WSBK – Statements and analysis of the Superbike in Buriram – Analysis of the World Superbike in Buriram

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Statements and analysis of the Superbike in Buriram

WSBK - Statements and analysis of the Superbike in Buriram - Analysis of the World Superbike in Buriram

The second round of the 2015 World SBK took place yesterday in Buriram, Thailand. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the Superbike riders as well as the Site analysis of the two Thai races.

Analysis of the World Superbike in Buriram

With its 17 million motorized two-wheelers in circulation and its new market estimated at around 2 million units per year, Thailand had to host the World Superbike Championship! This weekend, the first Thai event in the history of the WSBK took place, the second of the 2015 season….

The world number one Honda will also remember this first edition for a long time since yesterday in Buriram he won his 100th World Supersport victory. This success will be just as memorable for the Ratthapark Wilairot driver: it is his very first victory in the category, and ahead of his own !

Admittedly, the n ° 9 of the Honda Core Motorsport Thailand team greatly benefited from the abandonment of Jules Cluzel, victim of a breakdown in his F3 three laps from the end while he had been leading for ten laps. But the story – and the audience came in droves! – will only remember the success of the Thai pilot.

To win, Ratthapark still had to beat the three-time world champion Kenan Sofuoglu fairly. We could almost forget the superb fourth place of Lucas Mahias, and the Top 5 of the brother of Ratthapark: Ratthapong, on his own Honda CBR600RR !

In the Superbike category, Kawasaki and Jonathan Rea won the laurels. After signing his second Superpole in a row on Saturday, the new No.65 Ninja largely outperformed his opponents yesterday and won the third career double..

Johnny’s domination on Sunday was total: author of the best lap times over the two rounds, the northern Irishman completed all 40 laps in the lead. His mastery of the Ninja ZX-10R commands respect, especially as Tom Sykes (2013 champion and 2012 and 2014 runner-up on Kawasaki, as a reminder) can not do the same.

Haslam at the aspi of the god Rea

For "JR", this stage in Thailand could not have gone better … Although if, on reflection: if his teammate – or Lowes, or Davies, etc. – had managed to get ahead of Leon Haslam, his lead in the championship would be greater. N ° 65 is only 10 points ahead of n ° 91 Aprilia this Monday !

Eclipsed by Rea, the new divinity of the WSBK, Haslam effectively continued his prodigious harvest: 40 points fell on Sunday in the pocket of the "Pocket Rocket". If the year 2015 started almost perfectly for Rea (95 points out of 100 max), it also started very well for Haslam (85 points!).

For Chaz Davies, on the other hand, the Burarim event was synonymous with disenchantment: twice third at Phillip Island a month ago, the n ° 7 of the official Ducati Aruba.it team fell in test and, more annoying, for the two Thai races.

Evil tongues will say that he "made his Giugliano", the less forked will note that he managed both times to get back on his machine and register six small points. "It was very difficult because I constantly had to attack, drive to the limit to fight with the others", regretted" Chazie "Sunday evening.

"The fact that there are three straights here really bothered us today", analyzed the Welsh driver. Less efficient in acceleration and in the stretch, the Panigale R – and its Twin 1200 cc – forced Mister Davies to catch up when braking. Much more than on the undulating track of Phillip. Island…

Fearsome in this phase of driving – and incredibly reliable, unlike his teammate Davide -, Chaz nevertheless lost the front in turn 12 in the first heat. In the second round, it was the rear of his Ducati which slipped out in the middle of turn n ° 3, an overhanging turn, the villain !

Bayliss’ "der des ders"

Troy Bayliss being finally a little "too old for this bullshit" (read) and for these races disputed under suffocating heat and humidity – so much so that the EBR 1190RX did not roll in the second round! -, Matteo Baiocco was this Sunday the best rider on Ducati.

Far from the outposts, the young rookie of the Althea team took advantage of the two races on Sunday to take private lessons: "i am so proud to have done a few laps with you…", the Italian n ° 15 tweeted yesterday to the attention of the famous n ° 21,"thanks for the lecture! You are a legend".

Professor Bayliss for his part, particularly affected by the weather conditions – to make matters worse, he left without a drink in his "camel bag" in the first round! – decided that these two races would be his last in World Superbike.

