Corser maintains overall Super bike lead

Australia's Troy Corser extended his lead in the World Super bike Championship with two second-place finishes at Silverstone.

The Suzuki star finished second to France's Regis Laconic in the first race and to defending champion James Toseland of Britain in the second - but he still leads overall by 78 points.

Laconic won in 40 minutes, 58.899 seconds over 28 laps of the 3.561km circuit for Ducati's first win of the season.

Laconic crashed after two laps of the second race, with Toseland overtaking Corser two laps from the finish to win in 40:55.190.

Corser leads the riders standings with 222 points, from Japan's Yukio Kagayama with 144. Australian Chris Vermeulen is third with 141 points.

"Second was about the best we could get today," said Corser, who first raised the world crown in 1996.

"I was in front of James but I could hear a Ducati behind me although I didn't know whether it would be James or Regis Laconic although I found out soon enough when James came past under braking.

"James had something on me coming up to the last chicane and then I made up time but lost half a second in turn one. I was trying to push as much as I could but I just couldn't make up the time.

"It was a harder race than the first one. The tire went off a lot quicker.

"It's good to get points in the championship and extend my lead so I'm happy.

"The bike has been fantastic and I'd like to thank the team."

Reigning world champion Toseland was delighted to claim his first-ever World Super bike win on home soil.

It was his first win of the 2005 season and put his title defence back on track.

"I was pretty happy to be fair. It seemed like a long race though," Toseland said.

"I did it the hard way and I let them get away at the start and then I had to chip away at it and it was hard because I couldn't get past.

"With Nori (Haga) and Troy in front of me it was like riding behind a wall but I passed them in the same place. It was pretty tough out there and my heart sank a little when the team put the pit board out saying there was still a lap to go because it seemed I'd been out there for so long already."

"To win at home and in front of a British crowd is the most important thing."