Chaz Davies does the WorldSBK double in France
Race 2 of the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway at Magny-Cours on Sunday with almost perfect conditions setting the scene for a magnificent day of racing. Ducati’s Chaz Davies stole the show once again to take the double for a fifth time in his career. Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes put on an incredible show battling for the podium to finish in second and third.
The opening lap saw pole man Jonathan Rea rush ahead to lead into the first corner, with Chaz Davies right behind. Tom Sykes swooped around on the second corner to steal the lead and pull away while Davies took second. With a three way English fight out the front, MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Leon Camier and Honda World Superbike Team’s Michael van der Mark were left behind to fight it out for fourth.
Sykes was unbeatable setting a new lap record early on as he took his Kawasaki to its limit, putting seconds between Davies and teammate Rea. But it wasn’t long before Rea slipped passed Davies to begin the hunt for Sykes.
The last five laps of the race saw an intense battle break out between the two Kawasakis as the lead alternated between Rea and Sykes, with many tight overtaking moves keeping French fans on the edge of their seats. An almost impossible overtake attempt by Sykes on Rea saw Davies take advantage of the opening and shoot ahead with a couple of laps to go. Once in front the Welshman didn’t look back until the chequered flag saw him secure his second win at the Fassi French Round.
Leon Camier eventually beat van der Mark to fourth with the Dutchman taking fifth ahead of IodaRacing Team’s Lorenzo Savadori. While further down the order PATA Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team’s Sylvain Guintoli tried to hold off Honda World Superbike Team’s Nicky Hayden, Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team) and Althea BMW Racing Team’s Jordi Torres in a battle of their own, but eventually lost the fight and finished in eighth. Torres finished ahead of the Frenchman in seventh. Hayden ended the battle in ninth with Fores rounding out the top ten.
Josh Brookes (Milwaukee BMW) came home in P11 with Markus Reiterberger (Althea BMW Racing Team) drastically improving his weekend to finish in P12. Roman Ramos (Team GOELEVEN) picked up important points in P13 with Alex De Angelis (IodaRacing Team) and Frenchman Matthieu Lagrive (Pedercini Racing) rounding out the points in P14 and P15 respectively.
With Sykes taking away important points from teammate Jonathan Rea, the 2016 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship fight goes to Round 12 in Jerez on the 14-16th of October, with only 48 points separating them.
Chaz Davies – 1st place
“That was one of the best wins of my career. Just to hang on from the start I really struggled. The pace was decent but I couldn’t make those few tenths to follow Tom. Then Jonny came by and I couldn’t see where I could make the time up. I was kind of relying on them dropping off which at the end they did. I stayed consistent. I was a little bit lucky with the mistake from both of them at the hairpin. I couldn’t see an opportunity to pass apart from forcing one. That opened the door for me and then I knew it was a case of hammer down for a few laps and make sure I have got a gap to give them no chance to come back at me. Incredible and definitely one of the sweetest wins of my career.”
Jonathan Rea – 2nd Place
“Tom is riding at such a good level that it is so hard to pass somebody who is riding really well. I spent so much energy trying to get back into the group. I led going into T6 and Tom stopped me, then Chaz got back underneath and I lost a lot of momentum there and it took so much energy, physical energy and concentration to get back into the group. At that part of the race my pace was quite good, Tom was away and then I put myself in between Chaz and Tom, I caught Tom, but when I made the pass I left the door open for Chaz. So congratulations to Chaz, I had nothing for him in the end. But I did my best and I put everything I could into the race. I’m really happy with second place because it is the best I could do today.”
Tom Sykes – 3rd Place
“The good thing is we have been consistent all weekend in all conditions, but it is a big shame to miss out and to be third today. I found it very difficult trying to get into the corners. I lost the front twice up in the top hairpin. That’s no excuse, the two guys in front had great speed. We need to learn from this. Ultimately I feel more comfortable on the bike this weekend in general and that’s a positive. It’s just a bit late in the season, at least we are getting there. We have still got a lot of points and four races to come.”
