Ducati thanks partners after Laguna success.

Team Ducati Fila commended the work put into the programme by technical partners Michelin and Shell after finishing a difficult Laguna Seca weekend with a 1-2 finish for Ruben Xaus and Neil Hodgson.

Xaus put the seal on a great days' racing in California by treating the estimated 92,000 spectators to a win in race two after crashing out of the lead in the first race of the day. Championship leader Hodgson twice finished runner-up to increase his lead in the standings over his team-mate to 122 points, but also had to pick himself up off the floor in the opening round.

The results capped a strong comeback for the Fila-backed factory team, after both riders had struggled to match the pace of their rivals on Friday and Saturday.

"I think that the races offered us a different scenario from qualifying, where we suffered a little, but, in the end, the Ducati 999 F03 performed really well," declared Ducati Corse CEO Claudio Domenicali, "The bikes have benefited from the depth of development which goes into the Michelin tyres and the Shell Advance motorcycle oils supplied to the team.

"With Michelin, we have often found Laguna Seca a difficult track but, in the last two years, their tyres have been well up to the situation, while the oils Shell Advance supplied us with this weekend were specifically designed to excel under the hot and dry conditions of this track."

Xaus took control on lap four of the second race, leading to the flag for his third win of the year after resolving to show the American audience exactly what should have happened in race one.

"I was leading the first race pretty easily and my lap times were consistent," the Spaniard pointed out, "but I had a really hard tyre and pushed it too much at the slowest corner of the track - and crashed.

"Races are like that so, in the second race, I wanted to show everyone that I am the fastest and the winner here. I found in the morning warm-up that I had the right tyre to last 28 laps and to be capable of running low 26s, and that gave me the power for the race. I could have won two races but that's okay - I know I'm getting better and better all the time."

Xaus' tumble allowed WSBK veteran Frankie Chili to score a hugely popular win in race one - his first since Donington 2001. The Italian led home Hodgson in a restarted race, after both were involved in first lap tangle with Eric Bostrom, Brock Yates and Troy Corser.

"My second place in race one is one of the best I've ever earned, because it was a really difficult race," Hodgson insisted, "I've not felt comfortable all weekend with the set-up, but, in the race, I just took my time. It's difficult to pass round here and you have to wait for people to make mistakes, so thankfully people made mistakes!"

If the Briton thought race one was 'fun' however, he hadn't witnessed the second event, but managed to get through unscathed to follow Xaus home in a Ducati Fila 1-2.

"Race two was probably the most eventful race in my career - I've never seen so many crazy things happening, especially on the first lap," he smiled, "I nearly crashed, then Frankie somersaulted, and then James [Toseland] crashed in front of me and I ran off the track into the gravel.

"Thankfully, I still finished second, and points are everything because I want to win the championship."