eni FIM Superbike World Championship
Donington Park, England
May 25, 2014
Race Two Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Tom SYKES, UK (Kawasaki ZX-10R), 23 laps, 34:14.134
2. Loris BAZ, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -3.678 seconds
3. Sylvain GUINTOLI, France (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -7.376
4. Davide GIUGLIANO, Italy (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), -10.827
5. Chaz DAVIES, UK (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), -15.140
6. Jonathan REA, UK (Honda CBR1000RR), -17.975
7. Leon HASLAM, UK (Honda CBR1000RR), -33.737
8. Toni ELIAS, Spain (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -40.362, crash
9. Alex LOWES, UK (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -41.465, crash
10. David SALOM, Spain (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -48.929
11. Niccolo CANEPA, Italy (Ducati 1199 Panigale R), EVO, -49.229
12. Claudio CORTI, Italy (MV Agusta F4 RR), -57.984
13. Eugene LAVERTY, Ireland (Suzuki GSX-R1000), -60.751, crash
14. Jeremy GUARNONI, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -61.697
15. Alessandro ANDREOZZI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -63.349
16. Sheridan MORAIS, South Africa (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -63.820
17. Marco MELANDRI, Italy (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -65.485, crash
18. Fabien FORET, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -71.049
19. Romain LANUSSE, France (Kawasaki ZX-10R), EVO, -75.943
20. Imre TOTH, Hungary (BMW S1000RR), -1 lap
21. Aaron YATES, USA (EBR 1190 RX), -14 laps, DNF, crash
Subjects to Homologation
Ayrton BADOVINI, Italy (Bimota BB3), EVO, -40.579 seconds
Christian IDDON, UK (Bimota BB3), EVO, -47.949
World Championship Point Standings (after 10 of 26 races):
1. Sykes, 185 points
2. TIE, Rea/Baz, 159
4. Guintoli, 148
5. Davies, 109
6. Melandri, 97
7. Giugliano, 82
8. Haslam, 75
9. Lowes, 73
10. TIE, Laverty/Elias, 65
12. Salom, 46
13. Canepa, 38
14. Leon Camier, 20
15. Luca Scassa, 16
16. Foret, 14
17. Guarnoni, 12
18. TIE, Corti/Morais, 10
20. Glenn Allerton, 6
21. Bos, 5
22. Andreozzi, 4
23. Fabrizio, 2
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Motors Europe:
Brilliant Double 1-2 For Sykes And Baz
Tom Sykes and his Kawasaki Racing Team partner Loris Baz proved too strong for their opponents at Tom’s home round today, with Tom winning both 23-lap races and Baz second in each. David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team SBK Evo) also won both Evo category races, by finishing overall tenth in each Donington race.
Two great wins from Sykes came in very different circumstances, with Tom way down in 11th place in race one for a time but fighting his way back in brilliant style to hold off Baz by 1.5 seconds at the flag. In race two Sykes had a slightly better start off his third row starting place, and pushed on to take the lead on lap 11 and eventually run clear to in by 3.6 seconds.
Tom’s brilliant wins put him back in front of the championship chase after five rounds and he now has an impressive 26 point advantage over Jonathan Rea and his own team-mate Baz, who each have 159 points.
For Loris Donington could have delivered him his first and second wins of the season but for his world championship winning team-mate, but the development of Baz from potential challenger to consistent championship threat gathers pace every weekend. He led race one for a total of 15 laps and only gave way to Sykes in the very last lap, after some tough passes and re-passes between the top two Kawasaki riders.
David Salom scored two more wins in the Evo category, finishing to non full Superbike rider in each race, and taking an overall tenth place both times. He now has 12th place in the overall championship, on 46 points, but in the Evo championship he extended his lead to eight points over Niccolo Canepa.
Next up is Sepang, in Malaysia, on June 8th, for an all-new adventure for the SBK paddock.
Tom Sykes: “Yes, maybe race one was the best race of my career. Winning the world title will always be the most emotional one but in terms of performance today maybe the top of the list now. We had a problem on the first laps of race one and Loris came quite aggressively in turn one. I am not complaining but this took away my natural line and I got put onto the marbles. I lost some positions and in the first half a lap, on full lean angle the bike was cutting the power. I almost came into the pits but the Ninja cleared itself and after that the bike was working very well. I was in tenth or 11th position early on and I was very motivated to move back to the where I feel we should be at the front. It was difficult to pass because a lot of guys were using their fresh Pirelli tyres to their full advantage and after six laps I really started to make a plan of attack to win. In race two I had a good start but I knew Loris would have a good pace and Sylvain Guintoli always goes well round Donington. Sylvain led for half the race but I just kept pushing and took the lead and then the win. It is great to take another double after Aragon and also take the championship lead again. The summer weather really arrived back at Donington for my home round today.”
