Australia’s Troy Corser returns to the picturesque Phillip Island circuit for this weekend’s round two of the world supers with his eyes firmly set on the “double”, aiming to ride his Suzuki to victory in the two 22 lap races.

However, a field of 30 riders - including the Ducati duo of defending champion James Toseland and Regis Laconi and five other Aussies, notably Honda’s Chris Vermeulen and Karl Muggeridge, Yamaha’s Andrew Pitt and new recruits to Petronas, Garry McCoy and Steve Martin - are keen to spoil his party and to ensure the 2005 Yamaha Superbike World Championship is not an all-Troy affair.

Action starts Friday with practice and qualifying in the world superbikes, world supersport and three Australian support classes. Superpole for Superbikes heads Saturday’s agenda, with qualifying for supersport and racing in the Australian categories; while Sunday is packed from front to back with great racing.

With new determination, a new team (with Corona Suzuki on the GSX-R1000) and a new outlook in 2005, Wollongong’s Corser sits second in the Corona Extra Superbike world championship after a win and a third place in the opening round at Qatar earlier this month – and except for a machine gremlin would be leading the early battle.

With a new direction in his Superbike career, Corser is primed for a dominant performance at a track that he loves and has given him many good results over the years - including a double win in 1999.

“Phillip Island is one of the best bike-racing circuits in the world,” enthused the rejuvenated Corser. “It is technical and demanding, but it is a blast to ride. At the moment, I feel very positive about the season ahead. My bike is good, my team is good and everything is working out well. Whatever happens, this year is going to be great season for fans and all of us involved. I know that I will have some fun this year for sure and I know that I am enjoying my racing again. After Qatar, our competitors know what we can do, so now we have to wait until Phillip Island to show how strong we can really be. Bring the next race on!"

Since being signed by Suzuki, Corser has let the world know that he is far from a spent force as many may have thought in his days as a development rider on the uncompetitive Petronas.

From winter testing, Corser has proved he still has what it takes but it wasn’t until the opening round at Qatar last month that the 32-year-old showed a worldwide television audience that he still truly means business

Taking out the opening race in dominant display, he was thwarted by mechanical woes in the second leg to finish third behind his team mate Yukio Kagayama and as such heads into Phillip Island in second place. The wins by the two new signings gave the Suzuki factory – and Corona - its first double victory in the class’s history and augers well for a dominant performance for the year

"Qatar was a dream start for us and probably the best result our team could have dreamed of,” explained a delighted Corser.

“A double win would have been better for me for sure, but a win in each race for us is pretty good. I knew that the 2005 Alstare Suzuki would be good. A similar bike had won the British and American championships, so it had to be good. And Yukio has ridden in the British championships and knew the old bike, so I felt he would be a threat for sure. Winning in Qatar was special as it is with a new team. The last time I won a World Superbike race was in 2001, and that was a long time ago!

“I never felt that I had lost the winning feeling, so Qatar was great top get back to winning ways. I felt that I should have done the double back there, but my tyre was a problem in the second race and I could not push as hard as I wanted. I could have pushed harder, but I would have almost certainly have crashed. It is too early in the season for that kind of thing, so I kept it all pretty steady.

“Phillip Island is next and my aim is to show Yukio how it is done – up to the point of winning both races! He may have won the second race in Qatar, but he is going to find life a lot more difficult in Australia for sure. “

It’s been nearly ten years since he took out the 1996 World Championship when he wrapped up the title in the final round at the Island track

After a few years in the wilderness Corser returns to the top echelon of factory riders having been signed by the ultra-professional and successful Corona Alstare Team plus in an added bonus for Troy , the Suzuki factory returns to the world’s premier Superbike class after a one year hiatus.

Since the opening leg there has been an official two-day test at Spain’s Valencia circuit at which it was a case of “catch-Troy-if- you-can” as he set the benchmark for everyone to follow through the four sessions.

His closest rival was his Corona Suzuki teammate Kagayama at just a tenth of a second slower.

Troy has been a development rider since 2000, first for Aprilia where he finished an astounding third in 2000 and fourth in 2001 and since then has led the progression and development of the Malaysian-owned Foggy Petronas Team.

Corser comes into the Phillip Island round brimming with confidence and having his best chance at taking out a world title since parting company with Ducati at the end of the 1999 season. That year he was right in the hunt until the final round in Japan where the title slipped from his grasp and gave his great rival, teammate and future boss, Carl Fogarty, his unprecedented fourth world title.

There is no doubting that Corser is the master of the Island on a Superbike and the King of Superpole - 21 times he’s claimed fastest qualifying spot in the do-or-crash one lap dash.

Besides being the track of his greatest triumph, Corser holds the Phillip Island Superbike lap record and the fastest ever Superpole lap.

From seven Superpoles held at the Island, Corser has been fastest in four of them and has four wins the most memorable in 1999 when he took out the double taking the Superpole and lap records, neither of which have been bettered.

In his Superbike career Corser has 24 wins (16 Ducati, 7 Aprilia and 1 Suzuki including four wins at the Island and six double victories: 4 Ducati , 2 Aprilia)

Superbike Championship Point Score after round one:  1. Kagayama (Suzuki) 45 points; 2. Corser (Suzuki) 41 points; 3. Laconi (Ducati) 36 points; 4. Vermeulen (Honda) 21 points; 5. Pitt (Yamaha) 20 points; 6. Toseland (Ducati) 20 points; 7. Haga (Yamaha) 16 points; 8. Abe (Yamaha) 15 points; 9. Chili (Honda) 11 points; 10. Silva (Yamaha) 9 points; 12. Muggeridge (Honda) 7 points; 20. Martin (Petronas) 1 point

Tickets for the Yamaha Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island can be purchased from Ticketmaster 7 on 1300 136 122 or from the circuit 03 5952 2710. For campsite bookings call the Superbike Hotline on (03) 5952 2710.

TICKET PRICES
Race day ticket – Sunday only $65.00 (children 5-15… $30)
Three Day ticket – Friday, Saturday, Sunday $110.00
Family – Sunday $130.00
Family – three day ticket $220.00
BAR SBK providing an undercover facility at three Superscreens $165
Camping ( four nights – Thursday to Sunday inclusive) $75 per person (children 5-15..$25)

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