"It was nice, I came back to competition in a bit special conditions and I wanted to compete in one more event after Phillip Island, to see, points out the man with 94 podiums including 52 World Superbike victories.

"I am fortunate to end my career in good health", finally notes the triple champion of 49 years (8th9th then 11th this Sunday),"and i could see i could still be fast but i’m ready to go back to australia to enjoy my family life"… and dirt-track tracks," of course " !

After Davies: Sykes and Lowes

Davide Giugliano continues to heal his wounds, but will not be back until early May, for the Imola test (Sunday 10). Borgo Panigale’s firm has three weeks before Aragon to find a new substitute, capable of handling his Superbike at least as well as Troy. Which is not an easy task…

Much less lively than in Australia, the two races in Thailand were nevertheless again dominated by British drivers. After Davies on Ducati, Sykes on Kawasaki and Lowes on Suzuki (!) Took turns behind the infernal Rea-Haslam duo…

If Tom had finished third in the last two races of 2014 organized – at night! – in Qatar, we have to go back to May 25 and the Donington Park event to see Alex Lowes, then rookie and defending BSB champion, finish in the Top 3 of the World Superbike.

Hyper fast in practice, the No. 22 of the Suzuki team lacked luck or patience at the very start of the season to appear prominently on the race records. In the first round in Thailand again, Alex was able to keep "his" third place – the one secured on the grid the day before in Superpole….

But by trying at all costs to get back on the two men – very strong at the start of the 2015 championship, Sam’s brother found himself with all four irons in the air. Left without a sore, he crossed the finish line in 6th position but, like Bayliss, was demoted by one place for overtaking under the yellow flag.

The second round was much more satisfying for Alex and allowed him to drink a shot of Proseco champagne with Leon Haslam, his great friend in life, but an opponent who can be jostled like any other on the track. !

Not yet completely at ease riding the 2015 version of the racing ZX-10R, Tom Sykes took advantage of the mistakes of his compatriots Chaz and Alex to reach his first podium of the year, the 50th of his career, in 161 starts since his arrival in WSBK alongside a certain Ben Spies.

As in Australia, Jonathan Rea’s teammate had to fight hard against Leon Haslam’s teammate: Jordi Torres! Nicknamed the "Spanish Elvis" by Tom because of his hairstyle, his long legs and his nationality, the n ° 81 provided two great performances this Sunday.

"It’s incredibly hard to pass Sykes, but I learned to brake later than usual", said Jordi via Twitter last night. On the track, the progress of the Spanish driver in the matter was notable. He also ended up beating" Major Tom "Himself…

Impressive from his first appearance in Australia, this funny rider made no mistakes in Thailand and is on the way to becoming a star of the Superbike circuit. At this rate, Jordi should soon be on the podium (s)…

Storming the catwalks…

12 seconds behind Torres and Sykes at the end of the first round, Sylvain Guintoli was not yet in the pace to claim a Top 3. This did not prevent our reigning world champion from having a lot of fun, especially in the second round !

Planted by his clutch a few minutes from the start, the "Number One" of the discipline could not reach the track in time and had to complete the warm-up lap behind everyone and settle in the last place of the starting grid…

Starting off like a cannonball, "Guinters" made an incredible comeback which led him to sixth place on the 5th lap. After that, Sylvain fought against his nemesis No.60, his own teammate Michael van den Mark.

Resisting the attacks of his young teammate until the end, Sylvain proves that he now has his machine well in hand. Hopefully, once his neck injury is totally forgotten, the 2014 champion will find the half-second in the lap he lacks to fight, too, for a place on the podium..

The three week break that the calendar grants him will allow him to recover a little more. On the other hand, the climate of Aragon – in April – will be less heavy for the French n ° 1. The route, however, as physical as it is technical, will not spare it….

It is therefore rather in Assen, a week later, that Sylvain Guintoli will have the best chance of shining again in World Superbike. More undulating than Buriram – a bit like Phillip Island, without the drop or the sea! -, the Dutch track has no secrets for its Honda "Pata" Ten Kate team. No more than for "VDM" !

See you in three weeks, to follow the third round of the 2015 Superbike World Championship scheduled in Aragon, Spain: stay tuned !

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