Ocschersleben: Ducati race report

Hodgson (Ducati Fila) and Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) take a win apiece in Germany Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila) equalled Colin Edwards' (Honda) nine-race World Superbike winning streak with victory in race 1 at Oschersleben after a superb battle ...

Hodgson (Ducati Fila) and Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) take a win apiece in Germany

Neil Hodgson (Ducati Fila) equalled Colin Edwards' (Honda) nine-race World Superbike winning streak with victory in race 1 at Oschersleben after a superb battle with Pierfrancesco Chili (PSG-1 Ducati) but had to take the runner-up slot in race 2 behind James Toseland (HM Plant Ducati) who took his maiden WSBK win.

Hodgson took the lead from Chili on lap 9 and clinched victory despite coming under pressure from the Italian who was never more than a bike's length behind. "I didn't get a good start but the Hodgson luck is flying around at the moment because if I had, then I would probably have been taken out in the carnage at the first corner" declared Neil.

After some fairing-bashing with Toseland in the early stages of race 2, Hodgson then had to take second-best to his former GSE team-mate who led an all-British podium with Chris Walker coming home third. "It was a tough race and it's a tough track for overtaking" added Neil, "so that's why I made the move on James. We made contact and I thought I had no clutch lever. I glanced down and the lever was facing down so I banged it back. It wasn't quite right but I could continue the race. I waited for James to make a mistake but it didn't come. I was trying to stay behind him, but we got the back-markers and it was all over then. I was pleased to match Colin's record but you can't win them all! James totally deserved his victory and the best man won on the day".

Team-mate Ruben Xaus crashed out from third place on lap 10 at the fast right-hander leading onto the back straight in race 1 and then finished fifth after the break. "In the first race I had problems with the front of my bike and unfortunately simply fell off. Then fifth place in race 2 was not so good, because I still had a few problems with the front" declared Ruben. "I didn't have a good feeling with the bike all weekend. I know I am a fast rider, but at the moment I don't feel that it is my bike. Tomorrow we'll be here for a day's testing and I'm sure we'll get some good results".

RACE 1: 1. Hodgson (Ducati Fila); 2. Chili (PSG-1 Ducati); 3. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati); 4. Laconi (NCR Ducati); 5. Walker (HM Plant Ducati); 6. Martin (DFX Ducati); etc. RACE 2 : 1. Toseland (HM Plant Ducati); 2. Hodgson (Ducati Fila); 3. Walker (HM Plant Ducati); 4. Laconi (NCR Ducati); 5. Xaus (Ducati Fila); 6. Martin (DFX Ducati); etc.

POINTS (after 5 of 12 rounds) : Riders - 1. Hodgson 245; 2. Toseland 132; 3. Xaus 126; 4. Laconi 122; 5. Lavilla 111; 6. Walker 95; 7. Chili 84; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 250; 2. Suzuki 127; 3. Petronas 52; 4. Kawasaki 46; 5. Yamaha 32; 6. Honda 21.