Mike Jones scores best ever FIM STK1000 result with second place in Germany
Mike Jones (Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team #57) – 2nd
“The feeling is fantastic, I’m ecstatic to get my first podium in the STK1000 championship. Of course there are a lot of things to take into account, but I’m so happy to give a bit of repayment to the team and show an indication of my potential. Today’s race was quite tactical, we’ve been patient and it paid off. I think that the test here a Lausitz marked a turning point for me this year, as I focused on my riding more than the bike. I’m looking forward to continue this momentum and improve a little bit more if possible. The help and support from my family, team and sponsors is what makes it worthwhile.”
The Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team enjoyed an unforgettable weekend at EuroSpeedway Lausitz (Germany), home of the sixth round of the Superstock 1000 European Championship.
At the end of a dramatic race, Michael Ruben Rinaldi took his third win of the season with teammate Mike Jones, bringing his Ducati home in second place, the Australian’s first podium as a rookie in this class.
Starting respectively from third and sixth position, Rinaldi and Jones rode a tactical race, progressively erasing the gap from the front.
A three rider battle between Rinaldi, Sandi and Razgatlioglu on the penultimate lap concluded dramatically – as Sandi ran across the gravel after touching Razgatlioglu and then shortly afterwards Razgatlioglu crashed out – to leave Rinaldi clear at the front.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team #12) – 1st
“We rode tactical race, which hasn’t always been our strongest suit. We improved a lot under this aspect: after a difficult WUP, we stayed focused, managing the pace during early phases and catching up with the frontrunners. The bike was extremely competitive, and I want to thank my team for the great job they did. It was a hard battle, perhaps even beyond the limit, but we need to simply focus on our work. We took important points, and we need to stay as focused as ever in the remaining rounds.”
Behind Rinaldi, Jones and Tamburini it was Florian Marino (Pata Yamaha Official STK1000 Team) who finished a close fourth – beaten to the finish line by his teammate Tamburini by just 0.643s.
Having been in the lead and looking comfortable at the front, pole man Sandi appeared to be in a great position for victory but ended up crossing the line fifth after his late off-track excursion.
After six rounds, Rinaldi and Jones are respectively first (115 points) and sixth (49 points) in the overall rankings.
Piero Guidi, Team Manager
“This has been the best round so far, it couldn’t really have gone better. Rinaldi once again confirmed his strength and poise, while Jones got his groove back after some difficult races, and I’m sure he’ll surprise us in the upcoming races. We scored important points, but we need to keep our concentration until the end of the season. Thanks to all the team, who worked flawlessly.”
The Superstock 1000 European Championship riders will reconvene for their next race in just under a month’s time over the 15th-17th September weekend – at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve, Portimão, Portugal.
Superstock 1000 Race Results Proseccco DOC German Round
- Rinaldi – Ducati
- Jones – Ducati +2.162
- Tamburini – Yamaha +10.407
- Marino – Yamaha +11.050
- Sandi – BMW +11.091
- Guarnoni – Kawasaki +15.729
- Vitali – Aprilia +18.252
- Suchet – BMW +24.027
- Puffe – BMW +27.848
- Fritz – Yamaha +31.993
Superstock 1000 Championship Standings Proseccco DOC German Round
- Michael Ruben Rinaldi 115 Ducati
- Toprak Razgatlioglu 89 Kawasaki
- Florian Marino 80 Yamaha
- Roberto Tamburini 72 Yamaha
- Marco Faccani 56 BMW
- Mike Jones 49 Ducati
- Jeremy Guarnoni 48 Kawasaki
- Luca Vitali 44 Aprilia
- Maximilian Scheib 41 Aprilia
- Federico Sandi 40 BMW
- Sebastien Suchet 37 BMW
- Illia Mykhalchyk 35 Kawasaki
- Alex Schacht 19 Ducati
- Marvin Fritz 17 Yamaha
- Julian Puffe 15 BMW
- Matteo Ferrari 14 BMW
- Danny De Boer 13 BMW
- Luca Marconi 8 Yamaha
- Kevin Calia 7 Suzuki
- Emanuele Pusceddu 7 BMW
