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

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.’

Among the riders taken to Malaysia for the test outing was Chris Vermeulen, taking his first ride aboard a race spec bike since undergoing surgery on a knee injury sustained in the opening round of the 2010 season almost a year ago.

Vermeulen had the surgery later in the season in July 2010 and has spent the last six months recuperating, he said that he has only started walking in the last three weeks.

His test ride aboard the Kawasaki ZX10R cheered the rider no end, although rain hampered his progress during the afternoon and he will be looking forward to further testing today.

Pleased with his first impressions of the Kawasaki Vermeulen admitted that his knee still has some way to go before full recovery saying that although it had improved a lot over the last couple of weeks, he cannot bend the knee enough at present on right hand corners.

Kawasaki team mates Tom Sykes and Joan Lascorz were also on track in Sepang during the private testing, ahead of the official first test in Portugal at the Portimao circuit on January 26th.

Ian Lowry

Following his wild-card ride at Brands Hatch for the Kawasaki team in the British Superbike series, Ian Lowry has now been given the chance to debut in the World Superbike championship at the Nurburgring.

The Irish rider is the latest replacement for the injured rider Chris Vermeulen and said;

“I am really grateful for this opportunity to ride for the Factory Kawasaki squad. It was always a dream of mine to compete in the World Superbike Championship and now this is becoming a reality. I enjoyed my outing at Brands Hatch  and working with such a professional team, and was surprised at how comfortable I felt on the Kawasaki.

“I know how competitive the World Superbike Championship is and I intend to make the most of this opportunity and repay the team with two strong finishes. I’m really looking forward to getting a full spin out in the bike again and am really excited about the race. ”

Kawasaki WSB – 2010

Akira Yanagawa is returning to the World Superbike series this weekend aboard the Kawasaki as a wild-card rider at Silverstone for the British round of the championship.

The Japanese rider has been called on as a replacement rider for the injured Chris Vermeulen and has said he is looking forward to the event although he expects it to be tough.

Yanagawa began racing for the World Superbike Kawasaki team way back in 1997 and rewarded his team with three race wins and finishing in fourth place overall in the 1997 championship.

The last time that Yanagawa was on a World Superbike was at Sugo back in 2002 before the team decided to concentrate more on the MotoGP series.

Yanagawa still races in the All-Japan Superbike series which he was leading in 2007 until he finally lost out to Atsushi Watanabe.

Chris Vermeulen – WSB Kawasaki 2010

It has been announced that the World Superbike Kawasaki rider Chris Vermeulen is to be out of the series for up to six months as he recovers from his injuries.

The Australian had previously decided to sit out the rest of the 2010 season and is to undergo keyhole surgery on his injured knee this week.

Vermeulen received the injury five-months ago at the Phillip Island round of the World Superbike championship which was aggravated when he crashed again at the Brno circuit.  The surgery will concentrate on repairing two of the three damaged ligaments in his right knee but it is the recovery period that will require the time to heal properly which led to his decision to sit out the remainder of the year to enable him to be fit for the 2011 season.

Akira Yanagawa has been named as the replacement rider for Vermeulen at the Silverstone circuit on the 1st August, suggesting that the team may still be looking for a full-term replacement for the remainder of the season.

The 39-year-old Japanese rider has previously been on the starting grid of the World Superbike championship over 100 times, achieving 20 podium finishes with 3 of them being on the top step from 1997 until 2001.

Since 2001, Yamagawa has been on hand as a test and development rider for the former MotoGP crew but is excited to be once again riding in the World Superbike series especially on British soil.

Jonathan Rea – Hanspree Ten Kate Honda 2010

Jonathan Rea claimed victory in the opening race at Brno yesterday while Max Biaggi took the chequered flag in race two of the day.

Race One

It was the Aprilia of Max Biaggi that took to the front of the pack as the first race of the day got underway at the Brno circuit but before the end of the lap he had been passed by the Hanspree Ten Kate Honda of Jonathan Rea.  At the final bend of the first lap, Rea went around the outside of the Italian rider to put his machine in front and never looked back.

Biaggi was then passed by Cal Crutchlow on the following lap before Ruben Xaus put his machine in front of the Aprilia rider on lap 4.  The Italian rider soon returned to form and retook Xaus on lap 6 before finally catching and passing Crutchlow with only 4 laps of the race to run.

