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To paraphrase a little bit, Troy Bayliss is absolutely, positively, for reals this time, never going to race in World Superbikes again, or so said the 45-year-old Australian after he completed the second WSBK race in Thailand on Sunday.

Bayliss has been filling in for the injured Davide Giugliano on the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike factory squad, but it seems the three-time WSBK champion will call it quits here in Thailand.

The announcement also effectively squashes rumors that Bayliss would do a couple more races with Ducati, as Giugliano is pegged to be absent for two more rounds.

On a hot, sweltering, hazy day in Buriram, race day began and ended in green — Irishman Johnny Rea on his Kawasaki had a belated St. Patrick’s Day celebration, absolutely dominating the field in almost every session.

The design of the new Chang International Circuit allows for several places to get shots of fast-sweepers, particularly in the second half of the lap – with a thoughtfully constructed concrete path for media scooters to quickly cover the track capturing the race.

However, the relative absence of texture – apart from lots of concrete and track markings – means the possibilities for creating classic images of riders at iconic corners are harder to come by.

Perhaps the most moving moment was when local boy, Ratthapark “Film” Wilairot won the World Supersport race. Parc ferme was a delightful chaos of emotion, with Film’s young son finding his way into his father’s arms. I Hope you enjoy this selection from race day.

The first ever round of the World Superbikes Championship in Thailand is underway this weekend. Here are a collection of images from the action on Saturday. — the combination of heat and dampness created for some interesting shimmers for the photographers.

As you will see, a rainy morning practice got the riders rather thoughtful. Phillip Island pole-sitter, Jonathan Rea, seemed to begin where he left off in Australia. In Superpole 2, he had five laps out of seven, any one of which could have got him into the Top Five. No wonder, he seemed all smiles afterward. Enjoy the photos!