Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

By Glenn Le Santo

Hodgson versus Xaus in dramatic WSB battle

Team mates Ruben Xaus and Neil Hodgson slugged it out in a hard-fought battle to the line in the second WSB race of the day at Phillip Island

Neil Hodgson resisted a fierce challenge from his Ducati Fila team mate Ruben Xaus that wasn’t decided until the last two turns. Xaus once again fought his way through the pack to catch early leader Hodgson and engage him in some classic hand-to-hand, or fairing to fairing, racing.

The pair thrilled the Australian crowd as they swapped paint and position before Hodgson got the better drive out of the crucial final turn to wrap up win number four.

“Neil got the better line in turn eleven and that set him up better for the final corner,” said Xaus afterwards.

Behind them Frankie Chili made up for his first lap disappointment by clinching a well-deserved third place, narrowly beating Regis Laconi in a dash to the line. Both ride privateer Ducatis.

Yet another battle was raging behind them in what had to be the best of the four WSB races of the season so far. This particular fracas was waged between HM Plant teammates James Toseland and Chris Walker and Suzuki mounted Gregorio Lavilla. The pair swept over the line, dodging and weaving in a desperate attempt to claim fifth. Toseland prevailed, but only just, the trio were separated by less than 0.02 seconds.



World Superbike Race Two Results:

1. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 999F03, 22 laps, 34:44.425
2. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 999F03, -0.070 second
3. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, -6.308 seconds
4. Regis Laconi, Ducati 998RS, -6.409 seconds
5. James Toseland, Ducati 998F02, -14.402 seconds
6. Chris Walker, Ducati 998F02, -14.409 seconds
7. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -14.426 seconds
8. Troy Corser, Petronas Foggy FP1, -28.645 seconds
9. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, -24.094 seconds
10. Marco Borciani, Ducati 998RS, -24.808 seconds
11. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -34.920 seconds
12. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, -35.667 seconds
13. Nello Russo, Ducati 998RS, -35.773 seconds
14. Lucio Pedercini, Ducati 998RS, -55.419 seconds
15. Juan Borja, Ducati 998RS, -61.414 seconds
16. James Haydon, Petronas Foggy FP1, -65.237 seconds
17. Walter Tortoroglio, Honda RC51, -87.781 seconds
18. Steven Cutting, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
19. Jay Normoyle, Suzuki GSX-R1000, -1 lap
20. Alistar Maxwell, Honda CBR954RR, -1 lap
21. Davide Messori, Yamaha YZF-R1, -19 laps
22. David Garcia, Ducati 998RS, -20 laps
23. Giovanni Bussei, Yamaha YZF-R1, -21 laps
Fastest Lap: Xaus, 1:33.813


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

Foggy PETRONAS Racing build on early progress in Australia

Foggy PETRONAS Racing made further steps forward in round two of the World Superbike championship at Phillip Island, Australia, with Troy Corser finishing fifth and eighth in the two races. Team-mate James Haydon also completed both races on the FP1, in 15th and 16th places respectively, as the team built on their recent debut performance at Valencia.

And team owner Carl Fogarty, who had stayed at home in England to honour family commitments, was quick to pinpoint the positives from the weekend.

He said: “We have moved forward again as we finished all four races and Troy improved on his previous best of seventh. As long as things are progressing, and carry on that way, then we are happy. The next race in Japan will be a real test for us, though, we haven’t tested at Sugo and there are always a lot of fast wild card local riders.”

After a promising two days of qualifying, an expectant home crowd were willing local favourite Troy Corser to challenge the Ducati domination at the front of the field. And, with a daring braking manoeuvre that took him from seventh to fourth going into turn one for the final time, a top four finish looked on the cards before fellow Aussie Steve Martin was able to nudge Troy down into a creditable fifth, with series leader Neil Hodgson again taking both wins.

Troy quickly lost tow from the leading bunch in race two as he experienced over-heating problems from the engine throughout the race and he was content to guide the bike home in eighth place.

He said: “I was happy with the first race and I guess that if someone had said six months ago that we would be finishing fifth two races into the season, we would not have taken them seriously. The bike was running well for half a dozen laps of the second race but then the engine started to drop off and over-heat. I had lost the front group and no-one was challenging from behind so I made sure I finished the race in eighth. But we have scored points in both races and have learnt a lot more about the engine here.”

It was a weekend of frustration for team-mate James Haydon. After running wide at turn one on the second lap of race one, he was only able to claw his way back into 15th. Then a problem with the clutch on the first lap meant that he dropped from 10th to 19th. He was then unable to use first gear at the slow Honda corner and endured a lonely race in 16th.

