Title challenge on for Haga

Season 2007 - Noriyuki Haga believes he can finally end a nine-year wait and land the World Superbike title this year after dominating the latest round of the championship at Monza.

More StoriesToseland relieved
The 32-year-old Japanese rider became the first man in two-and-a-half years to claim a double win and pole position in Italy at the weekend, moving the Motor Italia Yamaha rider to within 35 points of series leader James Toseland.

"Compared to last year, everything is different," Haga told MCN. "It is coming together and I hope we can win the world championship."

Haga believes the increased pace from his bike is largely down to the influence of his team-mate Troy Corser, who joined the team during the winter, and thinks the Australian is doing a much more effective job than his former partner Andrew Pitt.

"All the time myself and Troy are working together and compared to last year with Andrew Pitt it is very different," Haga added. Last year there was no communication between us about the bike, sometimes we did not even say hello."

The World Superbike Championship resumes in ten days time at Silverstone in England.

EuroSport