"On that last lap I was thinking about what I had to do to win, my head was totally blank. I just knew I had to keep in front of everyone. I tried to brake hard into the last corner and then passed Kiyonari. I couldn't believe the gap, 0.009 seconds," admitted Haga.
Haga's mind may have been blank, but he'd pulled off a race winning move by cutting neatly under Kiyonari at the apex of the Parabolica - not only taking the lead but forcing the Ten Kate Honda rider to briefly readjust his line, preventing him from slipstreaming back past on the run to the flag.
However, Neukirchner had made a perfect exit and the German swept past Kiyonari on the run to the line - and almost beat Haga as well. It was the fifth closest finish in WSBK history and the top three were covered by just 0.051secs.
"Monza is special for me, here is our home track and I have been thinking for all last week that I must win," said Haga. "I am really happy today because everybody in the garage made a good job, so my thanks go to them."
Haga's 2-1 Monza finishes have propelled the 2007 title runner-up to third in the championship, although 82 points from
Troy Bayliss, who retired with an engine problem in race two.
