First win for Nieto

By Colin Fraser

Fonsi Nieto earned his first career World Superbike victory in race two in Qatar Saturday, spoiling a brilliant debut Middle East weekend for the brand new Ducati 1098.

The Alstare Suzuki factory pilot held off a determined last lap challenge by fellow Spanish veteran Ruben Xaus on a Ducati. Xaus' teammate Max Biaggi was a close third on the sister privateer Sterilgarda Go Eleven 1098. Both Nieto and Biaggi were making their debut for new teams.

Factory Xerox Ducati team leader Troy Bayliss placed fourth in the second event in Doha. However the popular Australian made history earlier in the day with a spectacular victory in the opening race of the 2008 season. Bayliss charged from ninth, survived several off-track trips, then battled Biaggi for the win.

Success for Bayliss was a dream debut for the controversial 1200cc Ducati, and the first ever triumph for the famous Italian brand at the Losail Circuit.

“I didn’t make much of a start, and it took a while to move up,” explained Bayliss after the opener. “But I made a few mistakes, and had to push to get up with Biaggi. I expected the Yamahas to be there, and I was pretty comfortable with the pace to win.”

In the 600 Supersport race, Australian ace Broc Parkes made a dramatic, Daytona-style draft and pass on the run to the chequered flag, taking the win for Yamaha by inches over the Hondas of last lap leader Joan Lascorz of Spain and Craig Jones. The other new works R6 of Fabien Foret looked set for a clear victory, but ran out of fuel on the final tour.

The typically dominant Ten Kate Honda crew exited on lap 2, when Jonathan Rea fell and took out teammate Andrew Pitt. Neither CBR600RR rider was seriously injured.

Results (courtesy Alstare Suzuki)
Race 1
1. Troy Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 2. Max Biaggi (I-Ducati), 3. Troy Corser (Aus-Yamaha ), 4. Ruben Xaus (E-Ducati), 5. Max Neukirchner (D-Suzuki), 6. Carlos Checa (E-Honda), 7. Fonsi Nieto (E-Suzuki), 8. Yukio Kagayama (J-Suzuki)
Race 2
1. Nieto, 2. Xaus, 3. Biaggi, 4. Bayliss, 5. Michel Fabrizio (I-Ducati), 6. Checa
Points
1. Bayliss 38, 2. Biaggi 36, 3. Nieto 34, 4. Xaus 33, 5. Corser 25, 6. Neukirchner 19