Rea crossed the line to claim his third win of the 2010 season ahead of Max Biaggi in second.  Crutchlow finished in third place followed by Sylvain Guintoli in fourth, Ruben Xaus in fifth, Noriyuki Haga in sixth and  James Toseland in seventh.

Leon Haslam finished down in eighth place after qualifying in fourteenth on the grid ahead of Carlos Checa in ninth and Lorenzo Lanzi in tenth.

The Kawasaki rider Chris Vermeulen, was involved in a three-bike pile-up at the first corner of lap 1 with Max Neukirchner and Jakub Smrz.  All three failed to return to the track with Vermeulen once again re-injuring his knee that was originally damaged at the first round of the 2010 championship at Phillip Island and it has since been announced that he is to miss the remainder of the season as he undergoes corrective treatment.

Troy Corser withdrew from the Brno round of the championship after suffering concussion and a chest injury following his accident in qualifying but his hoping to be fully fit for the Silverstone round.

Here are the results;

1. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR 20 Laps
2. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +2.518s
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +4.071
4. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +7.160s
5. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +8.602s
6. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +11.379s
7. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +11.513s
8. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +16.487s
9. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +20.829s
10. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +25.164s
11. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +32.602s
12. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +36.748s
13. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR +39.183s
14. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +59.889s
15. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 05.329s

Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR

Race Two

Max Biaggi claimed his ninth win of the season in race two after his initial battle with race one winner Jonathan Rea as the race got underway.

Rea took the lead as he got ahead of Ruben Xaus, Biaggi, Michel Fabrizio and Cal Crutchlow during the first few corners and looked to be on for his second win of the day.

by lap 3, Biaggi had passed Xaus and was chasing the race leader before finally passing him on lap 7 at turn 2.  Rea attempted to stay with the Aprilia but after just 2 laps Biaggi began to create an impressive gap.

Biaggi crossed the line almost 5 seconds ahead of Rea to take the chequered flag with Fabrizio taking the final step of the podium following the retirement of Xaus. With just 6 laps of the race remaining the Spaniard low-sided off of his BMW at turn one after a fantastic fight with Fabrizio.

James Toseland finished in an impressive fourth place after getting ahead of Noriyuki Haga with only 2 laps of the race to run.  Carlos Checa crossed the line in sixth place followed by Sylvain Guintoli, Leon Camier, Shane Byrne and Leon Haslam.

Despite Chris Vermeulen starting the second race he could only manage 2 laps before being seen heading to his pit garage to retire.

Tom Sykes and Max Neukirchner also failed to finish the second race after both tangled on the opening lap and Luca Scassa was unable to make it to the grid for race two after fracturing his foot in the first race incident.

Here are the results;

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 20 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +4.627s
3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +13.600s
4. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +16.372s
5. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +17.530s
6. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +21.704s
7. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.769s
8. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +25.875s
9. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +30.374s
10. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +34.002s
11. Lorenzo Lanzi ITA DFX Ducati 1198 +34.691s
12. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR +49.270s
13. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 03.258s
14. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +1 lap
15. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap

Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR

Max Biaggi – Aprilia 2010

Max Biaggi won both races this weekend for the Aprilia team at the Miller Motorsports Park in Utah while his team-mate Leon Camier made it onto the podium after his best finish so far this season.

Race One

It was Carlos Checa on the Althea Ducati that dominated race one from the start, fighting off a challenging Max Biaggi midway through the race to gain an advantage of almost three seconds.

As the race got underway, it was Leon Camier that managed to squeeze his machine between the Ducati of ChecaBiaggi and his team-mate to slot into second place but only until the next corner when Checa breezed past.  Checa was then on the tail of Biaggi who had taken the lead after a fantastic start but by the second lap Checa went around the outside of the Italian to take his position at the front of the field.

With only two laps of the race left to run and with a comfortable lead over Biaggi, Checa’s Ducati came to a standstill out on circuit, leaving the Spaniard with no option but to park up his bike and return to the pits.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the chequered flag ahead of Leon Haslam who had battled his way back through the field from ninth place after a poor start and with a smoking Ducati ahead of him.  Haslam had been sat behind Jakub Smrz on PATA B&G Racing Ducati when smoke began bellowing out of the bike causing Haslam to inform the marshall’s of the problem which appeared to have gone unnoticed by Smrz.