Loris Baz: “I was happy to be on the podium in race one not disappointed not to win it. I led for some time and I tried to get away. That was the target and I made a good start. I could not make it stick and I could not get away. I tried my best to pass Tom back where I could but I almost lost the front. It was a good race and I am happy for the team. It was clean passing but I just lost the front when I passed Tom. We are racing and on the limit. In race two it was almost the same as race one in that Tom was just too fast in the second part of the race. I could not do anything about that but it was a rewarding day and it is good to leave here 1-2 in the championship with Tom. We can all have a big smile on our faces.”
David Salom: “I was double best Evo rider today and it was a good result. In the first race I passed Niccolo Canepa in the last corner and won the race. In the second race I pushed hard and with three or four laps to go my hand felt not so good, I was in too much pain and I had no more to give. At the end Niccolo could not get past me and we took another Evo win. We are first in the championship, a few points more ahead, and congratulations to Kawasaki and the team for these good results in Donington.”
More, from a press release issued by Ducati Corse:
Positive results for the Ducati Superbike Team in today’s SBK races at Donington Park
Donington Park (UK), Sunday 25 May 2014 – a positive race day overall for the Ducati Superbike team and riders Chaz Davies and Davide Giugliano today at Donington Park. Although Davide Giugliano crashed out of race 1 while fighting for the win, he closed race two in fourth place, while Chaz Davies finished both of the day’s races in fifth position.
Race 1 – Despite early morning rain, the track had dried in time for race one (air temperature 16°C, track 22°C). Starting from pole, Giugliano didn’t make the best start and was lying sixth after lap one. He quickly made up for lost ground however, and in the space of only a few laps he passed first Haslam and then Melandri and Guintoli to move into third place by lap eight. He also got past Lowes a couple of laps later and was lapping second, only a fraction of a second behind race leader Baz. Unfortunately, while pushing to stick with the Frenchman, Davide crashed on entering turn 9. He was unhurt in the fall but was unfortunately unable to continue the race.
Chaz got away well from eleventh on the grid and after the first handful of laps he was already up into seventh place. Battling first with Haslam and later with Rea, the Ducati Superbike rider got into a good rhythm and gradually improved on his position. He managed the final stages of the race well, and crossed the line in final fifth position, earning important points for the standings.
Race 2 – Giugliano got off the line quickly but contact with Rea during the opening lap caused him to lose several positions and he was lying eleventh after that first lap. Over the subsequent laps he made a strong recovery, managing to pass a number of riders to move into fourth position by lap six. In the second half of the race, and separated by a couple of seconds from the leading three, Giugliano maintained a strong pace to the line, closing in fourth place.
Davies once again made up several positions in the initial phase of the race to position sixth by lap six. Having worked to get past Rea on lap fourteen, he too continued to lap consistently fast, holding his position and therefore crossing the line right behind his teammate, in fifth place.
After five championship rounds, Davies is now in fifth position in the rider’s classification, with 109 points, while Giugliano lies seventh with 82 points. Ducati places fourth in the manufacturer’s classification with 137 points.
Quotes after the races:
Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team #34) – DNF, 4th
“The crash in race one meant that I really wanted to do well in the second. I don’t really know how to explain that crash. I was too far over on the inside heading into the turn and when the bike touched the kerb my glove got caught on the throttle. The bike therefore didn’t slow down and I just lost control of it. In race 2, the first laps were difficult and during lap one, to avoid contact with another rider, I lost many positions. I then went after those ahead of me and I’d almost reached Guintoli for third but perhaps in the recovery I’d asked too much of my tyres and so I had to settle for final fourth position.”
Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team #7) – 5th, 5th
“I said yesterday that if I were to finish top five I’d be happy so we achieved that objective. It would have been nice to be on the podium but all in all I’m not too disappointed with the results. The races went fairly well though I struggled getting out of some of the turns. We made some changes for race 2 and the pace was better, we made a step forward but maybe not quite enough, perhaps we should have been a bit bolder with our choices. Our pace is still a couple of tenths off those ahead of us, so we still need to work to improve that. Anyway overall I’m fairly pleased; I feel that I did all I could and enjoyed the racing today.”
Ernesto Marinelli (Ducati Superbike Project Director)
“This weekend has been, all things considered, a positive one, with Davide’s pole position as well as race one in which he was a frontrunner prior to his crash, proof of our competitiveness which has allowed us to finish inside the top five. Chaz confirmed the positive trend in the races, continually improving his pace throughout the weekend. In race 2 we suffered a little in the final stages and must work hard to improve traction on exiting the corners, something that penalized us today. I want to thank both the riders but also the whole team as well as those at home that with dogged determination work tirelessly, allowing us to improve race after race. I’m convinced that it’s only a matter of time before we are finally able to celebrate.”
