Sykes eases away in Tissot-Superpole
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was a clear winner in Tissot-Superpole at the eni FIM Superbike World Championship round at Misano, his fifth such success in 2012 thus far. His quickest lap time of 1 minute 35.375 seconds was the best of the weekend to date, with Sykes over 0.6 seconds faster than the next best rider, Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team). Sykes now has a career total of seven Superpole wins, putting him level with famous names in SBK racing like Regis Laconi and Noriyuki Haga.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia Gold Best) was a great third at his home round, while another local hero, Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) was fourth. Jakub Smrz (Liberty Racing Team Effenbert Ducati) went fifth on the grid; Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) was sixth while top Aprilia rider was Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) in seventh. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing Ducati) crashed out when looking set for the second fastest time in Superpole two.
Tom Sykes: “I enjoy the watches, it’s something to aim for! Today we did a very good job, I can’t deny we’ve had a difficult weekend, it’s the first time all year we’ve had very hot conditions and low grip levels. We started off the weekend very slow, quite embarrassing to be honest. Today was a mixed bag for qualifying, but when the pressure was on my boys delivered and I was able to put a good lap together.”
Jonathan Rea: “I can’t grumble, that lap of Tom’s was incredible! For me, we achieved our first target to be on the front row, the guys are working hard on the bike for tomorrow’s race and I’m quite happy at a track that almost ended my season last year. To come back this year, qualify on the front row and to be quite strong makes me really happy.”
Ayrton Badovini: “I’m very happy because these are very difficult moments for me and my team. The result is very important because we want to work more to win the race. We have been good in the races, but not very fast in the single lap and so far this season third place in Superpole has been impossible.”
Matteo Baiocco (Barni Racing Team Italia) was a very impressive ninth fastest in his wild card run and Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) 11th. Top names like Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team), Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) and Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) did not get out of Superpole one and thus Biaggi starts Sunday’s races from the third row, with Melandri and Checa on the fourth. Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) was 14th and top Suzuki runner in Superpole.
Times: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’35.375 average 159.513 kph; 2. Rea (Honda) 1’35.991; 3. Badovini (BMW) 1’36.083; 4. Giugliano (Ducati) 1’36.147; 5. Smrz (Ducati) 1’36.183; 6. Haslam (BMW) 1’36.283; 7. Laverty (Aprilia) 1’36.365; 8. Guintoli (Ducati) 1’36.559; 9. Baiocco (Ducati) 1’37.509; 10. Biaggi (Aprilia) 1’37.686; 11. Baz (Kawasaki) 1’37.704; 12. Fabrizio (BMW) 1’37.796; 13. Melandri (BMW) 1’37.806; 14. Camier (Suzuki) 1’37.985; 15. Zanetti (Ducati) 1’38.078; 16. Checa (Ducati) 1’38.977; etc.
World Supersport
Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) took the pole in the Supersport World Championship class at Misano thanks to his Friday best time, which could not be bettered by Lowes himself or any of his rivals today, despite their many close attempts. Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) was second with Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki DeltaFin Lorenzini) third and Broc Parkes (Ten Kate Racing Products Honda) the final rider on the front row for Sunday’s race. Only 0.200 seconds separated the first four riders, with the top ten within 0.653 seconds of each other. Massimo Roccoli (Yakhnich Motorsport) was the top Yamaha rider, in fifth.
Times: 1. Lowes (Honda) 1’38.987 average 153.693 kph; 2. Cluzel (Honda) 1’38.999; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’39.110; 4. Parkes (Honda) 1’39.187; 5. Roccoli (Yamaha) 1’39.302; 6. Foret (Kawasaki) 1’39.568; 7. Quarmby (Honda) 1’39.573; 8. Morais (Kawasaki) 1’39.610; etc.