Haslam was fortunate to be gifted a further two places after Jonathan Rea on the Ten Kate Honda suffered another off following his accident in Superpole and took Cal Crutchlow on the Yamaha Sterilgarda with him.  Both riders managed to make their way back on track but were then at the back of the field.

The Alstare Suzuki rider was now up to sixth position and chasing down Noriyuki Haga on the Ducati Xerox and Checa, passing both riders in an impressive move.  Haga followed Haslam through and the pair were soon harassing Camier who was sitting in third place but Camier held his line leaving until lap 16  when he ran wide allowing  the pair to take advantage of the flying Aprilia.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the chequered flag ahead of Haslam in second and Haga in third.  Leon Camier claimed fourth followed by Troy Corser in fifth, Shane Byrne in sixth, Luca Scassa in seventh, Sylvain Guintoli in eighth, James Toseland in ninth and Ruben Xaus rounding off the top ten riders.

Here are the results;

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 38mins 20.442secs 21 laps
2. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.931s
3. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +6.432s
4. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +8.576s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +11.150s
6. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +11.243s
7. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +12.432s
8. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +15.145s
9. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +16.091s
10. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +16.502s
11. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +18.719s
12. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +24.285s
13. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +36.479s
14. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +39.700s
15. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +41.263s

19. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 19 laps completed
20. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 1 lap completed
21. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 0 laps completed

Race Two

Max Biaggi is now leading the World Superbike championship after winning the second race of the day for the Aprilia team.

It was Carlos Checa that once again looked as if he would dominate the race as he out-breaked the Aprilia rider into turn one to take the lead.  Biaggi sat in second position followed by Troy Corser in third from fifteenth position on the grid with Leon Camier in fourth place ahead of Ruben Xaus in fifth.

Leon Haslam had been forced back to tenth place after being pushed aside as the field headed into the first set of bends.  By the second lap, Corser had made a gap of over a second between himself and Biaggi but by lap seven, bad luck had once again stuck the Althea rider as he incurred further technical problems with his bike and was out of the race as he coasted to a halt.

Biaggi was now leading for the second time in two races while behind Leon Haslam had fought his way past James Toseland, Noriyuki Haga, Jonathan Rea and Ruben Xaus to slot into fifth place.  As Haslam began to close on the leading riders disaster struck as the Suzuki rider high-sided after making an error and was out of the race.

Corser was now in second place with Leon Camier in third and Cal Crutchlow in fourth but as the race developed the BMW of Corser began to lose pace allowing Camier to close in on him and move into second on lap 13 with Crutchlow following on the next lap.

Biaggi crossed the line to take the flag for the second time followed by Camier with his best finish so far this season, making it a 1-2 for the Aprilia team. Crutchlow grabbed the third step of the podium in third ahead of Noriyuki Haga in fourth, Corser in fifth, Sylvain Guintoli in sixth, Shane Byrne in seventh, Jonathan Rea in eighth, Michel Fabrizio in ninth and Luca Scassa in tenth.

James Toseland crashed out on lap 15 of the race after losing the front end of his Yamaha Sterilgarda when he came out of one corner too fast leaving him no time to slow down for the next.

Here are the results;

1. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 21 laps
2. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +5.899s
3. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +7.363s
4. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +8.842s
5. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +9.473s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +12.293s
7. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +12.483s
8. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +15.959s
9. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +18.897s
10. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +20.372s
11. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +26.823s
12. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +30.344s
13. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +33.337s
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +38.772s
15. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR +44.994s

16. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 18 laps completed
17. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 15 laps completed
18. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 14 laps completed
19. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 12 laps completed
20. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 7 laps completed
21. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 7 laps completed

This weekend saw the South African round of the World Superbike championship take place at the Kyalami circuit with Michel Fabrizio taking victory in race one and Leon Haslam winning race two.

Race One

Michel Fabrizio dominated race one as the lights went out from the start of race one at Kyalami for the Ducati Xerox team.

The Italian slotted into the lead at the first bend after qualifying in fourth place on the grid ahead of British rider James Toseland on the Yamaha Sterilgarda machine.

Carlos Checa put his Ducati in front of Toseland before the end of the first lap with Leon Haslam in fourth and the two Aprilia’s of Leon Camier and Max Biaggi in fifth and sixth places.

Biaggi soon passed his team-mate for fifth place before passing Toseland to move into fourth.  Toseland was then passed by Camier, Cal Crutchlow and Jonathan Rea as he drifted backwards on the grid.

