Alcaniz (Spain), Sunday 14 April 2013 – Eni FIM Superbike World Championship says goodbye to 2013 Round 2 at MotorLand Aragon after a thrilling and exciting race day. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team) has proven testing to be done in the right direction by scoring his maiden double win in the series (the second one for BMW). Davies lies now 2nd in the standings behind Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), 2nd in both races, and ahead of the other factory Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty. The unlucky Irish rider never made it to the chequered flag today, first due a technical problem in race 1 and then because of a crash on the opening lap of race 2.
A 3rd place each for Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) and pole-sitter Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) did not fully satisfy the two 2012 title contenders. A technical issue on his ZX-10R put an early end to the Brit’s tough battle at the front, but in race 2 Sykes was able to keep a competitive Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia) behind for the final place on the rostrum.
Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) decided to pay a visit to his WSBK peers and to sign autographs during the pit-walk, after the successful left knee operation he underwent Friday night: a nice surprise for the fans who attended the round – who reached a total of 26.910 over the three days.
Race 1
The MotorLand Aragon circuit proves again to be a special place for Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet), World Superbike Race 1 winner. It was a perfect race for the Welsh rider – who got his maiden podium in the series last year on this very track – out on his own after two potential winners were forced back to the pits.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) experienced technical problems – while they were on the lead – during lap 4 and 5 respectively and had to make their way back to the their garages. Aprilia works rider went back on track later on to test his RSV4 after the work done by his crew.
The positive note for Noale’s manufacturer comes from 2nd place and new Championship Leader (after Race 1) Sylvain Guintoli. BMW chances for a one-two were denied by a false neutral experienced by Marco Melandri, who then had to make his way through from 5th to 3rd at the chequered flag.
An unfortunate technical problem on the last lap stopped Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia) from finishing in 4th place. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) crossed the line in 7th place behind Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike), Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Jules Cluzel (FIXI Crescent Suzuki).
Race 1 results: 1. Davies (BMW) 20 laps/106.880 km in 39’50.332 average 160.968 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 5.216; 3. Melandri (BMW) 7.089; 4. Rea (Honda) 8.196; 5. Baz (Kawasaki) 14.417; 6. Cluzel (Suzuki) 18.332; 7. Checa (Ducati) 24.306; 8. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 25.884; 9. Haslam (Honda) 35.721; 10. Badovini (Ducati) 44.129; 11. Neukirchner (Ducati) 51.424; 12. Sandi (Kawasaki) 1’09.217; 13. Clementi (BMW) 1’14.091; 14. Iannuzzo (BMW) 1’48.328; NC. Laverty (Aprilia); RT. Giugliano (Aprilia); RT. Lundh (Kawasaki); RT. Aitchison (Ducati); RT. Sykes (Kawasaki).
Race 2
A Sunday to remember for Chaz Davies, who repeated first race success and got a double race win at Aragon. The BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team rider was unstoppable under MotorLand Aragon heat and crossed the finish line with a big margin over Sylvain Guintoli, still Championship leader after race 2.
Chaz Davies: “For me it is just an amazing day. I cannot explain how happy I am. My first victory with BMW and then the double win – this is something I was hoping to achieve this year but I did not expect it this early. In race one, the DNFs by Tom and Eugene definitely made it easier. In race two it seemed that I had a comfortable lead, but I had to push a lot. One of the most impressing things is the fact that we have done a lot of testing in Jerez but not here in Aragon. What a weekend!”
A race day to forget for second works Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty, who lost the front of his RSV4 on the opening lap of the race at Turn 2, straight after getting the hole-shot ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team): 2012 WSBK runner-up was 3rd at the chequered flag after pulling away from a tenacious Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia).
Tom Sykes: “Scoring a podium in race two was not a perfect way to end race weekend but it was certainly an acceptable way. It would have been good to finish race one as well just so that I could have collected a bit more information to take into race two, but I am not making excuses – the riders ahead of me in race two rode fantastically well. We are now moving onto circuits where we are a little bit stronger than here. I am also riding uninjured now and Kawasaki has been working really hard so let’s see what Assen can bring next time out.”