More, from a press release issued by Team Hero EBR:
Season’s Best For Team Hero EBR At Donington
Team Hero EBR secured their best result since arriving in the World Superbike championship with Aaron Yates claiming 17th in race one at Donington Park earlier today.
The weekend wasn’t without incident, as an ongoing technical issue prevented Geoff May from starting either race.
In race one, Aaron brought the EBR 1190RX home in 17th position after getting the better of Imre Toth and Sheridan Morais in the closing stages.
Race two saw slightly warmer conditions and once again an encouraging performance by Aaron in the early stages as he was able to circulate at the same pace as a number of riders. He was however unable to finish the race after falling on lap 11, thankfully without injury to himself or too much damage to the bike.
The team will now focus on the first ever World Superbike event at Sepang in Malaysia in a fortnight with the hope of continuing the progress made at Donington Park.
Giulio Bardi – Team Manager: “All in all I can say is that I am satisfied about this racing weekend because we made a good improvement with the bike and this is the most important target for us right now. In a fortnight we will race in Malaysia and I am sure that we can make a further step forward with both our riders.”
Geoff May: “I am sorry I couldn’t take part in the races. It is not so easy to sit and watch the other riders on track. Anyway I know the team is working hard with my bike and all I want to do now is focus on the next race in Sepang.”
Aaron Yates: “We did a great job during throughout weekend. I felt the bike improving after every session and I think this is what really matters at this stage. I am sorry for the crash in race 2 because I wanted fight till the end but the 17th in the first race is encouraging.”
More, from a press release issued by Aprilia:
PODIUM FOR SYLVAIN GUINTOLI AT DONINGTON.
MELANDRI, FOURTH IN RACE 1, CRASHES DUE TO CONTACT IN RACE 2 WHILST BATTLING IN THE TOP POSITIONS.
Donington (UK), 25 May 2014 – A nice third place for Sylvain Guintoli closes out the weekend for Aprilia Racing at Donington in the English round of World Superbike. With this result the Frenchman stays in the top part of the championship standings at 11 points from second place and 37 from the leader. It was a shame that during the first race while duelling with Baz he ran straight on and was relegated to a seventh place finish.
Sylvain Guintoli: “Race 1 did not go as I had hoped. I started off well, pushing hard, but then I wasn’t able to keep the pace and I was really struggling. Then the team did a great job for Race 2. The bike changed a lot and my pace improved compared to the first race. I pushed hard to get away from Davide Giugliano but I wasn’t able to keep up with the two front runners. Anyway, this podium, on a track that is certainly not one of my favourites, tastes like victory to me”.
Marco Melandri, after finishing Race 1 in fourth place, seemed better in the second race and even able to battle for one of the top positions. A good start (from the third spot on the front row of the grid) had him duelling for first place with team mate Guintoli. However, in the fourth lap contact with Lowes, who came from behind and bumped him full on, forced him into a crash, taking him out of play. Marco courageously made up positions but only after a long stop which relegated him to the bottom of the final standings.
Marco Melandri: “I can’t help but be disappointed. In Race 1 I struggled to go fast, but in Race 2 I’m sure I could have taken a spot on the podium because with the changes we made the conditions were a lot better. Unfortunately things didn’t go well and it wasn’t my fault. On the positive side we collected some important information about how to adapt the bike to my riding style. Now I just want to take things one race at a time, trying to improve constantly so I can get the good results that I know I am capable of”.
More, from a press release issued by Voltcom Crescent Suzuki:
Lowes delights at Donington
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki racer Alex Lowes thrilled the home fans today with a podium in the opening eni FIM Superbike World Championship race at Donington Park.
Lowes consolidated a quick start on his Yoshimura-powered GSX-R by aiming straight for the front, taking the lead before the first lap was completed and holding it for two revolutions before a battle between Kawasaki’s Loris Baz and Aprilia’s Sylvain Guintoli relegated him to third. Mid-race saw the locally-based rider battling for second on a number of occasions before settling in to a rhythm, and a comfortable third place.
Race two saw Lowes consolidate his grid place in the early stages, running fourth for the opening laps before a coming together with Aprilia’s Marco Melandri on lap five. Picking his bike up the British racer re-joined at the back of the field, and maintaining his original pace, he began the task of cutting this way through. With a stunning ride in-front of the cheering home crowd – even taking two riders at once on lap 14 – Lowes finished the race in an impressive ninth place to score seven valuable championship points, setting the fastest lap of the race and recording the highest speed trap of all riders for good measure.
