World Superbike 2013 – Round Four – Monza
— Tissot-Superpole win and new best lap for Sykes
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) scored his 14th career Tissot-Superpole today at Monza’s Autodromo Nazionale, the 3rd in a row so far in 2013. The works Kawasaki rider snatched the first grid slot from Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) thanks to a blistering fast 1’41.223 time – new best lap for the Northern Italy track.
The 27 year old from Huddersfield, West Yorkshire, already lapped below Max Biaggi’s previous record from 2011 in Superpole 2. Up to today, Monza’s Autodromo Nazionale Tissot watch was one of the 4 missing from Sykes’ collection from past races.
Tom Sykes: “I did not know the time Eugene had set but I knew that the Aprilias would be fast here. I am looking forward to tomorrow because we all have good race pace. In some areas we have an advantage and we got a new circuit record in Superpole, and the ideal starting position for tomorrow. I am looking forward to two exciting races. I like racing at Monza because the spectators are crazy like me! The fans are very enthusiastic and Monza is a very fast circuit. I hope to be very strong tomorrow.”
Works Aprilia rider and current Championship leader Sylvain Guintoli managed to edge out from 3rd place – after his last attempt before the flag – Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike). A difficult Superpole start for Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet), who was forced at the garage due to a technical problem occurred to his BMW machine in SP1, was able to defeat the odds to secure a 5th grid slot start for tomorrow’s two races.
Davide Giugliano completes the second row ahead of FIXI Crescent Suzuki duo of Jules Cluzel and Leon Camier, with Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) in 9th place.
Carlos Checa’s racing weekend is unfortunately over due to an overnight worsening of his left shoulder conditions. The Spaniard of Team Ducati Alstare was diagnosed with an osseus edema to the humerus after the Assen round and yesterday’s on-track effort intensified the inflammation in the joint, leading to the decision of withdrawing from the round.
Tissot-Superpole times: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 1’41.223 average 205.459 kph; 2. Laverty (Aprilia) 1’41.301; 3. Guintoli (Aprilia) 1’41.542; 4. Rea (Honda) 1’41.798; 5. Melandri (BMW) 1’41.819; 6. Giugliano (Aprilia) 1’41.926; 7. Cluzel (Suzuki) 1’42.680; 8. Camier (Suzuki) 1’42.808; 9. Davies (BMW) 1’42.955; 10. Fabrizio (Aprilia); 11. Baz (Kawasaki); 12. Badovini (Ducati); 13. Neukirchner (Ducati); 14. Lai (Kawasaki); 15. Sandi (Kawasaki).
World Supersport – Incredible last-lap effort for pole by Lowes
Sam Lowes (Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha) defeated changing weather to score his career pole position number 8 – 3rd of the current season. The 22 year old from Lincolnshire rode an outstanding last-lap under drizzling conditions to edge out from 1st position an apparently unbeatable Florian Marino (Intermoto Ponyexpres Kawasaki), who was leading in the closing stages.
Front row start in 3rd place for reigning Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki), who displayed an ultra-competitive pace during Qualifying 2. Home rider Lorenzo Zanetti (Pata Honda Supersport Team) got an important 4th on the track that saw him winning the STK1000 race two years ago.
Wild-card Stefano Cruciani (Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) finished ahead of team mate and full-time Supersport rider Riccardo Russo, while Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport) had the better of yesterday’s provisional pole-sitter Kev Coghlan (DMC-Lorenzini Kawasaki) and Championship leader Fabien Foret (Intermoto Ponyexpres Kawasaki) for 7th place.
Times: 1. Lowes (Yamaha) 1’47.899 average 192.747 kph; 2. Marino (Kawasaki) 1’48.154; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1’48.417; 4. Zanetti (Honda) 1’48.504; 5. Cruciani (Kawasaki) 1’48.658; 6. Russo (Kawasaki) 1’49.058; 7. Vd Mark (Honda) 1’49.129; 8. Coghlan (Kawasaki) 1’49.132; 9. Foret (Kawasaki) 1’49.204; 10. Marconi (Honda) 1’49.386; etc.
Superstock 1000
Defending Champion Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) scored the pole position for tomorrow’s 10:30am 11-lap race. The Frenchman from Oyonnax rode his BMW HP4 to an incredible 1’45.870, new best lap for the series – and first time for a STK1000 rider to lap break into the 1’45s.
