 Corser has hardly been off the podium this season |
Troy Corser extended his championship lead over Chris Vermeulen with a first and a second place in the two World Superbikes races at Brands Hatch. In the first race, the Australian passed Noriyuki Haga on the penultimate lap to win, with Regis Laconi third.
Haga took his revenge in the second race, with Corser's main championship rival Chris Vermeulen in third place.
Defending champion James Toseland was forced out of race one by technical trouble and was seventh in the second.
Corser has won eight of 16 races so far this season and is chasing a second world crown to complement his 1996 triumph.
He could wrap up the title in Holland on 4 September, but said: "I'm not feeling under any pressure.
"My plan in terms of the rest of the season is simply to take everything as it comes.
"Winning the world title was the aim right from the start of the season and I've always been confident we could do just that.
"I always go out to win races and my that's my goal between now and the end of the season.
"But if I can't do that, then it's important to be there or thereabouts on the podium."
World Superbikes race one result from Brands Hatch: 1 Troy Corser Aus (Suzuki) 36m 45.074 secs
2 Noriyuki Haga Jpn (Yamaha) +0.186s
3 Regis Laconi Fr (Ducati) +1.976
4 Chris Vermeulen Aus (Honda) +4.590
5 Chris Walker GB (Kawasaki) +5.746
6 Karl Muggeridge Aus (Honda) +8.428
7 Andrew Pitt Aus (Yamaha) +8.598
8 Lorenzo Lanzi It (Ducati) +15.628
9 Yukio Kagayama Jpn (Suzuki) +15.671
10 Max Neukirchner Ger (Honda) +28.250
Race two result:
1 Haga 36 m 39.815 secs
2 Corser +2.686
3 Vermeulen +8.062
4 Walker +12.053,
5 Laconi +13.044
6 Pitt +13.184
7 James Toseland GB (Ducati) +14.215
8 Lanzi +21.026
9 Kagayama +21.175
10 Ben Bostrom US (Honda) +21.257
Championship points after eight of 12 rounds:
1 Corser 344 pts
2 Vermeulen 234
3 Laconi 214
4 Kagayama 172
5 Haga 167
6 Toseland 161
7 Walker 130
8 Pierfranesco Chili It (Honda) 111
9 Pitt 95
10 Norick Abe JPN (Yamaha) 88