Eugene Laverty had a similar battle in the day’s second outing. Falling on the same lap, just moments after his teammate, the Irishman battled his Suzuki GSX-R from 22nd to secure 13th, and three points, at the line. After a promising start, Laverty leaves Donington with little to show for the weekend’s hard work – a crash also cutting short his first race at lap five – but will re-group for the next Championship outing in Sepang in a fortnight’s time.
Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes stole the show with a double victory as a rain-hit Donington Park gave way to a pleasant and sun-filled afternoon of racing for the 30 thousand spectators.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki will now look to prepare for the forthcoming flyaway race at Sepang, in Malaysia on the 8th June.
Alex Lowes:
“Race one was good, I struggled a bit at the end, but the start and leading my first World Superbike race was great! It’s nice for the team at the home race as well, so I’m really pleased with that. I am disappointed with the second race. The bike improved a lot, we had made some good changes – so thanks to Lez for that – I had good pace and I could’ve had another podium. I tried my best and got a ninth place, pushing really hard right to the end even though my bike was badly damaged. We’ll move on with the confidence gained this weekend as we have proved we can run at the front. My starts were better and I mixed it in with the top boys so I’m looking forward to the rest of the year, I’ve got some solid results now and I can’t wait for Sepang!”
Eugene Laverty:
“The tough run continues. Race one we were looking strong but I made a mistake, through the chicane I dug my knee into the grass and it ripped me from the bike and I had a huge crash. In the second race your guess is as good as mine! I was just cruising because I needed to stay on-board to get a decent finish, and suddenly I lost the front. It’s disappointing because the potential is so good.”
Paul Denning- Team Manager:
“It’s been an impressive weekend‘s work for Alex, his crew and for the Voltcom Crescent GSX-R. The first race was exactly the right balance between pushing hard when he needed to and settling for a fantastic podium at the end of the race. Race two was a huge disappointment but a better performance in many ways. The accident was pretty much unavoidable, and with a heavily damaged bike – which in most circumstances a rider would call unridable – clawed his way back from dead last to ninth place and even on the last lap of the race was the fastest rider on track. Race two was a definite podium at worst and a hard fight for the win at best, it didn’t happen but that shouldn’t detract from what was a stunning day’s work.
“The story for Eugene was very different unfortunately. We’ve had a difficult run over the last few weeks and the potential we’ve seen in practice hasn’t translated into results. The starts weren’t a problem today, we got away and soon battled through to the front group but mistakes in both races meant that Eugene wasn’t able to capitalise. We will go to Malaysia with the target of rebuilding Eugene’s confidence, finding the sweet spot in the bike for him and capitalising on the obvious potential.”
More, from a press release issued by Dorna WSBK Press Office:
Sykes heads another Kawasaki 1-2 in race two at Donington
Donington (Great Britain), Sunday 25 May 2014 – The second race of the day for the eni FIM Superbike World Championship was once again a close encounter, with reigning World Superbike Champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) coming out victorious to take an impressive double in front of his home crowd, just like one year ago.
The 23 lap race then saw a three way fight between Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and the Kawasaki Racing Team duo Loris Baz and Tom Sykes, with the #1 eventually pulling away in the final laps to claim his 18th career win in the series. Thanks to a masterful performance in both of today’s outings, Sykes now lies on top of the standings, 26 points ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) and teammate Loris Baz.
Tom Sykes: “Maybe race one was the best race of my career. We had a problem on the first laps of race one and Loris came quite aggressively in turn one. I lost some positions and in the first half a lap, on full lean angle the bike was cutting the power. I almost came into the pits but the Ninja cleared itself and after that the bike was working very well. In race two I knew Loris would have a good pace and Sylvain always goes well round Donington. I just kept pushing and took the lead and then the win. It is great to take another double and also take the championship lead again.”
The leading bunch of riders locked together in the early stages until a clash between first race podium finisher Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) at the Melbourne Hairpin split the group. Both riders eventually remounted their bikes, with Lowes recovering several places to end up 9th.
Alex Lowes: “Leading my first World Superbike race was mega! Race 1 was good, although I struggled a bit towards the end. It’s the home race for both the team and myself, so I’m pleased with the result. I’m really disappointed about the second race, I had a good pace and I could have had another top 3 finish. I tried my best and I got away with a ninth place, even though my bike was damaged. We have proved we can run at the front and we’ll move on with the confidence gained here at Donington.”
Just as in race one Loris Baz took second position with Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) taking the last podium place after a much stronger second race for the Frenchman.
Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) recovered from his crash earlier to claim 4th.
