Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Hodgson wins first race at Phillip Island

By Glenn Le Santo

Neil Hodgson made it three from three in the 2003 Superbike World Championship with an emphatic win at Phillip Island in race one.

It might have all been very different had Pierfrancesco Chili’s Ducati not exploded on lap five on the exit of the Southern Loop, forcing him out of what had been a four-way fight involving Chris Walker, Hodgson, Gregorio Lavilla and Chili. With Chili, gone Hodgson got his head down and stormed off to win three.

Behind Hodgson a huge battle ensued between Lavilla and Walker. While the two tripped each other up, Ruben Xaus was charging up through the field to join the party.

When Xaus caught the pair, Walker started to drop back through the field, leaving the two Spaniards to fight it out. In the end, Xaus wore Lavilla and the big Suzuki down to take second.

Fourth position was also a very hotly contested fight, with local hero Steve Martin taking the honours from Troy Corser, followed by Regis Laconi. The three had been scrapping fairing-to-fairing for several laps. Martin prevailed to take fourth, his career best WSB result and the best yet for the Pirelli tires in World Superbike.


World Superbike Race One Results:

1. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 999F03, 22 laps, 34:51.974
2. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 999F03, -7.745 seconds
3. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -11.480 seconds
4. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, -17.968 seconds
5. Troy Corser, Petronas Foggy FP1, -18.353 seconds
6. Regis Laconi, Ducati 998RS, -18.647 seconds
7. Chris Walker, Ducati 998F02, -20.317 seconds
8. David Garcia, Ducati 998RS, -29.731 seconds
9. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, -30.113 seconds
10. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, -30.226 seconds
11. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -30.530 seconds
12. Juan Borja, Ducati 998RS, -43.660 seconds
13. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -47.605 seconds
14. Giovani Bussei, Yamaha YZF-R1, -47.624 seconds
15. James Haydon, Petronas Foggy FP1, -65.701 seconds
16. Nello Russo, Ducati 998RS, -89.603 seconds
17. Jay Normoyle, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
18. Steven Cutting, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
19. Alistar Maxwell, Honda CBR954RR, -1 lap
20. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda RC51, -7 laps, DNF
21. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, -18 laps, DNF
22. James Toseland, Ducati 998F02, -15 laps, DNF, mechanical

Fastest Lap: Hodgson, 1:33.895


More, from a press release issued by Foggy Petronas Racing:

Corser fifth as Foggy PETRONAS Racing score points double

Troy Corser clinched a dramatic fifth place on the FP1 in the first race of round two of the World Superbike championship at Phillip Island. And James Haydon completed the 22 laps of the Australian coastal circuit in 15th place to seal a double points-scoring first for Foggy PETRONAS Racing.

Troy, who started from sixth in the grid in a race won by Neil Hodgson on the factory Ducati, out-braked four other riders to move from seventh to fourth going into the first corner of the final lap, before being edged into fifth place by fellow Aussie Steve Martin. Troy also recorded the top speed of the race when the FP1 clocked 293.8kph.

He said: “I was just starting to catch the group in front of me when they caught Chris Walker, who held them up. I was actually hoping they would catch them there and I managed to get a draught and beat them on the brakes. Martin sneaked inside me at MG and, if I had known it was the last lap, I would have blocked him off. Fifth is not too bad as I just struggled a little with acceleration but my set-up was good and the Michelin tyre worked well.”

James, who ran wide on the second lap, battled back in a gutsy display to finish in the points. He said: “At the final turn of the first lap I was right up the back of one of the Kawasakis in 13th. He slid and shut the throttle off, so I had to and that meant were 10 bike lengths behind the others. So I had to use him as a marker for the next corner, turn one and he was way too hot going into the turn, so when I hopped out of his slipstream, so was I. I ran straight on went down a six foot bank – it felt like I was motocrossing. Then I was last and by the time I had passed the stragglers I was way behind 14th so I just my time to learn as much about the bike and the track as possible so that I could make changes for the second race.”


More, from a press release issued by HM Plant Ducati:

Mixed fortunes for battling Brits

The first race at the second round of the Superbike World Championship produced mixed fortunes for the HM Plant Ducati team. James Toseland was forced to retire from the early stages of the race, while Chris Walker produced a gritty display to finish seventh at the superb 4.445km Phillip Island circuit, near Melbourne. The race was won convincingly by Ducati Corse’s Neil Hodgson – his third consecutive victory in the 2003 series.

While Hodgson established his lead at the front of the World Superbike field, Walker was battling for the other podium positions behind Ruben Xaus. However, the HM Plant Ducati rider lost ground in the closing stages of the race to finish some nine seconds down on third placed Gregorio Lavilla.

“That was a frustrating race, which started so well but ended in relative disappointment,” said Walker. “The main reason for this was a poor tyre choice on our part for race distance. However, we’ve obviously learnt from that and I can guarantee that we’ll be able to make better progress in race two. The top speed of the HM Plant Ducati was on a par with the other bikes on the track thanks to engine builder Stewart Johnstone’s hard work, so I know that I’ve got that advantage up my sleeve when it matters most.”

Toseland was unfortunate to discover that the side panel on his HM Plant Ducati had come loose and he was forced to retire after seven laps before the black flag was shown with the number 52 on it.

“That was really unlucky,” admitted the 22-year-old Sheffield star. “However, my disappointment is tempered by the fact that I know that there is nothing that I could have done about it. We’ll just have to put it down as a racing incident and make up for it in the second leg.”


More, from a press release issued by Alstare Corona Suzuki:

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra: Super podium for Gregorio

Team Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra rider Gregorio Lavilla took a superb podium in the first race at Phillip Island today. Riding the GSXR1000, Gregorio made a good start in the first of the two 22-lappers and even had the audacity to move into second place behind eventual winner Neil Hodgson (Ducati) after four laps. He was second until just five laps from the end, but a fading rear tyre prevented him from fighting off the attentions of fellow countryman Ruben Xaus (Ducati). In the second race, Gregorio was well poised for another podium, but his rear tyre started chunking and he was forced to slow the pace. He knew he should have pulled in, but he kept going nonetheless and ended in seventh place. Hodgson also won that race and Xaus again took runner-up spot.


GREGORIO – Race 1: 3rd, Race 2: 7th I am happy and disappointed. I am really happy that we managed a podium in the first race, but disappointed because I knew we had another podium in the bag in the second race. I was comfortably in third place and catching Hodgson and Xaus, when I suddenly began having big tyre problems. I knew it was bad, but I didn’t realise how bad it was until the race was over! I made a good start in the first race and was in second place for eleven laps, but when Xaus came past I knew it would be difficult to get past him. My tyre was gone, but I took third place without any problem. It was great to be back on the podium. The last time was at Misano in 2001, so it felt really good. I was happy, because it was a reward for all the hard work the team have done and a sign that we are going in the right direction. For the second race, we kept everything the same – including the tyres. The rear was the same as I tried in a long run in practice and I used in the first race. My start was not so good this time, but I was in second place after five laps and everything seemed to be going OK. Two laps later I was third, but I was in contact with the two up front and looking forward to another podium. Before long I started having tyre problems and soon I was slipping down the order. I should’ve stopped, but I was determined to get a finish of some sort, so I carried on. It was frustrating because I knew that I would’ve finished on the podium for sure – but that’s racing.