WSBK – WSBK Australia (2): Haslam takes revenge on Rea –

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WSBK Australia (2): Haslam takes revenge on Rea

WSBK - WSBK Australia (2): Haslam takes revenge on Rea -

Outpaced by Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki in the first round by four hundredths of a second, Leon Haslam won on his Aprilia in the second round … by just one hundredth! Davies and his Ducati complete the podium again. Second Superbike race The Kawasaki n ° 65 reared up when the red lights went out, but that did not prevent the poleman Jonathan…

Outpaced by Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki by four hundredths of a second, Leon Haslam won on his Aprilia in the second round … by just one hundredth! Davies and his Ducati complete the podium again.

Second Superbike race

Kawasaki n ° 65 reared up when the red lights went out, but that did not prevent poleman Jonathan Rea from plunging into the “Doohan” curve in first position, outside Leon Haslam. Follow Chaz Davies, Michael Van den Mark, Tom Sykes (always so quick to take off from his third row!), Jordi Torres, Sylvain Guintoli, Matteo Baiocco, Troy Bayliss, Leon Camier, etc..

From the start of the first lap, "JR" attacks very hard and widens a slight gap on his pursuers: Davies, Haslam and Van den Mark who tries to hoist his Honda n ° 60 in front of Aprilia n ° 91 at the end of the line. right but remains in fourth position.

Just behind the Supersport world champion (VDM), Sykes must defend his 5th place dearly against another particularly swift “beginner”: Torres! Guintoli, Bayliss, Terol and Baiocco complete the Top 10. De Puniet is 11th, Barrier 13th, Ponsson 19th.

At the start of the 3rd lap, Chaz Davies managed to get back on Jonathan Rea’s wheel and took Leon Haslam, Michal VDM, Tom Sykes and Jordi Torres with him. Alex Lowes, so quick during winter tests and test rides on his GSX-R, returns to the pits, annoyed.

The race continues for his little comrades! Bayliss passed Guintoli at the start of the fourth round and aimed for the leading group! As for his teammate Davies, he was targeting the No. 65 Kawa, still in the lead, entering hard in the bends but could not follow under acceleration. "Chazie" has to brake very late and very hard not to pass Haslam…

Van den Mark passed his former teammate Honda Haslam (in SBK / SSP but also at the Suzuka 8H) at the start of the 5th lap but the n ° 91 returned with authority to Stoner Corner, from the outside! While the six leading men scramble, Bayliss and Guintoli continue their efforts to pick them up. De Puniet also has them in visual…

Rea, Davies, Haslam and VDM attack the straight for the 7th time, literally wheel to wheel. Haslam took the opportunity to overtake Davies under braking. The Aprilia rider then collided with Rea’s Kawa ‘posted deep inside the Honda. "Magic Michael" on the other hand manages to dive inside "Chazie"! In the background, Bayliss loses his rhythm.

In front, Haslam takes advantage of the aspiration to overtake Rea in the straight line, imitated by Van den Mark … But the young Honda rider takes the lead in Southern Loop! Davies dives past Lukey Heights ahead of Rea, misses Haslam touchdown, widens slightly but retains new third.

After a superb 8th lap, Rea finds himself just in front of his teammate. But Sykes can’t seem to match the No.65 and still has a lot to do with Torres. Rid of Bayliss, Guintoli whips his Fireblade as much as he can to get back on Sykes who beat him with nothing in the first round…

Van den Mark completed the 10th lap with several steps ahead of Haslam, Davies and Rea. Sykes is still holding up against Torres: the Spaniard varies trajectories in the sublime sequences of the Australian circuit but does not find the fault.

While Van den Mark still leads ahead of Haslam, Rea dives under Davies on the first corner of lap 13. A few seconds later, at the Honda hairpin, Haslam took back the reins of the race. Rea then Davies overtook VDM in quick succession, but the young Honda rider remained in the aspi at the start of the 14th lap.

Behind, Torres finally passes Sykes and quickly pulls away from him. Guintoli is a little further in seventh position. Overtaken by Terol, De Puniet occupies ninth place. Barrier and his BMW are in 15th position, Ponsson and his Kawasaki in 18th.

The quartet continued their race without abusing overtaking, but that did not prevent Torres from gradually approaching, dragging Sykes in his wake. Passed through the pits to change his tires (?!), Bayliss takes to the track not far in front of Haslam, still in the lead !

On the 16th lap, Jordi Torres got lost when braking the hairpin but did not bite on the grass and set off again just behind Sykes, new fifth. In a straight line, Michael van den Mark struggles to stay in the asp of the leading trio but returns to contact in the winding.

Just behind the n ° 60 Honda, Torres made a new error, incorrigible this one: the Spaniard lost the front in Doohan Corner and slipped for a long time on the tarmac then on the grass while his RSV4 n ° 81 set off in a impressive series of antics … He gets up with a slight limp and leaves the circuit.

The three leaders moved away from VDM on the 17th lap. In the next loop, Rea attacks Haslam in Siberia and leaves the door open for Davies who wasn’t asking for so much! Haslam therefore lost two places in one turn. Then Davies passes Rea at the end of the straight …

The fight is so good between the three British drivers that hardly anyone realizes that "Magic Michael" fell into the pit after Lukey Heights! "Major Tom" thus inherits fourth place, "Guinters" fifth, De Puniet seventh, Barrier 12th and Ponsson 15th … !

Haslam takes the lead at the start of the 21st lap and completes the circuit without leaving the slightest opening for Rea, followed like his shadow by Davies … Jonathan tries to get past Haslam between the first two curves but he cannot pass Aprilia and the brush of – very – near !

In the ultimate revolution, "Johnny" Rea repeats his improbable overtaking before Lukey Heights! No doubt surprised, the Aprilia rider n ° 91 does not lose his focus, stays with his helmet immersed in his bubble and carefully prepares his exit from the last curve….  

Managing to take the aspiration of his former team-mate Honda Pata, Leon Haslam is up to the Kawa ‘n ° 65 in front of the pits and crosses the finish line a hundredth of a second before Jonathan Rea! As in the first round, Chaz Davies is one breath away (3 tenths!) And accompanies his compatriots on the podium.

Taking advantage of the falls of the rookies Torres then Van den Mark, the Superbike champions Tom Sykes (2013) and Guintoli (2014) this time round out the Top 5, respectively 5 and 14 seconds behind the "winners". De Puniet finished in seventh place, just ahead of Leon Camier and his MV Agusta. Barrier is 12th, Ponsson 15th.

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