Michel Fabrizio's stock received a significant boost in Brno after scoring a pair of podiums with two very entertaining last lap charges in each race.
It is common knowledge that Fabrizio is still fighting for his seat at Xerox Ducati in 2009, but a third and a second place will do his hopes of staying no harm at all, particularly as the man tipped to replace the soon-to-retire
Troy Bayliss, Max Biaggi, was the rival he was passing on the final lap of each race.
Indeed, Fabrizio's presence in both events was relatively anonymous until the final stages, the young Italian seemingly managing his tyres better on the abrasive surface better than his rivals.
This was apparent in the first race when Biaggi, who had been leading earlier on, slipped back into his clutches as his rear tyre began to wane. It was the encouragement Fabrizio needed to slip up the inside at the penultimate corner and snatch a crucial third place finish.
However, even that performance was trumped in the second race when Fabrizio suddenly came alive in the final couple of laps as he chased down the feuding Biaggi and
Troy Corser.
Setting the fastest lap of the race on the 18th lap of 20, Fabrizio joined the battle with two revolutions remaining, firstly embarking on a tight fight with Corser around the latter part of the circuit.
Eventually making a move stick at the first corner, Fabrizio quickly latched onto the back of Biaggi and, remarkably, swept past him on the same corner he did it in the first race. Although Biaggi responded with a slightly desperate effort at the final corner, Fabrizio simply slipped back up the inside when his counterpart ran wide, to cross the line a very satisfying second.
Coming on the weekend that Niccoló Canepa made his very unspectacular debut with Xerox Ducati, Fabrizio was thrilled with his best ever result in World Superbikes.
