Ducati Wins World Superbike and Superstock Rider's and Manufacturers' Titles - Web Exclusive

With victory in Race 1 of the French round of the World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours, Carlos Checa celebrated his first World Championship title and brought Ducati's list of Riders' Championship titles to an incredible 14. Completing the historic day for Ducati, the Italian brand also secured their 17th Manufacturers' World Superbike Championship in addition to the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup Rider's and Manufacturers' Championship titles.

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Spaniard Carlos Checa secured his title aboard the Team Althea Racing Ducati 1198 at the penultimate round of the 2011 World Superbike season. His convincing and championship-winning victory in Race 1 being followed by an equally spectacular win in Race 2.

Checa's world-beating form this year has produced six pole positions, 14 race wins and 20 podium places. He now moves on to the final race of the year in Portimao, Portugal on 16 October with 107 points advantage in the standings and the title won.

Meanwhile, in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup, 22 year-old Italian rider, Davide Giugliano, rode to a safe fifth position to clinch the title. The rider took his Team Althea Racing Ducati 1198 to a total of four race wins in 2011, fighting a close race to the title with today's race winner, Danilo Petrucci, also competing onboard a Ducati 1198. Having written his name into the history of World Superbike, Checa also confirms the competiveness of the L-Twin Ducati 1198 by taking the model to its second World Superbike title.

The victory enables the Ducati to celebrate its 17th Manufacturers' title, underlining the continued passion they have for the production-based World Superbike series.

Starting Sunday's race from the front of the grid, Carlos Checa needed only to extend his championship lead by three points to mathematically secure the title, but soon controlled the race from the front, took the win by 2.2 seconds and won his World Championship in style.

With the pressure off for Race 2, Checa maintained his cool, staying with leaders in the early part of the race before stretching a 1.2 second lead and winning the double.

"I'm so happy to win my first world title and so happy that I did it aboard a Ducati," said Carlos Checa as the newly crowned 2011 World Superbike Champion. "My sincere thanks go to Team Althea Racing and everyone at Ducati who has worked hard to help me get these results. Together we've done a great job this year, immediately starting the season well against fast riders on very competitive bikes. From mid-season we started to think about the title, but when the pressure increased we never lost our concentration and now we're here. It's a great feeling!"

WSBK - Results: Race 1

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1. Carlos Checa (Ducati)
2. Melandri (Yamaha)
3. Haslam (BMW)
4. Camier (Aprilia)
5. Laverty (Yamaha)
6. Guintoli (Ducati)
7. Haga (Aprilia)
8. Lascorz (Kawasaki)
9. Corser (BMW)
10. Sykes (Kawasaki)

WSBK - Results: Race 2

1. Carlos Checa (Ducati)
2. Melandri (Yamaha)
3. Laverty (Yamaha)
4. Haslam (BMW)
5. Guintoli (Ducati)
6. Camier (Aprilia)
7. Lascorz (Kawasaki)
8. Badovini (BMW)
9. Corser (BMW)
10. Haga (Aprilia)

WSBK Standings: Riders'

1. Carlos Checa (467)
2. Melandri (360)
3. Laverty (283)
4. Biaggi (281)
5. Haslam (216)
6. Camier (194)
7. Guintoli (179)
8. Haga (170)
9. Badovini (155)
10. Fabrizio (145)

WSBK - Standings: Manufacturers'

1. Ducati (491)
2. Yamaha (415)
3. Aprilia (399)
4. BMW (261)
5. Kawasaki (209)
6. Honda (162)
7. Suzuki (162)

STK Standings: Riders'

1. Giugliano (171)
2. Petrucci (144)
3. Zanetti (137)
4. Barrier (112)
5. Canepa (109)
6. Baroni (70)
7. Antonelli (67)
8. Reiterberger (64)
9. Massei (61)
10. Morais (49)

STK - Standings: Manufacturers'

1. Ducati (215)
2. BMW (173)
3. Kawasaki (83)
4. Honda (75)
5. Yamaha (16)

Ducati in World Superbike

157 Ducati pole positions
305 Ducati race victories
761 Ducati podium positions

14 Riders' World Championship titles:

17 Manufacturers' World Championship titles:

2011 Ducati 1198
2009 Ducati 1098
2008 Ducati 1098
2006 Ducati 999
2004 Ducati 999
2003 Ducati 999
2002 Ducati 998
2001 Ducati 996
2000 Ducati 996
1999 Ducati 996
1998 Ducati 996
1996 Ducati 916
1995 Ducati 916
1994 Ducati 916
1993 Ducati 888
1992 Ducati 888
1991 Ducati 888

Ducati in the Superstock 1000 FIM Cup

4 Riders' Championship titles:

3 Manufacturers' Championship titles:

2011 Ducati 1198
2009 Ducati 1098 R
2008 Ducati 1098 R