DOUBLE DELIGHT FOR LAVERTY AT THE CATHEDRAL OF SPEED 

Ireland's Eugene Laverty certainly came of age at the fourth round of the 2011 World Superbike Championship at Monza in Italy, after a remarkable double victory just eight races into his rookie season. The Yamaha World Superbike Team rider was arguably not a pre-race predictions to take the fight to world champion Max Biaggi who smashed the lap record in Superpole the previous day. Not putting a wheel wrong the young Irishman won the first race quite comfortable ahead of Aprilia Alitalia's Max Biaggi, with Britain's Leon Haslam taking his BMW Motorrad to third. His win in race two was very different to the first race, as Laverty got held up on the opening lap leaving him in ninth. Biaggi who had a comfortable lead was handed a ride through penalty which cost the Italian to emerge back on track in eighth. mean while, Laverty had pushed his way to the front to challenge his team-mate Marco Melandri who on the last lap ran wide around the last bend for Laverty to squeeze past to take his second win of the day and become one of only a small group of riders to do the double in their first season. Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio was rewarded with a well earned third.

Race One. Eugene Laverty took his maiden win of his rookie season after an epic battle with Aprilia Alitalia world champion Max Biaggi. Although the Aprilia had the power on the straights to pass the Yamaha, it was Laverty's smooth style through the corners which allowed him to to catch Biaggi. The toing and froing continued until Laverty who was strong on the brakes past Biaggi to eventually open up a lead of two seconds, from there on the Irishman kept his cool to victory for the first time. Biaggi managed to hold on for second with the BMW Motorrad of Leon Haslam third. Yamaha WSBK Team's Marco Melandri took fourth on his Monza debut ahead of fellow countryman Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio and Castrol Honda's Johnathan Rea. Despite leading the race early on Troy Corser took seventh for the BMW team, eighth was Aprilia Alitalia's Leon Camier with Althea Ducati's Carlos Checa and Effenbert-Liberty Ducati's Jakub Smrz round ing out the top ten.

Race Two. A lapse of concentration cost Max Biaggi victory after cutting a corner while maintaining a healthy lead. This resulted in him being given a ride through penalty was saw him drop to eighth and ruin any chance of a podium finish. Mean while, Eugene Laverty had made his way to the front after an first lap incident saw him drop to ninth. Team-mate Marco Melandri was on for the win until he ran wide on the last lap around the fianl corner. Laverty seized his chance and squeezed past to hold a tight line to take his second win of the day. Alstare Suzuki's Michel Fabrizio took third ahead of PATA Aprilia's Nori Haga and BMW Troy Corser. Rookie Ayrton Badovini took a well deserved sixth, seven Effenbert-Liberty Ducati's Sylvain Guintoli and Max Biaggi with Kawasaki's Joan Lascorz and Athea Ducati's Carlos Checa rounding out the top ten.

SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP

Britiain's Chaz Davies made it two wins out of two for the Yamaha ParkinGo Team at Monza after a dominating display of riding. His team-mate Luca Scassa took second with veteran Ten Honda's Fabien Foret third.