FIM Supersport World Championship
Donington Park, England
May 25, 2014
Race Results (all on Pirelli tires):
1. Michael VD MARK, Netherlands (Honda CBR600RR), 20 laps, 30:47.132
2. Jules CLUZEL, France (MV Agusta F3 675), -0.114 second
3. Kev COGHLAN, UK (Yamaha YZF-R6), -1.266 seconds
4. Kenan SOFUOGLU, Turkey (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -1.556
5. Florian MARINO, France (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -7.472
6. PJ JACOBSEN, USA (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -10.557
7. Jack KENNEDY, Ireland (Honda CBR600RR), -13.952
8. Roberto TAMBURINI, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -14.783
9. Raffaele DE ROSA, Italy (Honda CBR600RR), -15.363
10. Roberto ROLFO, Italy (Kawasaki ZX-6R), -16.585
World Championship Point Standings (after 5 of 12 races):
1. VD Mark, 90 points
2. Marino, 76
3. Cluzel, 62
4. Coghlan, 60
5. Lorenzo Zanetti, 49
6. De Rosa, 45
7. Sofuoglu, 38
8. Tamburini, 37
9. Rolfo, 36
10. Jacobsen, 32
More, from a press release issued by Pata Honda Supersport Team:
Van der Mark wins at Donington to extend championship lead
Pata Honda rider Michael van der Mark took his Honda CBR600RR to a second World Supersport victory at today’s fifth-round race at Donington Park in the UK and so extended his championship lead to 14 points.
The 21-year-old Dutch ace started today’s 20-lap race around the 4.023km Donington circuit from pole position, but a bad start left van der Mark in sixth place in the opening laps. However, he worked his way to the front and enjoyed a thrilling last-lap battle with Frenchman Jules Cluzel, who was second today, and British rider Kev Coghlan who completed the podium.
But van der Mark’s joy was tempered by despair for his Pata Honda team-mate Lorenzo Zanettit who was forced to retire from today’s race with a mechanical problem when the 26-year-old Italian looked certain for another podium finish.
Zanetti won the last World Supersport championship race at Imola in Italy and held third place in the standings until today’s sudden retirement when he was running third, just five laps from the end of the race.
Michael van der Mark – first
It’s been an amazing weekend and we were really fast from the beginning when it was dry on Friday. Yesterday, in the wet, I took my first pole position but today my start to the race wasn’t that good. I struggled with grip in the first few laps but later in the race, when I found my own pace, I got faster and faster. I caught the group in front of me and passed them slowly. When I managed to pass them I was able to go away and then had a nice fight with Jules [Cluzel]. I made a few small mistakes and for the last two corners I didn’t want to take too much risk. I’m really happy and want to thank the team – we’ve worked hard all weekend and then I had a silly crash in warm-up. Luckily they were able to repair the bike quickly and it was perfect today.
Lorenzo Zanetti – DNF
I’m really disappointed and angry, but I know this is racing. I started really well and know that I had potential to fight for the win. I pushed to stay with the first group and had everything under control. I was waiting for the last three or four laps before I wanted to push but the bike broke before then. Everything was OK before then and the bike felt great and it’s important to be fighting for the win. But this is racing. I think I can fight at every race now, even if I like some tracks more than others. I’ve had two DNFs now and Mikey’s [van der Mark] win today didn’t help the in championship but fighting for the win is important for my career.
Pieter Breddels – technical co-ordinator
It was a mixed day today. Lorenzo rode strongly right from the start and looked sure to be heading for the podium before his mechanical problem. I felt so sorry for him because he was riding really well and deserved a podium. Michael got off to a slow start from his pole position and it took him a while to get into a groove. When he finally got into a good rhythm he was really strong and battled the last few laps with Cluzel and got the better of him to win. He has a clear lead in the championship now, so we’re very happy for that.
More, from a press release issued by Kawasaki Motors Europe:
Sofuoglu Fourth At Donington
Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Mahi Racing Team India) took his Ninja ZX-6R to an eventual fourth place after leading early on in 20-lap WSS race at Donington, narrowly missing out on a podium finish.
Florian Marino (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) was one place behind Sofuoglu in the Donington round and is still the highest placed Kawasaki rider in the championship after five rounds, in second place and 14 points from the lead.
Early leader Sofuoglu was forced to slow at one time when smoke was evident from his machine but what he thought may possibly be a technical problem ended up being a piece of track debris which got jammed in between his bodywork and front wheel. This caused smoke and a smell that made Sofuoglu to slow down, allowing some riders to pass him. He got going again as it cleared and finished a strong fourth, only a fraction of a second from a podium finish.
In the championship Sofuoglu is now seventh, up two places from where he started at Donington.
Patrick Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) placed sixth on his Ninja ZX-6R with Roberto Tamburini (San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) eighth and Roberto Rolfo (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) tenth.
Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) was again in the points, for 14th, with Tony Covena (Kawasaki Ponyexpres Intermoto) and Christian Gamarino (Kawasaki Team Go Eleven) 17th and 19th respectively.
The WSS teams head to Sepang in Malaysia for the very first time at the next round, with race day taking place on Sunday 8 June.
Kenan Sofuoglu: “It was another disappointing day for me because I was making a gap and if I needed to I could have gone half a second faster. I was just watching my pit board and they showed me that I was keeping the gap, then growing the gap. I was ahead by one second and everything was going good. Then I realised there was a problem. I was not sure what it was but I had to look down to see and to do that I had to slow down. I could smell something burning and felt the bike was being held back. I had to continue to get some points and after about three laps it cleared and I could push again. I could not catch the front guys again even though I was going a little faster. When you know you can win all these races but I get a different problem I cannot get a good result. It is very frustrating.”