2008 Hannspree World SuperBike Championship Round 1 Doha, Qatar, 23rd Febuary Race Report

  BAYLISS AND NIETO SHARE THE WINS AT QATAR OPENING ROUND AT QATAR 

Xerox Ducati's Troy Bayliss and Alstare Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto shared the race wins in two exciting races in the opening round of the Hannspree Superbike World Championship in Qatar. Australia's double world champion Troy Bayliss had the honour of scoring Ducati's 1098's maiden victory in the first encounter. while Spaniard Nieto picked up his first race win since 2003 on the Suzuki GSX-R1000.

Race One. Troy Bayliss had to work hard from seventh on the grid as he edged his way to the front and had a terrific duel with Ducati Sterilgarda Go-Eleven's Max Biaggi on the final lap to secure victory. Max Biaggi led from lap 12 to 17, went slightly wide and had to settle for second. Third place went to pole sitter Yamaha Motor Italia's Troy Corser, who ran in the top three throughout the race, Biaggi's team-mate Ruben Xaus made it three Ducati's 1098's in the top four. Alstare Suzuki's Max Neukirchner looked impressive throughout , leading for the first half of the race eventually finishing fifth ahead of Hannspree Ten Kate Honda's new boy Carlos Checa and Alstare Suzuki's Fonsi Nieto and team mate Yukio Kagayama in eighth. Xerox Ducati's Michel Fabrizio finished ninth on his maiden outing on the new 1098 with Jakub Smrz also on the new Ducati 1098 in tenth.

Race Two. The second race saw a battle up front between Troy Corser, who led for nine laps before fading, Biaggi, Xaus and Nieto, with Bayliss not to far behind. Biaggi and Xaus both had spells in the lead but neither were able to shake off the Alstare Suzuki of Fonsi Nieto, who took over at the front with three laps to go. The Spaniard went on to take his first ever WSBK win, ahead of his fellow countryman Ruben Xaus and Italy's Max Biaggi. The two factory Xerox Ducati's of Troy Bayliss and Michel Fabrizio were fourth and fifth, with RG Team Ducati's Lorenz Lanzi and Yamaha Motor Italia's Troy Corser finishing in seventh, Alstare Suzuki's Max Neukirchner eighth, Guandalini Ducati's Jakub Smrz ninth and 2007 World Supersport champion Kenan Sofouglu in tenth for the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP.

Broc Parkes scored a fortious win for the Yamaha World Supersport Team in the opening round of the championship at Losail in Qatar as his team-mate Fabien Foret, race leader in the early stages ran out of fuel on the final lap. The Australian still ahd to fight for the win against Spain's Joan Lascorz who was ahead with a couple of corners remaining. Parkalgar Honda's Craig Jones was also in contention right until the very end and the British rider took the final place on the podium. The entire Hannspree Ten Kate Honda Team was eliminated on the second lap as Johnny Rea crashed in front of Andrew Pitt, causing him to go down in the process. Both riders suffered a series of nasty cuts and bruises in the process, but should be fir to ride a t round two in Australia next weekend.