Fabrizio Dominates Race One

Paul Carruthers | May 16, 2010

Ducati Xerox’s Michel Fabrizio showed early in the weekend at the Kyalami circuit in South Africa that he meant business. Today he came through, winning his first World Superbike race of the season in dominating fashion on the factory Ducati.Fabrizio went hard from the start, taking the early lead and never looking back in winning the fourth World Superbike race of his career. It was also Fabrizio’s first podium finish since the first round in Australia.Yamaha’s James Toseland held second early on, but he would give that spot up to Althea Ducati’s Carlos Checa, the Spaniard ultimately finishing second behind Fabrizio to make it a Ducati one-two at the top.Toseland, who was suffering from the injuries he sustained in last week’s race-two crash at Monza, would continue to slide backwards with Alstare Suzuki’s Leon Haslam passing his countryman on the 12th lap. Then the championship points leader had his hands full with Aprilia’s Max Biaggi, but it was the Brit taking the final podium spot. That third-place finish for Haslam combined with Biaggi’s fourth gives the Brit a six-point lead in the championship over the Italian, 197-191.Hannspree Ten Kate Honda’s Jonathan Rea ended up fifth after charging through the field from 12th on the grid. Then came Aprilia’s Leon Camier with Toseland getting the better of his teammate Cal Crutchlow for seventh.Ninth went to Jakub Smrz with Alstare Suzuki’s Sylvain Guintoli finishing 10th. The first of the BMW’s was 12th with Troy Corser at the controls while Ducati Xerox’s Noriyuki Haga continued his woeful season with a 17th-place finish.American Roger Lee Hayden failed to finish for the first time this season on the Pedercini Kawasaki.

Race One

1. Michel Fabrizio (Ducati)

2. Carlos Checa (Ducati)

3. Leon Haslam (Suzuki)

4. Max Biaggi (Aprilia)

5. Jonathan Rea (Honda)

6. Leon Camier (Aprilia)

7. James Toseland (Yamaha)

8. Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha)

9. Jakub Smrz (Ducati)

10. Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki)