WSBK – Videos, statements and analysis of SBK in Miller – Analysis of World Superbike in Miller

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Miller’s SBK Videos, Statements and Analysis

WSBK - Videos, statements and analysis of SBK in Miller - Analysis of World Superbike in Miller

The sixth round of the 2012 World SBK took place tonight at Miller Motorsports Park. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the SBK riders, our analyzes and the video summaries of the Superbike races..

Miller World Superbike Analysis

The two American races last night were to be an opportunity for Carlos Checa to get back on the shelves of the World Superbike Championship. But on Sunday – Superpole day – Miller’s King was blown away first on the grid by one of his Ducati colleagues, Jakub Smrz…

The 2011 world champion and his fans, however, did not have too much to fear from the poleman: extremely quick in qualifying, "Kuba" rarely manages to transform his tests (it was however the case in 2011 in Miller, read) , so that it is from Sylvain Guintoli that we expected – especially us French! – opposition.

Unfortunately, the Frenchie – that’s what French expatriates in England are called, right? – took very average starts, reducing to nothing his efforts made in practice which had resulted in a promising 6th place on the starting grid.

In the race, our n ° 50 failed to keep up with the 4-cylinder rhythm, in particular because of a much lower top speed in the long pit straight: the Ducatis were struggling, even on the asphalt. , to exceed 300 km / h, while the Aprilia and BMW came close to 320 km / h in the first round !

To run at the same times as their competitors on 1000 cc, or even in better times as was the case in Superpole in particular, the drivers of the 1200 cc twins of Bologna necessarily needed a clear track..

Guintoli only benefited from such conditions once the peloton passed in front of him … Only Carlos Checa, more incisive than all his rivals in cornering, faster in curves and quicker to go around on exit , was able to keep pace with the leading men, and even ended up dominating them at the end of the first third of round 1 !

In the second round, the No.7 Toro entered action even more quickly, leaving their rivals company behind shortly after the two red lights went out (the race was interrupted for over an hour and a half by the fall of Aoyama, reread).

Author of the best time in the race from the 2nd loop, Carlos set off to knock out the competition like last year! Alas, the Ducati Althea rider exceeded the limits of his tire before four laps later, putting an end to a tradition established by Ben Spies: since 2009, the author of the double at Miller Motorsports Park was titled at the end of the year….

As in Aragon last year, Checa therefore stumbled "at home" and can blame only himself. Last year at the end of the American event and while there remained the same number of races to go (16), the Ducati rider had more than 60 points ahead of Melandri (then on Yamaha) and Biaggi (Aprilia).

This year, it is a gap of 30 points which separates the 2011 champion from the 2010 champion – and 2012 leader – Biaggi. Two other riders are also ahead of Checa, on the two motorcycles which have made the most progress in the last six months: the BMW (from Melandri in this case) and the Kawasaki (from Sykes).

Marco Melandri is also the driver who "won" the most in Carlos’ fall. The Italian, despite being the fastest driver on the track in the first round, could not do anything against Checa. But he was rewarded for his efforts in the second round by collecting 5 more points !

The Hedgehog of Ravenna is currently at the height of Sykes in the provisional. Thanks to this second victory in just two race weekends, Melandri proves that he definitely has the build of a Superbike champion … But who doubted it? ?

By hugging Jonathan Rea at the end of the second race, the 2011 runner-up also demonstrates that he doesn’t hold a grudge and that the crash in the final pin at Donington Park was nothing else. than a racing incident (read)…

There is no doubt that Johnny was thinking about this event during his assault in the last two laps of the second round at Miller … Particularly serious and diligent, the Honda rider n ° 65 lacked ambition to dispossess Melandri of his first place.

Rea also and especially suffered from a deficit of horses to beat Melandri: his Fireblade returned between 5 and 10 km / h at the "double R" of the Italian at the end of the straight line! Reference in the matter three years ago, the Honda no longer has the weight against other 4-cylinders, with the exception of the Suzuki…

Less efficient than Jonathan Rea, Loris Baz has shown the same measure. Because the rule is very "simple" for our n ° 76: the Greens entrust him the ZX-10R of Joan Lascorz on the express condition not to fall! Contract thus fulfilled for the young Frenchman who finishes as a bonus twice in the points.

With his 11 points scored during his first four races in World Superbike, our national Loris is in 20th place in the provisional, ahead of Mercado, Salom, Hopkins – who is definitely not giving up – and Aitchison in particular.

The tenure of Baz within the official Kawasaki team is not yet official, but faced with such results, it is hard to imagine the Japanese – and Spanish – officials abruptly ending the experience….

Shortly before Miller, # 76 wrote on its official website: "and yes, i’m in a Superbike … it’s not in the best circumstances that i arrive because it was following Joan Lascorz’s injury that i was called in to test on this bike. Despite all this remains a fantastic opportunity for me and I did not hesitate a single second to take this chance…."

"The tests, initially planned just to observe my future potential, went very well, so well that the team wants to keep me for the rest of the season.", even assured the young Ninja,"but this was not so easy for several reasons, the main one being that I was in contract with the MRS team".

Such an opportunity does not risk to present itself for a long time – and again, on condition of working well in Superstock then in a private Superbike team -, the entry of "Bazooka" in STK 1000 in the MRS structure (for Morillas Racing School) has been stopped.

"I just want to thank the whole MRS team, especially Adrien Morillas, who made this "transfer" so much easier and who continues to be my Superbike coach.", Loris said,"as well as the FFM, French Motorcycle Federation, which has been following me for many years. All this finally allowed me to be in Superbike in an Official Team at the age of 19…"

Much more experienced and a little older than Baz, Chaz – Davies by name, 25 – was the big surprise of this weekend in Salt Lake City! Very good in the first heat (7th), the Welshman and his private Aprilia were excellent in the second, finishing less than five seconds behind the winner.

Be careful, however: the most passionate readers of Site will remember that during two years on this same Miller track, Leon Camier also made sparks at the controls of his official RSV4….

The English rider, then n ° 2 in Aprilia, had lived there the best weekends of his first two seasons in World Superbike, finishing 4th then 2nd in 2010 and as in 2011. His British compatriot, reigning world champion. Supersport, will it be able to stay in the wheel of the best during the next meetings? Stay connected !

In the end, Biaggi still leads in the provisional classification, but the old transalpine sea dog – he will no doubt prefer the term "Pirate" – knows he must remain on his guard. Better, Max wants to lead the offensive and take the game in hand, asking Aprilia to work even harder…

Because as a Site, Max knows how to count: it’s been three months since the Roman Emperor was enthroned at the top of the podium, and without the brush suffered by Melandri two weeks ago in Donington, the name of Biaggi would no longer appear today ‘hui at the head of the provisional.

The famous n ° 3 is openly – and generously – worried about the progress made by these rivals citing BMW and Honda … and forgetting Kawasaki a little quickly! Does Noale’s firm have the means to react? Element of response in two weeks, near her home, on the trail of Misano Adriatico.

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