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Moto News Home » WSBK
Bayliss takes victory in 1st race of the season
Feb 23, 2008
Suzuki Alstare rider Fonzi Nieto holds off a slew of Ducati riders to take the 2nd race.
Troy Bayliss stormed to victory on board the Ducati 1098 F08 in the opening race of the 2008 World Superbike Championship today, a spectacular result for the team and a significant maiden win for the new F08 machine. Bayliss then narrowly missed out on a podium place in race 2, finishing fourth just ahead of team-mate Fabrizio. 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.
Team Suzuki Alstare rider Fonsi Nieto took his maiden World Superbike Championship victory in the second 18-lap race at the Qatar season opener today. Despite having to start from the third row of the grid, Nieto stormed through the field to take the lead just four laps from the end. Ruben Xaus and Max Biaggi attacked him to the end but could not find any way past and the Spaniard was able to take the chequered flag by three-tenths-of-a-second.
Troy Bayliss - Ducati Xerox
It's a very good start to the season for the team, exactly what we needed! Overall I'm very happy with the results. In race 1 I didn't make the greatest start and so it took me a while to make it to the front of the pack. The last eight laps were a bit of a battle against Max but I was finally able to get past him and, although I made a couple of small mistakes, I was pretty comfortable and took the win. I would have loved to take another podium in race 2 but it wasn't to be and I come away from this round leading the championship by 2 points so I can't exactly complain. Now I'm ready to move on to Phillip Island where I hope to have another great weekend.
Michel Fabrizio - Ducati Xerox
I wasn't happy with race 1 as although I didn't have any problems with the bike I wasn't totally comfortable with myleather suit. I think I could have gone better if it hadn't been for that issue. Race 2 went much better and although I got a bad start I was able to move up through the field from ninth to fifth place. Anyway, we've made a good start andI am seventh in the championship after the first round so that's a positive start for me and the team I would say.
Max Biaggi - Sterilgrada Go ElevenRace 1 was fantastic. Unfortunately the final lap went as I didn't wanted. I tried to pass Bayliss at the last bend but the front tyre was over and I couldn't do that. In race-2 the power of the engine decreased and I had to slow down. Riding Ducati is really funny. I want to give my compliments to the team, we have to be happy about today's performance. I'm really confident for the next race in Australia, where I'm sure I can better further
Reuben Xaus - Sterilgarda Go Eleven
It was a really exciting day, full of battles: first Bayliss and Max then the one between Ruben and Max which ends with a double podium. I couldn't ask for anything more. I want to thank the riders, the team and Ducati which have given us great machines. Let me speak about the regulations: someone said that Ducati would have taken advantages of its bigger power, but today we saw how the 2008 Championship will be very fought due to the excellent skills of the teams and the riders.
Troy Corser - Yamaha Italia
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 - Yamaha Italia
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.
Fonzi Nieto - Alstare Suzuki
This is my first WSBK win and my first race win since Donington in 1993! Yes it's been a long, long while. I've worked very hard in this championship and today I reaped the reward of all the hard work. Today my Suzuki Alstare bike was faster then the Ducatis, but I definitely raced with my mind today. I used the same bike, with the same set-up in both races, though I did have the traction control on a harder setting in the first race and the bike was not as comfortable to ride as it was in race two. There was only five degrees difference in temperature between the two races, but the bike felt different in both races! In the second race, I was able to conserve my bike and the tyres and finish strongly and that's why I won. I would like to thank all the people who had faith in me and have supported me these past years. And I'd like to thank Francis and Patricia Batta, the whole team and Suzuki for all their help. I know there are people out there who didn't think I could be a winner, but today I proved them wrong!
Max Neukirchner - Alstare Suzuki
It was a really good feeling leading the first race for so long and I felt pretty comfortable doing it. I made a good start and led from the lights more or less and then I just kept my head down and found I was in the lead without too much of a problem. I have been suffering from some kind of a cold or something and, with about eight laps to go, I didn't feel in very good condition. At the same time, I started getting lots of slides and the two things together allowed some riders to pass me and I ended up 5th. In race two, I changed to a softer tyre, but the grip didn't feel so good. I made a little mistake on the brakes and I lost touch with the leaders and it was not possible to catch them again. All in all, it's not a bad start to the season, but it could've been better.
