WSBK – WSBK Malaysia (1): Rea gets closer to the 2015 title –

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WSBK Malaysia (1): Rea gets closer to 2015 title

WSBK - WSBK Malaysia (1): Rea gets closer to the 2015 title -

Starting off like a cannonball, the poleman Sykes collapsed at the end of the race. More cautious, Rea and Davies fought a superb battle in the last laps, of which the No. 65 Kawasaki emerged victorious. Biaggi completes the podium. First Superbike race Tom Sykes started very well from pole position but Max Biaggi started even better from his fourth…

Starting off like a cannonball, the poleman Sykes collapsed at the end of the race. More cautious, Rea and Davies fought a superb battle in the last laps, of which the No. 65 Kawasaki emerged victorious. Biaggi completes the podium.

First Superbike race

Tom Sykes started very well from pole position but Max Biaggi started even better from fourth place. However, the Roman Emperor was caught under braking and allowed Sykes, Davies and Rea to pass. Torres, Haslam, Guintoli, Lowes, Van den Mark, Canepa, etc. De Puniet is 13th, Ponsson 17th.

"Major Tom" made a cannon start to the race and distance Davies from half a second to halfway. Davies and Rea also move away from the peloton but "JR" widens in the very last corner and allows the three Aprilia to slip into their aspi in the following straight line. Johnny moves away again from the first sequences of the 2nd round.

Our world champion Sylvain Guintoli, qualified in 5th position on the grid, circulates in 7th position. He is already almost three seconds behind 2013 champion Tom Sykes. Alex Lowes is a big second behind, chased by Michael van den Mark, Niccolo Canepa and Matteo Baiocco. Randy de Puniet rides alone in twelfth position.

In front, Biaggi lost two places in the second lap: Torres then Haslam passed him quite easily and set off in pursuit of the No. 65 Kawasaki which rolled a second ahead of them. Ducati n ° 7 is in the crosshairs of Aprilia n ° 81 and 91.

In the lead since the red lights went out, Tom Sykes was 2.6 seconds ahead of Chaz Davies at the start of the fourth lap. The Ninja n ° 66 turns half a second faster than its two direct pursuers and a full second faster than the Aprilia which flew over the event last year (with Melandri and Guintoli) !

In the background, Supersport world champion Michael van den Mark completed a particularly slow 5th lap (2 ’12) and fell to fourteenth position. "Magic Mike" sets off again on the attack in the next round, easily overtakes Salom then Mercado and aims for De Puniet placed in Baiocco’s wheel.

Tom Sykes’ lead exceeded three seconds on the 7th lap. The sky is still very threatening but the rain fortunately does not fall. Chaz Davies is closely followed by Jonathan Rea: the Ducati rider must close his lines while saving his tires … Not easy !

Pressured by Biaggi, Haslam pulled away in the last corner and had to let the Italian pass. But the Englishman put the brakes on at n ° 3 at the end of the pit straight and kept – with difficulty – the advantage in the chicane !

The two great rivals of the 2010 season are not spared. They offer a fabulous show to (TV) spectators and at the same time allow Guintoli to return to their aspiration. The teammate of n ° 1 is less fortunate: he returns to the pits to never come out.

Biaggi replied his attack a lap later and this time kept fifth place by passing in front of the pits. Haslam seems to delay, which allows the two RSV4s to again outrun the Fireblade n ° 1, half a second slower per lap.

The halfway mark is crossed and the ruthless "JR" pretends to shift on several brakes without being able to pass in front of "Chazie". Jonathan unleashes a big attack on the last corner of the ninth loop, passes Chaz but widens and exits the corner still third !

Far from all this tumult, Tom continues his race alone. But his three-second lead was halved in the 10th lap! Davies and Rea – above all – bury the hatchet and visibly ascend the poleman … Chaz Davies easily overtakes Sykes at the end of the 11th round. !

Rea struggles more to overtake his teammate, the last bulwark towards the 2015 title! After a round of fighting, Johnny ends up blowing the lock all the same and sets out again to hunt for the Ducati n ° 7 … This one is less than a second in front of the Kawasaki n ° 65.

In the background, Jordi Torres suddenly loses the pace: Biaggi then Guintoli overtake him three laps from the end. Max then spins almost four seconds faster than Sykes and could well be on the podium! Slower, "Guinters" will have to be content with his fourth place.

With 2 laps to go, Chaz Davies manages to keep half a second ahead of Jonathan Rea. Max Biaggi overtakes Tom Sykes on braking at the end of the pit straight and starts the last lap in third position !

In front, "Johnny" seizes the command and manages to dominate "Chazie" in the last loop … until the last hairpin where Ninja n ° 65 delays his braking too much! Davies does not lose focus, dives towards the rope and comes out in front … but gets beaten in the final acceleration towards the checkered flag !

The n ° 65 Kawasaki thus takes a 12th – and incredible – victory this season in front of the double winner at Laguna Seca, Chaz Davies, and the wildcard Max Biaggi, author of his 71st podium in World Superbike! Fourth, Sylvain Guintoli obtains his best result of the season ahead of the British Sykes, Lowes and Haslam.

Jonathan Rea now has a lead of 139 points in the championship over Sykes, and 149 over Davies … He could therefore be titled at the end of the second set, provided he scores 11 points more than his teammate Tom, and 1 point more than Chaz. Stay connected !

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