Race One in Assen ended in a bittersweet way for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. While Chaz Davies took second place after a long, thrilling battle with championship leader Rea, Davide Giugliano retired.
Starting from third and sixth position respectively after lapping in dry conditions for the first time in Superpole, both Giugliano and Davies were quick off the blocks, joining the front just behind the factory Kawasakis. Davies then rapidly climbed the rankings, posting the fastest lap with a 1:36.486 in lap 2 and taking the lead shortly after. Giugliano, on the other hand, did not find an optimal feeling, progressively losing ground and eventually opting for a pit-stop, only to retire with five laps to go.
Davies, who was leading until four laps to go, was hindered by front-tyre wear and could not try a decisive maneuver during the last lap. Thanks to his fifth podium finish in 2016, the Welshman consolidated his second position in the general standings (125 points), where Giugliano currently sits in seventh position (56 points). Race 2 is scheduled for 13:00 CET.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #7) – 2nd
“Today the track didn’t have much rubber on it because of the rain and, while we were clearly competitive, we had to deal with front-tyre consumption even without pushing too hard during the race. I tried to set the pace and stay clear of the fight going on behind me, but the wind made things more complicated. It was easier to follow than to lead, and I realized that only in the last laps. I gave everything to take the win, but in turn 1 during the last lap I almost lost the front and then I couldn’t try another pass. We’ll have another go at it tomorrow.”
Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #34) – DNF
“It’s hard to describe today’s race. This morning in FP3 we were fastest in the wet, but even in dry conditions during Superpole we were quite competitive and took a first row that could have been decisive for the race. Unfortunately, I struggled since the early laps and opted to pit-in, but even after changing tyres things didn’t get better. I’m disappointed, but I’ll analyze the data together with my crew to fully understand our issues and take advantage of our true potential tomorrow.”
Ernesto Marinelli – Superbike Project Director
“Chaz had a fantastic race, he tried to win until the very end, but when he realized the risks were too many he showed great clarity and settled for a second place that could be crucial in the long term. Anyway, we confirmed the value of the latest technical upgrades brought for the Panigale R and tomorrow we’ll try to seal the deal and do one better. I’m very sorry for Davide’s race, and I’m confident tomorrow will be a better day.”
Weekend schedule (CET):
Sunday
09:25 – 09:40 SBK Warm-up
13:00 SBK Race 2
