COUNTDOWN TO 1000: title showdowns and incredibly close podiums in WorldSBK races 251-500
The third article in the series takes us to the halfway point as we look through some of the best moments in WorldSBK’s history
With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s 1000th race fast approaching, we’ve been taking a trip down memory lane and looking at just some of the best races in WorldSBK history. Part 1 covered the first 100 races while the second article covered races 101-250. Now, it’s time for the third part which will look back at races 251-500. There’s an epic title showdown in this period of WorldSBK’s history as well as incredibly close battles as the heroes of that period fought for glory.
GOBERT STUNS DOWN UNDER: a famous win for the Australian
The late Anthony Gobert was an eight-time race winner in WorldSBK, but perhaps none more famous than his last win: on home soil at Phillip Island in 2000. He’d won on ‘The Island’ four times prior to this race but this was a masterclass in the wet. As the rain poured on Phillip Island, Gobert made the most of it to win by 29.5 seconds ahead of Carl Fogarty – in a 22-lap race. To date, it remains Bimota’s last win in the class.
THREE HUNDRED UP: iconic Misano hosts the 300th race
WorldSBK’s 300th race came from an historic venue, fittingly Misano on the Adriatic Coast, in Race 1 back in 2000. It was a fairly straight forward race for Troy Corser, who claimed victory for Aprilia on their home turf, by more than eight seconds ahead of Ducati’s Troy Bayliss. Three different manufacturers were on the rostrum as Katsuaki Fujiawara finished third on his Suzuki, just over half-a-second back from Bayliss.
THE SHOWDOWN: Imola hosts incredible title fight finale
One of the most famous title fights not just in WorldSBK, but in motorsport. The battle between Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss raged all year and Imola was the final race of the season. One point separated the pair heading into Race 1, and Edwards claimed victory in Race 1 to extend his lead up to six points ahead of Race 2. What followed was one of the greatest season finales ever, the pair fighting hard and swapping positions all the time as Edwards did the double at Imola and claimed the crown ahead of Bayliss. You can watch a special documentary, ‘The Showdown – Imola 2002’ for FREE.
MISANO DELIVERS A SPECTACULAR RACE: three Ducatis scrap it out for victory
It was an all-Ducati affair at Misano in Race 1 back in 2003, but there was little to separate Ruben Xaus, James Toseland and Regis Laconi, while Pierfrancesco Chili was also in the mix before a penultimate lap retirement. Xaus claimed victory ahead of Toseland by just 0.760s, while Laconi – who led in the opening stages but fell back to more of a watching brief – completed the all-Ducati rostrum.
SILVERSTONE HOSTS RACE 400: Vermeulen takes on Haga in the UK
Nothing could separate Chris Vermeulen and Noriyuki Haga at the end of the 20-lap race around the stunning Silverstone circuit. Vermeulen was the only non-Ducati rider in the top six as he powered his way to victory on his Honda ahead of Haga, who finished just 0.228s behind the Australian. The gap between first and second never exceeded 0.5 seconds across the line as the pair gave everything. In the early laps, Laconi had been involved but dropped six seconds back at the end of the race.
ANOTHER EPIC SCRAP FOR VICTORY: Toseland vs Biaggi vs Haga at Valencia
Jumping ahead to 2007 and a visit to Valencia, Race 2 delivered a barnstorming duel between Toseland, Max Biaggi and Haga as the trio of riders – for three different manufacturers – scrapped it out for victory. It would be that year’s Champion, Toseland, who came out on top on his Honda ahead of Biaggi’s Aprilia and Haga’s Yamaha. Just 0.375s separated the trio across the line as the banged elbows and traded positions all race long.
ONE OF THE CLOSEST PODIUMS EVER: 0.051s separates the top three
It was an era defined by close finishes, but nothing comes close to Monza Race 2 back in 2008. Haga claimed victory for Yamaha ahead of Suzuki’s Max Neukirchner, with just 0.009s between the pair – still the joint fifth-closed margin of victory of all time, tied with Assen Race 2, 2007. Completing the podium was Ryuichi Kiyonari for Honda, only 0.051s away from victory. The gap between the top three remains the third-closest podium finish of all time, behind only Monza Race 1, 1997 (0.008s) and Phillip Island Race 1, 2020 (0.041s).
HALF A CENTURY: Brno hosts the 500th race
When WorldSBK visited Czechia back in 2008, when Brno hosted the action, it was a momentous moment then. Race 2 was the 500th WorldSBK race in history, with Bayliss leading a Ducati 1-2 ahead of Michel Fabrizio. While Bayliss led throughout the second half of the race, Fabrizio started from fourth before dropping to fifth on Lap 6 and sixth on Lap 12. From there, his comeback started. He gained two places on Lap 15 to move back into P4 before moving ahead of both Max Biaggi and Troy Corser on the final lap to claim an unexpected P2.
RACES 251-500 IN NUMBERS
Champions: Fogarty (1998, 1999), Edwards (2000, 2002), Bayliss (2001, 2006), Hodgson (2003), Toseland (2004, 2007), Corser (2005)
Number of race winners: 31 (top three: Bayliss, 48; Edwards, 29; Haga, 26)
Number of podium finishes: 43 (top three: Bayliss, 88; Edwards, 75; Haga, 71)
Number of riders with fastest laps: 38 (top three: Haga, 42; Bayliss, 31; Corser, 28).
Number of circuits raced at: 23 (top three: Assen, Brands Hatch, 22; Misano, Monza, 20; Phillip Island, 19)
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