Fifth place for Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet), not as competitive as in race 1 but still able to finish ahead of Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Jules Cluzel (FIXI Crescent Suzuki). Both French riders had an outstanding Race 2, as Baz and Cluzel moved off from the pit lane. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare), on his home track, finished in 8th place the second race of the day.
Race 2 results: 1. Davies (BMW) 19 laps/101.536 km in 37’52.691 average 160.836 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 5.035; 3. Sykes (Kawasaki) 7.677; 4. Giugliano (Aprilia) 12.549; 5. Melandri (BMW) 19.766; 6. Baz (Kawasaki) 23.855; 7. Cluzel (Suzuki) 26.926; 8. Checa (Ducati) 31.593; 9. Haslam (Honda) 35.308; 10. Badovini (Ducati) 44.497; 11. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 53.071; 12. Neukirchner (Ducati) 55.223; 13. Lundh (Kawasaki) 1’32.995; 14. Clementi (BMW) 1’41.979; 15. Rea (Honda) 1 Lap; RT. Sandi (Kawasaki); RT. Iannuzzo (BMW); RT. Laverty (Aprilia); NS. Aitchison (Ducati).
Standings (round 2 of 15): 1. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia) 85; 2. Chaz Davies (BMW) 63; 3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) 45; 4. Marco Melandri (BMW) 43; 5. Michel Fabrizio (Aprilia) 42; 6. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 38; 7. Jules Cluzel (Suzuki) 33; 8. Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 31; 9. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 30; 10. Leon Haslam (Honda) 29; 11. Davide Giugliano (Aprilia) 23; 12. Max Neukirchner (Ducati) 20; 13. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 17; 14. Leon Camier (Suzuki) 14; 15. Ayrton Badovini (Ducati) 12; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 90; 2. BMW 79; 3. Kawasaki 49; 4. Honda 37; 5. Suzuki 35; 6. Ducati 28.
World Supersport – Foret wins unpredictable WSS Aragon race
Mahi Racing Team India gets its 2nd win of the season today at Aragon, this time courtesy of Fabien Foret, who crossed the line on his own in first place, following the gear shift problem on Sam Lowes’ Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha that forced the Brit to a frustrating retirement on the last lap. Thanks to his 16th race win of the career, the 2002 WSS Champion becomes the new leader in the standings.
An almost countless number of crashes, technical issues and unforeseeable happenings characterised today’s Supersport close race, starting from the braking issue that put an early end to Reigning Champion Kenan Sofuoglu attempt for a repeat performance. Scot Kev Coghlan (DMC Lorenzini Racing Team) had a shot at the lead during the race, but at crash at Turn 7 prevented him from maintaining the first position.
Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport) gets another podium finish in his rookie season, a 2nd place this time ahead of Italy’s Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres), Andrea Antonelli (Team Goeleven Kawasaki), Riccardo Russo (Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) and team mate Lorenzo Zanetti.
Race results: 1. Foret (Kawasaki) 18 Laps/96.192 km in 37’10.286 average 155.268 kph; 2. Vd Mark (Honda) 6.595; 3. Scassa (Kawasaki) 9.909; 4. Antonelli (Kawasaki) 10.110; 5. Russo (Kawasaki) 11.950; 6. Zanetti (Honda) 12.658; 7. Kennedy (Honda) 16.105; 8. Leonov (Yamaha) 16.800; 9. Rolfo (MV Agusta) 26.034; 10. Marconi (Honda) 29.106; 11. Baldolini (Honda) 29.296; 12. Roccoli (Yamaha) 29.336; 13. Coghlan (Kawasaki) 45.557; 14. Menghi (Yamaha) 47.652; 15. Tamburini (Suzuki) 55.948; etc
Standings (Round 2 of 14): 1. Foret 38; 2. Vd Mark 36; 3. Scassa 26; 4. Sofuoglu 25; 5. Antonelli 22; 6. Lowes 20; 7. Zanetti 18; 8. Kennedy 15; 9. Russo 11; 10. Salom; 11. Roccoli 11; 12. Marconi 10; 13. Leonov 8; 14. Rolfo 7; 15. Baldolini 6; Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 50; 2. Honda 36; 3. Yamaha 28; 4. MV Agusta 7; 5. Suzuki 4.
