When the World Superbike Championship returned to South Africa this weekend, with it returned some thrilling racing.

Starting from the third position after an exciting Superpole, Max Biaggi had a good start on board his Aprilia RSV-4 Factory and was able to start well and stay with the leading group. Maintaining sixth position for eight laps Biaggi was then able to battle Carlos Checa in order to acquire fifth position. By the nineteenth lap Biaggi was locked in an intense battle with Rea for fourth with Biaggi’s pace matching the leading group which comprised of Ben Spies, Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga. Biaggi and Rea then waged war on each other for fourth position however, despite all of Biaggi’s heroic moves he had to settle for fifth by the narrowest of margins.

Nakano started well from ninth position and began to race with the leading group however, the Japanese rider could not maintain the leaders’ pace and began fending off attacks from Yukio Kagayama. By mid-way through the race Nakano had successfully defended his position against Kagayama and set his sights on catching Checa and Biaggi. With five laps remaining he was able to catch the Spaniard and engage in a battle for sixth however his attempts failed and he crossed the line just behind Checa in seventh place.

Biaggi started well again in the second race of the day, following Haga and Spies into the first turn, however Biaggi soon came under threat from Fabrizio who had a bad start and was determined to challenge his team mate who was leading. Biaggi, Leon Haslam and Rea were determine to follow Fabrizio on his mission to the top, however his pace could not be matched and when Spies clutch lever broke, Fabrizio took second position.

Rea, Biaggi and Haslam where then left to fight for the third step of the podium, on the thirteenth lap Haslam was able to overtake Biaggi for fourth. Haslam managed to stay in fourth despite continuous attacks from Biaggi, a thrilling battle between the two riders ensued, a battle that lasted right until the finish. Nakano’s start was a slower than in the first race and he was relegated to the back of the field, but by the midpoint of the race he had found a good rhythm and began fighting his way through the field. He finished the race in sixth position, only one place and two seconds behind Biaggi.

“These two fifth positions are the most we could have achieved,” said Biaggi. “The result is good enough, but we suffered quite a bit with vibration entering the turns and upon the exits of the turns, we did not have a lot of grip which forced us to use softer tyres. In comparison to November the RSV-4 has come a long way in development, but the competition here in Superbike is merciless."

"I did much better these last two rounds,” declared Nakano. “This round was much better, I still need to improve my feeling with the bike at the beginning of the races, as that is where I lose quite a lot of time. I am happy to have returned to form and finished in the first half of the field and I hope to improve even more at the next round in America.”