Max Biaggi is the first ever Italian World Superbike champion.

Max Biaggi (right) with chairman and CEO of the Piaggio Group, Roberto Colaninno (left).

Despite taking an 11th-place finish in Race 1, Max Biaggi managed an easy championship victory when Leon Haslam couldn't finish the second race.

Max Biaggi took the 2010 World Championship crown on Sunday at Imola in front of his home crowd.

Ducati's Michel Fabrizio started the weekend off well in Italy by posting the fifth-quickest time in Friday's afternoon qualifying session.

Noriyuki Haga had a scary moment during the session when he rode too close to the flexible curb and touched it at high speed with his right knee - causing severe swelling and brusing.

Continuing the strong results for Ducati in Race 1 was Xerox Ducati’s Michel Fabrizio in seventh.

Max Biaggi reported having difficulties on Friday getting use to the track and adjusting his settings. Despite this, he's not alarmed and is optimistic about Sunday.

Max Biaggi: "The two races tomorrow won't be easy for us. In the first laps everybody ahead of us will be very quick and the weather conditions will play an important role, but we're ready to grit our teeth and give 110% to obtain the most. We'll draw up the sums at the end of the two races."

Leon Haslam: "It is frustrating that it has ended the way it has because I was hoping to take the fight to Magny-Cours, but that's racing. We always knew it was going to be a hard task because Max's lead in the points was so great, but while there was hope, we kept fighting. I should've won the first race and I would've won it if I hadn't made a mistake on the last lap."

James Toseland had a horrible weekend in Italy after taking two DNF's at the Imola circuit.

Championship leader Max Biaggi took 14th in Friday's afternoon qualifying session and was more than a second and a half off the pace of Carlos Checa.

Although it was a complicated day for most of the WSB paddock, championship leader Max Biaggi ended Saturday's superpole session in seventh-place and will start from the second row on Sunday.

Yamaha's Cal Crutchlow rebounded from a 10th-place result in Race 1 to finish third in the second contest.

Sylvain Guintoli: "It has been a bit of a difficult weekend, not terrible, but not as good as it could've been. I haven't felt well all weekend and got a load of cramps in the races and that's strange because I never usually get cramps at all. I need to be fully fit and get back to fighting the leaders, not the guys in the middle of the pack."

Ducati's Noriyuki Haga put in strong performances in both races at Imola for a 3-2 score.

Leon Haslam was just behind the leader on the last lap in Race 1 but made a mistake a ran wide, finishing fifth.

Ducati's Carlos Checa had the fastest pace in qualifying on Friday by 0.380 seconds ahead of Jonathan Rea.

Honda Ten Kate's Jonathan Rea was second-fastest on Friday and out-paced the runner-up in the championship series, Leon Haslam.

Kawasaki took its first superpole win since 2007 when Tom Sykes posted a lap of 2’07.341 around the Imola circuit.

Parkalgar Honda's Eugene Laverty collided with Kenan Sofuoglu at Imola late in the race but still managed to finish third.

Honda Ten Kate's Michele Pirro secured the victory in Supersport after Kenan Sofuoglu and Eugene Laverty crashed into each other.

Honda Ten Kate's Jonathan Rea attempted to compete at Imola, but during his warm-up session his injuries proved too great and the Irishman removed himself from the race.

Kenan Sofuoglu's lead in the series has now increased to 16 points ahead of Eugene Laverty.