New BMW rider, Chaz Davies, has scored his maiden double win in world superbikes – and his first victory for BMW – taking out both races in emphatic style at round two of the 2013 eni FIM Superbike World Championship at Aragon in northern Spain overnight.
With a winning margin of over five seconds in both races, the Welsh rider proved he has his new BMWS 1000RR sorted and is ready to embark on a serious 2013 championship charge. The Aragon haul sees Davies 2nd in the standings (63 points) behind Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia), who was second in both races and now leads the championship on 85 points.
BMW’s Marco Melandri (BMW Mototrad GoldBet) took third in race one; while pole-sitter Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Race Team) took the final podium spot in race two . A technical mishap on Sykes’ ZX-10R put an early end to the Brit’s race one battle, but in race two he kept a competitive Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprilia) at bay to take third.
Australia’s Mark Aitchison joined the championship at Aragon with the Effenbert Liberty Racing Team but had no luck on his Ducati with technical problems forcing him to retire after 6 laps in race one, and a no start in race two.
Race One
The MotorLand Aragon circuit proved to be a happy hunting ground for Chaz Davies again in 2013. Last year the Welsh rider scored his maiden podium here for Aprilia, but this year he scored an emphatic victory for his new BMW team after two potential winners were forced back to the pits.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) experienced technical problems while they were in the lead, during lap 4 and 5 respectively, and retired early, Laverty rejoining the race later merely to test the work done by his crew.
Davies was then never challenged and enjoyed a clear ride to the finish, crossing 5.2 seconds ahead of Aprilia’s Sylvain Guintoli 2nd.
BMW’s chances for a one-two were denied by a false neutral experienced by Marco Melandri, who then rode his way from 5th to take 3rd at the flag.
An unfortunate technical problem on the last lap stopped Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Aprila) in his march to the line, with Honda’ Jonathan Rea taking 4th, Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 5th and Jules Cluzel (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) 6th.
Carlos Checa returned to racing at Aragon after his massive round one crash at the island, and finished 7th on the Ducati Panigale.
Race 1 results: 1. Davies (BMW) 20 laps/106.880 km in 39’50.332 average 160.968 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 5.216; 3. Melandri (BMW) 7.089; 4. Rea (Honda) 8.196; 5. Baz (Kawasaki) 14.417; 6. Cluzel (Suzuki) 18.332; 7. Checa (Ducati) 24.306; 8. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 25.884; 9. Haslam (Honda) 35.721; 10. Badovini (Ducati) 44.129; 11. Neukirchner (Ducati) 51.424; 12. Sandi (Kawasaki) 1’09.217; 13. Clementi (BMW) 1’14.091; 14. Iannuzzo (BMW) 1’48.328; NC. Laverty (Aprilia); RT. Giugliano (Aprilia); RT. Lundh (Kawasaki); RT. Aitchison (Ducati); RT. Sykes (Kawasaki).
Race 2
A Sunday to remember for Chaz Davies, who repeated his first race success for BMW and topped the day with a double win. He was unstoppable on his BMW in the Aragon heat and crossed the finish line with a 5 second margin over Sylvain Guintoli, still championship leader after race 2. Chaz Davies: “For me it is just an amazing day. I cannot explain how happy I am. My first victory with BMW and then the double win – this is something I was hoping to achieve this year but I did not expect it this early. In race one, the DNFs by Tom and Eugene definitely made it easier. In race two it seemed that I had a comfortable lead, but I had to push a lot. One of the most impressing things is the fact that we have done a lot of testing in Jerez but not here in Aragon. What a weekend!”
For Guintoli’s team mate, Eugene Laverty, race two proved a continuing nightmare, losing the front of his RSV4 on the opening lap of the race at turn 2. His disappointing day saw him lose his joint championship lead and the Irishman now sits third on the leader board on 45 points. Kawasaki’s smiling assassin, Tom Sykes, improved his race one performance in the later outing, and came through for third after battling Davide Giugliano who ended in fourth.
Tom Sykes: “Scoring a podium in race two was not a perfect way to end race weekend but it was certainly an acceptable way. It would have been good to finish race one as well just so that I could have collected a bit more information to take into race two, but I am not making excuses – the riders ahead of me in race two rode fantastically well. We are now moving onto circuits where we are a little bit stronger than here. I am also riding uninjured now and Kawasaki has been working really hard so let’s see what Assen can bring next time out.”
