WorldSBK Australia (1): Melandri puts everyone in agreement
Qualified in third position on the Australian grid, Melandri fought a magnificent fight against the world champion Rea then against the poleman Sykes. The # 33 Ducati rider does not quite win by KO at Phillip Island, but nevertheless defies the predictions.
Well done Marco !
Marked by the falls of Lorenzo Savadori (Aprilia n ° 32), Leon Camier (Honda n ° 2), Jordi Torres (MV Agusta n ° 81) and Alex Lowes (Yamaha n ° 2), the final phase of the Superpole at Phillip Island was won by Tom Sykes: the official Kawasaki rider n ° 66 signs the 43rd pole of his career and equals the record of Troy "Mister Superpole" Corser !
The English Ninja is followed at a quarter of a second by Eugene Laverty (Aprilia n ° 50), very fast on the handlebars of his RSV4 Factory on one lap … but what about 22? A quarter of a second later is Marco Melandri (Ducati n ° 33) and his factory Panigale.
Undoubtedly affected by his crashes in the official tests at the start of the week and then in practice, Jonathan Rea will start from the bottom of the second row, just behind his runner-up Chaz Davies (Ducati n ° 7), and their compatriot Alex Lowes (Yamaha n ° 22).
Shaken by his heavy crash on Friday, Loris Baz (BMW n ° 76) did not cross the Superpole 1 milestone and qualified at a distant 14th place on the Australian grid. The "Savoyard cheetah" has a loose shoulder but has promised to bite the bullet … Courage, Bazooka !
Departure : Sykes took off very cleanly from his pole, it was a time threatened by Melandri braking the first curve but took the lead! Very well started, Rea fits in the poleman's wheel and is ahead of Melandri, Laverty, Forés, Davies, Lowes, Van der Mark and … Baz, author of a great start! The Top 10 is completed by Camier.
At the end of the first lap, Sykes has a small second ahead of Rea, who controls Melandri perfectly. Laverty and Forés compete for fourth place: they lose contact with their predecessors and allow Davies to approach…
A second behind the Ducati n ° 7, the two official Yamaha are trying to go up: Lowes is asked to remain "Relax" by his signaller while Michael passes him right in front! Baz is still in eighth place ahead of three riders with long teeth: Camier, Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki # 54) and Torres.
Leading the race since the red lights went out, "Major Tom" widened the gap on his teammate during the first five laps. But the ruthless "JR", still followed by the famous Italian n ° 33, manages to regain ground in the 5th loop…
The vice-world champion Chaz Davies circulates 3.5 seconds behind the leader, between Xavi Forés and Eugene Laverty. Four seconds later, Loris Baz may be starting to suffer from his fall on Friday: our international rider gives up his ninth place to Camier in the 6th lap.
At the start of the 9th lap, Van der Mark executed a magnificent pass by diving outside Laverty at the exit of the first turn "Doohan's Corner" then placing his R1 authoritatively inside the RSV4 in "Southern Loop". The maneuver is as classic as it is impressive !
Behind, our brave Loris leaves can not hold Toprak and Jordi in the 10th lap. Briefly climbed to tenth position, the Turkish rider and his Kawasaki Pedercini drop to twelfth position in the following lap and find himself at the mercy of Leandro "Tati" Mercado (Kawasaki n ° 36) and Jack wins (Honda n ° 45).
Far ahead, Sykes keeps a second ahead of Rea. Melandri, a threatening time towards the three-time world champion, seems to temper halfway through the race. Forés rolls five seconds from the podium, and two short seconds ahead of the turbulent Davies and Van der Mark !
Lowes occupies a solitary 7th place ahead of Camier and Laverty. Torres is two seconds ahead of the inseparable Mercado, Gagne, Baz and Razgatlioglu. MotoGP defector Yonny Hernandez (No.68 Kawasaki) falls on lap 14 and has to retire from his first WorldSBK race. The good side of Superbike? He has a second chance tomorrow !
Eight laps to go, Melandri raises her voice again and heckles Rea. The Italian finally won on a – very – large braking in – wide – across the "Honda" hairpin and placed the second – first in his sights! – Factory Kawasaki located a small second in front of him !
Less stable than the # 66 ZX-10RR – or more roughed up by Marco? -, Panigale n ° 33 takes control of the race at the end of the straight line of the Australian circuit. The Italian duo do not linger and fly to victory, without Sykes being able to retaliate.
Unable to get his teammate, Jonathan Rea is even deprived of the podium two laps from the end: the "Number One" then turns three seconds slower than his direct rivals, and turns several times towards his rear tire. Davies and Fores pass him without any harm before starting the last lap.
The oldest of the WorldSBK 2018 field, Marco Melandri, wins the first race of the season more than a second ahead of Tom Sykes – a big gap at Phillip Island! – and nine seconds on Chaz Davies and Xavi Forés (first "independent" pilot).
Melandri equaled on this occasion the 21 victories of a certain Biaggi, double Superbike world champion … The opening of the championship could hardly have started better for Marco! Jonathan Rea on the contrary, must be satisfied with a distant – for him – fifth place.
The three-time world champion is not the only one enraged against his rear tire: VDM too is clearly not satisfied to finish in a surprising ninth place … With six laps to go, "Magic Michael" was still in the lead. sixth place, finally obtained by his teammate Lowes.
Loris Baz who fought to the end against his opponents – and against the pain? … -, for his part obtained a courageous 11th place at the controls of his S1000RR. A good night's sleep, and our French driver will be ready to set off again to attack the Top 10 ?
See you tomorrow on Site for the Supersport race and the second Australian Superbike round, stay tuned !
Result of the 1st WSBK 2018 race at Phillip Island
Related articles
-
WorldSBK Australia (2): Melandri doubles Rea … and the bet ! Race reduced by two laps, obligation to go through the pits to put on a new tire: the…
-
WSBK Australia (2): Rea makes Davies fold again Even forced by the WSBK 2017 regulations to start from ninth place on the grid, Jonathan Rea and his…
-
WSBK Australia (1): Rea wins his first duel against Davies Led by Melandri, Sykes, and Lowes, the first race of the 2017 World Superbike in Australia was…
-
01-13 Australia – Phillip Island – WorldSSP Australia: Mahias wins, quickly well done! – Used YAMAHA
WorldSSP Australia: Mahias wins, quickly well done ! Supposed to carry out a Flag to flag race at Phillip Island this afternoon (tonight in France), the…
-
WorldSBK Italy (2): Rea pulls out all the stops against Van der Mark and Melandri Accused of killing the suspense in racing and in the Superbike World…
-
WSBK Spain (1): Melandri’s Ducati gives Rea victory Jonathan Rea had never won a Superbike race in Jerez. It is now done, but the triple WSBK champion…
-
07-13 Italy – Misano – WSBK Italy (2): Melandri wins on the Ducati, ahead of his own! – Used DUCATI
WSBK Italy (2): Melandri wins on the Ducati, ahead of his own ! Tenth on the Misano grid for this second WSBK round, Melandri had to fight an impressive…
-
WSBK Italy (2): Davies and Ducati are too strong at Imola Even relegated to the bottom of the third row of the starting grid, Chaz Davies confirmed this…
-
WSBK – SBK Phillip Island: Checa wins everything in Australia! –
SBK Phillip Island: Checa wins everything in Australia ! Carlos Checa pocketed the third double of his career last night at Phillip Island! Biaggi could…
-
Key takeaways from the 2017 World Superbike at Phillip Island The first event of the 2017 World SBK took place this weekend in Phillip Island, Australia….