The first race was all about Troy Bayliss. The home hero was determined to win after the Qatar races, and his simply awesome testing form, and stormed away in Rossi-esqe fashion to lead the race from Superpole position 1.

The advantage the Suzuki had in straightline speed from Qatar was not as much in evidence here, as the final corner is such a fast sweep. The bikes are in fourth gear, and the Ducati’s problem is in the first three gears, Bayliss commenting that the four-cylinder bikes have greater low gear acceleration, but the Duke’s superior aero package give it a helping hand once the speed gets high.

The ex-British and World Champion ran away and hid, before unbelievably encountering the worst tyre problem you can imagine with a few laps to go. The bike became almost unrideable, and Bayliss slipped to a very lowly sixth place. The rear tyre had completely given up, and Troy was understandably annoyed. Taking maximum advantage was Troy Corser, who picked up the pieces and shook off the challenge of a visibly racier Alex Barros to win the race.

Again the Suzuki was quick on the home straight and Barros, though quicker through the last bend, was lamenting the power deficit - but looking forward to better engine parts before Valencia. Corser always goes well at PI though, and looked to have it all under control, despite the best efforts of Barros on the last lap to get the win.

James Toseland smoked his rear Pirelli to third, a little way behind these two but on the podium again. Nori Haga had a lonely race for fourth, with Roby Rolfo a superb fifth on the Caracchi Ducati, the Italian putting his bad year in GP behind him to score another good result.

The gutted Bayliss was sixth in front of his old team-mate at Ducati Rubén Xaus, performing miracles for a man who broke his leg not that long ago and needs crutches still to walk! Other notable rides came from Fonsi Nieto, at last looking good on a Superbike, and beating team-mates Chris Walker and Régis Laconi.

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Race two started much the same, with Haga leading and the field bunching up behind the Yam that seems quick off the line before struggling to hold the pace. Toseland was the first man past and quickly got a wriggle on to get away, bringing Bayliss with him.

There then followed a horrid crash for the reigning champion Troy Corser. The Aussie highsided the Suzuki out of a hairpin, and was left in the middle of the track. Barros had nowhere to go and clipped the back of Corser. Luckily he only clipped the hump on Troy’s leathers, and he was able to walk away shaken but uninjured - also though without any points!

Toseland now led from Bayliss, and you could sense that Bayliss was looking after his rubber after his first race problems. Toseland was again spinning the rear tyre a lot, the Honda not running traction control surprisingly, and Bayliss was through with a good late braking move into the Honda hairpin.

The Aussie, despite fitting a harder compound tyre, still had horrendous problems late on, but the margin was enough to win from Toseland and Barros third. The Brazilian, shaken by the Corser near miss, soon got his head down to pass both Italia Yamahas. Good rides again here for Xaus, coming from very far back after a torrid start; Rolfo; and Nieto, who barged past Chris Walker in a tough move on a team-mate!

Standings after four races: Bayliss 75; Toseland 74; Corser 63; Barros 55; Pitt 45; Haga 42; Rolfo 32; Fabrizio 25; Xaus 24; Nieto 19; Lanzi 15; Abe and Kagayama 14.

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