Superstock 1000
Sylvain Barrier concludes the first battle of his FIM Superstock 1000 Cup Title defence campaign in the best way by winning the 12-lap race at Alcaniz MotorLand Aragon. The BMW Motorrad GoldBet rider, after he got the lead from Niccolò Canepa (Barni Racing Ducati) on lap 3 at Turn 16, down the long straight, rode comfortably and kept a pace quick enough not to let the former WSBK rider close the gap.
Barrier’s 6th win in the series completes the perfect weekend for the French youngster, who has proved once again to be the man to beat in 2013, following yesterday’s pole position. The STK1000 comeback for Niccolò Canepa proved to be a successful one: the experienced rider from Genova led the early part of the race and tried not to lose contact with Barrier, but the lack of horsepower on the straight didn’t help his mission.
Argentinian Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini Kawasaki), back for a full Superstock 1000 with some great confidence shown on track by finishing 3rd and getting the maiden rostrum finish in the series.
Race results: 1. Barrier (BMW) 12 Laps/64.128 km in 24’22.239 average 157.882 kph; 2. Canepa (Ducati) 3.255; 3. Mercado (Kawasaki) 5.852; 4. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 10.437; 5. La Marra (Ducati) 10.477; 6. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 21.436; 7. Jezek (Ducati) 27.271; 8. Bussolotti (BMW) 30.099; 9. Ferrer (BMW) 30.488; 10. Gildenhuys (BMW) 31.586; 11. McFadden (Honda) 36.124; 12. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 39.829; 13. Dittadi (Kawasaki) 40.204; 14. Ponsson (Kawasaki) 43.572; 15. Ockelfelt (Suzuki) 55.039; etc.
Standings (Round 1 of 10): 1. Barrier 25; 2. Canepa 20; 3. Mercado 16; 4. Guarnoni 13; 5. La Marra 11; 6. Lanusse 10; 7. Jezek 9; 8. Bussolotti 8; 9. Ferrer 7; 10. Gildenhuys 6; 11. McFadden 5; 12. Andreozzi 4; 13. Dittadi 3; 14. Ponsson 2; 15. Ockelfelt 1.Manufacturers: 1. BMW 25; 2. Ducati 20; 3. Kawasaki 16; 4. Honda 5; 5. Suzuki 1.
European Junior Cup
The opening round of the Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda was, as expected, a close and exciting race. With a leading group of eleven riders locked together throughout, nobody could predict the final outcome. The race was eventually won by Kiwi Jake Lewis (Jake Lewis Racing), who stole the victory by 0.003s from Spanish wildcard rider Albert Arenas, who had taken pole position yesterday. The final podium position went to Italian rider Michael Canducci (Colors Experience).
Sabrina Paiuta (LS2 Helmets Racing Team) from Brazil was once again the fastest of the female competitors, at one point making the fastest lap of the race, before eventually finishing in 13th position. The next round of the series will take place at Assen, The Netherlands, in two weeks time.
Race results: 1. Lewis (Honda) 8 Laps/42.752 km in 19’45.835 average 129.788 kph; 2. Arenas (Honda) 0.003; 3. Canducci (Honda) 0.143; 4. Raymond (Honda) 0.494; 5. Fernandez (Honda) 0.598; 6. Levy (Honda) 0.754; 7. Rusmiputro (Honda) 1.539; 8. Sebestyen (Honda) 3.756; 9. Manfredi (Honda) 3.847; 10. Mykhalchyk (Honda) 4.975; 11. Anne (Honda) 5.225; 12. Aranda (Honda) 5.338; 13. Paiuta (Honda) 8.357; 14. Orellana (Honda) 15.299; 15. Garofoli (Honda) 15.350.
Standings (Round 1 of 8): 1. Lewis 25; 2. Arenas 20; 3. Canducci 16; 4. Raymond 13; 5. Fernandez 11; 6. Levy 10; 7. Rusmiputro 9; 8. Sebestyen 8; 9. Manfredi 7; 10. Mykhalchyk 6; 11. Anne 5; 12. Aranda 4; 13. Paiuta 3; 14. Orellana 2; 15. Garofoli 1