Other factory Ducati rider Chaz Davies was a lonely 5th ahead of Rea who finished 6th. David Salom added to the celebrations for Kawasaki in the EVO category, by once again being the best classified rider, finishing a credible 10th overall.
Aaron Yates (Team Hero EBR) and Eugene Laverty (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) fell before half distance, neither rider sustaining any injury. Laverty however was able to remount and salvage 3 points.
As in the opening race, Leon Camier (BMW Motorrad Italia) and Geoff May (Team Hero EBR) were not on the grid, Camier nursing an injury sustained in yesterday’s Tissot-Superpole, May unable to take part due to an ongoing technical problem.
Results: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 23 Laps/92.529 km in 34’14.134 average 162.163 kph; 2. Baz (Kawasaki) 3.678; 3. Guintoli (Aprilia) 7.376; 4. Giugliano (Ducati) 10.827; 5. Davies (Ducati) 15.140; 6. Rea (Honda) 17.975; 7. Haslam (Honda) 33.737; 8. Elias (Aprilia) 40.362; 9. Lowes (Suzuki) 41.465; 10. Salom (Kawasaki) 48.929; 11. Canepa (Ducati) 49.229; 12. Corti (MV Agusta) 57.984; 13. Laverty (Suzuki) 1’00.751; 14. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’01.697; 15. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1’03.349; 16. Morais (Kawasaki) 1’03.820; 17. Melandri (Aprilia) 1’05.485; 18. Foret (Kawasaki) 1’11.049; 19. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1’15.943; 20. Toth (BMW) 1 Lap; RT. Yates (EBR); SH. Badovini (Bimota) 40.579; SH. Iddon (Bimota) 47.949.
Standings (Round 5 of 13): 1. Sykes 185; 2. Rea 159; 3. Baz 159; 4. Guintoli 148; 5. Davies 109; 6. Melandri 97; 7. Giugliano 82; 8. Haslam 75; 9. Lowes 73; 10. Laverty 65; 11. Elias 65; 12. Salom 46; 13. Canepa 38; 14. Camier 20; 15. Scassa 16; 16. Foret 14; 17. Guarnoni 12; 18. Corti 10; 19. Morais 10; 20. Allerton 6; 21. Bos 5; 22. Andreozzi 4; 23. Fabrizio 2. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 193; 2. Aprilia 162; 3. Honda 159; 4. Ducati 137; 5. Suzuki 115; 6. BMW 26; 7. MV Agusta 10.
World Supersport
After a thrilling 20 lap World Supersport race at Donington Park, Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) has taken his second win of the season after a tense final three corners saw him fend off Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport). Kev Coghlan (DMC-Panavto Yamaha) was back on the podium, taking the final place on the rostrum after being in the leading fight until the closing stages. Former World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Team India Kawasaki) suffered another technical problem while leading but unlike in recent races the Turk was able to bring his machine home in 4th at the flag, unlike Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) who retired after his engine let go at Coppice Corner while the Italian was fighting for the lead.
Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) was classified 5th after working his way through the field from his lowly grid position. His team mate PJ Jacobsen was 6th.
Wildcard rider Sam Hornsey (Anvil Hire TAG Triumph) finished a respectable 16th overall.
Results: 1. Vd Mark (Honda) 20 Laps/80.460 km in 30’47.132 average 156.814 kph; 2. Cluzel (MV Agusta) 0.114; 3. Coghlan (Yamaha) 1.266; 4. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1.556; 5. Marino (Kawasaki) 7.472; 6. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 10.557; 7. Kennedy (Honda) 13.952; 8. Tamburini (Kawasaki) 14.783; 9. De Rosa (Honda) 15.363; 10. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 16.585; 11. Bussolotti (Honda) 22.829; 12. Wilairot (Honda) 24.005; 13. Russo (Honda) 38.908; 14. Nocco (Kawasaki) 45.198; 15. Leonov (MV Agusta) 46.175; etc.
Standings (Round 5 of 12): 1. Vd Mark 90; 2. Marino 76; 3. Cluzel 62; 4. Coghlan 60; 5. Zanetti 49; 6. De Rosa 45; 7. Sofuoglu 38; 8. Tamburini 37; 9. Rolfo 36; 10. Jacobsen 32; 11. Wahr 23; 12. Bussolotti 21; 13. Russo 21; 14. Menghi 19; 15. Kennedy 19; 16. Gamarino 16; 17. Leonov 13; 18. Wilairot 13; 19. Gowland 9; 20. Nocco 8; 21. Coveña 6; 22. Schmitter 3; 23. Calero 3; 24. Rogers 1. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 111; 2. Kawasaki 87; 3. Yamaha 70; 4. MV Agusta 70; 5. Triumph 9.
