Australia's dual world champion Troy Bayliss has pulled off a dream start to his final year in the World Superbike Championship.

Bayliss set himself up for an ideal swansong at next weekend's Australian round at Phillip Island when he seized the series lead after a confident performance at the season-opener in Qatar.

The Ducati veteran won the opening race at Losail before claiming a hard-fought fourth place in race two.

He now heads the championship ahead of Italian Max Biaggi (Ducati), Fonsi Nieto (Suzuki), Ruben Xaus (Ducati) and compatriot Troy Corser (Yamaha).

"It's a very good start to the season for the team, exactly what we needed," Bayliss said.

"In race one I didn't make the greatest start and so it took me a while to make it to the front of the pack.

"The last eight laps were a bit of a battle against Max but I was finally able to get past him and, although I made a couple of small mistakes, I was pretty comfortable and took the win.

"I would have loved to take another podium in race two but it wasn't to be and I come away from this round leading the championship by two points so I can't exactly complain.

"Now I'm ready to move on to Phillip Island where I hope to have another great weekend."

Bayliss had to slice his way through the field in race one after starting from the second row of the grid.

German Max Neukirchner (Suzuki) led for most of the first half before Biaggi, in his first ride on privateer Ducati machinery, eventually seized control.

However, 38-year-old Bayliss engineered a perfect passing move on the final lap to defeat Biaggi by 0.396 seconds, with Corser third.

Xaus passed Neukirchner with three laps to go to complete the distance in fourth.

It was Bayliss's 42nd world Superbike win and his first at the 5.38km Losail circuit.

In race two Corser was the early pacesetter before he lost all grip and faded to finish seventh as Biaggi, Xaus and Nieto vying for the lead, with Bayliss not far behind.

Nieto finally broke the impasse, winning his maiden world Superbike race after switching from Kawasaki to Suzuki in the off-season.

Remarkably, it was Nieto's first win at any level for 15 years, and he also set a new lap record to make it a memorable afternoon for the 29-year-old.

"This is my first race win since Donington in 1993, said Nieto.

AAP