WSBK – Statements and Analysis of the Superbike at Silverstone – Statements from SBK riders in Great Britain

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Silverstone Superbike Statements and Analysis

WSBK - Statements and Analysis of the Superbike at Silverstone - Statements from SBK riders in Great Britain

The ninth round of the 2013 World SBK took place yesterday at Silverstone, Great Britain. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the Superbike riders as well as the website analysis of the two British races.

Statements by SBK pilots in Great Britain

Site readers – who, as everyone knows, are a little more fortunate than the others – were already able to experience yesterday, almost live, the unfolding of the Mondial Superbike and Supersport races on the Silverstone circuit (for latecomers, read then).

Here are the declarations of the pilots who distinguished themselves on Sunday … Honors to the winners !

Jonathan Rea, 1st then 4th:
"My first run victory was probably one of the tastiest of my career because to ride in front in those conditions was pretty scary. I was so happy for the whole team and our sponsors, but I had to be very careful. I had to be smart too, given my lead in the last laps, I didn’t want to knock everything down. My team gave me a great bike, we had found some good things for the Superpole in the dry. We made some good changes for the second race and get fourth, after getting stuck behind Tom Sykes for a few laps. I lost too much time at the start, but I was happy to have a 2:05 lap at the end of the race. The result of the second race was just correct, but we can go on vacation with a light heart, convinced that we can fight for the podium.".

Loris Baz, 5th then 1st:
"I was really disappointed at the end of the first race because I was fighting for the podium. But maybe I focused too much on this, I made a lot of mistakes so I finished fifth. In the second round, I said to myself: "OK, this one is for me". During the first part of the race, even in the dry, I had a good pace and took the lead. I tried to control the pace but there were a few fast riders behind me, and it was difficult to get rid of them. Every time someone walked past me, I would pass them again. At the end the conditions were really wet and I almost fell. I want to thank my team because they are doing a very good job on this bike, for Tom and for me. I now feel really comfortable. I also want to dedicate this victory to the family of Andrea Antonelli".

Eugene Laverty, 2nd then 3rd:
"These two races were very difficult, but I am delighted with this double podium after the ups and downs of Moscow. The pilots in front of me were brave on this tricky track. Perhaps I could have aimed for a better result in the second run because I was quite quick in the dry. In any case, I would like to congratulate the Race Direction. The decisions taken today were perfect despite the difficulties, and the pilots participated in the discussions, which was useful in managing a delicate situation as well as possible."

Jules Cluzel, 6th then 2nd:
"The day went really well, especially the second race because I picked the right tire and my pace was fast. I didn’t have a very good start but I was able to come back to the dry, and when I saw a few small drops of rain, I continued to push hard because the track was not wet. I was a little lucky to gain places and for the first time this season the rain helped me. The last lap was pretty incredible: I got into a bend, I couldn’t avoid the crash but I was able to get back on the bike, the race was stopped, so I finished second. I think I deserved this result and I want to thank my team for all their hard work. I also want to congratulate Leon on his superb podium and wish him a very Happy Birthday: I liked his cake !".

Leon Camier, 3rd then 5th:
"The first race was good as everything on the bike looked and worked well. When the track completely dried up I felt we didn’t quite have the same pace as the others, but I made the most of the "in-between" conditions. I passed Eugene on the last lap, but he passed me in a straight line and there was nothing I could do. I tried again, to no avail, as I felt I was on the limit. I got a better start in the second run and the bike was going really well: the guys did a great job this weekend. Towards the end of the race, I felt stronger than everyone else. I thought I had the speed to win the race so I was disappointed with the result. I was attacked a couple of times in the corners and then Chaz’s engine gave out right in front of me which cost a lot of time. Then Guintoli forced me to widen and everything changed in this kind of races: when you are in the wrong place at the wrong time, it turns into carnage and that’s what happened to me! I want to say a big "bravo" to Jules, he had two very good races today and it was great to see him get this result in the second round, not only for him, but for the whole team and everyone. our sponsors present today".

Sylvain Guintoli, 4th then 6th:
"I’m glad … it’s over! Unfortunately my shoulder gave me a bit of trouble today, especially at the start of the race, so I didn’t have any strength in my right arm. The test sessions do not allow you to test your conditions as 18 consecutive laps do. I fought and attacked hard when I could, but I was careful not to take unnecessary risks. My position in the general classification (1st, Editor’s note!) means I can’t sacrifice races and in conditions like we had today it is normal that those with less to lose take more risks. Tomorrow, when my mind is clear, I will be thinking about how to continue to recover from my shoulder injury. In the last two races, we increased the gap despite our problems, so it’s a delicate question ".

Tom Sykes, 11th then 7th:
"The second race was similar to the first. In these weather conditions, the day could only be difficult. I was not ready to bet too much in these kinds of conditions (slick tires, the rain falling), that’s how it is. I wasn’t ready to play too big and we saw how easy it was to fault. Taking a few points is better than taking nothing at all. I don’t like to think about the championship but I had to think about it a bit during the second race. We didn’t offer too many points to the championship leader. We struggled a bit at the start of the second race as the rear tire only looked as good as in the first run but I know the Ninja ZX-10R is performing well. Congratulations to Loris on his victory. We will move on after the summer break, we will see what we are capable of on circuits which should be suitable for us".

Ayrton Badovini, 8th (x 2):
" The conditions today were strange. I’m pretty happy because I wasn’t particularly fast in the dry sessions this weekend, but I think I took a step forward today. In the first run, I had a good comeback but if the rain had come earlier, I think I could have done even better. The second race was more complicated, I was a bit surrounded at the start and if the raindrops fell throughout the race, it was only at the end that it really rained. I have achieved two solid Top 10 given the conditions and I hope that at the Nurburgring we will have the opportunity to use the softer tires that we used before Moscow and that we can take another step forward.".

Marco Melandri, 9th (x 2):
"Starting from the back of the grid is really not easy. In the first race, in the dry, I was quite fast but vibrations in some corners did not allow me to go fast on the whole track. Then the weather changed and I couldn’t maintain the correct temperature of the tires in the long corners. I preferred not to take any risks and get the best possible result while limiting the damage. The second race, unfortunately, did not go very well. After a few laps, as I gained positions, I got off the track and lost contact with the drivers in front. I tried to attack again, but felt a lot of vibration and couldn’t ride properly. Fortunately, I did not lose too many points on the leader in the standings. The break before the weekend at the Nurburgring will help us rest and allow us to start the end of the season in the best possible way.".

And now for our MNC analysis of the World Superbike in Silvertone !

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