Superstock 1000
Eddi La Marra (Barni Racing Team Ducati) took the pole position start at Misano after a final session that was interrupted by a red flag. He beat the push of Kawasaki MRS rider Jeremy Guarnoni by only 0.067 seconds with the G.M. Racing machine of Michele Magnoni third. He led a three BMW run of machines, with Lorenzo Baroni’s BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet version next up and Markus Reiterberger’s Team Alpha Racing S1000RR fifth. The second Barni racing Ducati Panigale of Lorenzo Savadori was sixth.
Times: 1. La Marra (Ducati) 1’39.634 average 152.695 kph; 2. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’39.701; 3. Magnoni (BMW) 1’39.784; 4. Baroni (BMW) 1’39.921; 5. Reiterberger (BMW) 1’40.005; 6. Savadori (Ducati) 1’40.099; 7. Barrier (BMW) 1’40.133; 8. Bussolotti (Ducati) 1’40.286; etc.
Superstock 600 – Race
A brilliant last lap of action at Misano saw a two-rider fight for supremacy won by young Dutch master Michael van der Mark (EAB Ten Kate Junior Honda) from local ace Riccardo Russo (Yamaha Team Italia FMI). The margin of victory was only 0.095 seconds after 12 laps in which Russo was looking dominant for some time. In the championship Russo still leads van der Mark but now by only two points, 81 to 79. Christian Gamarino (GO ELEVEN Kawasaki) was third, over seven seconds down, with Luca Vitali (Yamaha Team Italia FMI) fourth.
Results: 1. Vd Mark (Honda) 12 Laps/50.712 km in 20’40.578 average 147.160 kph; 2. Russo (Yamaha) 0.095; 3. Gamarino (Kawasaki) 7.597; 4. Vitali (Yamaha) 8.322; 5. Cocco (Yamaha) 14.451; 6. Nestorovic (Yamaha) 15.538; 7. Monti (Suzuki) 18.302; 8. Coveña (Kawasaki) 18.840; etc.
Points (after 4 of 10 rounds): 1. Russo 81; 2. Vd Mark 79; 3. Calero Perez 50; 4. Duwelz 42; 5. Vitali 33; 6. Gamarino 27; 7. Chesaux 26; 8. Egea 24; etc.
KTM European Junior Cup
Lukas Wimmer from Austria posted the fastest lap in the single-make KTM European Junior Cup qualifying session, to earn the right to start from pole for Sunday’s race. Artur Wielebski from Poland was second, Christian Vidal and Javier Orellana from Spain were third and fourth. Jamie Patterson from the UK went fifth.
Times: 1. Wimmer (KTM) 1’51.874 average 135.989 kph; 2. Wielebski (KTM) 1’52.296; 3. Vidal (KTM) 1’53.324; 4. Orellana (KTM) 1’53.589; 5. Patterson (KTM) 1’53.781; 6. Garcia (KTM) 1’53.882; 7. Kyee (KTM) 1’54.188; 8. Mikhalchik (KTM) 1’54.192; etc.
— Davies taken out of points position in Misano
Round 4 of the UEM Superstock 600cc Championship took place earlier today in warm and muggy conditions at the newly renamed Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli.
After taking his best qualifying position of the season in 19th, Matt made his usual lightning start to end the first lap well inside the top 15.
While Ricardo Russo opened up a small lead at the front the battle behind was intense with positions 4 to 20 covered by less than four seconds.
Matt once again showed that he is a ‘racer’ as lap after lap he eased his way forward into the battle for the top ten.
Lap 8 and Matt was the victim of a falling Italian ‘wildcard’ rider and with nowhere to go to avoid the stricken rider was also sent tumbling.
He rejoined but was unable to catch the group battling for 15th due to the time that he lost while getting back in the race.
Thankfully he is unharmed and is looking forward to once again being part of the battle for the top ten at the very least in Spain in a few weeks time.
The race was eventually won by Michael Van Der Mark who overtook long time race leader Ricardo Russo on the penultimate lap. Christian Gamarino claimed his first podium finish of the season with a lonely ride to 3rd.