European Junior Cup
Javier Orellana (Europ Food SL) has come out victorious in the 10 lap Pata European Junior Cup race, held in drying conditions today at Donington Park. The 16 year old from Mallorca, Spain, who is currently contesting his third season in the series, was able to take the lead and to get a small margin on the five-rider chasing pack on the last lap, crossing the line ahead of Angelo Licciardi (S.E.F.A.B Racing), Augusto Fernandez (WIL Sport), Illan Fernandez (Evo Kids Racing) and Mika Perez (Cuna de Campeones). Orellana now lies second in the standings, six points behind leader Augusto Fernandez.
Results: 1. Orellana 10 Laps/40.230 km in 18’44.629 average 128.778 kph; 2. Licciardi 0.719; 3. Fernandez 0.899; 4. Fernandez 0.933; 5. Perez 1.138; 6. Miralles 1.933; 7. Van Sikkelerus 35.261; 8. London 40.947; 9. Wisdom 41.319; 10. Geissler 1’07.937; 11. Soomer 1’09.634; 12. Drayton 1’16.712; 13. Van Schoonhoven 1’17.226; 14. Moreno 1’28.573; 15. Levy 1’43.976; etc.
Standings (Round 4 of 8): 1. Fernandez 79; 2. Orellana 73; 3. Miralles 62; 4. Hubner 40; 5. Licciardi 34; 6. Fernandez 34; 7. Perez 33; 8. Harland 27; 9. Grassia 27; 10. London 26; 11. Soomer 25; 12. Van Sikkelerus 20; 13. Wisdom 20; 14. Brink 13; 15. Geissler 10; 16. Hill 8; 17. Gabellini 7; 18. Moreno 5; 19. Drayton 4; 20. Zhu 4; 21. Van Schoonhoven 3; 22. Ortt 2; 23. Patterson 2; 24. Levy 2.
More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda Superbike Team:
No home satisfaction for Rea and Haslam
Pata Honda World Superbike riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam did not leave their home race at Donington Park in the UK today with great satisfaction, but take away a collection of points from their top ten finishes in the two fifth-round races.
Starting from eighth place on the grid for the two 23-lappers around the 4.023km Donington Park circuit, Rea struggled for grip in both outings and took two sixth place finishes.
The 27-year-old from Northern Ireland came to the UK with a slender four-point lead in the championship over fellow Brit, Tom Sykes, who won both of today’s races. Rea remains second in the championship, however, tied with Loriz Baz who was second twice today.
Rea’s Pata Honda team-mate, Leon Haslam, put his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP on the front row for today’s races after a wet Superpole session yesterday.
However, the 30-year-old rider, who lives very close to Donington Park, was unable to give his friends, family and supporters much to cheer about, finishing eighth in race one and seventh in the second outing.
Jonathan Rea – sixth and sixth
It’s not been the perfect weekend after Imola, but I think we were ready for that. We really struggled on Friday with a few things and the low-grip nature of Donington caused us to suffer quite a lot throughout the weekend. In both races it was a struggle, and it’s difficult for me to understand how the bike was so good in Imola and why we struggled more here. But finishing two 23-lap races will give the guys some great data to take away and look at so that when, in the future, we arrive at circuits that aren’t so grippy, we can have an idea of how to maximise a result. We finished quite far from the race winners today and it’s not the best situation. But we can leave Donington with some positives and we’re all really looking forward to the next few races.
Leon Haslam – eighth and seventh
I was happy with qualifying in the wet but the races have not been good at all. Finishing eighth and seventh is only slightly offset by the fact that Jonathan had the same problems this weekend. In race two I caught up in some carnage with a couple of incidents at the hairpin and ended up dropping from third to about twelfth. That finished the afternoon for me, really, which is disappointing at my home round. Looking at the times we were doing, they’re not far off what I was doing two or three years ago. It’s been frustrating, of course, but I have a lot of faith and confidence in the team and Malaysia is a new track for everyone, so I’m looking forward to the next round.
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator
It’s clearly been quite a disappointing weekend, seeing the guys in sixth, seventh, eighth positions after such a strong event in Imola. In general we suffered from not having a dry Saturday because on Friday it became quite apparent that we needed some more time to make a good set-up. The guys are still de-briefing, checking what the problems were but, for sure, the general low level of grip did not work in our favour. We have some work to do if we are going to strike back in Sepang.
More, from a press release issued by Alstare Bimota:
SUPERB DOUBLE VICTORY FOR BIMOTA ALSTARE
Team Bimota Alstare Bimota rider Ayrton Badovini won the EVO class in both World Superbike races at Donington today on the continually improving BB3. He finished 10th overall in race one and then went even better in race two, finishing 9th overall. In the first race, he ended twelve seconds in front of the nearest EVO class rider and in race two the margin between him and the next EVO rider was eight seconds.
