Lap Record tumble as the Briton dominates. Rea and Davies to complete the podium.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made it two wins from two starts as he dominated WorldSBK race 2 at Donington Park to equal Carl Fogarty’s six race wins record in the series. The former champion, who has now won every race at the 2.5 mile circuit for the last three years, made it a clean sweep, adding the fastest lap in race 2 to the Tissot-Superpole that he secured yesterday, to win by over 9 seconds. Today’s double is the first for Sykes after almost eleven months, the last one dating back to Misano 2014.
Series leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) saved what could have been a huge crash as rounded Coppice Corner on lap 2, the championship leader lucky not to fall. He regrouped with some great overtaking moves to salvage second ahead of Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who finished third for the second time today. This is the first race day of the year with Rea off the top-step of the rostrum in both encounters.
Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team) was fifth after being passed by Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) on the penultimate lap. The British rider overcame the pain and discomfort of cracked ribs to finish fourth. Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) claimed another strong sixth place finish after running third in the early stages.
The top ten riders were rounded out by Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who battled race long, as they had in the opening encounter. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) was in the top ten again in ninth with Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati) tenth.
Roman Ramos (Team GO Eleven Kawasaki), David Salom (Team Pedercini Kawasaki), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing Ducati), Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Santiago Barragan (Grillini SBK Team Kawasaki) were 11th to 15th respectively.
Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed out of sixth at the Esses on lap 4, while Nico Terol (Althea Racing) and Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) were taken to the Medical Centre after falling off their respective machines halfway through the race. Reigning World Supersport Champion Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike) had to pull out of the encounter due to technical issues.
WorldSBK Donington Park – Race 2
1 – Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team
2 – Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team +9.772
3 – Chaz Davies Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team +12.304
Standings (6 of 13 rounds completed)
1 – Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team – 280
2 – Leon Haslam Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils – 179
3 – Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team – 178
For full results, click here
