WorldSBK

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

As the US Round drew to a close on Sunday afternoon at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca it was World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) who took the victory, with Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) also on the podium.

Rea came from eighth on the grid to take a dominant win over the rest of the field with the KRT man beating his nearest challenger – teammate Sykes – by 2.887s, to open up a 59-point advantage at the head of the standings going into the summer break. It is the Northern Irishman’s second win at the American venue and he dedicated the victory to the late Nicky Hayden.

Davies did his best to pursue Sykes for second place over the final laps but just could not catch the Yorkshireman and had to settle for third, following his comeback win in Race 1.

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) completed the top five in the hot conditions at the spectacular Californian track.

Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) bounced back immediately from his Race 1 DNF for a good sixth place finish, with another Aprilia equipped rider Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) in seventh.

Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) was just behind Laverty and Mercado on the Aprilia RSV4 RF in eighth place, with the top ten completed by Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team colleagues Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark.

Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team), Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Ayrton Badovini (Grillini Racing Team) all suffered crashes, whilst there was an early retirement for Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).

After the summer break the 2017 World Superbike World Championship riders will return to action at the Prosecco DOC German Round over the 18th-20th August weekend.

 

WorldSBK

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) enjoyed a positive day on Friday despite an uncharacteristic crash at the beginning of FP1, going on to top the timesheets in both practice sessions on the first day of the UK Round.
 
Rea’s 1’27.740 time in FP2 made him the fastest rider of the day at Donington, with his teammate Tom Sykes second quickest – the Yorkshireman lapping +0.122s behind his Northern Irish colleague on the Kawasaki ZX-10RR. Also making a good start to the weekend on his return to WorldSBK as a wildcard was Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who lapped third fastest overall, at a circuit he knows so well.
 
In fourth place Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) was the only non-British rider in a top six which also featured Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).
 
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was seventh best, just ahead of eighth placed Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia). Completing the top ten and therefore going straight through to Tissot Superpole 2 on Saturday were Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Leandro Mercado (IODARacing).
 
Approaching the half way point in the session Lowes and Mercado crashed in quick succession, Lowes losing the front at turn 11 and Mercado heading into the gravel and down at turn 8. There were also spills for Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team) as the riders pushed to the limits.
 
Earlier in the day Rea led the way in FP1 with a 1’27.828 lap, after a crash earlier in the session. He was accompanied in the top three by his teammate Sykes and Ducati man Melandri.
 
Rea crashed in the opening minutes of the first practice of the weekend but was unharmed and went on to lap quicker than any of his rivals, with Van der Mark and De Angelis also crashing in the session.
 
Saturday at the UK Round will see the SP1 take place at 11am local time, SP2 at 11.25pm and Race 1 at 3pm.

WorldSBK

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) took a brilliant win in Race 1 of the UK Round in a dramatic race which brought crashes for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati). Wildcard Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) made it an all-British podium, as Sykes took an amazing ninth successive victory in his home race at Donington Park.
 
An incident-packed race saw provisional leader Davies go down in the early stages at turn 12, after he lost the front end. He picked his Ducati up to rejoin,  eventually finishing eighth having crashed at the same corner as he did in last year’s Race 1 at Donington and this latest incident will be a big blow to his World title aspirations.
 
With 6 laps to go Sykes got through on his teammate Rea to lead and within just over a lap he had opened up a two second gap on his Northern Irish teammate. Rea then suffered a high speed accident at turn 3, crashing out of the race, but was soon back on his feet and was taken back to the pits on a scooter.
 
A superb ride by Haslam on his return to the series saw him take a highly creditable second place, whilst Lowes took third thanks to a late move on Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati).
 
Dutchman Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) completed the top five, with Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) making it four Brits in the top six to further delight the home crowd.
 
In seventh place Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) crossed the line a couple of seconds ahead of Davies, with Spaniards Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) completing the top ten after 23 breathtaking laps around the exciting 4.023km Donington Park Circuit.
 
The riders and many of the fans in attendance carried stickers and flags in tribute to the late Nicky Hayden who tragically passed away earlier in the week after a cycling accident in Italy, with Sykes quick to pay his condolences to the Hayden family after the race in parc ferme. The podium finishers all wore t-shirts carrying Hayden’s famous number 69 in honour of the Kentucky Kid.
 
Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) and Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing) unfortunately suffered technical issues and ended up with DNFs.
 
The riders will be back in action on Sunday with Race 2 at the UK Round at 3pm local time.

WorldSBK

Star InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar InactiveStar Inactive

It is with deep sadness that we report the passing of MotoGP Legend Nicky Hayden, after the American was involved in a collision with a car when cycling on the Riviera di Rimini last Wednesday. Hayden had been rushed to a local hospital before being transferred to the Bufalini Hospital in Cesena.

He later succumbed to injuries sustained and passed away on Monday evening. He was 35 years old.

We wish to pass on our deepest condolences to Hayden’s family, friends, team and fans at this difficult time.

Statement from Tommy Hayden, on behalf of the Hayden family:

“On behalf of the whole Hayden family and Nicky’s fiancée Jackie I would like to thank everyone for their messages of support – it has been a great comfort to us all knowing that Nicky has touched so many people’s lives in such a positive way.

“Although this is obviously a sad time, we would like everyone to remember Nicky at his happiest – riding a motorcycle. He dreamed as a kid of being a pro rider and not only achieved that but also managed to reach the pinnacle of his chosen sport in becoming World Champion. We are all so proud of that.

“Apart from these ‘public’ memories, we will also have many great and happy memories of Nicky at home in Kentucky, in the heart of the family. We will all miss him terribly.

“It is also important for us to thank all the hospital staff for their incredible support – they have been very kind. With the further support of the authorities in the coming days we hope to have Nicky home soon.”

 

         

 

 

Search