Rea was on a mission as he passed Crutchlow, and then made an impressive move on Camier and Toseland at the same time, passing them on the outside of the bend following Mineshaft.

Fabrizio crossed the line to take the fourth World Superbike win of his career followed by Checa in second and Haslam in third.

Here are the results;

1. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 24 laps
2. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +1.098s
3. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +5.049s
4. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +6.974s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +13.710s
6. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +13.848s
7. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +16.064s
8. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +16.231s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 +16.580s
10. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +23.100s
11. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +24.561s
12. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +25.504s
13. Sheridan Morais RSA EmTek Aprilia RSV-4 +27.073s
14. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +27.273s
15. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +30.692s

16. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +34.008s
17. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +35.948s
18. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +44.030s
19. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +48.382s

Not Classified

20. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 13 laps completed
21. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR 11 laps completed
22. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 6 laps completed

Race Two

Leon Haslam took the second race of the day after passing Jonathan Rea on the penultimate lap of the race in a surprising finish.

Rea moved into the lead of the race after a fantastic start and some impressive moves despite starting from eleventh position on the grid on the Ten Kate Honda machine.

It was Haslam that took to the front of the pack as the race got underway ahead of Max Biaggi, Carlos Checa and Rea.  The Honda rider then passed Checa on the inside before being gifted another place by Biaggi who made a mistake allowing the British rider his position.

Rea then got his head down to chase down the leading man Haslam but had the lead handed to him when Haslam made a mistake at Westbank under braking.

With Rea followed by Haslam and Biaggi, the three remained challengers for the victory while Checa, Fabrizio and Crutchlow had their own race behind.

Haslam attempted to retake the lead on lap 7 but the move only allowed Biaggi to slot into second position and make his own challenge on Rea.  Rea was having none of it and closed the door as the Italian tried to pass at Continental.

On lap 14, Haslam bullied his way back into second place before once again attempting the front place as they entered Continental allowing Rea back in front.

The three continued to race for that number one spot with Haslam succeeding again going into Continental as he squeezed through forcing Rea to sit up on his machine and see the Alstare Suzuki rider cross the line to take the win.

Leon Camier was forced to retire his Aprilia with only four laps of the race remaining after developing problems with his bike.

Here are the results;

1. Leon Haslam GBR Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 39mins 52.870s
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +0.522s
3. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 +0.601s
4. Cal Crutchlow GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +0.991s
5. Carlos Checa ESP Althea Ducati 1198 +1.479s
6. James Toseland GBR Yamaha Sterilgarda YZF R1 +13.324s
7. Troy Corser AUS BMW Motorrad S1000RR +13.740s
8. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati Xerox 1198 +14.250s
9. Jakub Smrz CZE PATA B&G Racing Ducati 1198 +15.190s
10. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati Xerox 1198 +16.790s
11. Ruben Xaus ESP BMW Motorrad S1000RR +21.101s
12. Luca Scassa ITA Team Supersonic Ducati 1198 +22.670s
13. Shane Byrne GBR Althea Ducati 1198 +24.506s
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +31.301s
15. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Alstare Suzuki GSX-R1000 +31.836s

16. Chris Vermeulen AUS Kawasaki SRT ZX-10R +33.710s
17. Max Neukirchner GER Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR +35.203s
18. Broc Parkes AUS Echo-CRS Honda CBR1000RR +55.929s
19. Roger Lee Hayden USA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +56.074s
20. Matteo Baiocco ITA Team Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1min 08.481s

Not Classified

21. Leon Camier GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing RSV-4 17 laps completed
22. Sheridan Morais RSA EmTek Aprilia RSV-4 10 laps completed

Max Biaggi – Aprilia 2010

Max Biaggi took victory in both races at the weekend for the Aprilia team at his home circuit of Monza and also set the record for the fastest superbike ever recorded in a straight line.  The Aprilia team are now leading the manufacturer’s standings for the first time.

Race 1

As the first race of the day got underway it was Biaggi who led the race as the riders headed into the first corner ahead of the the two Yamaha Sterilgarda riders James Toseland and Cal Crutchlow.  Leon Haslam followed in fourth position on the Alstare Suzuki with Leon Camier on the second Aprilia in fifth.

Haslam launched an attack on Biaggi on lap 4 of the race, briefly taking the lead after out-braking the Italian heading into Prima Variante.  Two laps later, Biaggi retook the lead as the riders headed across the start/finish line while Troy Corser on the BMW who had moved into third position from twelfth on the grid was shuffled backwards.

