Change of leader in World Superbike !
The 2009 World Superbike season keeps all its promises: rookies take control in the race as well as in the championship, while veterans bring new bikes to the forefront. And the Supersport is not left out ! Reports.
First Superbike race
Haga got off to an excellent start and moved away from his pursuers in the first sequence. Biaggi also got off to a good start but Spies and Checa quickly overtake him. While Nieto – on Laconi’s Ducati – threatens the Roman Emperor the red flag is waved…
Behind, the 2nd turn of the course was badly negotiated in the peloton: the two Kawa – Tamada and Parkes – and the Honda of John Hopkins are on the ground! Fate is hitting Makoto and John, who have already been sidelined this year for weeks…
Luckily the American – who literally got run over and unconscious for 10 minutes! – comes out without any serious injury just like the Japanese, ready to do battle in the second round. But the doctors won’t let him go…
The first round starts again a quarter of an hour later! And Haga again takes the best start and this time ahead of Rea, Spies, Corser, Biaggi, Fabrizio and Nieto. The Japanese driver took advantage of the first section to distance his pursuers but Jonathan caught up with him at the end of the course.
At the start of the 2nd lap, the n ° 41 Ducati took its distance from Rea, Spies and Corser. Biaggi does not follow quite anymore but bet to separate themselves from the rest of the peloton led by Nieto then Fabrizio.
At the head of the race are therefore five brands: the Ducati de Haga leads ahead of the Honda of Rea, the Yamaha of Spies, the BMW of Corser and the Aprilia of Biaggi! But what are Kawasaki and Suzuki doing ?
At the end of the 3rd round, Rea is under Haga’s pots. Spies follows the young Englishman like his shadow, Corser is holding on and Biaggi sets the fastest time in the race! After a few unsuccessful attempts, Ben passed Jonathan at the end of the straight, at the start of the 5th lap. Spies immediately starts hunting for Haga !
Behind, Corser and Biaggi apply and stay in contact. But Fabrizio and Checa get back on them! Rea recovers his 2nd place at the end of the straight line but loses focus, widens and returns his place to Spies.
In this 6th lap, Fabrizio and Checa still get closer to Biaggi. Haga therefore leads in front of a group of six pilots! But following a small mistake, Johnny widens and offers several steps ahead to Spies. The Texan may spit in the gloves, he can not reduce his gap on the Japanese installed at the controls from the first meters.
Behind Biaggi, Fabrizio and Checa put on the show, which prevents them from actually threatening the Roman Emperor. On the 9th lap, Spies again draws attention to the leader of the race: he turns faster than Haga! Rea, for his part, isolated himself in 3rd position ahead of Corser and his agitated pursuers: Biaggi, Fabrizio and Checa.
At the mid-race stage, Haga has only a few lengths left over Spies. Just before starting the 12th lap, Ben passed Haga. The Ducati is expected to pass the Yam ‘back to its favorite portion – the first – but the "Made in Japan" bike holds up..
The two leaders – of the race and the championship – then engage in a merciless battle: Big Ben and Nitro Nori whip their respective R1 and 1098 and take advantage of every inch of track !
But another driver also pulls out the big attack: Carlos Checa swoops down on his teammate Johnny Rea … In the 16th lap, the Spaniard surprises the Irishman braking on the straight line and climbs on the podium..
In front, Spies does not manage to get rid of Haga who remains housed in his aspi. Four laps from the end, the suspense is at its height: who will the American rookie or the Japanese veteran win? "I knew he (Haga) was very strong in the first corners so I broke the pace slightly to control him", will explain the clever cowboy like a Sioux.
Under pressure all the same, Ben makes some mistakes but Noriyuki can’t – won’t? – take advantage … N ° 41 launched an attack on the first braking of the 18th lap but had to let n ° 19 pass again. One loop later, in the same bend, Haga still raises the temperature on the track and in the stands by licking the rear wheel of the Yam ‘ !
Undoubtedly alerted by the clamor of the public, Ben Spies achieved a superb lap and built himself a lead of a few lengths on his opponent. Meanwhile, another fight is thrilling the fans: the one between young Haslam and "old" Biaggi for 5th place..
In the last lap, Noriyuki Haga gives up and lets Ben Spies take over the first German round. In the end, the three seconds which separate the two pilots are a poor illustration of the formidable mano a mano that we have just witnessed..
Seven seconds later, Carlos Checa and Jonathan Rea cross the finish line to the applause of the Ten Kate team. Biaggi finished 5th on his Aprilia, followed by another Honda – that of Haslam -, the Ducati of Fabrizio and the local of the stage: the BMW of Troy Corser !
We underline the beautiful 11th place obtained by Matt Lagrive: "I am satisfied with my first race, a good pace, the results of the work provided during the previous days were starting to be felt", exposes n ° 14 on its official website.
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