MOTORCYCLING: Fogarty at the double

MOTORCYCLING

Blackburn's Carl Fogarty powered to a superb winning double in the third round of the World Superbike Championship at Donington Park yesterday.

Fogarty, the defending champion, had snatched pole position by taking 0.17sec off the lap record, and he delighted a 22,000 crowd with a virtuoso front-running performance.

Scott Russell, the 1993 champion, provided an early test in the opening 26-lap race. But this soon faded and it was the 23-year-old Australian, Troy Corser, who hounded Fogarty, finishing just one second adrift.

The second race provided even more intense competition as Fogarty led with Corser snapping at his heals, before mechanical problems forced Corser out, presenting Fogarty with an easy victory.

The result meant Fogarty increased his lead in the series to 68 points ahead of his Italian team-mate, Mauro Lucchiari, and he said: "This was fantastic. These were the races I wanted to win more than any others. There will be no bigger races this year. There is added pressure when you race at home - I wanted to win for the fans."

WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP Third round (Donington Park): Race One (26 laps, 62.5 miles): 1 C Fogarty (GB) Ducati 41min 40.53sec (93.58mph); 2 T Corser (Aus) Ducati 41:53:00 (93.54); 3 J Whitham (GB) Ducati 41:53.11 (93.11); 4 A Slight (NZ) Honda 41:54.01 (93.07); 5 P Bontempi (It) Kawasaki 41:54.19 (93.07); 6 S Russell (US) Kawasaki 42:07.21 (92.59). Fastest lap: Fogarty 1:35.43 (94.30). Race Two: (26 laps, 62.5 miles): 1 Fogarty 41:47.90 (93.30); 2 P-F Chili (It) Ducati 41:58.70 (92.90); 3 Slight 41:59.50 (92.87); 4 Bontempi 41:59.82 (92.86); 5 F Pirovano (It) Ducati 42:02.19 (92.77); 6 S Crafar (NZ) Honda 42:03.92 (92.71). Fastest lap: Fogarty 1:35.41 (94.32). Championship standings: 1 Fogarty 140pts; 2 M Lucchiari (It) Ducati 72; 3 Corser 66; 4 Pirovano 60.

FIM EUROPEAN SUPERSPORT 600 CHAMPIONSHIP Third round (24 laps, 60 miles): 1 M Paquay (Bel) Ducati 40:58.53 (87.85); 2 C Mariottini (It) Ducati 41:09.40 (87.47); 3 M Edwards (GB) Honda 41:13.97 (87.30). Fastest lap: Paquay 1:41.16 (88.96).