World Superbike

Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea found redemption in Race 2 on Sunday at the Lausitzring in a dominant performance, seeing him win by a 9.3 second margin ahead of newcomers to the WordSBK podium IodaRacing Team’s Alex De Angelis and Barni Racing Team’s Xavi Fores.

Rain began to fall during the German National Anthem as riders were lined up on the grid, delaying the start of the race twice as the rain gradually came down heavier after every warm up lap attempt. Kawasaki Racing Team’s Tom Sykes got the holeshot and lead into the first corner ahead of Race 1 winner Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Sykes’ teammate Jonathan Rea. Sykes ran wide allowing Rea to take advantage and shoot ahead. Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team) got off to a bad start with a wheelie off the line before he got caught up in the first corner and dropped back to P17.

Sykes was the first victim of the weather and crashed out before the end of the first lap, leaving Rea to extend his lead ahead of both the rest of the field and in the overall standings. Sykes later rejoined and was able to salvage four points, finishing in P12. IodaRacing’s Lorenzo Savadori, and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Davide Giugliano, closely followed by MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Leon Camier and De Angelis all had good pace in the wet and were all hunting down Davies. Giugliano charged ahead into second before a highside saw his chances of a podium finish disappear on lap five, one lap after Savadori crashed out after setting the fastest lap time.

Even though Sykes was out of podium contention, the reigning World Champion continued to charge ahead to secure the important 25 points to add to his title defence campaign. Leon Camier put in another incredible ride into the top four for MV Agusta Reparto Corse, trying to catch Fores for P3 before crossing the line just off the podium and equalling his best result of the year once again. Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Sylvain Guintoli showed he’s back in form after battling with Chaz Davies to finish ahead of him in fifth.

Milwaukee BMW rider Josh Brookes showed his wet weather quality by finishing the treacherous race in seventh. After sliding out of the race in the closing laps, Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark rejoined in an impressive push to the line on his battered Fireblade in eighth, ahead of Roman Ramos (Team GOELEVEN) in ninth and his teammate Nicky Hayden finishing in tenth.

VFT Racing’s Luca Scassa overcame the slippery conditions to finish in P11, while Grillini Racing Teams’ Gianluca Vizziello finished in P13. Team Toth’s Pawel Szkopek looked hopeful moving into the top ten before a minor crash relegated him to P14 ahead of Milwaukee BMW’s Karel Abraham who picked up one point in P15.

Pedercini Racing’s Anthony West, Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Alex Lowes, both Althea BMW riders Jordi Torres and Markus Reiterberger, Saeed Al Sulaiti (Pedercini Racing Team) and Dominic Schmitter (Grillini Racing Team) were all wet weather casualties, not finishing the race.

Quotes from the top three Riders in Race 2:

Rea:
“I’m so happy. Our backs were against the wall yesterday with what happened. We came out fighting today. There was no other option. I really want to thank all my mechanics because they turned the bike around after yesterday’s crash. They gave me pretty much a new bike. This is for the whole team because we are really working hard for our goal. It seems like we gave some food to our rivals but it was time to take back the result today which I really wanted. It was so difficult in the wet conditions but I had a really good feeling with the bike.”

De Angelis:
“Of course to be on the podium is something amazing. Especially for me because it is my first one in this championship and also because I’m coming back from a very bad accident last year in Japan. It was really a long winter, doing a lot of rehabilitation. I am still not good but it was a really nice race and I’m very happy and I never gave up.”

Fores:
“I’m really happy with this as it’s my first podium in WorldSBK, especially because during the weekend we have had a lot of problems in dry conditions with trying to find a good set-up for the bike. I was looking forward to a wet race all through the weekend because I felt good on the bike. So I want to enjoy this result with my team. I want to say a special thanks to Barni (Team Principal Marco Barnabò) as he came back from yesterday as his father passed away, so this result is for him.”

Jonathan Rea will now take his Championship defense to Round 11 of the FIM MOTUL World Superbike Championship at Magny-Cours in two weeks time.

 

World Supersport

Reigning World Champion Kawasaki Puccetti Racing’s Kenan Sofuoglu won the WorldSSP race at the Pirelli German Round in typical style, 1.7 seconds ahead of his nearest rival, the impressive Finnish rookie Niki Tuuli from Kallio Motorsport. Finishing comfortably in third was MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Jules Cluzel.

Sofuoglu showed his Supersport prowess once again by taking the holeshot and leading into the first corner ahead of Niki Tuuli and Jules Cluzel. However, it was the Finnish wildcard Tuuli who was the man to give Sofuoglu a run for his money by stealing his lead before the end of the first lap and commanding the next lap. Before long, Sofuoglu came back to form and showed Tuuli who was boss, by retaking the lead and pulling away to make a comfortable gap. Cluzel battled early with Swede Christoffer Bergman (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) before breaking away from him for third.

Championship contender Kawasaki Puccetti Racing’s Randy Krummenacher had a difficult start, falling back some places heading into the first corner. Once he got up to speed, he began to work his way back up the field and before long, caught up to Bergman, who had fallen behind and headed the group fighting for fourth position.

Birthday boy Gino Rea (GRT Racing) looked strong in the early stages of the race but was forced to retire on lap 8 as a result of technical problems. FIM Europe Supersport Cup rider Alessandro Zaccone (San Carlo Team Italia) was the first rider out after highsiding on turn 8 in the opening lap, before Stefan Hill (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) ran off a few laps later, luckily able to rejoin, before Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing) retired before the end of the race.

In the final laps it was BARDAHL Evan Bros. Honda Racing’s Federico Caricasulo and Honda World Supersport Racing Team rider PJ Jacobsen who took the fight to Krummenacher, who fought hard to hold them off, but Krummenacher couldn’t match their pace in the last lap and finally finished in sixth. Jacobsen came home in fourth ahead of Caricasulo in fifth. Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) finished the race in seventh ahead of Bergman who fell back to ninth, with Kyle Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) locking out the top 10.

Profile Racing’s Luke Stapleford put in a solid performance finishing in P11 ahead of Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25) in P12. GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini’s Ayrton Badovini came home in P13, ahead of ESS riders Ilya Mikhalchik (DS Junior Team) in P14 and Axel Bassani (San Carlo Team Italia) taking a point in P15.

Quotes from the top three riders:

Sofuoglu:
“Honestly I didn’t expect it to be like this. When I looked at qualifying and at warm up this morning I was thinking if I can ride 1’41.5 I can pull a gap to everybody. But I was surprised that Tuuli was so strong because I kept riding low 1’41 laps and he didn’t give up. When we were in the last five laps I was thinking maybe I have to give up the fight because for the championship I need to be careful. Then I thought this is a good chance, if I win this it will help me to get the title at Magny Cours, so that’s why I didn’t give up. I’m very happy with what I did this weekend, it’s 25 points and it is very important for my fifth title.”

Tuuli:
“I really didn’t expect it but I had a very good feeling with the bike. I had a good feeling behind Kenan and I just did what I had to do. At the end of the race I was just aiming for the podium and Kenan is so fast. He doesn’t make mistakes. I just wanted to get onto the podium and I did it.”

Cluzel:
“I’m happy because we have come from a long way back in the last races. At this race we have improved, with some new parts. We improved from this morning and we found something. Yesterday we worked until midnight and we really tried hard, so we deserve it. I’m happy because this is a step forward. There was one turn where I was losing a lot and I came back in the other places. We were strong but we just have to understand why that one turn was really critical. Anyway, it was a really good race, we have 16 points and I’m happy, so it’s good.”

WorldSSP will be back on track in two weeks time at Magny–Cours in France for the next Round.

 

Source: WorldSBK