Kawasaki WorldSBK domination continued at Misano
Kawasaki Racing Team rider Jonathan Rea has completed a double at Misano World Circuit, stalking teammate Tom Sykes until pulling away with 5 laps to go and crossing the line with a 3 second margin in an impressive display from the reigning World Champion. Davide Giugliano made amends for a home crash in Race 1 to complete the podium for Aruba.it Racing – Ducati.
Sunday dawned in Misano with blue skies despite the threat of rain, and the weather held off for another incredible Race on the Riviera di Rimini. Rea got the jump on Sykes off the line as Yamaha’s Alex Lowes tried to muscle through on the inside of the Yorkshireman, before Sykes swooped around the outside to take back P1 and the KRT duo started to pull a gap on those behind.
An early, spectacular incident saw Althea BMW rider Markus Reiterberger highside out of the race on the first lap in a midfield tussle at Turn 8, with the German walking away from the incident unaided. A further fall on Lap 3, this time a lowside for Chaz Davies, then interrupted the midfield rhythm again as Honda rider Michael van der Mark was forced to shut off the gas to try and avoid the fallen Ducati, making contact enough to cause the Dutchman to fall before both were able to get back on their bikes. Van der Mark then faced a fight back through the field, as Davies was forced to pull into the pits. The Dutchman put his head down and pulled back the deficit to the points, then focusing on the top ten and crossing the line in P10.
Davide Giugliano, after having suffered a similar crash in Race 1 to that of his teammate in Race 2, began to pull away from Barni Racing’s Xavi Forés in a bid to add another podium finish to his tally in 2016, keeping a healthy gap to the Panigale R behind to cross the line in P3 for some home glory. Forés followed the Italian home in P4 in an impressive ride, ahead Lorenzo Savadori for IodaRacing.
Savadori, who has won the last two ST1000 races at Misano, was able to show the potential of his Aprilia after having his Race 1 cut short, coming home in P5 for another impressive rookie result, and a great haul of points at the home Round of rider, team and manufacturer. Althea BMW rider Jordi Torres had a solid ride into P7 in the tightly packed mid-field, just losing out to Honda rider Nicky Hayden as the American took the Spaniard with two laps to go.
Alex Lowes came home in P8 for Pata Yamaha at Pata’s home Round despite still suffering the after-effects of his broken collarbone in Sepang, ahead of stand-in teammate Niccolo Canepa, who collected another impressive top ten in P9, ahead of charging van der Mark.
MV Agusta Reparto Corse rider Leon Camier, after an interrupted Race 1 followed by an incredible comeback, was sadly unable to finish Race 2 at the team’s home Round after a technical problem caused his retirement on lap 13. Anthony West got more points for Pedercini in P11, ahead of Roman Ramos for GoEleven in P12 and San Marinese rider Alex De Angelis in thirteenth.
Milwaukee BMW pairing Josh Brookes and Karel Abraham completed the points positions in P14 and 15 respectively.
The next Round of WorldSBK will take place at Mazda Raceway Laguna Seca in California, from the 8th-10th July as the paddock prepares to attack the corkscrew.
World Superbike 2016 – Misano – Superbike Race Two Results
1) Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2) Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
3) Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
4) Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team)
5) Lorenzo Savadori (IodaRacing Team)
6) Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team)
7) Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team)
8) Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
9) Niccolò Canepa (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
10) Michael van der Mark (Honda World Superbike Team)
World Superbike 2016 – Misano – Superbike Championship Standings
- Rea 343
- Sykes 277
- Davies 244
- Giugliano 165
- Van Der Mark 163
- Hayden 146
- Torres 137
- Camier 105
- Savadori 100
- Lowes 81
- Fores 75
- Reiterberger 68
- Guintoli 58
- Brookes 55
- Ramos 53
- De Angelis 49
- West 39
- Abraham 26
- Canepa 16
- Baiocco 12
FIM Supersport World Championship 2016 – Misano
In the FIM Supersport World Championship, it was the fourth win of the season for Turkish rider, Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).
Pole position holder Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. Honda Racing) was off to a strong start straight away, ahead of Patrick Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport Team) who, from the third spot on the grid, overtook Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) to move in behind the race leader.
During the ninth lap, Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was forced to retire after running long, whereas in the eleventh lap American rider Patrick Jacobsen overtook Caricasulo, relegating him to second place.
Jacobsen, Caricasulo and Sofuoglu formed a leading trio within just nine tenths of one another and a gap of more than five seconds ahead of all the rest, with Krummenacher and Rea battling for fourth place.
During the thirteenth lap Kenan Sofuoglu also began to approach Caricasulo threateningly, while in the meantime Jacobsen increased the gap ahead of his nearest rival, taking his advantage to one second in front of the Italian.
In the fifteenth lap a mistake by Caricasulo gave Sofuoglu the chance to overtake, moving into second place to begin hunting down Jacobsen.
In the final stages of the race the trio tightened up again and Sofuoglu tried to close down the gap with the American. Feeling the pressure, Jacobsen went slightly long on a turn and the Turkish rider capitalised to steal the lead from him.
In the last lap, Federico Caricasulo also began to threaten Jacobsen, who made another mistake, running long again on a turn and allowing the Italian to move into second place.
Sofuoglu was first across the line, ahead of Caricasulo and Jacobsen. Fourth place went to Gino Rea (GRT Racing Team), who gained the upper hand over Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).
World Supersport 2016 – Misano Race Results
1) Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
2) Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. Honda Racing)
3) Patrick Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport Team)
4) Gino Rea (GRT Racing Team)
5) Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
6) Lorenzo Zanetti (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
7) Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25)
8) Axel Bassani (San Carlo Team Italia)
9) Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing)
10) Christoffer Bergman (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
Superstock 1000 FIM Cup
Lucas Mahias (PATA Yamaha Official Stock Team) took the victory after a race dominated by Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team), who started from the second spot on the grid behind Marco Faccani and Leandro Mercado (Aruba.it Racing – Junior Team).
The Italian held his ground with the Argentinian until the last lap, but then was forced to yield the position. However, not wanting to settle, De Rosa tried to take back the race lead, ending up frustrating all his efforts when, trying to overtake Mercado on the final turns, he went long, crashing along with the Argentinian.
This left the race win to Lucas Mahias (PATA Yamaha Official Stock Team) ahead of Kevin Calia (Nuova M2 Racing), second, and Marco Faccani (Triple-M Racing), third.
