WSBK – Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK at Magny-Cours – Analysis of the World Superbike at Magny-Cours

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Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK at Magny-Cours

WSBK - Videos, statements and analysis of the SBK at Magny-Cours - Analysis of the World Superbike at Magny-Cours

The fourteenth and final round of the World SBK 2012 took place yesterday at Magny-Cours. To complete our live reports, here are the statements of the SBK riders, our analyzes and the video summaries of the Superbike and Supersport races..

Analysis of the World Superbike at Magny-Cours

Of course, the extremely tricky weather conditions endured this Sunday at Magny-Cours largely contributed to making this final round of the 2012 World Superbike incredibly thrilling! However, the pilots and their mounts also played a decisive role in this formidable finale….

Contested on a wet track, the first round notably saw an incredible number of twists and turns – understand "falls", since only twelve pilots crossed the finish line! – but the most astonishing moment will of course be the fall of Max Biaggi.

It is under the braking of Adelaide, from the third pass, that the Roman Emperor has spread all along. Biaggi will ensure subsequently that he did not understand anything, and we readily believe it: straight as an "i", his RSV4 suddenly lost the front and went spinning in the gravel.

Without the heavy antics of his Aprilia, the indefatigable Corser privateer (41 years old!) Would certainly have taken to the track in order to collect a few points, as he had been able to do for example during the second German race at the Nurburgring..

Instead, Biaggi was forced to watch the end of the race from the back of his pit, calculator in hand, along with his No.99 fan Jorge Lorenzo. Half an hour later the verdict came – too! -: a fifth place in the second round would ensure his second Superbike title for the famous n ° 3.

Biaggi, a man – almost – like the others

Thus, the grand final on Sunday afternoon was not as crazy as the one between Colin Edwards and Troy Bayliss ten years ago on the Imola track. Nevertheless, you had to have a strong heart to follow this "der des der" where Biaggi, once again, showed a certain feverishness … humanity ?

Indeed, Max had to do it twice to overtake his young compatriot Davide Giugliano! Biting the vibrators over and over – but not the dust, phew! -, the Aprilia rider was subsequently more solid, especially when overtaking Carlos Checa to acquire the famous fifth place.

This overtaking also had symbolic value since in doing so, Biaggi recovered the world crown that "El Toro" had taken from him last season! In addition, by beating one of the best pilots of the field perched on the fastest motorcycle this Sunday – Guintoli then Giugliano established the best lap times in the race -, Biaggi avoided passing for a "simple" strategist…

For Max, this is the sixth world crown in motorcycle speed: four in Grand Prix 250 and two now in World Superbike. Will the six-time champion stop at the height of his glory or will he try to defend his title next year? Impossible to predict: you will have to stay connected to MNC !

However, the Italian’s minimal lead in the final standings could potentially tip the scales in the direction of retirement. Dominated by Melandri in Moscow, Biaggi almost gave in this weekend under the blows of an English Ninja named Tom Sykes !

Half a point for a world title

In his first interview as 2012 World Champion, Max readily agreed that Tom also deserved this title: "this time it’s my turn, the next one will be his", he remarked before releasing on the tone of the joke:"we have an agreement !"

Whatever the case, this Mondial Superbike season will remain as one of the most memorable of this quarter century. And the battle for the title disputed between three drivers until the last race, or the half point separating the champion from the vice-champion are not the only two reasons !

Indeed, we will also remember that nine drivers climbed the highest step of the podium this year: in addition to Max Biaggi (5 successes this season), Tom Sykes (4) and Marco Melandri (6!), Sylvain Guintoli won three times, Jonathan Rea two, while Loris Baz, Chaz Davies and Eugene Laverty all three notched a victory each.

Five other drivers also had the joy of slashing Champagne: Leon Haslam five times, Davide Giugliano (2), Michel Fabrizio, Leon Camier and Jakub Smrz. Finally, the homogeneity of the championship is illustrated by the presence of five manufacturers in the final Top 5 of the "drivers" classification. !

It is only in terms of qualifying that the statistics show a slight imbalance: by winning nine Superpoles out of 14 events, Tom Sykes and his ZX-10R have established themselves as the fastest duo of the World Superbike 2012. !

The last tour for Sykes

Moreover, the n ° 66 and its Ninja hold from Monza the new absolute speed record in the Superbike category: 339.5 km / h at the aspi ‘of the former holders Biaggi and his RSV4 (read the box in).

