Sepang (Malaysia), Sunday 2 August 2015 – Chaz Davies, riding with the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team, completed two fantastic races at the Sepang International Circuit in Malaysia, reaching the podium in race 1, in second position, before battling with Rea to the line in race 2 to snatch the victory!
Race 1 – from sixth position on the grid Davies got away well, moving into second position through the first corner. By lap nine Rea had closed in on the Welshman, at which point the two riders pushed hard to give chase to Sykes, who had built almost a four second advantage over the pair. Five laps from the end, Chaz passed Sykes to take the lead, followed by Rea. A spectacular battle for victory ensued, and continued all the way to the line, with Davies concluding in second place, just 0.1 of a second behind Rea. A great result for the Aruba Ducati rider, who showed great tenacity on the Malaysian track.
Race 2 – another great start by Chaz put him straight into the lead at the first corner. Lap three saw him set the fastest lap of the race (2’04.707), as he worked hard to gradually build his advantage over Rea, second. Chaz maintained this advantage, of more than 2 seconds, for almost the entire race, having to defend himself from Rea only in the final three laps when his rear tyre lost grip and the Northern Irish rider began to close in, reaching him on the final lap. Despite contact between the pair through the very last corner, it was Davies who crossed the line first, scoring his third win in the last four races, and his fourth win of the 2015 championship.
This means that after ten World Superbike rounds, and having earned 45 points at Sepang, Davies moves into second position in the overall standings, with 308 points, while Ducati continues to lie second in the manufacturer’s standings with 363 points.
Quotes after the races:
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Superbike Team #7) – 2nd, 1st
“Race 1 went really well, especially considering where we were yesterday, when I was thinking we’d do well to finish top six. Anyway, we made some changes overnight that put us in a position to fight for the win, though we were still missing something in the last laps in terms of the grip and electronics working together. Then in race 2 I saw that Johnny was closing in but over the last two laps my tyre really dropped off and it took everything I had to hold him off. It was a battle to the line again, and through the last corner when we made contact I thought it was all over, but fortunately we both stayed upright and I was able to cross the line in front! I’m so pleased about today’s results, obtained at one of the most difficult tracks for us. This shows how much progress we’ve made up until now. I’m also pleased to have moved into second place in the standings, having made up a lot of points over Tom this weekend. Thanks go to my whole team, the guys have done a fantastic job here! Now it’s time to relax, and after a good holiday we’ll get back to work.”
Ernesto Marinelli – Ducati SBK Project Director
“I’m really happy with the results here at Sepang. Last season we had a lot of trouble at this track and to do well was a difficult target. The team has worked very hard, making the most of the evolutions and experience gained over recent months. Chaz topped off the weekend with his skillful riding and incredible temperament, bringing the Panigale home in first place, once again, in race 2. Now we will enjoy a few weeks’ break before getting back to work. These results are undoubtedly a great morale boost and we will be keener than ever on our return.”
