eni FIM Superbike World Championship Silverstone Circuit, England August 4, 2013 Race Two Results (started dry with rain increasing toward end, all on Pirelli tires): 1. Loris BAZ, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 16 laps, 33:46.622 2. Jules CLUZEL, France (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -0.609 second 3. Eugene LAVERTY, Ireland (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -0.869 4. Jonathan REA, UK (Honda CBR1000RR), -2.145 seconds 5. Leon CAMIER, UK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -2.229 6. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -2.374 7. Tom SYKES, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -5.791 8. Ayrton BADOVINI, Italy (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), -20.126 9. Marco MELANDRI, Italy (BMW S1000RR), -20.209, ran off track 10. Carlos CHECA, Spain (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), -20.629 11. Michel FABRIZIO, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -20.769 12. Max NEUKIRCHNER, Germany (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), -21.407 13. Federico SANDI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -45.015 14. Mark AITCHISON, Australia (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -45.938 15. Davide GIUGLIANO, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -46.036 16. Vittorio IANNUZZO, Italy (BMW S1000RR), -82.207 17. Leon HASLAM, UK (Honda CBR1000RR), DNF, crash 18. Chaz DAVIES, UK (BMW S1000RR), -2 laps, DNF, mechanical World Championship Point Standings (after 17 of 29 races): 1. Guintoli, 262 points 2. Sykes, 249 3. Laverty, 226 4. Melandri, 221 5. TIE, Davies/Baz, 180 7. Rea, 176 8. Fabrizio, 138 9. Camier, 114 10. Cluzel, 113 11. Giugliano, 100 12. Badovini, 91 13. Neukirchner, 77 14. Checa, 68 15. Haslam, 51 16. Sandi, 36 17. Clementi, 18 18. Iannuzzo, 15 19. Niccolo Canepa, 11 20. Alexander Lundh, 10 More, from a press release issued by SBK Press Office: Baz takes epic Race 2 win at Silverstone Silverstone (Great Britain), Sunday 4 August 2013 – Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) won an epic World Superbike Race 2 at Silverstone. The Frenchman was leading during the final lap when the red flag was waved, as the rain suddenly increased and two riders fell off at Stowe corner. One of the two involved was Jules Cluzel: the FIXI Crescent Suzuki rider managed to rejoin and make it back to the pits, sealing a fantastic maiden podium finish as the results reverted back to the previous lap, when he was running second. Baz, on the other hand, was able to shine again on the English track, that saw him getting his first ever WSBK win one year ago (Race 1). Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) ended in third place, ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) and Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki), who had his shot at the lead before losing several positions, during the incredible 7-way battle that characterised the second part of the race. Sixth place Sylvain Guintoli (Apriila Racing Team), thanks to a sixth place finish ahead of Championship contender Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) keeps the lead in the standings with a 13 point gap over the Brit. Potential podium finisher Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) had to retire from the race due to a technical problem on Lap 15, when he was in the mix up front. Race 2 results: 1. Baz (Kawasaki) 16 Laps/94.432 km in 33’46.622 average 167.745 kph; 2. Cluzel (Suzuki) 0.609; 3. Laverty (Aprilia) 0.869; 4. Rea (Honda) 2.145; 5. Camier (Suzuki) 2.229; 6. Guintoli (Aprilia) 2.374; 7. Sykes (Kawasaki) 5.791; 8. Badovini (Ducati) 20.126; 9. Melandri (BMW) 20.209; 10. Checa (Ducati) 20.629; 11. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 20.769; 12. Neukirchner (Ducati) 21.407; 13. Sandi (Kawasaki) 45.015; 14. Aitchison (Kawasaki) 45.938; 15. Giugliano (Aprilia) 46.036; 16. Iannuzzo (BMW) 1’22.207; RT. Haslam (Honda) 19.944; RT. Davies (BMW). Standings – provisional (round 9 of 15)*: 1. Guintoli 262; 2. Sykes 249; 3. Laverty 226; 4. Melandri 221; 5. Davies 180; 6. Baz 180; 7. Rea 176; 8. Fabrizio 138; 9. Camier 114; 10. Cluzel 113; 11. Giugliano 100; 12. Badovini 91; 13. Neukirchner 77; 14. Checa 68; 15. Haslam 51; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 336; 2. Kawasaki 303; 3. BMW 276; 4. Honda 189; 5. Suzuki 165; 6. Ducati 128. * Possible updated results could be defined by the International Disciplinary Court which is dealing with the appeal lodged by Aprilia Racing Team and rider Sylvain Guintoli, following the decision taken by the FIM Stewards in Monza (Italian Round, last 12 May) to cancel the drop of position sanction (from third to fourth place in race 2) imposed by the Race Direction on rider Tom Sykes More, from a press release issued by Althea Racing: Two difficult races for Giugliano at Silverstone The ninth round of the World Superbike championship took place today at the Silverstone circuit. Davide Giugliano, still suffering pain in his right foot after yesterday’s crash during Superpole, lined up on the third row of today’s grid in ninth position. There were grey and cloudy skies this morning at the Silverstone circuit. Just prior to the start of the race it started to rain and race direction decided to delay the start and allow riders to make two sighting laps in order to evaluate conditions and decide what tyres to use. As a result the race was reduced by a lap, from 18 to 17. Giugliano’s race lasted only one lap however. During the course of the opening lap he was unable to get the bike in gear and when he did eventually succeed, the chain had