Race 1 of the 2017 WorldSBK Championship at Misano Adriatico (Italy) did not yield the expected results for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team. After a long and exciting battle for the win, both Melandri and Davies crashed out during the last lap at turn 4 and 14 respectively.
Melandri rejoined the race to finish in 15th position. Davies, who was hit by a blameless Rea, following closely behind, got up but couldn’t finish the race and was taken to the medical center instead. He was diagnosed with a closed thoracic trauma, and was then transported by ambulance to Rimini to undergo a CAT scan, which showed a fracture of the transverse process of L3 (3rd lumbar vertebra). Further examinations also indicate a contusion of the left thumb. Davies will not take part in Race 2 and will observe a period of rest before being re-examined ahead of the Laguna Seca round.
The Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team will resume action at 09:30 (CET) on Sunday for a 15-minutes warm-up session ahead of Race 2, which is scheduled to start at 13:00 local time.
Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #33) – 15th
“This morning I had a great feeling on the bike, but track conditions changed with the heat and I didn’t have the same confidence during the race. When Rea passed me in the final phases, we lost about half a second from the lead. In the last lap, I wanted to stay as close as possible to the front because I thought the fight between Rea and Davies could open up a window of opportunity, but as soon as I let off the brake at turn 4 I lost the front. Unfortunately, we struggled with grip throughout the race. In retrospect, it would have been better not to push so hard, but overall I’m still satisfied because in the past two rounds we struggled a lot, while the competitiveness shown on this track gives me confidence.”
Ernesto Marinelli, Superbike Project Director
“The end of today’s race leaves a bitter taste in our mouth. Chaz and Marco rode a memorable race, both showing they could win, but they crashed out during the last lap. Marco will have another go at it tomorrow, while we’re deeply saddened by what happened to Chaz. He will now observe a rest period, but he has a strong character and I’m sure he’ll tackle it with the same mettle he’s racing with.”
