Portimao (Portugal), Sunday 6 July 2014 – Changeable weather played a big role in the 8th WSBK round’s race day at Portimao’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. This year’s Portuguese races were held in opposite track conditions and saw different podium finishers in the two encounters.
Reigning champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) won a dry Race 1 ahead of Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and teammate Loris Baz, whilst in Race 2 Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) was victorious under wet conditions, with the Ducati Superbike Team duo Davide Giugliano and Chaz Davies completing the top-3.
The main turn of events of the day took place in the second encounter, when Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli collided and crashed on lap 13 following an overtaking attempt by the Frenchman on the Italian rider. Guintoli was able to rejoin the race, eventually finishing in 7th position, whilst Melandri’s charge to the top drew to a close on the run off area of the track.
Sykes, who was 8th at the finish line in Race 2, took advantage by this situation and now leads the title race by 43 points over Guintoli, as the series heads to Laguna Seca for the second back to back round before the summer break.
Read the Race 1 and Race 2 reports.
Tom Sykes: “I had a poor start in race one and it is a long race round here, long enough race to make some corrections. I am happy because we had a good gap then the rain started to come. I didn’t want to do anything stupid and it was very difficult to calculate the levels of grip because in some parts of the circuit it was raining more heavily than in others. Luckily the cloud disappeared with a good amount of laps left, to go so I could take an advantage again. In the wet of race two we had some issues but I cannot be disappointed because we have shown great potential. There was too much for me to lose today. Some other riders made mistakes and so I extended my championship lead.”
Jonathan Rea: “I was really disappointed after race one because we had good pace in warm-up this morning. When I heard the rain coming on my motorhome roof I knew that it was a chance for me. I tried to do my own race from the front in but I the Aprilias had better pace at the middle point of the race. The track had started to dry out a bit and we were really suffering with corner exit but, although the conditions were a great leveller for all riders, it’s nice to take a win. I’d prefer to take it in the dry and we can’t get too excited because it’s a wet win; but we’ll take them any way we can and it’s 25 points not just for me but for the whole team.”
World Supersport
After a titanic race at Portimao Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) has taken the 8th round victory in this year’s World Supersport championship after overcoming immense pressure from Jack Kennedy (CIA Insurance Honda) and former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi India Racing Team) who completed the podium. Misano race winner Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) looked like making it a four rider fight before the Frenchman overshot at turn three before… (read more)
Results: 1. Vd Mark (Honda) 12 Laps/55.104 km in 21’15.438 average 155.534 kph; 2. Kennedy (Honda) 1.649; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1.961; 4. De Rosa (Honda) 8.042; 5. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 8.095; 6. Zanetti (Honda) 8.538; 7. Coghlan (Yamaha) 11.045; 8. Marino (Kawasaki) 11.847; 9. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 12.624; 10. Roccoli (MV Agusta) 15.448; 11. Wilairot (Honda) 17.152; 12. Nocco (Kawasaki) 24.774; 13. Bussolotti (Honda) 24.839; 14. Debise (Honda) 25.022; 15. Menghi (Yamaha) 25.238; etc.
Standings (Round 8 of 12): 1. Vd Mark 160; 2. Cluzel 107; 3. Marino 93; 4. Sofuoglu 83; 5. Zanetti 80; 6. Coghlan 77; 7. Jacobsen 67; 8. De Rosa 67; 9. Rolfo 62; 10. Tamburini 48; 11. Kennedy 43; 12. Wilairot 35; 13. Bussolotti 30; 14. Wahr 26; 15. Russo 25; 16. Gamarino 22; 17. Menghi 20; 18. Nocco 20; 19. Leonov 15; 20. Gowland 9; 21. Roccoli 8; 22. Zaidi 7; 23. Coveña 7; 24. Schmitter 3; 25. Calero 3; 26. Debise 2; 27. Rogers 1. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 181; 2. Kawasaki 135; 3. MV Agusta 121; 4. Yamaha 87; 5. Triumph 9.
Superstock 1000
On a drying Portimao circuit Lorenzo Savadri (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) has taken victory in today’s FIM Superstock 1000cc Cup race after easing way in the final laps from Matthieu Lussiana (Team Garnier by ASPI Kawasaki) who was back on the podium in 2nd and David McFadden (MRS Kawasaki) who overcome the challenge from Kyle Smith (Agro-On WIL Racedays Honda) to take his first ever podium.
Smith was therefore 4th ahead of American Josh Day who was a lonely 5th on the second… (read more)
Results: 1. Savadori (Kawasaki) 14 Laps/64.288 km in 27’44.044 average 139.081 kph; 2. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 2.258; 3. McFadden (Kawasaki) 4.160; 4. Smith (Honda) 5.087; 5. Day (Honda) 16.273; 6. Massei (Ducati) 22.187; 7. D’Annunzio (BMW) 27.214; 8. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 27.858; 9. Mercado (Ducati) 35.118; 10. Nemeth (Kawasaki) 39.348; 11. Valk (Kawasaki) 46.213; 12. Muresan (BMW) 49.169; 13. Sandi (BMW) 1’00.000; 14. Alviz (Kawasaki) 1’10.034; 15. Butti (Kawasaki) 1’10.180; etc.
Standings (Round 5 of 7): 1. Savadori 83; 2. Mercado 79; 3. Lussiana 59; 4. Jezek 58; 5. Massei 54; 6. McFadden 54; 7. Lanusse 45; 8. Valk 44; 9. D’Annunzio 39; 10. Smith 35; 11. Day 32; 12. Nemeth 28; 13. Muresan 15; 14. Bergman 13; 15. Grotzkyj G. 10; 16. Pagaud 10; 17. Suchet 8; 18. Schacht 8; 19. Walraven 6; 20. Calia 4; 21. Castellarin 4; 22. Sandi 3; 23. Alviz 2; 24. Egea 2; 25. Moser 2; 26. Butti 1; 27. Alarcos 1; 28. Ayer 1. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 108; 2. Ducati 100; 3. Honda 51; 4. BMW 40; 5. Suzuki 6; 6. Aprilia 4.
European Junior Cup
Augusto Fernandez (WIL Sport) has once again come out victorious in the Pata European Junior Cup race at Portimao by edging eight rivals at the end of a thrilling, nine-way battle up to the finish line. With only 0.065s separating the top-5 at the chequered flag, Angelo Licciardi (S.E.F.A.B Racing) and Javier Orellana (Europ Food S.L.) claimed the remaining podium positions, whilst Illan Fernandez (Evo Kids Racing) and Jesper Hubner (Honda Sweden) were fourth and fifth, respectively. With two races to go in the season, Fernandez leads with a 27 point advantage on Orellana, who is the only other title contender left.
Results: 1. Fernandez 10 Laps/45.920 km in 20’49.381 average 132.315 kph; 2. Licciardi 0.004; 3. Orellana 0.026; 4. Fernandez 0.054; 5. Hubner 0.065; 6. Perez 0.182; 7. Harland 0.465; 8. Soomer 0.525; 9. Hill 1.143; 10. Wisdom 19.528; 11. Ortt 20.613; 12. Van Sikkelerus 20.819; 13. London 20.856; 14. Ferreira 30.785; 15. Somosi 31.444; 16. Miebach 35.158; 17. Moreno 1’00.683; 18. Epis 1’05.187; EX. Van Schoonhoven.
Standings (Round 6 of 8): 1. Fernandez 129; 2. Orellana 102; 3. Licciardi 64; 4. Fernandez 63; 5. Miralles 62; 6. Hubner 51; 7. Perez 50; 8. Harland 47; 9. Soomer 42; 10. Grassia 35; etc.
