Despite the apparent Corser dominance, there are other current riders that have performed well at Misano in the past. Laconi has been in the top four in all races in the past couple of years - taking third, fourth, first and second in 2003-04 - while current Yamaha Italia hero Nori Haga has been there or thereabouts too. Klaffi Honda's Frankie Chili, meanwhile, has fitted a couple of wins and four third places in between six retirements at the Circuit Adriatico. It doesn't make such great reading for the Brits, however, with reigning champion Toseland racking up just one second place - in 2003 -and nothing else in the top five, and PSG-1 Kawasaki's Chris Walker 'boasting' just one fifth place finish in six outings.
Corser's recent winning run came to an end last time out at
Silverstone, where the Suzuki rider had to give second best to Ducati twins Laconi and Toseland, who won a race apiece. That is particularly good news for the Italian camp ahead of one of its home rounds, especially as the second race at Misano in 2004 saw the Borgo Panigale marque put six bikes in the first six places with Chili, Laconi, Steve Martin, Haga, Leon Haslam and future world champion Toseland. In all, Ducati has gained a grand total of 50 podiums and 18 victories in Misano, records for the series.
The Italian manufacturer is in the middle of a Misano winning streak that started in 2001. It is now eight races since the last non-Ducati win was posted, by Corser - who else - and the Aprilia RSV 1000 in 2000. The same streak applies to pole positions, with Corser's Aprilia the last non-Ducati to head the grid, also in 2000. Indeed, on only three occasions has Ducati been prevented from qualifying fastest at Misano, with 's rivals managed to conquer the pole position in Misano, the other two being Akira Yanagawa in 1997 and Scott Russell in 1994, both on Kawasakis.
Yanagawa's pole speed of 156.331kph still registers as the fastest average around the 4.6km version of Misano, with Toseland's 2004 effort of 'only' 150.956kph the slowest, after the Briton took top spot in the rain.
