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 ZX-10R remain unbeatable! The official Ducatis of Davies and Melandri, however, follow him and accompany him on the second Australian podium….
As required by the new 2017 World Superbike (de) regulations, the "Superpoleman" Jonathan Rea starts this Sunday noon … from ninth place on the grid since he won the Saturday race! In front of him in the third row are placed Chaz Davies (2nd) and Tom Sykes (3rd).
Fourth in the first Australian round, Alex Lowes inherits pole position. The five drivers they preceded in the race yesterday follow him in the same order on the starting grid: they are Leon Camier, Xavi Fores, Jordi Torres, Eugene Laverty and Michael Van den Mark…
It is not yet clear to everyone? Fortunately, the nice organizers of the WSBK have made a small video to better understand the principle, which is intended to be pro-show … but at the same time seems highly anti-sporting !
Departure : Xavi Fores got off to a very good start from third place and plunged into the first big curve of the Australian circuit ahead of Alex Lowes, Leon Camier, Chaz Davies (already ?!), Eugene Laverty, Michael Van den Mark, Jonathan Rea, Tom Sykes, Marco Melandri, etc.
The Spanish leader widened in the Honda hairpin and gave up control of the race to Lowes who immediately widened a gap on Laverty, also passed Fores. Camier whips his MV Agusta as much as he can to avoid Rea’s return to the pit straight but deviates slightly in the first curve and lets the – double – champion pass..
Laverty got back on Lowes and attacked him on the second pass through the Honda hairpin … but got passed again under acceleration. The fight between the Yamaha n ° 22 and the Aprilia n ° 50 allows the Ducati n ° 12 to return to the contact: Xavi is back in first place at the start of the third lap !
A good second from the new leader, Camier, Van den Mark, Sykes and Melandri are arguing over who will get Davies and the leading group. Hayden completes the "Top Ten" but has already lost contact with the top drivers. He already has a lot to do to contain the assaults of the hot Savadori !
Rea breaks out of his stealth Ninja mode at the start of round 4 by jumping on Laverty’s second place! Eugene and his RSV4 were then passed by Lowes on his R1 and Davies on his Panigale. Van den Mark and Melandri find themselves in the wheel of the Irish No.50 but do not find an opening…
In front, Fores is joined by Rea. Davies and Lowes are a big half a second behind the No.1 Ninja. The ruthless "JR" swoops down on Xavi at the end of the straight line and starts the 6th lap in the lead. As if by magic, Davies manages to bridge the few lengths between him and Fores in the next lap, dragging Lowes in his wake. !
The Welsh n ° 7 puts the brakes on his colleague Ducati n ° 12 in the Honda hairpin and is now targeting his best enemy, the North Irish "Numer One". At the same time, the famous n ° 33 catches up with the English n ° 22 (yes, Lowes): the Yamaha rider decides to protect himself by overtaking Fores…
In doing so, the five leading riders moved away from the Sykes / Melandri and VDM / Camier duos. Davies took the lead at the start of the 9th lap but did not give his four opponents company a second thought, perhaps because the race was still long: there were 14 laps to go! Hayden falls from eleventh place and returns to the pits…
Alex Lowes lost his rhythm in the following lap and was overtaken by Ducati n ° 12 and 33: Xavi Fores and Marco Melandri exchanged places a few times but remained in contact with the two leaders who were looking – a little too much? – save their tires…
Overtaken by Xavi in Southern Loop, Jonathan quickly recovers his second place but is again stolen by Marco this time, at the end of the long straight! The two factory Ducatis therefore lead in front of the official Kawasaki n ° 1, the private Ducati n ° 12 and the official Yamaha n ° 22..
A lap later, Rea passed Melandri and Davies in one fell swoop. Another Ninja also activates, but at the other end of the hunting party: Sykes joins Lowes who witness the magnificent battle in front of him, but cannot – or does not prefer – to participate..
Eight laps from the end, Melandri took the lead, ahead of Rea, Davies, Fores, Lowes and Sykes who suddenly lost contact … But a battle broke out between Alex and Xavi, allowing the three men to head to move away, and their pursuer to come closer.
Mickael Van den Mark occupies a solitary seventh place, a big second behind Tom Sykes and two good seconds ahead of Leon Camier, Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori. Six seconds later, Bradl, Brookes, Reiterberger, Ramos and De Angelis fight for eleventh place.
Melandri conscientiously follows the laps in the lead. Rea puts the pressure on him by pointing the nose of his Ninja at the level of that of the Panigale in the straight line as well as outside Lukey Heights! The northern Irishman ends up passing the Italian at the very start of the 20th round…
This 20th round was lively for Melandri who lost three places in all, and found himself several lengths behind the leading trio at the start of the 21st and penultimate round! Davies just passed Rea. This one is then titillated by Lowes who intends to climb on the podium … as high as possible !
Chaz Davies and Jonathan Rea start the last lap head on but the Ninja brakes a suspicion later than his big rival. Melandri does the same against Lowes, while Fores closes the Top 5 alone. The last loop is done without a hitch, without overtaking, but not without panache by the five Aces of the handlebars..
Davies in particular, pushes his Ducati and Pirelli to the limit in the final curve, hoping to overtake Rea on the line, but the rear end of his Panigale undulates slightly when exiting the turn, which definitely prevents him from getting back on the front Ninja. the checkered flag…
Jonathan Rea pocketed his 40th World Superbike victory. More importantly, he left Australia with the maximum number of points: 50, against 40 for Davies, who came in second twice this weekend. Lowes (2 x 4th) and Tom Sykes (3rd then 6th) share third place in the provisional with 26 points each.
Result of the 2nd WSBK 2017 race at Phillip Island
Related articles
-
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…
-
WSBK Netherlands (1): Davies’ Ducati gives Rea victory… Stuck in Davies’ rear wheel for the majority of that first WorldSBK round in Assen, Rea was…
-
03-13 Spain – Aragon – WSBK Aragon (1): Rea makes Davies crack in the first round – Used KAWASAKI
WSBK Aragon (1): Rea makes Davies crack in the first round Author of pole position this morning in Aragon, Chaz Davies seemed able to win the first…
-
WSBK – WSBK Qatar (1): Davies again winner, Rea again champion! – Used DUCATI KAWASAKI
WSBK Qatar (1): Davies again winner, Rea again champion ! Unbeatable lately, Chaz Davies won his tenth race of the season tonight at Losail. Second in…
-
WSBK – WSBK Australia (2): Rea fills up at Phillip Island –
WSBK Australia (2): Rea fills up at Phillip Island Winner of the first race of the season 24 hours ago, Jonathan Rea does it again this Sunday and has…
-
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…
-
WorldSBK Australia (1): Melandri puts everyone in agreement Qualified in third position on the Australian grid, Melandri fought a magnificent fight…
-
WSBK – WSBK Spain (1): Davies still winner, Kawasaki still champion! – Used DUCATI KAWASAKI
WSBK Spain (1): Davies still winner, Kawasaki still champion ! Starting from sixth place on the grid, Chaz Davies once again transcended in the race,…
-
WSBK Portugal (1): Ninja Jonathan Rea goes green… Extremely fast in practice and in Superpole, Jonathan Rea confirmed his great form in Portimao by…
-
WSBK Qatar (2): victory and records for Rea, second place for Davies ! The last race of the WorldSBK 2017 was won this evening by Jonathan Rea who took…