SBK: Jerez raceday roundup – World Superbike & World Supersport
World Superbike
The opening race of the Pirelli Spanish round of this year’s eni FIM Superbike World Championship was won by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), the former champion notching up his 60th WorldSBK career podium finish as team mate Jonathan Rea sealed his first World Title by finishing fourth after an early race fight with rival Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who eventually finished 2nd. Sykes dominated after leading from the start easing away to take his 26th race win
Not wanting to risk a mistake, Rea was overhauled by Michael van der Mark who showed some real speed on his Pata Honda, the Dutchman claiming his 3rd podium of the year ahead of the new World Champion and Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) who was in contention despite a lowly 11th position grid slot.
Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) finished a credible 6th ahead of Voltcom Crescent Suzuki’s Alex Lowes, Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing), Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and the outgoing champ Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) who completed the top ten.
Jordi Torres made life difficult for himself, the Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils rider running off track at the start. Rejoining he ended the opening lap in 18th before eventually finishing 12th 4 seconds adrift of compatriot David Salom (Team Pedercini) who had the accolade of being the best placed Spanish rider.
The final points finishers were Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) and Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia).
Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) was running a strong fourth in the early stages before losing the front of his Ducati Panigale at Turn 6. The Italian, fresh from his first front row start was able to rejoin proceedings – he eventually finished 17th.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) went one better than in race 1 to win the second race of the day at a very hot and sunny Jerez Circuit in Spain.
Unlike the opening encounter, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was unable to break away after taking the holeshot for the second time. Despite stretching his advantage in the early stages, the Race 1 winner was passed with ten laps to go by Davies, who went on to grab his ninth win of his career, the fifth of 2015 and the fourth in the last six races.
The race pace was slower this afternoon, as expected because of the increase in track temperature, with Davies pulling away in the second half of the race to win by 1.840s from Jordi Torres, who made amends for his race 1 and edged his Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils team mate Leon Haslam at the line.
Fresh from winning the 2015 Superbike World Championship title in race 1, Jonathan Rea took another fourth position aboard his Kawasaki ahead of Sykes, who seemed rider one who suffered the most in the hotter conditions.
The top 6 was completed by Matteo Baiocco (Althea Racing Ducati) ahead of Michele Pirro (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team), who had another solid race to finish seventh.
8th to 10th positions were taken by Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World SBK Team), who had his 150th WorldSBK race start, and Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing).
Niccolò Canepa finished eleventh after starting on the front row aboard his Althea Racing Ducati with David Salom (Team Pedercini) in twelth place.
Michael van der Mark crashed his Pata Honda out of the podium fight with five laps to go. The Dutchman was however once again in contention until he lost the front at Turn 9. He rejoined to salvage three points with 13th at the flag.
14th was Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia), with the final point taken by the youngest competitor Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini Kawasaki). Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) was given a ride through penalty after pulling into the pit lane after a lap, a disappointing end to his weekend after a strong showing in Race 1. By finishing 4th and 5th in Race 2, Rea and Sykes give Kawasaki its first Manufacturer Title.
World Supersport
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) moved one step closer to his fourth World Supersport title after controlling today’s 19 lap race at Jerez. Starting from Pole Position, the Turkish rider made a perfect start and kept the lead up to the chequered flag, eventually winning the 32nd WSS race of his career by 1.037s.
The final places on the podium were taken by PJ Jacobsen (CORE Motorsport Thailand) and Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) the pair lapping consistently but unable to challenge Sofuoglu today.
After a steady start Kyle Smith (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) finished fourth ahead of WSS debutant Nico Terol (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Terol was drafted after the unfortunate crash on Friday that curtailed Jules Cluzel’s title ambitions. The rider who began the season in WorldSBK looked strong on his supersport debut, moving into the top 8 from the start, eventually finishing a very credible 5th after some elbow to elbow moves with Smith saw him lapping almost as fast as the leaders.
Seventh to tenth positions were taken by Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25), Christian Gamarino (Team Go Eleven), Kevin Wahr (SMS Honda), and Roberto Rolfo (Team Lorini), while the final point scoring positions were taken by Dominic Schmitter (Team Go Eleven), Marcos Ramirez (Team Lorini), Aiden Wagner (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) and Martin Cardenas (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) and Janos Chrobak (Schmidt Racing).
Lucas Mahias (MG Competition) was back in action but the Frenchman’s race lasted a lap before he retired with a technical problem he had been in the leading group. Gino Rea (CIA Landlords Insurance Honda) crashed out of the top ten as the race approached half distance as did Vladimir Leonov (DMC Racing). Both were unhurt.
The next round of the championship takes place at the Magny-Cours circuit in France in a fortnight.
Source: WorldSBK