Updated Post: Xaus Wins First World Superbike Race At Imola

Updated Post: Xaus Wins First World Superbike Race At Imola

© 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

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Copyright 2003, Roadracing World Publishing, Inc.

Xaus Takes Race One At Imola

By Dennis Noyes

Fila Ducati’s Ruben Xaus took race one at Imola after a full-race duel with Neil Hodgson. Xaus is out to run the table over the final four races of the season and new Superbike World Champion Hodgson is determined to add a little sparkle to his crown with a few late-season wins.

The two riders on Michelin-shod factory 999s kept a comfortable lead over Frenchman Regis Laconi and his NCR Ducati 998, and it all went down to the final lap after the pair had exchanged the lead several times. Xaus made his move on the inside at the Piratella right-hander and pulled several bikelengths. The outcome was somewhat inconclusive because the two Ducati factory riders came up on a couple of backmarkers going into Rivazza 1. Xaus got through but Hodgson was balked. The Englishman bulled past at Rivazza 2 but was off line and ran wide, over the curb and into the dirt.

Xaus had no idea that Hodgson had dropped back and went very deep into the final chicane, only to realize after crossing the line that Hodgson was nearly three seconds back.

Alstare Suzuki’s Gregorio Lavilla was fourth after catching and dicing with HM Plant Ducati’s Chris Walker. Walker touched Lavilla and crashed at half distance. Lavilla complained of lack of lateral grip with his Dunlop rear tire.

Popular Pierfrancesco Chili had to start last–from pit lane–when his Ducati stalled on the grid. Chili came though to finish fifth just ahead of Steve Martin on another Ducati, the first of the Pirelli runners.

Results:

1. Ruben Xaus, Ducati 999F03, 21 laps, 38:30.586

2. Neil Hodgson, Ducati 999F03, 38:33.379

3. Regis Laconi, Ducati 998RS, 38:39.364

4. Gregorio Lavilla, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 39:02.930

5. Pierfrancesco Chili, Ducati 998RS, 39:07.968

6. Steve Martin, Ducati 998RS, 39:10.162

7. Troy Corser, Petronas FP1, 39:21.426

8. Mauro Sanchini, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 39:31.202

9. Ivan Clementi, Kawasaki ZX-7RR, 39:31.892

10. Marco Borciani Marco, Ducati 998RS, 39:40.111

11. Juan Bautista Borja, Ducati 998RS, 39:41.430

12. David Garcia, Ducati 998RS, 39:51.601

13. Alex Gramigni, Yamaha YZF-R1, 40:00.561

14. Sergio Fuertes, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 40:04.470

15. Luca Pini, Suzuki GSX-R1000, 40:14.600


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

Tough first race for HM Plant Ducati at Imola

The first race at Imola didn’t go to plan for both HM Plant Ducati riders, who both failed to finish despite showing real promise throughout qualifying. In overcast conditions, it was Chris Walker who made a fantastic start to the first race. From the third row of the grid, the Nottingham rider burst through from tenth to fifth place by the first corner and slotted in behind his team mate, James Toseland.

Unfortunately for 22-year-old Toseland, his luck deserted him on the first lap as he was forced to pull out of the race with a broken gear lever, leaving it down to Walker to fly the flag for HM Plant Ducati. Walker then set off after the two factory Ducatis of Neil Hodgson and Ruben Xaus, with Regis Laconi in third place.

As pole sitter Ruben Xaus proceeded to set the early pace in his attempts to stay in front of newly-crowned Superbike World Champion, Neil Hodgson, Chris Walker was fighting off passing manoeuvres from Steve Martin and Gregorio Lavilla.

By half race distance, Walker was still running in fourth place and holding off all challenges but his race came to an abrupt end when he was taken off the track by Gregorio Lavilla on lap 12, putting an end to his hopes of progressing further up the championship leaderboard. The race was finally won by Ruben Xaus from Neil Hodgson, with Regis Laconi completing the podium.

“I was pushing really hard out there and couldn’t believe it when Lavilla tried to pass coming out of the chicane,” said Walker. “Our handlebars got tangled up and unfortunately I came out of it worse than he did. I’ll just have to put this incident behind me now and concentrate on making sure I stay well in front of him during race two.”

“To have to pull out of the first race when I had my sights set on closing the gap between myself and Ruben is desperately disappointing,” said Toseland. “However, these things happen from time to time and it was just bad luck that it happened to me here at Imola. I’ve nothing to lose now, so I’ll be going all out to win the second race for the team.”

Race one result: 1. R. Xaus (Ducati); 2. N. Hodgson (Ducati) + 2.793; 3. R. Laconi (Ducati) + 8.778; 4. G. Lavilla (Suzuki) + 32.344; 5. P. Chili (Ducati) + 37.382; 6. S. Martin (Ducati)+ 39.576; 7. T. Corser (Petronas) + 50.840; 8. M. Sanchini (Kawasaki) + 1:00.616; 9. I. Clementi (Kawasaki) + 1:01.306; 10. M. Borciani (Ducati) + 1:09.525; DNF Chris Walker and James Toseland


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

Corser seventh in Imola opener for Foggy PETRONAS Racing

Troy Corser maintained Foggy PETRONAS Racing’s recent consistent run with seventh place in the first World Superbike race at Imola today.

Starting from sixth on the grid, Troy made the most of a good start to achieve his third consecutive top ten finish in a race won by Spaniard Ruben Xaus. Team-mate James Haydon, however, suffered more misfortune with a retirement on the sixth lap with engine failure.

Troy said: “I got a great start so I tried to run at the front for as long as possible. I knew that Frankie Chili, who had to start from pit-lane after stalling on the line, was going to catch me. So I just made sure that nobody else did as other bikes were a little faster on the straights. My rear tyre was not spinning consistently, and that might have affected the consistency of my lap times.”

James said: “I was really struggling with my hand injury yesterday and I thought that this would be my biggest problem today. But I was having problems with my brake lever early on, which resulted in me running wide on lap four and left me in 25th. I just got my head down and the bike started to have a few ‘moments’ so I thought it best to save the engine and my hand for race two. It was only when I pulled in that I realised there was a problem with the engine and that oil was everywhere. I’m just thankful I pulled in because it could have been nasty. It is another big disappointment but there was nothing I could do about it.”

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