Superbike RD 1. Losail, Qatar

Current World Superbike Champion Troy Corser and former champion James Toseland each scored one win apiece at Losail. The racing was hot, with previous lap records falling on several occasions. Despite not scoring the ultimate podium finish, the real winner of the day was Australian Troy Bayliss who, with two second places, heads the championship by two points from Corser and Toseland.

Race 1: James Toseland, who had finished lap one in 10th position, scored his first win in the Winston Ten Kate Honda team at the very first attempt after a dramatic final lap. The 2004 World Champion capitalised on a crash between likely 1-2 finishers Noriyuki Haga and Yukio Kagayama, with only half a lap remaining, and Toseland resisted severe pressure from Troy Bayliss (Ducati Xerox) to take the win. In third place, Andrew Pitt (Yamaha Motor Italia) took his first career podium finish, after leading in the early stages. Fourth went to 2005 Losail race winner and eventual World Champion Troy Corser (Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra) and a raft of SBK rookies scored impressive finishes just behind. Michel Fabrizio (DFX Honda) was an assured fifth, Alex Barros went sixth in his first ride on the Klaffi Honda, and Roberto Rolfo recovered from a midfield start to finish seventh on his SC Caracchi Ducati.

Race 2: In the second race each rider in the front group made it to the finish, with Corser and Bayliss battling over the last two laps, and Corser taking the win by just over a second.

A photo finish saw Noriyuki Haga beat Toseland across the line by a mere 1.6 centimetres, after Toseland mounted a late challenge. Lorenzo Lanzi (Ducati Xerox), who crashed out in race one, scored sixth in race two, edging out Barros, with Fabrizio eighth. Haga took the new lap record, setting a 2'00.061 on lap two.

Results: Race 1: Toseland (GB-Honda), 2 Bayliss (Aus-Ducati), 3 Pitt (Aus-Yamaha), 4 Corser (Aus-Alstare Suzuki Corona Extra), 5 Fabrizio (I-Honda), 6 Barros (Bra-Honda), 7 Rolfo (I-Ducati), 8 Chili (I-Honda), 9 Borciani (I-Ducati), 10 Neukirchner (D-Ducati).

Race 2: 1 Corser, 2 Bayliss, 3 Haga, 4 Toseland, 5 Pitt, 6 Lanzi, 7 Barros, 8 Fabrizio, 9 Muggeridge, 10 Xaus.