WSB Miller: Resilient Haga bounces back to form with race one podium

Noriyuki Haga secured his first podium since Valencia at the start of April with an impressive weekend performance at a track where he has struggled at in the past. Despite revealing to MCN just two weeks ago a fear of crashing the Xerox Ducati rider was in determined mood from the opening session on Saturday morning which culminated in an impressive third place in the opening race.

Haga put his return to form down to having confidence in his rear tyre – a feeling he has lacked in previous rounds. Either way it was a welcome return to form for a rider that has become a true superbike icon during his WSB career.

Speaking to MCN, he said: “The bike feeling is the same in both races even though we made a change to the suspension. The feeling from the tyre was the same in both races. At the start of the race it was busy and I felt like a small animal where everyone else around me was a big lion!

“Last year I had a good feeling but I had a big crash in practice and that was why I could not get a good result.  This year from the first day I had a much better feeling so I knew that if I had a good consistent tyre I could be on the podium.

2We still need to improve the bike and we saw what Carlos could do here. I’m sorry for him having a problem, but it is clear Ducati has a good bike for this track. Next year hopefully I can win just as long as I have a contract with Ducati! (laughs)”