Leon Haslam and Leon Camier that made the front running during the early stages of the British round.

Haslam looked comfortable leading the race for six laps, but could do nothing to compete with the pace of Jakub Smrz who breezed into the lead opening up a two and a half second lead.

Melandri then broke free from the chasing pack to put in some astounding lap times to catch and pass Haslam and mount his assault on Smrz, who he would pass with five laps to go, easily holding on for his first victory in World Superbike.

As Haslam appeared to struggle with the BMW, 2011 round one double race winner Carlos Checa eased his way past and into third in the final lap.

By that time Camier was struggling with fitness and the handling of his bike and ended the race in eigth position, while fellow Brit Tom Sykes crashed out in the late stages while riding a comfortable pace in fourth place.

World Superbike results – Round Two Donington Park – Race One

1. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 34′33.189
2. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′35.644
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′39.028
4. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 34′39.365
5. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 34′42.228
6. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′42.404
7. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′43.149
8. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′48.049
9. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 34′48.066
10. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34′49.371
11. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′59.009
12. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 35′01.567
13. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 35′05.058
14. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35′13.204
15. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35′33.317
RT. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 25′35.167
RT. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 24′17.861
RT. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 7′43.215
RT. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 4′37.934

In Race Two, it was Haslam who again got off to a flier, but it was the Spaniard Carlos Checa, looking as smooth as you like on the Althea Ducati who soon passed and led the rest of the race to earn his third victory out of four races and stretch out a lead on his rivals for the 2011 crown.

Again Melandri and Camier were strong throughout the race, gradually picking up pace and passing Haslam on lap seven.  A mistake by Haslam on lap eight cost him some time and left Camier and Melandri to put some distance between themselves and last years WSB runner up.

There was a decent fight between Camier and Melandri as they fought for second place, the Brit tiring towards the end of the race and finishing in third, three seconds behind the Italian with Checa three seconds further ahead for the win.

Max Biaggi was disqualified from the second race following a jump start on the start line, after not responding to his penalty he was black flagged on lap nine.

World Superbike results – Round Two – Donington Park – Race Two

1. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′21.537
2. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 34′24.934
3. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 34′27.439
4. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 34′35.379
5. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34′35.790
6. Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 34′40.950
7. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 34′41.815
8. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′42.697
9. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 34′45.835
10. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 34′46.444
11. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 34′53.977
12. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34′54.216
13. Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 34′55.607
14. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 34′57.955
15. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35′05.574
16. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35′13.949
17. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35′18.171
RT. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 1′41.588
EX. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 13′50.189

After scoring maximum points from his dominant performance at Phillip Island in Australia in round one, Carlos Checa will be champing at the bit to get his Althea Ducati back on the track, but how will the Ducati fare on the Donington circuit?

It is fair to say that Checa was in similar form at the same circuit on the opening day of last season although he only managed to win one of the two races on that occasion, but he failed to show anything like that performance throughout the rest of the season.

The rest of the 2011 World Superbike pack led by current World Champion Max Biaggi will be keen to improve on their own points tally, so expect another exciting showdown at Donington Park.

As always there will be TV coverage from British Eurosport throughout the weekend and at this British GP weekend the commentary team will be joined by former champions and fan favourites Carl Fogarty and Neil Hodgson, who have managed five World Superbike titles between them.

It is a welcome return to Donington Park, the scene of the first WSB race 23 years ago, having missed out on last years calendar while improvements were being made to the track.

The last time the championship visited Donington, in 2009, Ben Spies dominated proceedings, winning both races. This time around British fans will be hoping it is one of the five British and Irish riders who triumphs on the newly refurbished circuit. With James Toseland (BMW Motorrad Italia) out with a wrist injury, Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport), Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda), Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia), Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing) will all contest the round.

Live TV coverage starts on British Eurosport 2 at 1445 on Saturday, with commentators Jack Burnicle and James Whitham on-site at Donington to catch up with riders and teams before Superpole qualifying gets underway.

On Sunday from 1115 both Superbike races and the Supersport race will be LIVE on British Eurosport 2, while coverage will also be available in high definition on Eurosport HD. All the action will be LIVE online via Eurosport Player.

TV times for Donington:

Saturday 26 March

1445-1610 LIVE Superpole on British Eurosport 2

Sunday 27 March

1115-1630 LIVE on British Eurosport 2

1130-1200 Superbike Corner (interviews & latest news) on Eurosport HD

1200-1300 LIVE Superbike race one on Eurosport HD

1300-1415 LIVE Supersport race on Eurosport HD

1700-1745 Superbike race two on Eurosport HD

What might have been surprising is that despite closing the gap on the Althea Ducati during qualifying, none of the other teams could get close to the Spaniard on the track, leaving Checa to romp away and build up a significant lead in both races.

2010 World Superbike Champion Max Biaggi was best of the rest, securing the second podium place in both races while most of the action on the track was taking place in the jostle for the final podium spot, with Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri claiming the place respectively over the two races.

Eugene Laverty who finished fourth in race one had led the race from the start, but first Checa and then Biaggi squeezed past him within a few laps. Leon Haslam fought it out with both Laverty and Melandri for a grandstand finish for third place on the final straight with Haslam claiming the spoils.

Haslam was in particularly good spirits after race one, suggesting that the BMW may yet be the surprise package in race two.

It appeared that the Pocket Rocket may have been right when he blasted the BMW into the front on race two, but it was all too brief and Haslam soon encountered some sort of problem with the bike allowing the front runners to pass.

