The Autodromo Santamonica circuit is one of those rare European venues where the competitors lap in an anti-clockwise direction. The track is predominantly a fast one, with a variety of challenging corners. Notably, the tight turn three, or Carro, is the first of a series of consecutive left turns that flow rapidly onto the long back straight. This ends in the left-hand loop of Tramonto, usually the best overtaking opportunity on the brakes going in.

Qualifying saw Corser emerge with yet another pole position - his 32nd in WSBK competition, whilst team-mate Yukio Kagayama could do no better than fifth. Chris Vermeulen matched his best performance of the year to take second with the Ten Kate Honda, and partner Karl Muggeridge joined him on the front row in P4. Régis Laconi led Ducati’s effort, in third, with James Toseland seventh on the other Xerox machine.

The pair of Klaffi Honda men were well up, with experienced team leader Frankie Chili giving his best 2005 showing to start sixth, and Max Neukirchner leading row three in ninth. Steve Martin completed the second rank with the three-cylinder Foggy Petronas machine. Futher back, Chris Walker found himself 15th after an off-track moment, whilst Ben Bostrom had suffered the misfortune of an engine blow-up in the Superpole session, and set no time.

The start of race one saw Vermeulen get the better of Corser. The points leader attacked his compatriot to try and regain the initiative, but a mistake meant he left himself open to a challenge from Laconi, who was being followed by Toseland and Muggeridge. As they settled down, the first three maintained position whilst moving clear of the reshuffled Muggeridge, Toseland and Kagayama. Andrew Pitt was an early casualty when he slid off with his Yamaha Italia entry, and Michel Nickmans’ exit resulted in a fiery R1.

Vermeulen led Corser and Laconi, or until the Frenchman split the two Japanese bikes when he went past Troy on the inside at Tramonto. But before long the leaders had their hands up, as the red flag had been flown following an accident to Neukirchner. The riders would restart for a two part race, the result to be decided on aggregate timings.

This time Vermeulen got away in front of Muggeridge, Laconi, Corser, Kagayama and Toseland. But Régis soon moved back into second on the road, going past the second FireBlade at the right-hander of turn one. His next move was to relegate Vermeulen at the same place, to take over the lead, whilst Kagayama was falling back into the clutches of Haga. Muggeridge also soon found himself dropping away from the lead bunch.

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With Laconi moving clear to overhaul Vermeulen on aggregate, an on-track battle for second was developing between the Australian and the pursuing Corser and Toseland. Chris fended off Troy’s assault and moved clear leaving the other pair to it. James was in attacking mood, and finally got ahead, even as Corser attempted to fight back. Laconi finished with a secure lead, and victory outright, with Vermeulen clear of the rest for second. Toseland crossed the line just in front of Corser, but the aggregate result saw Troy maintain his podium record.

Neukirchner had crashed out again and, with Kagayama in a similar position, the surprise fifth place man was Caracchi Ducati rider Lorenzo Lanzi. The Italian had obviously enjoyed his first WSBK race on home ground - he missed Monza - and beat both Haga and Chili on the road and overall. Behind this pair, Walker was eighth, from Fonsi Nieto, Muggeridge, Martin, Mauro Sanchini, José Luís Cardoso, Bostrom and Ivan Clementi.

Race two saw Corser take the lead from the off, ahead of Vermeulen, Muggeridge, Laconi, Kagayama, Toseland and Martin. Laconi was quick to move into second, but action a-plenty was to ensue. Tramonto corner was the scene of Vermeulen’s pass on Corser, and of Muggeridge’s pass on Laconi. Karl also got the better of Troy early on, but only briefly as the former champion reversed the move.

Again it was Vermeulen, Corser and Laconi that proved the class of the field, and they pulled away from the rest. The French rider was out to repeat his earlier result, passing Corser at Tramonto, and then Vermeulen at turn one. As the laps counted down, these three continued in the same order, but ultimately separated by some distance. It meant a repeat of the race one top three.

Behind, Kagayama fell away from the next battle, where Muggeridge and Toseland were joined by Chili. The Italian moved to the head of this group, but James got ahead of Karl, who then lost touch. Toseland got the better of Chili, to move clear, whilst Haga caught Frankie in the latter stages. Toseland was fourth, from Chili, Haga, Muggeridge and Martin. Lanzi got the best of the battling Kawasakis, with Giovanni Bussei recovering eleventh from Walker. Kagayama was twelfth, from Sanchini, Lorenzo Alfonsi and Norick Abe.

The victory double helped Régis Laconi edge closer to second man Chris Vermeulen in the points, but Troy Corser kept up an unbroken run of rostrum finishes to stay ahead by a very comfortable 73 points. However, team-mate Yukio Kagayama, after two disappointing race meetings, has now dropped from second to fourth, where James Toseland is closing in. Frankie Chili equalled his three previous fifth places in race two, and the best ‘outsider’ on the day was Lorenzo Lanzi, with fifth and ninth places.

Standings after twelve races: Corser 254; Vermeulen 181; Laconi 162; Kagayama 148; Toseland 124; Haga 88; Walker 87; Chili 86; Pitt 70; Muggeridge 65; Abe 63; Neukirchner 50; Bussei 45; Lanzi 30.

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