Confirming all the predications and expectations, Carlos Checa won the first race of round 1 at Phillip Island.
The Spaniard completely dominated the race, blitzing the field after the first two opening laps to cruise to big margin victory of 4.
3 seconds over Max Biaggi.
Max Biaggi was the only rider who’s race pace could have matched Checa’s, but after taking a couple of laps to shake off Eugene Laverty who was then running in second, the Aprilia rider could only watch Checa ride away in the distance and settle in for solid second place.
The battle for the third was definitely more exciting, with five riders all vying for the last spot of the podium.
Eugene Laverty, Marco Melandri, Leon Haslam and a resurgent Jonathan Rea and Michel Fabrizio battled it out, but is was Haslam controlling his squirming BMW who crossed under the chequered flag before the others.
Debuting Eugene Laverty pipped his Yamaha team mate Marco Melandri at the finish line to take fourth.
The Italian had an excellent race running as high as third, with his still weakened shoulder.
Jonathan Rea took himself out of the podium contention on lap 14, running wide and re-joined further down the grid to finish 12th, while Michel Fabrizio took the sixth spot with his Suzuki.
There was 8 second gap from the 6th and 7th positions, with Jakub Smrz taking that spot, while his team mate Sylvain Guintoli dropped from third on the starting grid to 18th and then crashed.
Tom Sykes on the Kawasaki was 8th after his team mate Joan Lascorz binned it.
Noriyuki Haga on the Pata Aprilia took 9th and home boy Troy Corser closed out the top ten.
Roberto Rolfo was 11th for team Pedercini, while the still sick Leon Camier came in 13th.
Ayrton Badovini held up the colors for debuting BMW Italia team by finishing 14th as James Toseland took 17th after messing it up with wildcard rider Josh WatersPhillip Island Race 1 Results:01- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 22 giri in 34’16.
50302- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 4.
36503- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 10.
71904- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 11.
26605- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 11.
29306- Michel Fabrizio – Team Suzuki Alstare – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 12.
03907- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 20.
29408- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 20.
74209- Noriyuki Haga – Pata Racing Team Aprilia – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 22.
42110- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 25.
82211- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 29.
27012- Jonathan Rea – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 31.
05913- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 31.
72114- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 36.
38915- Bryan Staring – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 36.
47016- Ruben Xaus – Castrol Honda – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 41.
92817- James Toseland – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 55.
23918- Josh Waters – Yoshimura Suzuki Racing Team – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 1’00.
31219- Mark Aitchison – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 1’00.
31620- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 1’30.
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