suffered damage as a result. Davide was forced to return to the garage where his technicians repaired the bike, allowing him to rejoin. With the race already compromised by this point, Giugliano only completed a few laps just to check that the bike was in fact ready for the second race. In race two Giugliano did not make the fastest start and was lapping in around twelfth place in the initial stages. Unfortunately, instead of making up lost ground Davide continued to fall back and was unable to find a pace that would allow him to catch those ahead of him. Lapping with fairly high lap times compared to what he had done in qualifying, Giugliano concluded the race in sixteenth position, which became fifteenth when Haslam was unable to finish due to a crash on the penultimate lap. The next World Superbike round will take place in Germany at the Nurburgring on September 1st. Davide Giugliano : “In race one we were very unlucky. During lap one I had trouble shifting and then, in getting it into gear the chain got damaged, which meant I had to go back to the pits. My race finished there and I went back out on track only to check that we’d resolved the problem. In race two I unfortunately didn’t get off to a good start but right from the first laps I was having trouble riding my bike. The rear tyre slid around a lot and I couldn’t up my pace. I nevertheless wanted to finish the race out of respect for my team and the work they’d put in but fifteenth position is clearly not a result befitting of me and my team and so I can’t wait to get on track at Nurburgring after the summer break to demonstrate our real potential.” Genesio Bevilacqua was not present at Silverstone due to other work commitments but he was in constant contact with the team and gave this statement: “Two difficult races, considering also what happened on Saturday. I expected our rider to react in a more consistent manner but evidently Davide must have had issues that I will evaluate with my technicians as soon as possible. I’m not pleased with these results of course because we have a top-level bike, identical to the factory machines and with which we want to finish in the top positions every time. Unfortunately races can be like that, but recently we have had a negative run of results on which our team must reflect, with a view to the rest of the championship and the future.” More, from a press release issued by Team SBK Ducati Alstare: Two eighth place finishes for Badovini and Team SBK Ducati Alstare in today’s races at Silverstone Silverstone (UK), Sunday 4 August 2013: mixed conditions at Silverstone today for the ninth round of the World Superbike championship; with rain conditioning both races, Badovini and Team SBK Ducati Alstare concluded both races in eighth position while Checa took a tenth and thirteenth place finish. Race 1 – the onset of rain just as the riders took to the grid caused a delayed start. With a new race distance of 17 laps (due to the decision to make two sighting laps), Carlos started in second position on the grid. He lost a few places through the first turns and was lying seventh by the end of lap one. By lap seven it had started to rain in every sector of the track and during this brief phase of the race Checa lost ground, slowing somewhat in order to better understand the track conditions. Over the course of only a couple of laps, conditions had picked up again and lap times dropped once more but the gap that had opened between Checa and the men ahead of him had become too great, meaning that the Spaniard crossed the line in final thirteenth position. Ayrton, thirteenth on the grid, held that position throughout the opening stages. Very much at his ease and able to find his rhythm in the subsequent mixed conditions, the Italian rider began to push hard despite the damp track and slick tyres, gaining several positions in the central phase. Passing riders including Melandri, Davies and Sykes, Badovini was up into eighth place by lap twelve, a position that he was then able to hold until the line. Race 2 – the second race got underway in dry conditions. After the first lap Carlos was lying ninth, Ayrton thirteenth. Towards mid-race, and with a light rain falling, Badovini made up a couple of positions to move into tenth place just behind his team-mate Checa, still holding ninth. On the penultimate lap, and under what was by now persistent rain, Ayrton passed Carlos but then, as a result of Haslam crashing during the course of the same lap, the race was stopped one lap early. As a result Ayrton took the final eighth position and Carlos followed him across the line in tenth place. Ayrton Badovini: “Today’s conditions were strange. I’m fairly happy because I wasn’t particularly fast during the weekend’s dry sessions but feel that I’ve taken a step forward today. In race 1 I made a good recovery but if the rain had arrived earlier I think I could have done even better. Race 2 was more complicated, I was a little bit hemmed in at the start and while there were drops of rain throughout the entire race it only came down heavy at the end. I think I made two solid top ten finishes considering the conditions and hope that at Nurburgring we have the opportunity to use the softer tyre that we were using prior to Moscow and are able to take another step forward.” Carlos Checa: “The two races were quite similar. When it started to rain in race one I found it hard to immediately understand the limits; I slowed too much in that moment and then, once I’d got back into my rhythm, I’d lost too much time and was unable to reach those ahead of me. In the dry I was just about able to stick with the others this wasn’t possible in the wet. In