It was then pretty much a repeat of race one, Checa way out in front and this time Biaggi fighting for second place with Melandri and Haslam behind in a battle with Jonathan Rea.

As Checa slowed to a cruise for the final couple of laps the battles behind closed in on the leader, but he was always in control, showboating his way to the second victory of the day.

Biaggi held of Melandri for second and third, but Haslam was caught and passed on the final straight by a determined Rea to wrap up the top five.

Carlos Checa leads the 2011 World Superbike Championship with a maximum 50 points from Australia, Biaggi sitting pretty with 40 points in the bank.

2011 WSB Round One: Phillip Island, Australia: Results;

Race One

1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 34mins 16.503s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +4.365s
3. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.719s
4. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.266s
5. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +11.293s
6. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +12.039s
7. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +20.294s
8. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +20.742s
9. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +22.421s
10. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +25.822s
11. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +29.270s
12. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +31.059s
13. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +31.721s
14. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR +36.389s
15. Bryan Staring AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +36.470s

16. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +41.928s
17. James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR +55.239s
18. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1min 00.312s
19. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 00.316s
20. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +1min 30.125s

Not Classified
21. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 13 laps completed
22. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R 6 laps completed

Race Two

1. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1098R 34mins 15.041s
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +1.188s
3. Marco Melandri ITA Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +1.406s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +10.563s
5. Leon Haslam GBR BMW Motorrad S1000RR +10.885s
6. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +16.914s
7. Noriyuki Haga JPN PATA Aprilia RSV-4 +17.558s
8. Michel Fabrizio ITA Suzuki Alstare GSX-R1000 +17.679s
9. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki RTS ZX-10R +18.070s
10. Ruben Xaus ESP Castrol Honda CBR1000RR +19.053s
11. Jakub Smrz CZE Effenbert Liberty Ducati 1098R +19.060s
12. Roberto Rolfo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +23.771s
13. Josh Waters AUS Yoshimura Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.956s
14. James Toseland GBR BMW Italia S1000RR +28.713s
15. Eugene Laverty IRL Yamaha WSBK YZF R1 +32.673s

16. Mark Aitchison AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +33.226s
17. Bryan Staring AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +42.598s
18. Maxime Berger FRA Supersonic Ducati 1098R +51.819s
19. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +55.738s

Not Classified
20. Joan Lascorz ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 14 laps completed
21. Ayrton Badovini ITA BMW Italia S1000RR 0 laps completed

Checa continued the blistering form that he had shown earlier in the week during testing when he broke the lap record on the Australian circuit.

Showing his fearless love of this track, where he was a winner last season, Checa was one of only three riders to post a sub 1.32 minute lap, but after posting his quickest time of the session the Spaniard promptly took a tumble on the next lap.

Sylvan Guintoli who had suffered a heavy crash earlier in the day, recovered sufficiently to end the session in second place, less than half a second behind Checa.

Eugene Laverty stands in third place in the provisional pole standings with a very impressive ride that saw him fire the Yamaha to just nip under the 1.32 barrier.

Leon Haslam appeared to be getting to grips with the BMW putting himself in sixth position, five places ahead of his team mate Troy Corser, while a battered and bruised Jonathan Rea still suffering from a bad crash earlier this week, found it within himself to make it into ninth and under a second off pole.

Other British riders Tom Sykes 13th, James Toseland 15th and Leon Camier 16th.

1 7 C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing Ducati 1098R 1′31.577
2 50 S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1′31.850
3 58 E. LAVERTY IRL Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1 1′31.969
4 1 M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′32.009
5 96 J. SMRZ CZE Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati 1098R 1′32.066
6 91 L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1′32.082
7 84 M. FABRIZIO ITA Team Suzuki Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′32.108
8 17 J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′32.163
9 4 J. REA GBR Castrol Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1′32.424
10 12 J. WATERS AUS Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team Suzuki GSX-R1000 1′32.690
11 11 T. CORSER AUS BMW Motorrad Motorsport BMW S1000 RR 1′32.699
12 33 M. MELANDRI ITA Yamaha World Superbike Team Yamaha YZF R1 1′32.700
13 66 T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′32.705
14 41 N. HAGA JPN PATA Racing Team Aprilia Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′33.058
15 52 J. TOSELAND GBR BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team BMW S1000 RR 1′33.074
16 2 L. CAMIER GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team Aprilia RSV4 Factory 1′33.084
17 67 B. STARING AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′33.130
18 121 M. BERGER FRA Supersonic Racing Team Ducati 1098R 1′33.176
19 111 R. XAUS ESP Castrol Honda Honda CBR1000RR 1′33.411
20 86 A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team BMW S1000 RR 1′33.598
21 8 M. AITCHISON AUS Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′33.788
22 44 R. ROLFO ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 1′33.864

Chris Vermeulen - Kawasaki - Phillip Island 2010

Australian World Superbike rider Chris Vermeulen will miss the first race of the 2011 season at his home track of Phillip Island after failing to recover from the injury that has sidelined him from racing since last August.

Vermeulen had been upbeat over his return to the sport in January when he arrived in Sepang for testing with the Kawasaki team. However the rider conceded on Sunday that doubts over his fitness for a full race weekend have led to his withdrawal from the opening round and he is now focused on a return to racing at Donnington Park in round two.

The decision was taken by both Vermeulen and the Kawasaki team that it was not worth risking further damage to the rider at this stage and starting his WSB Championship at Donnington will give Vermeulen almost five more weeks to fully recover from the knee injury.

The frustrated rider conceded that he was ‘not fit enough to compete at the top level yet, so it is best not to ride at the moment.’