Sugo, Apr 27: Neil Hodgson maintained his perfect start to the World Superbike season by winning both races at Sugo. The British rider has won every race of the 2003 campaign so far and overcame starting from fifth on the grid in race one to claim victory again in Japan.
Frenchman Regis Laconi had seized superpole on Saturday but normal service was quickly resumed as Hodgson rode his Ducati to victory in 37 minutes and 57.829 seconds.
Laconi finished second in 38:04.996 with James Toseland of Britain third in 38:12.682. Spaniard Ruben Xaus, who finished second behind team-mate Hodgson twice in Valencia and again at Phillip Island last month, took fourth in 38:26.128 as Ducati riders claimed the top four places.

Hodgson then made it six wins in as many starts in race two, crossing the line in 37:56.499. Spain's Gregorio Lavilla was second on his Suzuki in 37:57.317, with Pierfrancesco Chili of Italy third in 37:57.969.
The Burnley-born Hodgson believes his epic battle with Lavilla proved he has improved tactically. "Gregorio gave me a hard time today. He kept the pressure on and his Suzuki and my Ducati were pretty evenly matched.



"Five laps to go I picked up the pace deliberately and that was enough. The old Neil Hodgson wouldn't have done that but I'm starting to use my head a bit now and administer the races better."



Xaus had to settle fourth place, some six seconds behind Chili, while Toseland had another good race, finishing fifth in 38:07.632.



"I was really slow in the first split and it was here that I lost the race and the whole weekend. That was the only reason between the secondcorner entry and third corner exit, everyone was faster than me," said Xaus.



Ducati's Chris Walker was taken out of the race in a first-corner accident suffered a broken bone in his foot. Walker, who also broke a toe in a crash on Saturday, has not enjoyed the best of events. "My feet are in agony after the crashes I've had this weekend."



Race one results: 1 Neil Hodgson (GB) Ducati 37min 57.829secs 2 Regis Laconi (Fra) Ducati 38:04.996 3 James Toseland (GB) Ducati 38:12.682 4 Ruben Xaus (Spa) Ducati 38:26.128 5 Gregorio Lavilla (Spa) Suzuki 38:30.211 6 Hitoyasu Izutsu (Jpn) Honda 38:30.413 7 Lucio Pedercini (Ita) Ducati 38:58.444 8 Atsushi Watanabe Atsushi (Jpn) Suzuki 38:59.983 9 James Haydon (GB) Petronas 39:05.261 10 Juan Bautista Borja (Spa) Ducati 39:09.275



Race two: 1. Hodgson 37:56.499 2. Lavilla 37:57.317 3. Pierfrancesco Chili (Ita) Ducati 37:57.969 4. Xaus 38:06.969 5. Toseland 38:07.632 6. Izutsu 38:18.103 7. Laconi 38:18.452 8. Ivan Clementini (Ita) Kawasaki 38:45.356 9. Borja 38:58.269 10. Mauro Sanchini (Ita) Kawasaki 39:01.788


Bureau Report