Josh Brookes – 11th
“Today was definitely one of the better races I’ve had this year. Even though the result [11th] isn’t anything to shout about there was a big improvement with the bike between yesterday and today, and I feel quite positive about how the bike felt and what I experienced as it was moving. It was encouraging to see our speed in dry conditions; in other races when I’ve got 11th or better it’s been due to inclement weathers or other riders falling, but today the result was from sheer pace and I was as fast as the guys around me. Looking to Jerez, it’s a track I enjoy riding and there have to be some positives to take from having ridden there at the start of the year. That should bring us closer to the more experienced riders ahead of us, and hopefully the lead guys haven’t improved that much at the track and we’ll have closed the gap some more.”
WorldSBK 2016 – Magny Cours – Race Two Results
- Chaz Davies Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
- Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team (+2.091)
- Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team (+2.586)
WorldSBK 2016 – Magny Cours – Championship Points Standings
- Jonathan Rea Kawasaki Racing Team 426 points
- Tom Sykes Kawasaki Racing Team 378 points
- Chaz Davies Aruba.it Racing – Ducati 345 points
WorldSSP: Cluzel Takes Glory On Home Soil
WorldSSP gave French fans a reason to celebrate on Sunday at the Circuit de Nevers Magny-Cours, when local hero Jules Cluzel won the race after a dramatic race saw Kenan Sofuoglu crash out, keeping the Championship open for another round. Kallio Racing’s Niki Tuuli came home in second and Ayrton Badovini (GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini) finished in third.
The sun was shining on Sunday morning when WorldSSP lined up on the grid. Sofuoglu shot to the front and led into the first corner while GRT Racing Team’s Gino Rea stormed past the pack of riders bunched into the first corner to take second position, while Kawasaki Puccetti Racing’s Randy Krummenacher struggled behind in eighth. Honda World Superbike Team’s PJ Jacobsen crashed out on the opening lap, before GRT Racing Team’s Michael Canducci caused carnage wiping out Alessandro Zaccone (San Carlo Team Italia) at the Adelaide Hairpin to hold up the riders behind.
Sofuoglu pushed ahead at the front trying to put space between him and his rivals but he couldn’t get away from MV Agusta Reparto Corse’s Jules Cluzel. The Frenchman overtook Rea in second and before long was hot on Sofuoglu’s tail, not letting him get away. It took Kallio Racing’s Niki Tuuli a few laps to get to grips with the track but once he did the young Finn took the challenge straight to the front putting pressure on both Cluzel and Sofuoglu, with the reigning World Champion desperately trying to hold them off. Not long after on lap 8, Gino Rea pushed too hard on the entry of Estoril Corner getting flicked off his MV Agusta, which ended his race early. The young Brit walked away disappointed with the result.
Then on lap 12 disaster struck as Kenan Sofuoglu who was in a position to win his fifth World Championship crashed out on turn 3, while his chance at sealing the title at the Fassi French Round slid away with him. Tuuli instantly took advantage of this to get in front of second placed Cluzel to lead.
Then a last lap duel saw Cluzel take fuel from his home fans to steal the lead and go on to win, causing the crowds to go wild. Axel Bassani (San Carlo Team Italia) came home in fourth, adding to his lead in the FIM Europe Supersport Cup, which will be decided in Jerez.
Randy Krummenacher fought hard to finally finish in fifth, keeping the WorldSSP Championship alive. Federico Caricasulo brought his Honda home in sixth for BARDAHL Evan Bros. Honda Racing, while Kyle Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) finished the race in seventh. ESS rider Illia Mikhalchyk (DS Junior Team) gave a solid performance to end the race with an eighth place in front of Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) with Orelac Racing VerdNatura’s Zulfahmi Khairuddin in tenth.
Kyle Ryde (Schmidt Racing) finished the French Fassi Round in P11 ahead of Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) in P12 with Ondrej Jezek (Team GOELEVEN) in P13. Xavier Pinsach (GEMAR Balloons –Team Lorini) and Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing) rounded out the points in P14 and P15.
Young Australian teenager Lachlan Epis finished in 20th position.
The 2016 FIM Supersport World Championship will now go down to the wire at the next round in Jerez where reigning World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu will have another shot at sealing the Title.