Last year’s Misano podium finisher and wild-card Michele Magnoni (BMW G.M. Racing) got an important 2nd place onboard the current winning model of the German manufacturer, ahead of Barni Racing Ducati duo of Assen race winner Eddi La Marra and 2007 series Champion Niccolò Canepa.
MRS Kawasaki riders Romain Lanusse and Jeremy Guarnoni ended up 5th and 6th respectively, followed by Barrier’s team mate Greg Gildenhuys (BMW Motorrad GoldBet) from South Africa, who crashed at Turn 5 with three minutes to go. The nightmare weekend of Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) continued today as the former World Superbike rider – who finished 11th – lost again control of his ZX-10R, this time at Turn 8.
Times: 1. Barrier (BMW) 1’45.870 average 196.441 kph; 2. Magnoni (BMW) 1’46.551; 3. La Marra (Ducati) 1’46.676; 4. Canepa (Ducati) 1’46.856; 5. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 1’46.922; 6. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’46.928; 7. Gildenhuys (BMW) 1’47.040; 8. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 1’47.174; 9. Savadori (Kawasaki) 1’47.285; 10. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1’47.309; etc.
Superstock 600 – Race
The widely announced rainstorm hit Monza’s Autodromo Nazionale not long before the scheduled start of the Superstock 600 European Championship race. Despite a soaking wet tarmac and numerous crashes (with no injuries), racing was very close throughout the 9-lap race distance.
A tiny mistake by Luca Salvadori (Pata by Martini Yamaha) on the last lap allowed Nicola Morrentino to close in on the lead: the Team Trasimeno rider went for a last-turn perfect manoeuvre over the Milan-born youngster, who led for almost the entire race, to get his maiden win in the series.
Manuel Tatasciore (Bike e Motor Racing Yamaha) was never too far from the duo fighting ahead of him, but couldn’t get close enough to put himself into contention for the victory. 4th place Niki Tuuli (Niki Tuuli Racing Yamaha) from Finland lost the chance for a rostrum finish following an aggressive overtake by Alessandro Nocco (San Carlo Team Italia Kawasaki), who forced to a run-off at “Variante Ascari” in the closing stages.
Provisional Race results (bike #93 of Roberto Mercandelli currently under investigation for technical problems): 1. Morrentino (Yamaha) 9 Laps/51.993 km in 19’31.662 average 159.752 kph; 2. Salvadori (Yamaha) 0.391; 3. Tatasciore (Yamaha) 1.035; 4. Tuuli (Yamaha) 2.993; 5. Nocco (Kawasaki) 4.198; 6. Morbidelli (Kawasaki) 6.040; 7. Coveña (Kawasaki) 8.815; 8. Chesaux (Honda) 8.988; 9. Mercandelli (Yamaha) 22.220; 10. Duwelz (Yamaha) 23.129; 11. Schmitter (Yamaha) 27.056; 12. Vitali (Suzuki) 28.496; 13. Mulhauser (Yamaha) 28.734; 14. D’Annunzio (Yamaha) 28.751; 15. Vavrous (Kawasaki) 32.591; etc.
Standings: 1. Duwelz 56; 2. Chesaux 40; 3. Coveña 39; 4. Morrentino 33; 5. Nestorovic 31; 6. Morbidelli 29; 7. Mulhauser 23; 8. Salvadori 22; 9. Gamarino 20; 10. Tessels 19; 11. Tuuli 17; 12. Tatasciore 16; 13. Nocco 15; 14. Casalotti 14; 15. Schmitter 12; etc.
European Junior Cup
Guillaume Raymond (Activebike) is the pole-sitter for Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda race scheduled for tomorrow at 2:35pm. The young Frenchman made the difference on the dry Monza track in today’s Qualifying thanks to a competitive 2’16.097 to precede Augusto and Illan Fernandez, riding for teams DS Junior Racing and Evo Kids Racing respectively.
Kiwi Jake Lewis (Jake Lewis Racing) was 4th ahead of Italian Kevin Manfredi (Newton Trasformatori), Javier Orellana (Europfoods) and Adrien Pittet (Swisscare).
Times: 1. Raymond 2’16.097 average 152.812 kph; 2. Fernandez 2’16.873; 3. Fernandez 2’17.033; 4. Lewis 2’17.323; 5. Manfredi 2’17.454; 6. Orellana 2’17.715; 7. Pittet 2’17.722; 8. Garofoli 2’17.879; 9. Anne (Honda) 2’17.983; 10. Flitcroft (Honda) 2’17.991; etc.
