By Glenn LeSanto

After ending up in the pit lane, or more frequently in the gravel traps, race after race James Whitham got it all right at Monza to bring home a World Supersport win for the Yamaha Belgarda team. It was a great day for the Italian based team, as Whitham’s teammate Paolo Casoli finished in second place. The pair was involved in a titanic battle with a group of riders including Fabien Foret, Pere Riba, Andrew Pitt, Vitto Guareschi and Karl Muggeridge. Toward the end of the race Casoli and Whitham broke away from the group and fought to the line for the victory. Casoli passed Whitham going into the final turn, the Parabolica, but got in too hot, ran wide and let Whitham back through.

“I f**king worked hard for that,” exclaimed Whitham. “Not so much the physical side of it, although it was hot out there. I was trying to work it all out in my head, there was so much going on! In the last turn Paolo (Casoli) got past me but I reckoned he had gone in too hard. I managed to keep a very tight line – if any bastard was going past me they were going the long way round,” grinned Whitham.

Whitham also acknowledged the help given to him by his teammate, saying “We’ve worked as a team and Paolo has really helped me. Without the assistance he gave me at Sugo, and the work we’ve done together here this weekend, this win wouldn’t have been possible.”

Like many other teams, the Belgarda team rode much of qualifying in tandem, one rider behind the other, to try to maximize the drafting advantage.

Third place on the podium went to Suzuki rider Karl Muggeridge, who managed to force his way into third in front of Andrew Pitt, Iain MacPherson and reigning Champion Jorg Teuchert.

World Supersport race results

1. James Whitham, GB (Yamaha) 30:45.850
2. Paolo Casoli, Italy (Yamaha) 30:46.128
3. Karl Muggeridge, Australia (Suzuki) 30:46.429
4. Andrew Pitt, Australia (Kawasaki) 30:46.494
5. Iain MacPherson, GB (Kawasaki) 30:46.630
6. Jorg Teuchert, Germany (Yamaha) 30:46.692
7. Vittoriano Guareschi, Italy (Ducati) 30:47.454
8. Fabrizio Pirovano, Italy (Suzuki) 30:48.657
9. Piergiorgio Bontempi, Italy (Yamaha) 30:53.546
10. Alessio Corradi, Italy (Yamaha) 30:54.000

World Supersport Championship points after four of 11 rounds:

1. Casoli 58
2. Pitt 50
3. Pere Riba, Spain (Honda) 49
4. Kevin Curtain, Australia (Honda) 48
5. Teuchert 38
6. Muggeridge 37
7. Guareschi 30
8. Bontempi 29
9. Whitham 25
10. Pirovano 24

Manufacturers’ points:
1. Yamaha 79
2. Honda 68
3. Kawasaki 50
4. Suzuki 41
5. Ducati 30

Next round: Donington Park, GB – May 27