James said: “I take full responsibility for the bad luck of the first race but I couldn’t do anything about the second race. I changed down into first at Honda and had no slip from the clutch. It was like standing on the back brake and I had to pick the bike up, losing a lot of ground. From then on I was unable to use first so I haven’t had two races, just two lots of 22 laps of practice. I am really disappointed but, when we have the bike more like I need it, I know that as a world class rider I shouldn’t ever be outside the top ten.”

Team manager Nigel Bosworth added: “It is still early days yet but we know we have a long way to go with the engine, as we have rediscovered a few issues that we thought were solved. Our relationship with Michelin is building very well. I am delighted with Troy’s fifth – a potential fourth-placed finish – and disappointed that James suffered from his mistake in race one, as his times were approaching a top ten finish, which is what we expect.”


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

Toseland wins HM Plant Ducati duel

James Toseland made up for his first race disappointment by narrowly beating his team-mate Chris Walker across the line at the end of the second race at Phillip Island. It was a close, exciting race at the front of the field and in a tense dice for fifth place featuring the HM Plant Ducati team-mates and Gregorio Lavilla. Neil Hodgson clinched a narrow victory from Ducati Corse team-mate Ruben Xaus, while the battle continued just outside the podium placings.

The duel between Toseland, Walker and Lavilla went down to the last lap and a desperate dash around the 4.445km circuit for the 22nd time. The three combatants came out of the last corner side-by-side with the power down as much as they dared in the sprint to the chequered flag. With all three machines sliding on to the Gardner Straight, Lavilla was behind the HM Plant Ducati duo but wasn’t able to out-drag them over the finishing line in an amazing photo-finish.

Toseland was elated to have won his personal battle over Walker and Lavilla. “That was better,” he said after a frantic Australian Superbike World Championship round. “I was gutted at losing points in the first race, but this has gone some way to making up for it. That was brilliant fun out there and I was able to really get down to some hard riding on the HM Plant Ducati. There’s only eight points between Chris and I now – I’ll be hoping to close the gap when we go to the next round in Japan.”

Walker was left to reflect on the closest of finishes in a tense HM Plant Ducati duel: “That was a fantastic race between James and I. Dicing with my team-mate is already becoming a feature of the 2003 season and I think that British fans are in for a real treat. That is what racing is all about and in many ways it made up for the frustration shared by the team in the first leg. We deserved better luck for all the hard work we have put into the preparations for this event.”

Sixth place was enough for Chris Walker to establish a four-point advantage over Lavilla for third place in the overall points table after two rounds of the 2003 Superbike World Championship.



More from a press release issued by Scuderia Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks:

Good day for Laconi in Australia, good and bad for David Garcia

(Phillip Island March 30, 2003)

The Australian round of World Superbike ended with a very good fourth place in race-2 for Regis Laconi, who has lost a deserved podium place because a small mistake in the penultimate turn. To avoid that Chili could get his track in the long finish line Regis opened forced the throttle and the bike lacked the grip, allowing Chili to overtook him and enter the finish line with a small advantage, just 1/10 of second after a close fight all the 22 laps long. However the day has been positive for the Ducati Caracchi NCR Nortel Networks rider that with a total of 34 points scored today makes a good jump in the Championship standing.

“To start from the third row and finish fighting for the rostrum has been actually super!” – commented Regis Laconi after race-2 – “Unfortunately a small lacking of grip at the end opened to Chili the way to pass me, but I wouldn’t that he could get my track in the final sprint and so I opened the throttle too fast and the bike lose the back. Chili isn’t a rider to lose such occasion and entered the free space I let and the, in the finish line I’ve been no more able to attack him. In race-2 I started well and I stay in the leading group. The track wasn’t fast today and my rear tyre, a double compound, performed well. On the contrary in race-1 the bike started early to slide; I could finish in fourth position, but Walker who was in tyres crisis, hit me when I was overtaking him and send me out of the line, so Martin and Corser, who were a few meters behind, could pass. It was the final lap and I couldn’t try anything. It has been a “quite good” day, it’s a pity for the final mistake, but we scored important points for the championship and at the end I must be satisfied.”

Teammate David Garcia on the contrary could get a poor result from this event: in race-1 the pain in the arms did limit his performance and just in the final stages of the race he could get some position, while in race-2 he was racing together the leading group, but he crashed at the turn nr.4, the fest left before the hairpin.

“I was hoping more and more from today’s race.” – said a disappointed David Garcia – “In the first leg the pain in my arms appeared after a couple of laps and I must slow down, then at the end l forced my will and I gained some position, but for sure I could get something better. In race-2 the front wheel closed and I crash. It has been my mistake and what makes me more disappointed is the fact that I feel myself able to stay with the leaders and, also if at the end of course I would lose them, for sure I could have a good result and now my standing would be better. By fortune I have had any damage in the accident, just a nail broken and for Sugo I’ll be fine.”


