2007 Corona Extra World Superbike Championship Round six, Monza, Italy 13th May Race Report

  HAGA DOES THE DOUBLE AT MONZA

Nori Haga ( Yamaha Motor Italia ) brought a perfect homecoming present to Italy for his Monza based team after scoring the superpole win, a new lap record and - most importantly of all - the first ever double win of the year. His astonishing pace was challenged for a period in each race, but eventually his class and seemingly perfect set-up told in the end and he notched up the wins by the margin og 8.4 and 2.6 seconds respectively. His new lap record is 1'46.064, set on lap six of race two. He is now second in the overall championship rankings, with 195 points. Championship leader James Toseland ( Hannspree Ten Kate Honda ) extended his championship lead to 35 points despite scoring only a fourth and second.

Race One. The first 18-lap race was a classic of its kind, with hard passes and mistakes on the high speed track causing many anxious moments. Haga, on pole, dropped to sixth on the grid, then shot foreward to share the lead with Toseland, until the englishman was forced back to finish fourth due to a bad trye choice. Xerox Ducati's Troy Bayliss, well down at one stage capitalized on the desparate bad luck of one-time leader and virtual podium certainty Roberto Rolfo who was forced to retire in sight of the flag, and the aussie rider rode through to take second. Third went to Alstare Suzuki's Max Biaggi despite an off track excursion after setting a temporary new-lap record of 1'46.172 seconds.

Race Two. The second race was an even closer battle for the last two podium slots, a virtual widescreen epic on the last couple of laps, as a slowing Toseland was engulfed by Bayliss and Biaggi but still managed to ride to second place. Bayliss was third and Rolfo fourth, with a huge rear end wobble from Biaggi at the Ascari chicane robbing him of a potential second place, especially after what looked like a contact with Bayliss as each jostled for position on the final run to the Parabolica. In the current championship standings James Toseland leads with 229 points to Nori Haga's 194 points, Max Biaggi 101 points, Troy Bayliss 164 points, Troy Corser 135 points and Lorenzo Lanzi on 107 points.

WORLD SUPERSPORT CHAMPIONSHIP.

Kenan Sofuoglu had to fight to get the lead of the 16-lap race aboard the Hannspree Ten Kate Honda, but once he was there the result was not in question, and he took his fifth win in six races giving him an overall championship lead of 58 pints. A stunning personal battle between Gil Kawasaki rider Fabien Foret and Yamaha World SSP Racing's Anthony West saw the french rider score second place after an elbowing match from the exit of the parabolica corner. Gianluca Nannelli was a fine fourth aboard the SC Carrachi Ducati and he was only overhauled by Foret and West in the last two laps. Kenan Sofuoglu is way ahead , with Foret on 87 points, Fujiwara in third on 53 points, Nannelli fourth on 43 points.

ROUND SEVEN OF THE CORONA EXTRA WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP GOES TO SILVERSTONE IN THE UK FROM 25TH-27TH MAY.