Team Alstare Suzuki rider Michel Fabrizio bounced back to take a hard-fought-for fourth place after crashing in the first race of the Aragon World Superbike Championship seventh round today.

The Italian started both races from the fourth row of the grid, but once again showed his ability to fight his way through the pack and challenge for the podium: In race one he moved up to seventh by lap nine and was pushing hard when he lost the front and fell. Fortunately he was uninjured, but the impact of the fall did not do his already-damaged right hand any favours. Despite this, he came out fighting in race two and began by making a good start. He was up to fourth by lap five and soon started pressing Carlos Checa (Ducati) for third spot. For a while it looked as if he would get the better of the Spaniard but had to settle for fourth.

Marco Melandri (Yamaha) won the first race with the Aprilias of Max Biaggi and Leon Camier in second and third places. Race two was another battle between Biaggi and Melandri, but this time Biaggi took the win. Series leader Checa was third just ahead of the Suzuki rider.

Michel Fabrizio - Race 1: DNF, Race 2: 4th:

"I am happy with my performance in the second race but obviously not happy with my crash in the first. My first race start was not so good and I was pushing very hard trying to catch the leaders when I lost the front and down I went. I managed to hit my injured arm again but fortunately I didn't do any further damage.

"The crash made me all the more determined to do well in race two. I made a perfect start and was up to fourth by lap five. I saw Checa ahead and closed in on him lap by lap, but although I could get near to him, his bike's acceleration out of the corners was better than mine and so I couldn't pass him. It was a bit frustrating seeing the way his bike blasted out of the turns, but I kept fighting in case he made a mistake. Unfortunately for me, he didn't so I ended fourth.

"Today I am happy because my lap times were very similar to the leaders and this proves that I can run with the best. If it hadn't been for my poor grid position, I think I would've been on the podium today. If I can qualify, I'm sure I can get on the podium. The next round in Brno would be a good place to do it."

Motorland Aragon Results:

Race 1: 1 Marco Melandri (ITA-Yamaha), 2 Max Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia), 3 Leon Camier (GBR-Aprilia), 4 Eugene Laverty (GBR-Yamaha), 5 Tom Sykes (GBR-Kawasaki), 6 Noriyuki Haga (JPN-Aprilia). DNF: Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Alstare Suzuki).

Race 2: 1 Biaggi, 2 Melandri, 3 Carlos Checa (ESP-Ducati), 4 Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Alstare Suzuki), 5 Joan Lascorz (ESP-Kawasaki), 6 Laverty.