More, from a press release issued by Troy Corser’s publicist:

PROBLEMS SLOW TROY
Troy finished with a fifth and an eighth at Phillip Island today, knowing that it could’ve been much better. He had wanted to do well in front of his home fans, but small problems prevented what could’ve been, with a bit of luck, a podium finish. But, at the end of the two 22-lappers, he and the team felt that a fifth place was a good result for this stage in the bike’s development. Both races were won by series leader Neil Hodgson (Ducati), to continue his 100% win record so far. His team mate Ruben Xaus took runner-up spot both times, with Gregorio Lavilla (Suzuki) third in the first race and Pierfrancesco Chili (Ducati) third in the second.

TROY Race 1: 5th, Race 2: 8th
If somebody had told us we’d get a fifth so soon in the season, we wouldn’t have believed them, so all in all we’re pretty satisfied. But for a few problems though the results could’ve been better. In the first race, the engine’s mapping wasn’t quite right and we were losing quite a bit of bottom end. It’s a nature of our bike that every time we put in a new engine, we had to do new mapping for it. My start was OK and I tried to go round the outside of everybody at turn two! The rear started sliding later in the race, but that was the same for everybody. I kept riding hard to the end and I was reasonably happy.

In race two, I lost touch with the group and couldn’t get a tow as I had in the first race. Also we had a few mechanical problems, so I rolled it off so that I could bring the bike home. At the moment, I feel I’m riding a lot harder then anybody else out there. My aim is to keep finishing races and I’m sure the results will come when the problems have gone.


More, from a press release issued by Steve Martin Racing:

Career best Superbike finish for Steve Martin

Adelaide born World Superbike racer Steve Martin stormed to a brilliant fourth place finish at Phillip Island, his best ever finish in the World Superbike championship.

Steve fought a titanic battle with Troy Corser and Regis Laconi, overhauling both riders in the closing stages to claim fourth place and 13 championship points.

“That was great fun, I really enjoyed that although it was very hard work,” said Steve just after the race. “It seemed like a really long race and I’ll admit I was relieved to see the last lap board come out!”

In the second race the track had heated up and conditions were no longer ideally suited to the Pirelli tyres and the bike’s setup. Steve finished the race ninth, a creditable result in the circumstances.

“It meant a lot to me to do well here at home in Australia,” said Steve. “My sponsors, such as Ducati Sydney and Bilia Volvo, and my friends and family were here in force today and that put an extra bit of pressure on me to do well as I hate to disappoint people who have supported me for so long.”

But Steve didn’t disappoint and all the Australian spectators present were delighted with his results.


More, from a press release issued by Ducati Fila:

Hodgson and Xaus keep up Ducati Fila Record with double win in Australia

Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus kept up Ducati Fila’s winning streak with a 1-2 triumph in both Australian rounds of the World Superbike Championship at Phillip Island.

Hodgson battled with Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) in the early laps of race 1, but when the Italian dropped out with engine problems on lap 5, he maintained a healthy cushion to the chequered flag. “I really wanted to win this race as a tribute to Barry Sheene, who passed away recently”, declared Neil. “I just wanted to fly, lead and not let anyone attack, so I was surprised when Chili came underneath me at the hairpin. I was pleased that he was there, no one wants to be on their own in a race, and when Chili dropped out I was disappointed, but I wasn’t going to roll back the throttle to make a show. I continued at the same pace and went for it.”

In race 2, Hodgson was unable to pull out much of a lead from a group of six riders and then had an exciting scrap for the win with team-mate Xaus over the last eight laps. “I tried to break everyone early on, got a bit of a lead, stayed consistent with a fast pace but then Ruben started chipping away” he added. “When he got close I decided to have a bit of a rest, that was my cunning plan. I knew from all the other races today that everyone who led out of the last corner won so that was in my mind at the end. My bike was so fast today so I thought that if I could do that, then I would win.”

Xaus was involved in a superb scrap with Lavilla until lap 20 of race 1, when the Suzuki rider was forced to slow the pace due to tyre problems, leaving Ruben in a comfortable second. “I did a really bad start but took things calm during the race” said Ruben. “I was having a good battle with Gregorio and this was good for me and for the championship.”

Race 2 saw Ruben work his way up the field again to catch leader Neil on lap 14 but he was unable to overhaul his team-mate as they flashed across the line separated by 70/100ths of a second. “That race was really good. I saw that Neil wasn’t going so fast because its difficult to set a pace when you’re on your own. When I passed him I tried to go but he broke my rhythm with different lines in some corners and then it was impossible to pass him at the end of the race. At the last lap I tried at Honda corner but Neil braked really hard and closed the door and that was it. My bike was perfect today, a big thanks for my mechanics who have worked enough this weekend for the rest of the year.”



More, from a press release issued by Team Suzuki News Service:

SUPERB 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. That race was also won by Hodgson 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.