The Ten Kate Honda rider Jonathan Rea look set to challenge the leading rider after passing the Yamaha pair on the back straight to take third before losing the front end of his machine putting him out of the race and his bike over the tyre wall.

Cal Crutchlow was seen riding across the chicane escape lane after a near run-in with Haslam under braking going into turn 1 while on lap 13, Haslam made his move on Toseland to take second place.  However, Haslam made a mistake and ran wide letting Toseland back past followed by Crutchlow leaving the Suzuki rider back in fourth place.

Crutchlow then began his challenge on Toseland, taking second after passing the British rider on lap 14 but was unable to hold the position for long and gave Biaggi the chance he needed to create a bit of space between himself and the other front runners.

On the final lap, Toseland and Crutchlow were once again on the tail of Biaggi but the Italian continued a faultless race to take his seventh career win at his home circuit.  Toseland crossed the line to take second ahead of Crutchlow with Haslam in fourth.

Leon Camier finished in fifth position after starting in thirteenth position followed by Spanish rider Ruben Xaus on the BMW in sixth, Michel Fabrizio on the Ducati in seventh, Troy Corser in eighth, Tom Sykes for the Kawasaki team in ninth and Sylvain Guintoli on the Suzuki in tenth.

Here are the results;

1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 31′07.044 (200,504 kph)
2 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 0.247
3 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1 0.297
4 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 0.958
5 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 4.493
6 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR 7.343
7 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 7.369
8 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 9.344
9 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 15.338
10 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 16.761
11 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 16.921
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 22.231
13 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 22.602
14 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 22.742
15 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 26.266
16 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.415
17 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 26.968
18 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 36.964
19 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 51.646
20 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 71 Sakai D. (JPN) Suzuki GSX-R1000
RET 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR
EX 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R

Race 2

Max Biaggi took his Aprilia across the line to secure his second win of the day in front of his home crowd on the Aprilia in an incident packed second race.

The riders managed to make it cleanly through the Prima Variante but it all went wrong as James Toseland got sandwiched between Jonathan Rea and Michel Fabrizio, sending him and his bike down onto the circuit, Toseland was then caught up between his catapulting Yamaha and the Aprilia of Leon Camier. The British Rider was taken to hospital suffering from mild concussion while Rea, who was also injured in the incident, suffered a sprained ankle.  Ruben Xaus was another casualty from the same accident, managed to walk away unscathed but was out of the race.

Biaggi continued to lead the race followed by Troy Corser who had worked his way into second place from twelfth on the grid.  Tom Sykes had moved up to third position but was soon passed by both Haslam and Crutchlow.

Haslam was soon challenging for the leading spot, passing Biaggi at the Roggia chicane but once again the Brit made a mistake and the lead was retaken by Biaggi as they headed down the home straight followed by Crutchlow in second.

Haslam was nearly out of contention on lap 9 while coming out of the first chicane, as he was seen lifting off of his seat but miraculously regained his position although nearly taking Corser along with him.

Crutchlow was now free to challenge Biaggi until on lap 13 when his engine gave up and he was forced to take to the gravel trap.

Biaggi crossed the line to take his second chequered flag of the day 4.5 seconds ahead of Haslam and Corser. Leon Camier finished in an impressive fourth place despite getting caught up in the tangle at the start of the race followed by the Kawasaki of Tom Sykes in fifth.

Noriyuki Haga took his Ducati across the line to finish in sixth place ahead of Sylvain Guintoli in seventh, Jakub Smrz in eighth, Shane Byrne in ninth and Luca Scassa in tenth.

Here are the results;

1 3 Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 31′07.122 (200,496 kph)
2 91 Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 4.547
3 11 Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000 RR 5.469
4 2 Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 10.267
5 66 Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX 10R 15.561
6 41 Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 15.816
7 50 Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 15.861
8 96 Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 20.977
9 67 Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R 21.920
10 99 Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 21.974
11 7 Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 27.152
12 76 Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR 29.315
13 77 Vermeulen C. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX 10R 30.858
14 95 Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX 10R 47.160
15 23 Parkes B. (AUS) Honda CBR1000RR 48.824
RET 35 Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 15 Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX 10R
RET 57 Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 31 Iannuzzo V. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR
RET 84 Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R
RET 52 Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R1
RET 111 Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000 RR
RET 65 Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR