Pair of top tens for Corona Alstare duo.

Team Suzuki Alstare riders Pierfrancesco Chili and Stephane Chambon opened up their 2001 World Superbike accounts with two top ten finishes each.

Italian Chili managed a pair of sevenths and Frenchman Chambon posted a couple of tenths, after both qualifying lower than they would have hoped for. Both riders improved on their starting positions, with Chili making up four places and debutante Chambon an impressive 11 places in both races.

Chili found himself able to climb through the field with ease once racing got underway, before becoming embroiled in battles with Kawasaki's Akira Yanagawa in both races.In the first outing, he managed to get the better of his Japanese rival at the final corner, pipping Yanagawa to the flag in dramatic style, but lost out in race two, albeit still claiming seventh place.

"After riding with the new bike, we were quite impressed and feel this is going to be a good year," Chili said, "I am pleased that we managed to get a reasonable number of points from this round and with the information we have gained from this weekend, we will be able to do much better in South Africa."

Chambon, making his WSBK debut after winning the supporting Supersport class two years ago made a steady start before picking off the riders in front of him one by one.

"I am happy to finish both races in the top ten and get some points under my belt," the Frenchman admitted, "For my first race on the Suzuki GSX-R750, I think two tenth places are OK, considering I had to start in 21st place. I am still learning about riding a superbike and I was careful today to try and get a couple of reasonable finishes. I hope that in the next round Frankie and I will begin to challenge the leaders."

Australian Aprilia rider Troy Corser won both races to take a handy championship lead to the next round in Kyalami.