Two time British Superbike Champion Ryuichi Kiyonari returns to Brands Hatch to take the double for Hannspree Ten Kate Honda team ahead of Yamaha Motor Italia WSB team mates Noriyuki Haga in second and Troy Corser in third.
Troy Bayliss of Xerox Ducati stormed into the lead for the first corner, followed by Corser, Haga, Kiyonari and Rizla Suzuki Tom Sykes in fifth. As the race progressed Bayliss came under attack and was pushed down the order to eventually finish 7th after also suffering what looked like tyre problems.
Haga made his way to the front, which he held off until Kiyonari worked his way up to second to attack at every corner. The action of the race was most certainly between the two Japanese riders who tried a variety of moves and exchanged the lead numerous times until Kiyonari put at end to that debate.
However Haga did not give up and was visibly trying to work out his next move, it wasn’t until lap 23 when Kiyonari finally obtained that little bit of a gap on Haga to take both his second race win and his first double in the World Superbikes Championship. As the riders pulled away into a leading duo, across the finish line the last podium step was decided a stunning 0’8.883s later as Corser finished in a bit of a lonely third.
British wild card Tom Sykes tried to follow Corser early on in the race and was running in fourth at one point, however the experienced Team Alstare Max Neukirchner, Fonsi Nieto and Ducati Xerox Michel Fabrizio got the better of him. Not once did he make it easy for them or give up the battle before finishing a successful seventh, setting his fastest time of 1’26.609s.
Max Biaggi of Sterilgard Go Eleven team finished 12th after running off track at Graham Hill Bend to rejoin the race in last place obtaining successful damage limitation. The returning Chris Walker of Ventaxia VK Honda gained a point in 15th place and second British wild card rider Tristian Palmer of Lloyds British ended his day unfortunately with a second retirement.
Corser said: “I struggled in the first race, I didn’t have too much grip from the beginning and I was just holding on to get to the end and hold off as many riders as possible. I was looking over my shoulder and I was trying my hardest without crashing.”
“We made some changes for race two to the chassis, changed the front and rear tyre. I think the grip was definitely better in the front, the rear tyre was better for a few more laps, but towards the end I was completely side ways coming onto the start/finish straight. I was lucky enough to get in front of [Troy] Bayliss, he was struggling a bit himself.”
“I pushed really hard I ran into the back of him at the hairpin and we both nearly went down so I settled for a few laps. Once I got passed I got my head down and pushed as hard as I could as I knew Troy [Bayliss] wouldn’t give up the battle too easy and made a gap and held it to the end.”
Haga said: “I am not very happy, but just happy cause the first race was quite disappointing. The tyre was not working very well and I got a crash from the rear. For second race changed race tyre this is working good. I make away with Kiyo but finally I cannot push anymore.”
Kiyonari said: “I had much pressure from [Nori] Haga San, then I have many mistakes especially fast corners, maybe my bike traction. Finally I got free. Sure this weekend my bike setup is very good, especially my feeling is very good as this country is like my second country.”
Harris said: "I think I’ve done a pretty good job this weekend, regarding the front tyre I didn’t like it too much, we used a different one and we struggled with it for race distance, but for the 15 laps I think it would have been good. I am happy, hopefully at Donington [WSB Round] I can get on there and obviously Knockhill next weekend [BSB round]. It’s got to come together one day."