eni FIM Superbike World Championship
Sepang International Circuit, Malaysia
August 2, 2015
Race One Results (All on Pirelli tires):
1. Jonathan REA, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 16 laps, total race time 33:33.964, best lap time 2:04.489
2. Chaz DAVIES, UK (Ducati Panigale R), -0.121 second, 2:04.530
3. Max BIAGGI, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 RF), -10.695 seconds, 2:04.791
4. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Honda CBR1000RR SP), -15.433, 2:05.394
5. Tom SYKES, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -17.983, 2:03.654
6. Alex LOWES, UK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -23.758, 2:05.765
7. Leon HASLAM, UK (Aprilia RSV4 RF), -24.854, 2:04.638
8. Matteo BAIOCCO, Italy (Ducati Panigale R), -28.306, 2:06.081
9. Niccolo CANEPA, Italy (Ducati Panigale R), -31.098, 2:05.987
10. Jordi TORRES, Spain (Aprilia RSV4 RF), -34.105, 2:04.628
11. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -37.107, 2:06.442
12. Randy DE PUNIET, France (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -37.378, 2:06.200, ran off track
13. Leon CAMIER, UK (MV Agusta F4 RR), -39.656, 2:07.335
14. Roman RAMOS, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -43.451, 2:06.860
15. Leandro MERCADO, Argentina (Ducati Panigale R), -48.476, 2:06.218
16. Christophe PONSSON, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -61.166, 2:07.753
17. Gabor RIZMAYER, Hungary (BMW S1000RR), -84.006, 2:09.460
18. Alex PHILLIS, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -91.093, 2:09.240
19. Imre TOTH, Hungary (BMW S1000RR), -122.124, 2:12.540
20. Gianluca VIZZIELLO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -9 laps, 2:08.393, DNF, crash
21. Michael Van Der MARK, Netherlands (Honda CBR1000RR SP), -9 laps, 2:05.467, DNF, retired
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:
Perfect racecraft gives Rea the win in Sepang opener
The series leader edges Davies as Biaggi makes historic return to podium.
Championship leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) won the opening encounter at the Sepang International Circuit after a race of two halves, which saw Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) slip to fifth at the flag after leading for the first eleven laps. The Ulsterman had a race-long battle with Davies that eventually came down at the last turn, when despite running wide the KRT rider was able to get on the gas early to retake the lead before the chequered flag.
Rea’s twelfth race win of the season puts the Briton in a prominent position to clinch the title in Race 2 later on today; he would do so by gaining a further 11-point advantage to Sykes and, at the same time, by finishing ahead of Davies.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) claimed a historic 71st podium finish in third, the Italian extending his own record of being the oldest rider to ever stand on a WorldSBK podium.
Sylvain Guintoli claimed a season best fourth, after his Pata Honda appeared to be kinder to its tyres while Poleman Sykes dropped to fifth after setting a blistering pace that saw him shatter the lap record in the early stages.
Alex Lowes was sixth aboard the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki ahead of Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team), Althea Racing pairing Matteo Baiocco and Niccolo Canepa, and Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team) who dropped from what looked like a safe fourth to tenth in the final few laps.
David Salom (Team Pedercini), Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Roman Ramos (Team Go Eleven) and Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) completed the point scorers. Michael van der Mark retired his Pata Honda after running inside the top ten.
Race 2 will start at 4.30pm local time and run once again over a duration of 16 laps at the 5.543km Sepang International Circuit.