the second race it didn’t rain heavily until the later stages. There were points in which my bike ran quite smoothly and others in which I could feel the lack of power. But in those mixed conditions I made an evaluation and decided that there was no point taking risks for the little that I could have gained. Speaking in general about the whole weekend, the positive thing is that we have found a good setting in the dry, working well as far as the chassis and suspension is concerned and so I’m pleased from that point of view.” More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda Superbike Team: Jonathan Rea wins at Silverstone Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea won the first of today’s two ninth-round World Superbike championship races at Silverstone in the UK – his 11th series victory – and followed up with fourth in race two, which was stopped early because of rain. It was a day of mixed conditions at the 5.902km Silverstone circuit, with race one delayed by 20 minutes and shortened by one lap, but starting dry. As light rain began to fall on lap six, however, 26-year-old Rea moved to the front and extended his lead to more than six seconds before easing off in the closing two laps. Rea’s Pata Honda team-mate, Leon Haslam, climbed as high as third place during the damp conditions of race one, but slipped back to finish seventh at the flag. The 30-year-old crashed out two laps from the end of race two, bringing out the red flags as rain fell once more on the Northamptonshire circuit. Haslam landed heavily on the left leg that he broke in a crash at Assen earlier in the season, although precautionary x-rays revealed no further damage. Rea got a slow start to race two, circulating in ninth place before making a steady climb towards another podium challenge. However, the red flags prevented any further progress, leaving Rea as the overall Silverstone winner as the Superbike World Championship goes into a month-long summer break. Jonathan Rea – 1st and 4th Race one was probably one of the sweetest victories of my career because to ride out-front in those conditions was quite scary. I was so happy for the whole team and our sponsors, but I had to be very cautious. I also had to be smart and, as I saw the gap heading into the last few laps, I didn’t want to be throwing away that kind of lead. My team gave me a great bike after we pulled something out for Superpole that worked in the dry. We made a good change for race two and got up to fourth after I got stuck behind Tom Sykes for a few laps. I lost way too much time at the beginning but I was happy to do a 2m05s lap in the later stages. The race two result was OK but we can go into the summer break happy enough that we’ve got an overall package that can challenge for podiums. Leon Haslam – 7th and DNF It’s been a frustrating weekend really and we’ve had issues right the way through until warm-up this morning. We made a big step forward for that and I had pretty good pace in race one, but starting from back in twelfth place was quite hard work. I managed to get up to a position to fight for the podium but made a few mistakes late on and missed out on that. I got a terrible start to race two and got stuck behind Guigliano but started to make my way through and into the top 10. Unfortunately, the rain came and I got caught out with a big highside. My leg’s pretty sore and I’ve got an operation to take some screws out this week. A month off will be good for the leg though, and in Germany I know I’ll be a lot fitter. At least we know the bike’s working in in-between conditions, with Johnny’s race one win, but we’re also still making good progress day-by-day in full dry conditions. Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator Both races were rain-affected and conditions got really tricky in race one but Jonathan went to the front and gave us our first win of the season, which we were all delighted with. Leon was really fast in the intermediate conditions but slipped back a bit when it dried up at the end. In race two Jonathan got held up a bit and lost some time, but he got back up to fourth when the rain came back. All-in-all it was a good weekend for him. Leon’s pace was not so good in race two and he crashed, but fortunately he’s OK. The break will do him and everyone in the team some good but we’re looking forward to coming back at the Nurburgring. More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki: Baz Wins Race Two For KRT At Silverstone As Sykes Gathers Points WSBK, Silverstone, Great Britain, 4 August 2013 Loris Baz repeated his 2012 Silverstone race one win for his KRT squad with a race two victory today, in what were changeable weather conditions. Tom Sykes remains second overall in the championship Loris joined the race winners’ list in 2013 with a strong start-to-finish performance in race two that made up for what he saw was losing a sure podium finish in the opening race. He eventually finished fifth in the first race of the day, also held in ever-changing conditions. Tom Sykes finished 11th in race one while in race two he scored valuable points for seventh place. Both races at Silverstone witnessed falls of rain, some small and some more intense, but under the flag-to-flag rules for this season the riders stayed out on slicks in both races. The second race, led in the early dry stages by Loris for almost ten laps, was a strong early showing for both KRT riders, until the rains re-appeared and championship challenger Sykes slowed his pace to make sure he could finish the race and score points in both contests. In the championship fight Tom is still second, now 13 points behind Sylvain Guintoli, while Loris is