Ducati team leader Noriyuki Haga (Ducati) dominated both WSB races at Valencia today, after rookie Ben Spies (Yamaha) had won his third Superpole of the season on Saturday.
In the first race, Spies, winner of three of the first four races, escaped injury after losing the front entering the fast Turn 1, leaving Haga to take his second win of the season by 3.677 seconds over team mate Michel Fabrizio.
In race 2, Haga beat the American in a straight fight, for his first double victory of the season. Both Spies and Haga had bad start, as they found themselves fourth and fifth during the opening lap. They worked their way forward past Regis Laconi (Ducati), Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) and Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) - Haga hitting the front on lap five, and running out the race to finish over 5 sec in front of Spies.
After three rounds, Haga and Spies have now taken three wins each, but Haga's consistency - the Ducati star has finished first or second in every race - has put the Japanese into a solid 40 point title lead over the three-time AMA champion, who has won three races but also fallen twice so far this year.
Pos. Rider Gap 1.Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati 23 laps2.Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +3.677 sec3.Max Neukirchner GER Suzuki +3.959 sec4.Regis Laconi FRA DFX Ducati +4.210 sec5.Leon Haslam GBR Honda +13.824 sec6.Yukio Kagayama JPN Suzuki +14.562 sec... WSBK: Race 2 Valencia Pos.. Rider Gap1. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati 23 laps 2. Ben Spies USA Yamaha +5.105 sec3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +6.386 sec4. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse +6.573 sec5. Leon Haslam GBR Honda +14.075 sec6. Carlos Checa SPA Honda +17.333 sec... Championship Standings After 3 rounds of 14 1. Noriyuki Haga Ducati 135 points2. Ben Spies Yamaha 953. Max Neukirchner Suzuki 654. Michel Fabrizio Ducati 605. Leon Haslam Honda 586. Regis Laconi Ducati 56 photo: World SBK
In the first race, Spies, winner of three of the first four races, escaped injury after losing the front entering the fast Turn 1, leaving Haga to take his second win of the season by 3.677 seconds over team mate Michel Fabrizio.
In race 2, Haga beat the American in a straight fight, for his first double victory of the season. Both Spies and Haga had bad start, as they found themselves fourth and fifth during the opening lap. They worked their way forward past Regis Laconi (Ducati), Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) and Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) - Haga hitting the front on lap five, and running out the race to finish over 5 sec in front of Spies.
After three rounds, Haga and Spies have now taken three wins each, but Haga's consistency - the Ducati star has finished first or second in every race - has put the Japanese into a solid 40 point title lead over the three-time AMA champion, who has won three races but also fallen twice so far this year.
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| The Ducati team leader, Noriyuki Haga. |
Pos. Rider Gap 1.Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati 23 laps2.Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +3.677 sec3.Max Neukirchner GER Suzuki +3.959 sec4.Regis Laconi FRA DFX Ducati +4.210 sec5.Leon Haslam GBR Honda +13.824 sec6.Yukio Kagayama JPN Suzuki +14.562 sec... WSBK: Race 2 Valencia Pos.. Rider Gap1. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati 23 laps 2. Ben Spies USA Yamaha +5.105 sec3. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +6.386 sec4. Regis Laconi FRA DFX Corse +6.573 sec5. Leon Haslam GBR Honda +14.075 sec6. Carlos Checa SPA Honda +17.333 sec... Championship Standings After 3 rounds of 14 1. Noriyuki Haga Ducati 135 points2. Ben Spies Yamaha 953. Max Neukirchner Suzuki 654. Michel Fabrizio Ducati 605. Leon Haslam Honda 586. Regis Laconi Ducati 56 photo: World SBK