Kagayama leads WSB

The first round of the 2005 World Superbike championship has finished with ex-BSB star Yukio Kagayama at the top of the points table after a dominant display by his Alstare Suzuki team.

You can read our behind-the-scenes verdict on the action in MCN, out on March 2, but in the meantime here’s our blow by blow account of the action as it happened.

Race two:

After winning the first race, Troy Corser looked to take the double win before a fault saw him drop his lap times. Team-mate Yukio Kagayama was the first rider to take advantage and move into the lead, with Regis Laconi held up for some time behind Corser before moving into second. Corser just managed to cling onto third at the line. With one victory and one second, Kagayama leads the WSB championship.

Behind the leading trio was a huge battle from fourth to 10th, including Chili, Vermeulen, Toseland, Pitt, Abe, Neukirchner and Gimbert. In the closing stages a Honda battle erupted between Chili and Vermeulen, with James Toseland moving clear of the pack behind him in sixth. Despite late charges, Vermeulen was pipped to the podium by Corser, while Toseland just missed out on passing Chili as they crossed the line.

Retirements include Brit Chris Walker who was the victim in a coming-together as Karl Muggeridge tried to pass. Other retirements including Qatar rider Al Nuami, Muggeridge, Silva, Borciani, Clementi, Velini, Pedercini and Cardoso.

Supersport:

Katsuaki Fujiwara took his Ten Kate Honda CBR600RR to a memorable victory, having stalled his bike on the startline.

As the Supersport field sped away from the grid, the Japanese rider was busy restarting his bike before mounting a phenomenal comeback, and putting himself into the top five in the first few laps.

Meanwhile, race leader and Ten Kate team-mate Sebastien Charpentier was the clear leader from ex-MotoGP rider Michel Fabrizio and former champion Fabien Foret. Neither Yamaha rider could close on the leader, and were unable to fight off the attentions of Fujiwara, who was able to take second and follow his team-mate until the final four laps. When Fujiwara came past, the Frenchman has no response, and was happy to settle for a Ten Kate one-two.

WSB race one:

Troy Corser has won the first race of the 2005 World Superbike championship with a dominant display at Losail in Qatar.

Corser was leading the race comfortably when rain caused a halt in the proceedings on lap 10, and from the restart was able to claim a comfortable third on the road to take the overall win.

It was an Alstare Suzuki one-two, with team-mate Yukio Kagayama leading the second stage by enough to demote Ducati’s Regis Laconi to third. British rider James Toseland will be disapointed not to have challenged his team-mate, but fellow Brit Chris Walker gained a good result on the Kawasaki ZX-10.

Ex-MotoGP rider Norrick Abe recovered from a pitlane start when his bike failed to start for the second stage to take ninth overall. The Japanese rider was also lucky to stay upright at the end of the first stage, when the sudden rainfall saw him leaving the track, along with Laconi.

WSB veteran PierFrancesco Chili failed to make the start, as did Cardoso, but the biggest drama was a lap 13 crash involving Sebastien Gimbert, Lorenzo Lanzi, and Stefan Neukirchner.