sixth – but equal on points with the rider in fifth place. Federico Sandi (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) scored points for 13th in race two, while Mark Aitchison (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) was first 15th then 14th in his SBK comeback ride. Jeremy Guarnoni (MRS Kawasaki) was second in the first Superstock 1000 race of the Silverstone weekend, with Leandro Mercado and Lorenzo Savadori (Kawasaki Team Pedercini) were second and third in race two. Guarnoni and Mercado are now third equal on points in the championship fight. Loris Baz: “After race one I was really disappointed because I was fighting for the podium but maybe I was thinking too much about this and made a lot of mistakes, so I finished fifth. In race two I said to myself, “OK, this one is mine.” In the first part of the race, even in the dry, I had good pace and I pushed at the front. I tried to control the pace from the front but there were some fast people behind me and it was difficult to go away. Every time somebody tried to pass me I passed them back and at the end the conditions were really wet and I nearly fell. I want to say thanks my team because they are making a really good job with this bike for not just Tom or me but for both riders. Now I feel really comfortable. I also want to dedicate this victory to Andrea Antonelli’s family.” Tom Sykes: “Race two was similar to race one and today in these weather conditions it was always going to be a difficult one. I was not prepared to put too much on the line in these kinds of conditions – slick tyres, rain falling – and that is just the way it is. I was not prepared to gamble too much and we saw how easy it was for people to crash, so taking some points is better than taking none. I do not like thinking about the championship but I was maybe forced to think a little bit about it in race two. We have not given away too much to the championship leader. We struggled a little bit in the beginning of race two as the rear tyre did not feel as strong as in race one but I know the Ninja ZX-10R is working well. Congratulations to Loris on his win and after the summer break we will move on and see what we can do at some circuits we should do well at.” More, from a press release issued by Aprilia: DOUBLE PODIUM FOR EUGENE LAVERTY WHO MOVES INTO THIRD PLACE IN THE RIDER STANDINGS. WITH TWO SOLID RACES ON A DIFFICULT TRACK SYLVAIN GUINTOLI TIGHTENS HIS GRIP ON THE LEADERSHIP. HE NOW LEADS WITH A 13 POINT GAP IN FRONT OF THE SECOND PLACE HOLDER. APRILIA HAS DOMINATED THE MANUFACTURER STANDINGS SINCE THE FIRST ROUND. THE POINT SITUATION IS NOW 336 AGAINST KAWSAKI’S 303, 276 FOR BMW, HONDA WITH 189 SUZUKI AT 165 AND 128 FOR DUCATI. Silverstone (UK), 4 August 2013 – A Sunday not for the faint of heart closed out the Silverstone weekend. The two Superbike races were both held under the same difficult conditions: dry asphalt but light rain in some parts of the track. This was a mix that demanded an added dose of cool headedness for the riders and teams. Team Aprilia leaves the UK with heads held high. Eugene Laverty, who started from pole position, managed the tension well in the first race and after a cautious first portion he pushed hard in the final laps to cross the finish line in second place. In Race 2, on the other hand, six of the riders waged a furious battle with positions changing back and forth and a great show for the fans. Once again, Eugene’s strategy allowed him to get the most out of his ride without taking any pointless risks. The third step of the podium also earned him third place in the overall rider standings which might even have turned into something more until Race Direction decided to red flag the competition two laps from the end. Eugene Laverty: “These were two really difficult races but I’m happy with a double podium after the ups and downs in Moscow. The riders in front of me took on a tricky track bravely and maybe in Race 2 I could have aimed for a bit of a better result since I was quite fast on the dry asphalt. In any case I want to compliment Race Direction. The decisions made today were perfect despite the difficulties and the riders were involved in discussions that were helpful in handling as best as possible a delicate situation like the one we had today”. Sylvain Guintoli had to grit his teeth through two difficult races that brought out the after-effects of his right shoulder injury which has still not healed. The French rider skilfully stayed in the front pack for both races, even coming close to the podium in Race 1 before the track conditions convinced him to settle for fourth place. The second race, which was even more difficult if that’s possible, had him finishing in sixth place, a result that strengthens his lead in the rider standings where he is now 13 points in front of Sykes and 36 ahead of team mate Laverty. His double fast lap is worth a mention, with the best time in Race 2 (2’05.083) which also becomes the new track record for the category. Sylvain Guintoli: “I’m happy… that it’s over! Unfortunately my shoulder gave me a bit of trouble today, especially at the beginning of the race when I didn’t have any strength in my right arm. Practice sessions don’t let you test your conditions the way 18 consecutive laps do. I fought and pushed hard when I could, but I was careful not to take any pointless risks. My position in the standings means that I can’t throw away races and in conditions like the ones we had today it is only normal that those with less to lose will take more risks. When I have a clear head tomorrow I’ll think about how to continue recovering from my shoulder injury. In the last two rounds we