Fifth place for Marco Melandri, ahead of Loris Baz, Jules CLuzel with Carlos Checa taking 8th at his home track.
Race 2 results:
1. Davies (BMW) 19 laps/101.536 km in 37’52.691 average 160.836 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 5.035; 3. Sykes (Kawasaki) 7.677; 4. Giugliano (Aprilia) 12.549; 5. Melandri (BMW) 19.766; 6. Baz (Kawasaki) 23.855; 7. Cluzel (Suzuki) 26.926; 8. Checa (Ducati) 31.593; 9. Haslam (Honda) 35.308; 10. Badovini (Ducati) 44.497; 11. Fabrizio (Aprilia) 53.071; 12. Neukirchner (Ducati) 55.223; 13. Lundh (Kawasaki) 1’32.995; 14. Clementi (BMW) 1’41.979; 15. Rea (Honda) 1 Lap; RT. Sandi (Kawasaki); RT. Iannuzzo (BMW); RT. Laverty (Aprilia); NS. Aitchison (Ducati). Standings (round 2 of 15): 1. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia) 85; 2. Chaz Davies (BMW) 63; 3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) 45; 4. Marco Melandri (BMW) 43; 5. Michel Fabrizio (Aprilia) 42; 6. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 38; 7. Jules Cluzel (Suzuki) 33; 8. Loris Baz (Kawasaki) 31; 9. Jonathan Rea (Honda) 30; 10. Leon Haslam (Honda) 29; 11. Davide Giugliano (Aprilia) 23; 12. Max Neukirchner (Ducati) 20; 13. Carlos Checa (Ducati) 17; 14. Leon Camier (Suzuki) 14; 15. Ayrton Badovini (Ducati) 12; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 90; 2. BMW 79; 3. Kawasaki 49; 4. Honda 37; 5. Suzuki 35; 6. Ducati 28. World Supersport – Foret wins unpredictable WSS Aragon race Mahi Racing Team India gets its 2nd win of the season today at Aragon, this time courtesy of Frenchmen Fabien Foret, who crossed the line unchallenged in first place, following the gear shift problem on Sam Lowes’ Yakhnich Motorsport Yamaha which forced the Brit to a frustrating retirement on the last lap.
Thanks to his 16th race win of the career, Foret – the 2002 WSS Champion – becomes the new leader in the standings. An almost countless number of crashes and technical issues and unforeseeable happenings characterised today’s tough world supersport race, starting from the braking issue that put an early end to reigning champion Kenan Sofuoglu’s day.. Scot Kev Coghlan (DMC Lorenzini Racing Team) had a shot at the lead during the race, but crashed at turn 7.
Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport) sealed another podium finish in his rookie season, a 2nd place this time ahead of Italy’s Luca Scassa (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres), Andrea Antonelli (Team Goeleven Kawasaki), Riccardo Russo (Puccetti Racing Kawasaki) and team mate Lorenzo Zanetti.
Australia’s young Matt Davies finished 18th on his Honda; while Mitch Carr retired after 11 laps on his AARK Racing Triumph.
Race results:
1. Foret (Kawasaki) 18 Laps/96.192 km in 37’10.286 average 155.268 kph; 2. Vd Mark (Honda) 6.595; 3. Scassa (Kawasaki) 9.909; 4. Antonelli (Kawasaki) 10.110; 5. Russo (Kawasaki) 11.950; 6. Zanetti (Honda) 12.658; 7. Kennedy (Honda) 16.105; 8. Leonov (Yamaha) 16.800; 9. Rolfo (MV Agusta) 26.034; 10. Marconi (Honda) 29.106; 11. Baldolini (Honda) 29.296; 12. Roccoli (Yamaha) 29.336; 13. Coghlan (Kawasaki) 45.557; 14. Menghi (Yamaha) 47.652; 15. Tamburini (Suzuki) 55.948; etc Standings (Round 2 of 14): 1. Foret 38; 2. Vd Mark 36; 3. Scassa
The next world superbike round will be held in Assen, the Netherlands on Sunday April 28.
