Crutchlow and Biaggi share the spoils

The 2010 world superbike title concluded at Magny-Cours overnight, with Cal Crutchlow and new world champion Max Biaggi claiming the final spoils of the year.

Although the championship was decided in Biaggi’s favour last weekend at Imola, the action at Magny-Cours was anything but processional, with jockeying for final rankings lower down the order making sure of that.

Aussie Troy Corser (BMW) could have helped shape the pecking order, but he failed to finish both races with mechanical problems.

In the opening 23-lapper, the MotoGP-bound Crutchlow (Yamaha) passed Biaggi (Aprilia) on lap eight and then powered away to record his third victory of the year in a fantastic farewell to the WSBK paddock.

With the Briton in charge, the battle for second place then intensified between Biaggi, Leon Haslam (Suzuki) and Carlos Checa (Ducati), with the rolling scrum still being shaped at the final chicane.

Haslam and Checa made their way past Biaggi at that point, but the latter still had the consolation of helping Aprilia wrap up the constructors’ title ahead of Ducati and Suzuki.

Jakub Smrz (Aprilia), factory Ducati team-mates Michel Fabrizio and Noriyuki Haga and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) completed the top eight.

Fittingly, race two went to the new world champion, with Biaggi a slender winner over Crutchlow to complete a glorious season for the veteran Italian.

It was Biaggi’s 10th win in the 2010 campaign, with Jonathan Rea (Honda) the next best on four.

Race two also afforded a podium send-off for the departing factory Ducati team, with Fabrizio eking out a thrilling, last-gasp third place over early leader Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki).

Guintoli was also circulating near the front in race one, but was eventually excluded after ignoring a ride-through penalty.

Haga, who has been such a dominant force at Magny-Cours over the last six years, was fifth from Smrz, Luca Scassa (Ducati) and Shane Byrne (Ducati), while Checa’s ninth place was still good enough for him to finish third in the championship.

The injured Rea held third ahead of Magny-Cours, but after labouring to 12th place in race one he decided to sit out the second, clearing a path for Checa.

Biaggi finished the title on 451 points, from Haslam (376), Checa (297), Rea (292), Crutchlow (284) and Haga (258).

Corser slipped back to 11th on 165 points after his non-scoring finale, but he’s confident BMW will be a strong force in 2011 as Haslam joins him to replace Ruben Xaus.

“It has been a really hard weekend for us,” said Corser. “Sadly a technical issue brought an early end to both races, but I know we have the package to succeed in the long term.

“On the whole it has been a good year for the team, and we can now look forward to next year and developing the 2011 bike. Hopefully we can learn from today and improve so we are ready for the start of next season.”

Australia’s Phillip Island will again host the championship opener in 2011 (February 25-27), which will also see Sunshine Coast rider Chris Vermeulen back on the grid after a knee injury forced him out in the second half of 2010.

WORLD SUPERSPORT
Kenan Sofuoglu secured his second supersport title – and his team’s eighth in nine years -- after finishing second to arch-rival and fellow Honda rider Eugene Laverty.

Sofuoglu began the 22-lap race from pole position and quickly opened a two-second lap from the start. However, the 27-year-old Turkish ace needed only to finish in sixth place and, without wishing to push himself too hard, eased off the pace and allowed Laverty to lead.

Chaz Davies (Triumph) was third, while Australians Broc Parkes (Kawasaki, mechanical) and Mark Aitchison (Honda, crash) failed to finish the 22-lapper.

However, Parkes has done more than enough to impress Kawasaki since he began deputising for the injured Joan Lascorz, and he has now signed a two-year contract to extend his collaboration with the Japanese manufacturer.

Sofuoglu completed the 13-round season on 263 points, from Laverty (252) and Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki, 168).

MAGNY-COURS SUPERBIKE RESULTS
Race one: 23 laps
1 Cal Crutchlow, Great Britain, Yamaha 38:15.586
2 Leon Haslam, Great Britain, Suzuki +3.779
3 Carlos Checa, Spain, Ducati +4.216
4 Max Biaggi, Italy, Aprilia +4.416
5 Jakub Smrz, Czech Republic, Aprilia +7.476
6 Michel Fabrizio, Italy, Ducati +11.866
7 Noriyuki Haga, Japan, Ducati +16.390
8 Tom Sykes, Great Britain, Kawasaki +21.669
9 Shane Byrne, Great Britain, Ducati +22.065
10 Luca Scassa, Italy, Ducati +22.281
DNF Troy Corser, Australia, BMW +15 laps

Fastest lap: Crutchlow – 1:38.781

Race two: 23 laps
1 Biaggi 38:11.343
2 Crutchlow +0.087
3 Fabrizio +3.715
4 Sylvain Guintoli, France, Suzuki +4.004
5 Haga +15.471
6 Smrz +18.378
7 Scassa +21.180
8 Byrne +23.055
9 Checa +25.657
10 Haslam +27.781
DNF Troy Corser, Australia, BMW +19 laps

Fastest lap: Crutchlow – 1:38.879

WORLD SUPERBIKE FINAL STANDINGS (AFTER 13 ROUNDS):
1 Biaggi 451
2 Haslam 376
3 Checa 297
4 Jonathan Rea, Great Britain, Honda 292
5 Crutchlow 284
6 Haga 258
7 Guintoli 197
8 Fabrizio 195
9 James Toseland, Great Britain, Yamaha 187
10 Byrne 169
11 Corser 165
20 Chris Vermeulen, Australia, Kawasaki 10
22 Broc Parkes, Australia, Honda 9
24 Josh Brookes, Australia, Honda 6
27 Andrew Pitt, Australia, BMW 3