Toseland hits form to regain title initiative

James Toseland won his first World Superbike Championship race for three months yesterday to strengthen his grip on the The HANNspree Ten Kate Honda rider took a race win and a second place at the Brno circuit in the Czech Republic as his main title rival, Troy Bayliss, lost ground. Toseland won the battle with Alstare Suzuki's Max Biaggi and Yamaha Italia's Nori Haga to take race one, but lost out to Biaggi in race two.

Toseland had been under pressure after a run of poor results as he pursues a second world title. "It's been a while since I won, that's for sure," Toseland said. "What a great race. At Misano we'd fallen behind on electronics, but it's been a huge effort from the team to get up from sixth to first. I knew I needed it to be hot to run the tyre I wanted to run and it just played out perfectly."

Toseland grabbed the race one lead from Biaggi and then became involved in a four-way battle, which included Yukio Kagayama on the second Suzuki and Haga.

Toseland and Biaggi fought for the lead on turn one, with the British rider taking to the grass where his front tyre flicked up a stone, which smashed his rival's windshield.

That left Biaggi with a bleeding hand and he was unable to get back on terms, eventually finishing 0.273 seconds behind. Kagayama made it two Suzukis on the podium as Haga dropped back after the rear tyre on his Yamaha faded.

Biaggi led from the start of race two, but was passed by Troy Corser and Toseland. Haga took and held the lead on lap two but his lap times faded, allowing Biaggi and then Toseland to pass him by lap 14.

Toseland now leads the World Superbike Championship with 305 points while Biaggi has moved up to second place with 262, Haga is third on 260 and Bayliss fourth on 249.

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