His team mate, Christian Iddon’s first race ended after just four laps when he lost the front end and crashed out. But he made up for it in race two by finishing 11th overall and second in the EVO class, to make it a Team Bimota Alstare 1-2. As the BB3 is currently awaiting homologation, both Ayrton and Christian’s results are excluded from the points, but today’s superb performances show that the BB3 is realising its potential sooner than later.
Ayrton Badovini – Race 1: 10th overall, 1st EVO class – Race 2: 9th overall, 1st EVO class
“I am really happy with today – especially after yesterday’s crash. It’s always difficult after a crash and I didn’t have a good feeling with the bike in this morning’s warm-up – maybe because it was pretty wet and very slippery. So when the track dried and the sun started to come out and the prospects for two dry races looked good, I immediately felt a lot better about the situation.
I knew that my BB3 worked well in the dry here and when I got off to good starts in both 23-lap races, I felt that this could be a good day. I felt comfortable on the bike and riding was easy – and for that I would like to say a big ‘thank you’ to the team for all the work they put in. I had no particular problems in either race, though we need to improve the feel of the front end a bit more. I would like to dedicate my two EVO wins today to Francis Batta and the team – both are very special to me.”
Christian Iddon – Race 1: DNF – Race 2: 11th overall, 2nd EVO class
“I crashed after four laps in race one and it was my fault, because I was a bit too hasty. I had started well and got ahead of some of the good guys, but then lost some places in the chicane and hairpin. I tried to get back all the positions I had lost in one corner and that was my undoing because I was a bit too aggressive and lost the front. There was plenty of time left in the race, so I should have waited to make my move.
Because of that, I was probably a bit too cautious at the start of race two on the first lap. I wanted to get settled before I started to push hard. My seat came loose after a couple of laps, but it was not a huge problem and after a while I got used to the feeling. A lap or so later, I had a feeling that the engine wasn’t running right and I rode steadily, but a bit nervously, in case something happened. But the bike seemed to be working OK, so I just carried on.
For us to finish first and second in the EVO class today is pretty amazing, especially when you consider that we beat a lot of really good guys on the way.”
Francis Batta (Team Manager)
“When you have a good day like today, it’s not necessary to say much. I am very happy with our two victories in the EVO class and our 1-2 in race two made it a bit special. It’s reward for all the hard work the whole team has put in since this project started – and that was not that long ago at all! We always felt that the BB3 had potential and tody has proved it.”
More, from a press release issued by Pirelli:
With Pirelli standard DIABLO™ Superbike SC0 the Kawasaki riders paint the grey skies green at Donington Park
Using standard Pirelli tires, available for purchase by any rider, Tom Sykes and Loris Baz bring home a one-two for the manufacturer from Akashi and give all motorcycling fans a great show
Donington (Great Britain), 25 May 2014 – The English Donington Park circuit was the setting for a weekend that can be defined by the most exciting race of the season thus far. Tom Sykes took the top step of the podium in both races, followed across the finish in both cases by team mate Loris Baz, giving Kawasaki two splendid one-two races and contributing to increasing the advantage that the manufacturer from Akashi holds at the top of the Manufacturer standings.
In Superbike Race 1 the Kawasaki riders took a splendid one-two, giving the fans one of the most exciting duels in the history of the World Superbike Championship. A fierce Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), after starting from the seventh spot on the grid and slipping back into eleventh place at the start, made an incredible comeback, catching up and overtaking first Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) and then, after a thrilling head to head that lasted a few laps, team mate Loris Baz.
The Frenchman, who started from the sixth spot on the grid, managed to move into the lead in the fifth lap, holding this position until the nineteenth, but he was powerless against the Englishman who disintegrated the initial gap of 3.5 seconds lap after lap. He also earned the Best Lap on the sixteenth and moving into first place after several passes, one of which was right at the limit with both tires on the kerb.
Behind them, finishing the race in third place, was championship rookie Alex Lowes, while Italian rider Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team), who started on pole position, after a less than perfect start was able to make up ground all the way to second place, but was then forced to withdraw on the fifteenth lap due to a crash.
The race provided an exciting show, undoubtedly owing some of the merit to Pirelli tires. Both the Kawasaki riders, like most of the Superbike riders on the grid, used standard DIABLO™ Superbike SC0 tires on the rear in a soft compound and medium-soft development solutions on the front which allowed the riders to unleash the horsepower of their bikes onto the ground without holding back and allowing Tom Sykes to make an incredible comeback.