increased the gap despite our problems, so this is a delicate matter”. More, from a press release issued by Pirelli: At Silverstone, British and French Superbike riders take best advantage of the new Diablo Superbike development SC1 tyres, in Supersport Sam Lowes and Kenan Sofuoglu battled together supported by the new SC1 specification of the Diablo Supercorsa With track temperatures between 22 and 26 degrees and variable weather to make races even more difficult, new SC1 solutions developed by Pirelli for the two classes have demonstrated excellent performances even on wet and slippery asphalt Silverstone (United Kingdom), 4 August 2013 – The Silverstone round mixed even more rider cards in the overall standings of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship classes. Superbike Race 1 was dominated by British riders Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Pata) who gets the highest step of the podium for the first time this year followed by the Northern Irish rider Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) in second place plus Leon Camier (Crescent Fixi Suzuki) who brought his Suzuki GSX-R1000 for the first time on the podium this year. Race 2 was instead the prerogative of the French riders with the Kawasaki Racing Team rider Loris Baz who confirmed to be very strong on the Silverstone circuit in which last year he had previously triumphed. Behind his compatriot Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team), who is unable to replicate the performance of Race 1 but still grabs the podium. Remaining overall leader Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), who despite not reaching the podium, wins both Pirelli Best Lap Award of the weekend, recording also the track lap record held since 2010 by Cal Crutchlow- also thanks to the performance of the new Pirelli Diablo Superbike 17 inch tyres. Aprilia Racing’s Frenchman now leads the overall standings with 262 points, followed by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) on 249 who in England failed to match the pace of the front runners, and by Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) on 226. In fourth place Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) with 221 points, while the fifth place is disputed between Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) both on 180. Honorable mention goes to the Italian Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) who as he joined the track in Race 1 exceeded 200 races run in the eni FIM Superbike World Championship. In the Supersport class Kenan Sofuoglu (MAHI Racing Team India) overclassed the local idol Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport) on the last lap after a hard-fought race, his team-mate Fabien Foret got the third position. With this success the turkish Kawasaki rider is now at 29 points from the Englishman, who with his Yamaha YZF R6 leads the standings with 160 points, in third place and farther the Frenchman Fabien Foret at 101. The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders: The stated goal of Pirelli at the Silverstone round was to verify the effectiveness of two new SC1 solutions developed for the rear, one for the Superbike class and one for Supersport, comparing them with the respective solutions in the range. In the specific case of Superbike the comparison was between the standard SC1 R828 and the new R1431, in Supersport between the R303 of range and the development solution R1591. In both classes the two new rear development solutions have been used by about 90% of the riders on the starting grid, as a demonstration that, at least in this round, the developments and changes made to the compound have offered superior performances compared to those of the current range. At the front the choice of the riders in both classes was split almost equally between the SC1 and the SC2 standards, confirming that the choice of the front tyre depends much more on the riding style of each rider. In principle the SC1 tends to maximise tread contact on the ground and the “presence” of the front, while the SC2 is the solution favoured by the more aggressive riders who prefer a compact tread band. Pirelli Best Lap Award: The Pirelli Best Lap Awards, the prize that is assigned to the riders with the fast laps in the Superbike and Supersport races, were presented by Pirelli Moto Racing Director Giorgio Barbier in the Paddock Show during the press conference that follows the podium at the end of Superbike race 1 and race 2 and the Supersport race. The Superbike and Supersport rider who has earned the most “Pirelli Best Lap Award” titles at the end of the season will be elected “Best Lap Winner: fastest rider of the year” and awarded during the end of year ceremony. At the moment Tom Sykes leads the Superbike standings with 7 awards. In Supersport Sam Lowes is the leader with 4 best lap awards. These are the riders who won the Pirelli Best Lap Awards in the ninth round of the season: WSB Race 1 – Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), 2’05.513 (4th lap) WSB Race 2 – Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team), 2’05.083 (2nd lap) WSS – Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport), 2’08.027 (3rd lap) The overall standings after the first nine rounds are as follows: WSB: Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team): 7; Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team): 3; Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK): 2; Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team): 2 ; Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma): 1; Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK): 1; Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) : 1 WSS: Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport): 4; Kenan Sofuoglu (MAHI Racing Team India): 2; Fabien Foret (MAHI Racing Team India): 1; Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport): 1 Comment from Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Moto Racing Director: “Silverstone was a very intense weekend with 8 races held over the two days, of which 7 were on Sunday with weather that certainly did not help and delayed the start of Race 1. This of course required a major commitment from our technicians in our working area since they mounted and dismounted from the rims with perfect timing thousands of tyres, so I want to thank them all for the excellent work done both here and in all rounds raced so far. Talking about the races it was important for us to understand both the Superbike and Supersport performances of the two development SC1 specs compared to those of the range used in the two classes. In Superbike both in Moscow and also in Silverstone the development SC1 has been shown to offer something extra in terms of performance compared to the standard SC1. In Supersport the alternative solution to that of the range and brought by Pirelli for the first time ever right here, gained the preferences of all riders. Respectively 2 and 1 races are not enough for us to establish whether these two development SC1s are actually better than those which are currently in the range, we will bring both to other rounds this year in order to acquire additional data and if what we have seen so far is confirmed, then the R1431 and R1591 could become the new SC1s for the range next year. Congratulations to Jonathan Rea and Leon Camier for the result in Race 1, which certainly served to cheer up their teams after some races without podiums and to the Frenchmen Loris Baz and Jules Cluzel who together with Eugene Laverty battled in Race 2. Also compliments to Sylvain Guintoli for the double Best Lap Award win and for having scored the new lap record held by Cal Crutchlow since 2010”. The 2013 Pirelli statistics for Silverstone round: • Total number of tyres Pirelli brought: 4609 • Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 4 front and 6 rear • Number of solutions for the Supersport class (dry, intermediate and wet): 4 front and 4 rear Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 29 front and 35 rear • Number of tyres available for each Supersport rider: 25 front and 24 rear • Temperature in Race 1: air 19° C, asphalt 22° C • Temperature in Race 2: air 21° C, asphalt 26° C • Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli Diablo Superbike tyres: 289.0 km/h, in Race 1 by Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) at 1st lap and by Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) at 14th lap. • Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli Diablo Supercorsa tyres in Supersport: 253,6 km/h, Michael Vd Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport), 4th lap. More, from a press release issued by BMW Motorrad Motorsport: Silverstone – Races. Sunday, 4th August 2013. Weather conditions: Overcast with some rain. Temperature: Air: 19 – 21 °C, Track: 22 – 26 °C Number of riders participating: 18 from 11 teams Fastest lap Race 1: Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing) 2:05.513 min (lap 4) Fastest lap Race 2: Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing) 2:05.083 min (lap 2) The BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team experienced a turbulent race day at Silverstone (GBR), venue of the ninth round of the 2013 FIM Superbike World Championship. The day saw unpredictable weather conditions, high hopes to finish on the podium and a difficult end for the team. Factory rider and local hero Chaz Davies (GBR) fought for the victory in race two but had to retire for a technical issue. In race one he finished tenth after a strong start. His team-mate Marco Melandri (ITA) tried to make the best of his 15th position on the grid, crossing the line in ninth in both races and thus collecting more important points with his BMW S 1000 RR. There was reason to celebrate however: Sylvain Barrier (FRA) from the BMW Motorrad GoldBet STK Team secured victory in both of today’s Superstock 1000 races. The start of the first Superbike race was delayed by 20 minutes for safety reasons as light rain started to fall just as the riders were preparing on the grid. Conditions were mostly dry when the race – shortened to 17 laps – started. Chaz, who started from sixth, was fighting within the leading group in the early stages, setting his sights on a podium position, but he dropped back later. Marco meanwhile had improved to the top 10 after having started from 15th. From lap six on, drops of rain fell all over the circuit, making the conditions difficult to judge. From that moment on there were many position changes throughout the field. After 17 tricky laps, Marco and Chaz finished ninth and tenth respectively. Race two turned out to be another thriller with Chaz as one of the protagonists. In the close group of frontrunners, he had amazing battles with his competitors for the victory and podium positions, temporarily taking the lead. But Chaz’ hopes for a victory or podium on home soil ended on lap 15, when he was stopped by a technical issue with the engine. Shortly after, the race was red flagged as it started to rain again and two riders crashed out. Marco improved from 15th to eighth during the opening stages of the race, but then went wide and dropped back to 14th. He tried to work his way back towards the front and finished ninth in the end. The races were won by Jonathan Rea (GBR) and Loris Baz (FRA). After nine rounds of the 2013 season, Marco is fourth in the riders’ championship with 221 points, 41 points off the lead. Chaz follows directly behind in fifth with 180 points. In the Manufacturers’ classification, BMW is currently third with 276 points. In the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup – unusually – two races were contested today. Sylvain started with his BMW HP4 from pole position. In race in the morning one he had to take part in a close fight against his competitors to celebrate his first victory of the day. In race two, he managed to build a gap to the rest of the field and secured the win again, his sixth of the season. His BMW Motorrad GoldBet STK Team mate Greg Gildenhuys (RSA), who was racing at Silverstone for the first time, finished 14th and 12th. In the Riders’ classification, Sylvain has now 145 points and has extended his lead to 36 points. In the Manufacturers’ classification, BMW is leading with 156 points. Marco Melandri: Result Race 1: 9th / Gap to 1st: 0:14.017 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 2:05.682 min (lap 5) Result Race 2: 9th / Gap to 1st: 0:20.209 min / Fastest Lap Race 2: 2:05.439 min (lap 2) “To start from the back of the grid is really not easy. In race one, in dry conditions, I was quite fast, but in some turns I had some vibrations which didn’t allow me to go at a constantly fast rhythm over the course of a lap. Then the weather changed and in the long turns I was not able to keep the right temperature of the tyres. I preferred not to risk anything and to get the best possible result limiting the damage. Race two, unfortunately, did not go very well. After a couple of laps, while I was gaining positions, I went wider and I lost contact to the riders in front. I tried to attack once more but I had many vibrations and I was not able to ride well. Luckily I didn’t lose many points from the leader in the rankings. The break before the race weekend at Nürburgring will help us to take a rest and to enable us to start the final part of the season in the best way.” Chaz Davies: Result Race 1: 10th / Gap to 1st: 0:14.167 min / Fastest Lap Race 1: 2:05.753 min (lap 5) Result Race 2: DNF / Fastest Lap Race 2: 2:05.320 min (lap 4) “Race one was not too bad in the beginning. My pace was good and even if I was not completely happy with the bike, we were there lying in fourth, right in the group. So that was okay. Then the rain started and I was struggling to judge the conditions. I had a couple of slides on the side of the tyre off the gas which made me a little bit cautious. Then in certain times the race came to me but the rain started to make it difficult. In race two we were doing what we could do and I tried to get the victory. The bike was a bit better than in race one for stability in the rear. Then in the end it started to rain again and this played a part but at this point we were still in the hunt to win the race. Then I had the issue with the engine. It was frustrating. It would have been nice to at least be on the podium at my home round but unfortunately we did not have a great day today.” Andrea Buzzoni (General Manager BMW Motorrad WSBK): “We need to keep our focus on the championship and this is what the team did and will continue to do, proving to be consistent and solid. The results from this weekend do not show our potential, it has been an unusual day. In race one, unstable weather conditions led to differing priorities within the field. In race two, Chaz could have won or at least have been on the podium, but he was stopped by a technical issue which denied us success. The team continued to work in a professional way and kept morale high in a difficult situation. Luckily the results do not have too much of a negative effect on us in terms of the overall rankings and at Nürburgring, we will come back to fight for victories. On the other hand, we had a fantastic day in the Superstock class. The team and the guys from BMW HP RaceSupport in Munich made an excellent job. Sylvain showed, once more, that he is a consistent and mature rider, winning two fantastic races.” Andrea Dosoli (Technical Director BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team): “Today both of our riders had very difficult races. We have seen signs of improvement from yesterday. Chaz has improved his feeling with the bike, especially in race two, and he was doing a fantastic race and I have to congratulate him and his crew. But unfortunately he could not finish due to an issue with the engine. We are sorry for him and it was a pity for all of us. But this is racing; now we must learn from what happened and then improve and be ready for Nürburgring. For Marco for sure it was not easy to start from 15th on the grid. He made two good starts and he could do quite fast lap times, better than the ones he did on Friday and Saturday. In doing so, he showed that he had improved his feeling for the bike but it still was not enough. He was struggling in both races with the front end of the bike going in and this was limiting him overtaking people. For sure the weather conditions did not help, but this was the same for everybody and it is not an excuse. We must improve our package in order to be ready next time, whatever the weather will be like.” More, from a press release issued by FIXI Crescent Suzuki: Back-to-back podiums for FIXI Crescent Suzuki at Silverstone! FIXI Crescent Suzuki is celebrating after Jules Cluzel and Leon Camier both recorded podium finishes in today’s races at the eni FIM Superbike World Championship at Silverstone in England. Cluzel took a stunning second in race two, after leading the race for three