J.Cluzel (MV Agusta): “I’m so happy I’m nearly crying, because I gave it everything. It wasn’t easy for me because I was losing on the straight, but I was so strong on the brakes and in some fast turns. I was pushing really, really hard and I’m really happy. The season was difficult because of many technical reasons. In the end at Lausitzring the team made a step forward and we have kept improving in this race. I’m so happy, I was quick in the rain where the bike is not so nice to ride. I gave it everything and it’s incredible!”
N.Tuuli (Yamaha): “We have had two awesome weekends. This weekend it wasn’t so easy for me because the last time I came here was a year ago and with Superstock 600. The race pace was really good. At the start I struggled a little bit with the tyres, but by the middle of the race I was faster than the top guys so I just pushed and pushed. Jules was really good on the brakes. I just did my best but I couldn’t push and on the last lap he passed me. I’m really happy, thanks to my team and everybody who supports me.”
A. Badovini (Honda): “I’m really happy, the first five laps I was fast but I needed to wait some time. I wanted to push over the last eight laps. During the race on a pass, another rider pushed me outside and I had to recover the distance. It was very difficult because we had to push, push, push. The last two laps the front tyre was really finished. But I’m really happy, it was a good fight and it’s my first podium in the dry conditions in Supersport.”
WorldSSP Race
- Jules Cluzel MV Agusta Reparto Corse
- Niki Tuuli Kallio Racing (+0.248)
- Ayrton Badovini GEMAR Balloons- Team Lorini (+0.525)
WorldSSP Championship Standings Fassi French Round
- Kenan Sofuoglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing 171 points
- Randy Krummenacher Kawasaki Puccetti Racing 129 points
- Jules Cluzel MV Agusta Reparto Corse 116 points
STK1000: Mahias Flies French Flag with Magnificent Home Win
Lucas Mahias (Pata Yamaha Official Stock Team) won the penultimate race of STK1000 at Magny-Cours leaving his rivals 3.6 seconds behind in an impressive showing in just his second STK1000 race of 2016. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) fought an intense battle for second over the last laps with Cup contender Raffaele De Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team), who finished in third.
The stars of STK1000 took to a sunny, dry grid at Magny-Cours on Sunday, with Frenchman Lucas Mahias starting from pole. It was Nuova M2 Racing’s Roberto Tamburini who led into the first corner before De Rosa shot ahead with the Cup in mind. Just before the last corner of lap one, the unstoppable Lucas Mahias overtook De Rosa and wasn’t seen again.
Cup leader Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado (Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team) had a slow start from P6 on the grid, falling to eighth as riders all bunched into the first corner. In front the last five laps of the race saw a nail biting battle between Razgatlioglu and De Rosa for second, with the Ducati and Kawasaki constantly alternating in front at every corner. There were some near misses before the young Turkish rider crossed the finish line ahead of De Rosa, who now sits just seven points behind the overall cup leader heading into the last Round at Jerez.
Tamburini didn’t fall far behind after his short stint at the front, finishing the race in fourth place ahead of Frenchman Jeremy Guarnoni (Pedercini Racing) in fifth. Mercado eventually finished in seventh with teammate Rinaldi close behind in eighth.
Gregg Black from MTM / HS Kawasaki came home in ninth with Sebastien Suchet (Berclaz Racing by MotoXRacing) rounding out the top ten.
Andrea Mantovani (Guandalini Racing Yamaha) ended the Fassi French Round in P11 with Alessandro Nocco from Nuova M2 Racing in P12. Marco Faccani (Triple-M Racing) finished in P13, while Australian Bryan Starring (Agro-On-Benjan-Kawasaki) picked up a couple of points in P14 and Eric Vionnet (Motos Vionnet) stealing the last point in P15.
The FIM Superstock 1000 Cup heads to Jerez in mid October for the final round of the season where Leandro Mercado and Raffaele De Rosa will fight till the very last lap to be crowned Cup Champion.
STK1000 Race
- Lucas Mahias Pata Yamaha Official Stock Team
- Toprak Razgatlioglu Kawasaki Puccetti Racing (+3.647)
- Raffaele De Rosa Althea BMW Team (+3.949)
STK1000 Championship Standings Fassi French Round
- Leandro Mercado Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team 111 points
- Raffaele De Rosa Althea BMW Racing Team 104 points
- Kevin Calia Nuova M2 Racing 77 points