Unfortunately once – for Sykes, not for Biaggi! -, Akashi’s in-line 4-cylinder did not measure up. It was two weeks ago in Portimao during the second Portuguese round: the breakage of the Kawa engine had earned one of the rare zeros dotted from Tom this season..

Likewise, if the Englishman humbly admits that he lost a few points through his own fault during the year, he could not help but tackle Ayrton Badovini during the report of the second round at Magny -Course he had just won brilliantly…

"I made a few mistakes, not too many – I’m touching wood – and the team too, but that’s when I curse Ayrton Badovini, especially since the guy didn’t even apologizeFortunately, it would take more – maybe not a lot ?! – to erase the broad smile that the sympathetic Sykes almost continually wears..

Friendly and very attentive, as evidenced by his helmet in the colors of his former teammate at No.17, which he wore all weekend: "in the end we took pole position, the circuit record, two podiums and I would like to dedicate them to Joan Lascorz who helped me a little this weekend: regaining 30 points at Biaggi was magic".

Winner of the "der des der", the 2012 runner-up would also have shone at the end of season party last night. In any case, this is what his Welsh comrade Chaz Davies posted on Tweeter, around 3 a.m. !

The Irish – north and south – Jonathan Rea and Eugene Laverty meanwhile did not "tweet" until early afternoon on Monday. The two members of the "6am club" had a noticeable headache, and it wasn’t from a highside…

Other pilots also woke up with loose bodies this morning, the fault this time to heavy falls on the tarmac of Nivernais … Three pilots particularly enjoyed yesterday on the track: it is Leon Camier – courageous 10th in the second round -, of Marco Melandri – author of five bubbles in six races … – and of our compatriot Loris Baz !

Fortunately for the French clan, the fall – a posteriori without gravity – of Bazooka was the only source of concern this Sunday. Sylvain Guintoli and Maxime Berger were even able to ignite the public of Magny-Cours during the two Superbike races !

The Frenchies "in gold" at home too !

Our favorite n ° 50 and 121 thus ended a hectic season in a very good way: after being thanked without any consideration by the same team a few weeks apart, Sylvain and Maxime respectively found refuge at Ducati Pata and Ducati Roma Red. Devils, who can only congratulate themselves on having given them a handlebar !

Winner of the first round and third of the second, "Guinters" scored the same number of points as the excellent Tom Sykes. As a bonus, the Drôme pilot gave the 1198 his last victory and his last podium !

Weighted by six kilograms compared to the 4-cylinder (171 kg against 165), the Bologna Superbike did not repeat in 2012 its superb performance of last year in the company of Carlos Checa. This weekend, the beautiful Italian still took advantage of the rain and Sylvain’s dexterity to take an impeccable bow..

On the same machine, Maxime Berger obtained his best result in this premier class of the World Superbike: a fourth place in the first round which he also owes to his virtuosity in the wet. We can bet that this good result will allow him to keep a handlebars in the big leagues next year. !

In the yard of the little ones, another Frenchman climbed the top step of the podium this weekend: at the controls of his CBR, Jules Cluzel masterfully won in the Supersport category against his teammate Sam Lowes, an unknown Dan Linfoot, and to a – too – aggressive Kenan Sofuoglu.

The rookie n ° 16 – not to be confused with the double champion of the discipline, Sebastien Charpentier, who also wore the n ° 16! – can be very proud of his first year: Jules shares with the triple Turkish champion the number of victories this season (4) and even beats Kenan in the number of poles (5 against 1!).

Site reminds those who would not have followed Sunday’s races almost live on our site: thanks to its fourth victory, the Coq Supersportif assured Honda its ninth constructor title in this championship which has existed for 16 years..

Finally, for the first time in fourteen years this time, a French driver has won the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup: victorious four times this season, Sylvain Barrier and his S1000RR prepared by the BMW Italia team succeed Davide Giugliano on 1198 and to Ayrton Badovini on S1000RR "Italian" also.

Yesterday, our Behemian tamer showed remarkable composure as his two title rivals, Eddi La Marra on 1199 Panigale and Brian Starring on ZX-10R, made a mistake on the soggy track of Magny-Cours…

Sylvain celebrated his title on the second step of the podium alongside another French driver: Jeremy Guarnoni who won his first success! As at Silverstone therefore, the Marseillaise sounded three times this Sunday. Roll on next year, so that we can once again see the tricolor flag – blue white red, not green white red! – in a sky all blue, blue like the azure sky.

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