Troy Corser had mixed fortunes on raceday at Losail, taking a fine third in race one but slipping backwards in race two to finish seventh as his tyres lost grip at half race distance. His team-mate Noriyuki Haga recovered from a crash in race one to secure an eventual 14th, and he was also in a leading position for much of race two, before the same lack of traction experienced by Corser made him drop through the field. He ended up 13th.
Corser, the Superpole winner yesterday, was in sparkling early form in each race, looking set for a double podium finish at least. Haga 's race one crash came after Max Biaggi made a strong pass on the Japanese rider, and forced him wide, off the ideal racing line. Haga had set the best lap of the race in the first 18-lap contest, with a 1'59.217, before the lap record was broken in race two, by race winner Fonsi Nieto. Troy Bayliss won the first race, from Max Biaggi.
Corser now leaves the Losail circuit fifth in the championship chase, on 25 points, with Haga 14th on five points.
Troy Corser (3rd and 7th - Yamaha Italy WSB Team)"We made a tyre change between race one and race two just to be on the same tyres as everyone else. But it wasn't better it was worse. There was just no grip after a while and you can't race when you can't push hard. I'm really disappointed after getting Superpole yesterday, and it was obvious we had the speed to be competitive. That's about all I can say."
Noriyuki Haga (14th and 13th - Yamaha Italy WSB Team)"Not such a great day after we started so well in each race. In the first race Biaggi took my front tyre and what can I say, it was a mistake. In race two I was following Troy and saving my time until the end but after nine laps I had chatter from the rear, then more the next lap, then it started moving, then there was no grip and I could not push any more. My wrist is sore so I have to rest that before the next race."
Massimo Meregalli (Team Manager, Yamaha Motor Italia WSB Team)"This morning we made a choice of harder tyres, and this afternoon we went to the softer tyres of the other riders. Troy said that the traction was not enough in race one, so we decided to go with the ones that gave more performance. After ten laps, they were gone."
Shinichi Nakatomi (21st and DNF - Team YZF Yamaha)"There was nothing I could do in race one because the tyre choice didn't give me any drive. In race two it started OK but then I was forced off the track. Disappointing but it is a strange circuit here."
Martial Garcia (Team Manager, Team YZF Yamaha)"We were only in 21st position in race one because Shinichi chose a C tyre, the same as many riders, but it didn't have enough grip. In the second race somebody crashed in front of him and went into to gravel and rejoined after 30 seconds had passed. He carried on to test the tyre but when the grip dropped down he pulled in."
Track length:T 5.380m
Opened: 2004
Fastest Superbike lap: 1:58.053 (Troy Corser, Yamaha)
Lap record: 1'59.156 (Fonsi Nieto, Suzuki)
Last year's winners: Max Biaggi (Suzuki) and James Toseland (Honda)
Ambient temperature: 24 degrees
Weather: dry, sunny
Circuit Length: 5380
Temp: 24
Weather: Sunshine
Race 1 - 18 Laps:1. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 36'11.468
2. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 0'0.396
3. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 0'1.878
4. Ruben Xaus - Ducati - ESP 0'4.487
5. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 0'7.505
6. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 0'9.639
7. Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki - ESP 0'9.725
8. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki - JPN 0'19.537
9. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati - ITA 0'23.156
10. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 0'24.429
11. Roberto Rolfo - Honda - ITA 0'27.595
12. Kenan Sofuoglu - Honda - TUR 0'27.979
13. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 0'28.237
14. Noriyuki Haga - Yamaha - JPN 0'30.205
15. Regis Laconi - Kawasaki - FRA 0'31.882
20. Sebastien Gimbert - Yamaha - FRA 0'41.743
21. Shinichi Nakatomi - Yamaha - JPN 0'43.183
23. David Checa - Yamaha - ESP 0'43.892
Race 2 - 18 Laps:1. Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki - ESP 36'12.963
2. Ruben Xaus - Ducati - ESP 0'0.301
3. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 0'1.321
4. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 0'6.452
5. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati - ITA 0'7.627
6. Lorenzo Lanzi - Ducati - ITA 0'9.117
7. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 0'10.806
8. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 0'11.661
9. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 0'13.269
10. Kenan Sofuoglu - Honda - TUR 0'14.563
11. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 0'15.953
12. Makoto Tamada - Kawasaki - JPN 0'16.748
13. Noriyuki Haga - Yamaha - JPN 0'18.356
14. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 0'26.311
15. Roberto Rolfo - Honda - ITA 0'26.560
18. Sebastien Gimbert - Yamaha - FRA 0'28.650
Best Lap: Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki - ESP 1'59.156
Rider Standings:
1. Troy Bayliss - Ducati - AUS 38
2. Max Biaggi - Ducati - ITA 36
3. Fonsi Nieto - Suzuki - ESP 34
4. Ruben Xaus - Ducati - ESP 33
5. Troy Corser - Yamaha - AUS 25
6. Max Neukirchner - Suzuki - GER 19
7. Michel Fabrizio - Ducati - ITA 18
8. Carlos Checa - Honda - ESP 15
9. Jakub Smrz - Ducati - CZE 13
10. Lorenzo Lanzi - Ducati - ITA 10
11. Kenan Sofuoglu - Honda - TUR 10
12. Yukio Kagayama - Suzuki - JPN 8
13. Roberto Rolfo - Honda - ITA 6
14. Noriyuki Haga - Yamaha - JPN 5
15. Gregorio Lavilla - Honda - ESP 5
Manufacturing Standings:1. Ducati 45
2 Suzuki 36
3. Yamaha 25
4. Honda 16
5. Kawasaki 5
