Ducati narrowly leads Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha in World Superbike title chase

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Ducati narrowly leads Honda, Suzuki and Yamaha in World Superbike title chase

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Fabien Foret - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 18th: "It was a bit of a disappointment for me today but it's all part of my learning process in Superbikes, I guess. I really thought that I would be able to score some points today, but the DNF in race one didn't help. My throttle was not consistent at all - sometimes it would stay open after I had shut it - so I had to pull in. I made a good start in the second race, but had to run wide to avoid a rider who had made a mistake and that cost me many places. Then I got caught up in a battle with two Yamaha riders and that was that. I am looking forward to some tests before the next race because I need to understand this bike more than I do at the moment."

Honda Report

Alex Barros (Klaffi Honda CBR1000RR) and James Toseland (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) shared second and third place finishes at the Australian World Superbike round, and thus shared the honour of top Honda rider on display at the classic Phillip Island track. For other supported Honda riders, fortune was less kind, with Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) next best with an 11th in race one, Pierfrancesco Chili (DFX Honda CBR1000RR) only in the points once and Karl Muggeridge (Winston Ten Kate Honda CBR1000RR) not scoring at all in his home event.

In the first 22-lap race of the day, Toseland, who had qualified an impressive third in Superpole in only his second meeting on his new machine, secured third after long term leader Troy Bayliss faded to sixth. Troy Corser held off Barros for the win, with the Brazilian scoring his best ride of the season so far. He was to go third in race two, after a fight with Noriyuki Haga. Fabrizio fended off his team-mate to take the last point on offer in race one, improving from his 20th place in qualifying. In race two he was to improve to 11th, for overall eighth, on 25 points. Chili scored 14th in race two, despite fatigue and the effects of his recent Qatar crash.

Muggeridge, who qualified sixth, had to retire from race one with set-up and tyre issues on the hot tarmac, and was then unceremoniously knocked out of the second race, when Lorenzo Lanzi’s Ducati skittled him at Honda hairpin.

Toseland, who has now scored one win and two further podiums in the four 2006 season races so far, was satisfied with his race rhythm, on a day when warm track conditions made for some unpredictable results. He is now second in the championship race, with 74 points to leader Bayliss’ 75.

“In race two I kept getting a plus zero on my pitboard, because Troy was right behind,” said Toseland. “I didn’t make a mistake but Troy just outbraked me into the hairpin and then he pulled away at the end there. It was a great race though, and I made sure I rode well in the places where it would be difficult for him to get past me. In the first race Troy was unlucky not to win. In race two I waited to see if he would have similar problems as race one but when it was obvious he was fast and I had to settle for second. But I’m happy; we had a good, consistent weekend again. We’re pushing them hard and we’re only one point from the lead right now.”

Barros had two highly impressive rides on a machine which is still undergoing development; with the Brazilian’s experience of racecraft a valuable asset around Phillip Island’s high speed twists and turns.

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