Carlos Checa - HANNspree Ten Kate Honda
I feel comfortable overall after my first races. We have to work on the bike's chassis, but considering the bike has only just arrived and it's our first race I'm quite positive. I think we can become even more competitive this year. I touched Kagayama on the first lap of the second race when he tried to overtake me and nearly crashed. There was no room for the two of us and I had to go through the gravel and start again from the back of the field. Unfortunately this deprived me of my chance to try and make it closer to the front. The bike was feeling a lot better then it did in race one. The lap times have proved that we can do a lot better.
Qatar - Race 1 Results - 18 laps
1. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 1098F08) 36:11.468
2. Max BIAGGI (Duc 1098RS) -0.396
3. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1) -1.878
4. Ruben XAUS (Duc 1098RS) -4.487
5. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000) -7.505
6. Carlos CHECA (Hon CBR1000RR) -9.639
7. Fonsi NIETO (Suz GSX-R1000) -9.725
8. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000) -19.537
9. Michel FABRIZIO (Duc 1098F08) -23.156
10. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 1098RS) -24.429
11. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR) -27.595
12. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR1000RR) -27.979
13. Gregorio LAVILLA (Hon CBR1000RR) -28.237
14. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1) -30.205 crash
15. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R) -31.882
16. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 1098RS) -32.067
17. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR) -40.745
18. Ayrton BADOVINI (Kaw ZX-10R) -41.280
19. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Kaw ZX-10R) -41.333
20. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yam YZF-R1) -41.743
21. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1) -43.183
22. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Hon CBR1000RR) -43.569
23. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R1) -43.892
24. Russell HOLLAND (Hon CBR1000RR) -50.380
25. Shuhei AOYAMA (Hon CBR1000RR) -72.884
26. Luca MORELLI (Hon CBR1000RR) -6 laps, DNF, ret
27. Loic NAPOLEONE (Yam YZF-R1) -6 laps, DNF, ret
28. Makoto TAMADA (Kaw ZX-10R) -13 laps, DNF, ret
Qatar - Race 2 Results
1. Fonsi NIETO (Suz GSX-R1000) 36:12.963
2. Ruben XAUS (Duc 1098RS) -0.301
3. Max BIAGGI (Duc 1098RS) -1.321
4. Troy BAYLISS (Duc 1098F08) -6.452
5. Michel FABRIZIO (Duc 1098F08) -7.627
6. Lorenzo LANZI (Duc 1098RS) -9.117
7. Troy CORSER (Yam YZF-R1) -10.806
8. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suz GSX-R1000) -11.661
9. Jakub SMRZ (Duc 1098RS) -13.269
10. Kenan SOFUOGLU (Hon CBR1000RR) -14.563
11. Carlos CHECA (Hon CBR1000RR) -15.953
12. Makoto TAMADA (Kaw ZX-10R) -16.748
13. Noriyuki HAGA (Yam YZF-R1) -18.356
14. Gregorio LAVILLA (Hon CBR1000RR) -26.311
15. Roberto ROLFO (Hon CBR1000RR) -26.560
16. Regis LACONI (Kaw ZX-10R) -26.683
17. Ayrton BADOVINI (Kaw ZX-10R) -26.821
18. Sebastien GIMBERT (Yam YZF-R1) -28.650
19. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Hon CBR1000RR) -33.150
20. Karl MUGGERIDGE (Hon CBR1000RR) -36.656
21. Russell HOLLAND (Hon CBR1000RR) -42.633
22. Shuhei AOYAMA (Hon CBR1000RR) -55.352
23. Vittorio IANNUZZO (Kaw ZX-10R) -1 lap, DNF, crash
24. Shinichi NAKATOMI (Yam YZF-R1) -7 laps, DNF, crash
25. Loic NAPOLEONE (Yam YZF-R1) -9 laps, DNF, crash
26. David CHECA (Yam YZF-R1) -10 laps, DNF, mechanical/retired
27. Luca MORELLI (Hon CBR1000RR) -14 laps, DNF, retired
28. Yukio KAGAYAMA (Suz GSX-R1000) -18 laps, DNF, crash
World Championship Point Standings (after 2 of 30 races):
1. Bayliss 38 points
2. Biaggi 36
3. Nieto 34
4. Xaus 33
5. Corser 25
6. Neukirchner 19
7. Fabrizio 18
8. Carlos Checa 15
9. Smrz 13
10. Lanzi/Sofuoglu 10
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