Sepang (Malaysia), Sunday 8 June 2014 –The first ever race at Sepang for the eni FIM Superbike World Championship was a thriller, with Aprilia Racing Team’s Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli locked in a titanic battle for victory until the flag. The race was incident packed from the start as Loris Baz tangled with his Kawasaki racing team mate Tom Sykes, both riders falling and taking with them Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki).

With the incident creating a gap at the front the race, Sylvain Guintoli and Marco Melandri exchanged places at the front with Melandri eventually coming out as the victor and claiming his first win as a factory Aprilia rider. Guintoli was second.

Behind the leading two, a three way fight raged with Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) claiming the final podium spot ahead of Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) who were 4^th and 5^th respectively.

Sixth at the end of the first 16 lap encounter of the day went to Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who recovered from a bad start to get the better of his team mate Leon Haslam.

David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) claimed the EVO honours with a spirited ride to 9^th overall ahead of Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia) who was 10th. Bryan Staring (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki) scored points with 13^th on his first Superbike start of the year.

Race two will begin at 16:30 local time.

Results: 1. Melandri (Aprilia) 16 Laps/88.768 km in 33’42.359 average 158.016 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 0.620; 3. Laverty (Suzuki) 12.865; 4. Davies (Ducati) 15.437; 5. Elias (Aprilia) 15.723; 6. Rea (Honda) 31.304; 7. Haslam (Honda) 34.093; 8. Giugliano (Ducati) 35.804; 9. Salom (Kawasaki) 42.031; 10. Camier (BMW) 49.465; 11. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 53.715; 12. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1’07.783; 13. Staring (Kawasaki) 1’10.746; 14. Toth (BMW) 1’18.143; 15. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1’21.026; 16. Yates (EBR) 1’49.054; RT. Canepa (Ducati); RT. Morais (Kawasaki); RT. Sebestyen (BMW); RT. Corti (MV Agusta); RT. Foret (Kawasaki); RT. Lowes (Suzuki); RT. Baz (Kawasaki); RT. Sykes (Kawasaki); SH. Badovini (Bimota) 55.683; SH. Iddon (Bimota).

World Supersport

After 14 exciting laps, Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) has taken victory in the first ever World Supersport race in Sepang and with it extended his lead in the championship after an enthralling battle in the hottest Supersport race of the year, both on and off the track. After taking the lead at turn one former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki) was put… (read more)

Results: 1. Vd Mark (Honda) 14 Laps/77.672 km in 30’23.854 average 153.312 kph; 2. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 0.018; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 4.526; 4. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 4.651; 5. Zanetti (Honda) 9.187; 6. Wilairot (Honda) 12.494; 7. De Rosa (Honda) 13.515; 8. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 20.400; 9. Zaidi (Honda) 20.579; 10. Bussolotti (Honda) 29.038; 11. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 33.204; 12. Russo (Honda) 39.729; 13. Nocco (Kawasaki) 48.739; 14. Leonov (MV Agusta) 50.260; 15. Coveña (Kawasaki) 1’02.471; etc.

Standings (Round 6 of 12): 1. Vd Mark 115; 2. Cluzel 82; 3. Marino 76; 4. Zanetti 60; 5. Coghlan 60; 6. Sofuoglu 54; 7. De Rosa 54; 8. Rolfo 49; 9. Jacobsen 40; 10. Tamburini 37; 11. Bussolotti 27; 12. Russo 25; 13. Wahr 23; 14. Wilairot 23; 15. Gamarino 21; 16. Menghi 19; 17. Kennedy 19; 18. Leonov 15; 19. Nocco 11; 20. Gowland 9; 21. Zaidi 7; 22. Coveña 7; 23. Schmitter 3; 24. Calero 3; 25. Rogers 1. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 136; 2. Kawasaki 103; 3. MV Agusta 90; 4. Yamaha 70; 5. Triumph 9.

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