laps. He got a good start from 10th on the grid and by the end of lap-one had moved up four places. He continued his march through the field and by lap-eight was in the top-three. Cluzel was involved in a monumental battle with a number of riders for the top places including team-mate Camier, which saw the FIXI Crescent Suzuki duo take first and second place as the race wore on. Cluzel battled on in to second place after Camier had suffered some bad luck and dropped a couple of places, but as the rain got heavier the Frenchman crashed out. Cluzel never let go of his machine and quickly re-mounted and for once luck was on the side of the FIXI Crescent Suzuki man, as unfortunately another rider also crashed and the race was red-flagged. The result was declared from the previous lap, which saw Cluzel take a deserved second place and give the team its best-ever result in World Superbikes. Camier challenged all the way to the line before finishing in a very creditable fifth. Camier carried the torch for the Yoshimura-powered GSX-R in race one, as the Birthday Boy celebrated in style by taking a hard-earned podium after 17 tough laps of racing. The start was delayed as rain gently fell on the 5,902m track, but when the race started Camier got a poor start and found himself back in 10th place at the end of the first-lap. The rain stayed off until lap-six when it started to fall on parts of the track. As none of the front runners came in to change tyres, Camier seized his opportunity and bravely pushed on to make his way through the field. On lap-12 he had made his way to third, Camier again attacked and on lap-16 he was in second, but couldn’t hold on to the position as a last-lap battle with Eugene Laverty saw Camier miss out on the higher place. He brought his machine home in third for the team’s first podium finish of the season and a fitting reward to an impressive weekend’s performance. Cluzel also had strong first race, which also saw him push up into the top-three on lap-10, but his choice of tyre didn’t work to his advantage and he was unable to sustain his challenge. The rookie eventually finished in sixth place, but was sure a better result was possible if his gamble with the compound had worked. FIXI Crescent Suzuki will now have a short summer break before it resumes racing action at Nurburgring in Germany on Sunday 1st September. Jules Cluzel: “It has been really good today, especially in the second race because I chose the right tyre and my pace was fast. I didn’t get a very good start, but in the dry I was able to come back and when I saw some little spots of rain I continued to push hard because it was not wet. I had some chance to make up some places and for the first time this season the rain helped me. The last lap was unbelievable though, because as I arrived in the corner it was impossible to stay on the bike, but I was able to get back on and then the race was stopped, so I finished second. I think I deserved this result and I want to say thank-you to my team for all their hard work. I also want to congratulate Leon on a great podium and wish him a very Happy Birthday – I enjoyed his cake!” Leon Camier: “The first race was good, because everything on the bike felt good and it performed well. When it dried out fully I felt like we didn’t quite have the pace of the others, but in the in-between conditions I made the most of it so I was able to be in there at the end. I made a pass on Eugene on the last-lap but he came past on the straight and I couldn’t do anything about that. I tried again, but couldn’t get past him as I felt I was on the limit. In the second race I got a better start and the bike was working really well – the guys have done a great job with it this weekend – and towards the end of the race I felt stronger than everyone else. I thought I had the speed to win the race so I was disappointed with the result. I got beaten up a couple of times in the turns and then Chaz blew up in-front of me and that cost a lot of time. Then Guintoli pushed me wide and it turned into one of those races. If you were in the wrong place at the wrong time it was a bit of carnage and that was what happened to me! “I want to say a big ‘well done’ to Jules, he rode two really good races today and it was great to see him get that result in the second race, not just for him, but for the whole team and all our sponsors here today.” Paul Denning – Team Manager: “It’s been a great day for FIXI Crescent Suzuki here at Silverstone and just rewards for the incredible dedication and efforts that the team continually makes. There was a moment about four-laps from the end of the second race when Leon and Jules were first and second – and pulling away – when I thought the day would go from positive to dreamlike! I don’t think there is much I can say about the performances of both riders that can’t be seen from the incredible racing footage and the results they achieved. I genuinely believe that if the second race had stayed dry, that with five-laps to go, Leon was in a position to pull away and win. He had incredible pace, but being the first rider to arrive in the rain and a bit of bad luck with Davies’s BMW exploding in front of him knocked him backwards. I don’t think we can be unsatisfied with a third and a fifth for Leon and Jules backing that up with an amazing ride to second in the second race was more than we could have asked for. “I want to thank all of our partners, sponsors and guests for coming this weekend, it was incredibly busy and I hope that they all had a great time and went away happy with these two results. I also want to thank all the team and hospitality crew for a fantastic job in all departments.”