Race 2 was basically a replay of Race 1, at least in terms of results for the Akashi-based manufacturer. Once again Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), after an incredible comeback, took first place with a textbook overtake on Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team). At the end of the race the Frenchman from the Noale-based manufacturer had to settle for the third step of the podium, whereas his countryman astride the Kawasaki was unable to contain the hometown hero again, finishing the weekend with two excellent second places which take him to second place in the overall standings with 159 points, tied with Jonathan Rea. Tom Sykes, after losing the lead in the standings to Jonathan Rea at Imola, took it back boldly with a 26 advantage over the closest contender.
Of note, finally, was the performance of the third Kawasaki Racing Team rider, David Salom, who secured tenth place in both races to be the fastest EVO rider.
The FIM World Supersport Championship race was won by Michael Vd Mark astride his Honda CBR600RR for Pata Honda World Supersport Team, who managed to relegate Frenchman Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport) and Englishman Kev Coghlan (DMC Panavto-Yamaha) to the spots behind him. With this victory Vd Mark widens the gap in the championship, increasing his point advantage over the closest contender.
In the European Junior Cup, now at the fourth round of the season, sixteen year old Spaniard Javier Orellana enjoyed his first win, followed across the line by German Angelo Ricciardi and Spaniard Augusto Fernandez, who holds onto the top spot in the championship standings with a six point advantage over countryman Orellana.
Comment from Giorgio Barbier, Pirelli Moto Racing Director:
“What races and what a show for all motorcycling fans! This was truly a perfect weekend from every point of view. Where Pirelli is concerned we were able to see more or less all the tires in our range in action, both slicks and rain tires, but the most important role was certainly played by the standard soft rear tire which was chosen by most of the riders in Race 1 and practically all of them in Race 2. This is important confirmation for us, even more when you consider that anyone can purchase this tire because it is available on the market and then race or go have a fun track day with the same tire they see in action every weekend in the World Superbike Championship. The only regret is not having been able to test the new Superpole tire because of the rain, but I’m sure we will be able to see it in action in one of the coming races. All that’s left is to compliment Kawasaki on the important result they earned thanks to the brilliant performance Tom and Loris put in today. There is still a lot of the Championship left, but strong wins like this definitely send out important signals.”
The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders:
In the top class, after a rainy Superpole on Saturday which forced all the riders to use the DIABLO™ Rain tires, today various solutions were used, although on the rear the soft solutions were the most popular: the standard DIABLO™ Superbike SC0 tires were chosen by practically all the Superbike riders, whereas the majority of the EVO riders opted for theR1120 development solution dedicated specifically to them and the soft SC0 compound in Race 1, then switching the preference to the standard SC0 in Race 2.
On the front the strong popularity of the SC1 S1699 development solution continued, chosen by more than half the riders on the grid, while the rest of them used the standard SC1.
In Supersport all the riders chose the standard DIABLO™ Supercorsa SC1 for the front, while on the rear six riders opted for the standard DIABLO™ Supercorsa SC1 and the remainder went with the new SC1 S0624 development solution.
Pirelli Best Lap Award:
The Pirelli Best Lap Awards are given to the riders who put in the fastest lap in the Superbike and Supersport races. At Donington Park they were presented by Pirelli Moto Racing Director Giorgio Barbier at the Paddock Show during the press conference which 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 Awards” will be elected “Best Lap Winner: fastest rider of the year” and will be awarded during the ceremony at the end of the year. At the moment the Superbike standings have Tom Sykes, Alex Lowes, Chaz Davies, Jonathan Rea and Sylvain Guintoli tied with 2 Best Lap Awards each and in Supersport Michael Vd Mark is the leader with 2 Best Lap Award won.
These are the riders who won the Pirelli Best Lap Awards at Donington Park:
WSB Race 1 – Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team), 1’28.779 (16th lap)
WSB Race 2 – Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), 1’28.544(4th lap)
WSS – Michael Vd Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team), 1’31.483 (7th lap)
The overall standings after five rounds are as follows:
WSB: Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team): 2; Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team): 2; Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike Team): 2; Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team): 2; Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki): 2
WSS: Michael Vd Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team): 2; Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport): 1; Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing): 1; Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India): 1
The 2014 Pirelli statistics for the Donington Park round:
• Total number of tires Pirelli brought: 3634
• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 7 rear
• Number of tires available for each Superbike rider: 35 front and 35 rear
• Number of solutions for the Supersport class (dry, intermediate and wet)::4 front and 4 rear
• Number of tires available for each Supersport rider: 23 front and 24 rear
• Temperature in Race 1: air 16° C, asphalt 22° C
• Temperature in Race 2: air 18° C, asphalt 28° C
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tires: 278.8 kms/h, in Race 1 by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) at 8th lap
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tires in Supersport: 249 kms/h, Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta RC-Yakhnich Motorsport) at 7th lap.