WSBK Portugal (2): Rea flies to the 2015 title
The second Superbike race in Portimao marked the changeover to the WSBK championship in the second half of the 2015 season. Ultra domineering during the first half, Jonathan Rea continued his momentum, with a 10th victory. Second Superbike race Tom Sykes started very well from his second place on the Portuguese grid and took the lead…
The second Superbike race in Portimao marked the swing of the WSBK championship in the second half of the 2015 season. Ultra domineering during the first half, Jonathan Rea continued his momentum, with a 10th victory.
Second Superbike race
Tom Sykes started very well from his second place on the Portuguese grid and took the lead ahead of Davide Giugliano, Jonathan Rea (started from third row!), Leon Haslam, Sylvain Guintoli, Jordi Torres, Leandro Mercado, Ayrton Badovini and Matteo Baiocco. Randy de Puniet is 15th, Ponsson 17th.
Rea dislocates Davies by attacking the straight at the end of the 1st lap but only moves to third position thanks to a gap from Davies in the first corner of the 2nd lap. Right in front of them, Giugliano does not leave Sykes’ rear wheel.
On his own Ducati n ° 7, Davies struggles to keep pace with the Kawasaki n ° 65 but deviates slightly from Haslam on his Aprilia n ° 91. At the command of his Honda n ° 1, Guintoli tries to stay in contact with the rookie Torres on the Aprilia n ° 81 then fifth.
JR took Giugliano’s aspiration on the second pass in the straight line and managed to apply the Italian brakes. In his stride, Rea goes ahead of his teammate Sykes, but the No.65 widens slightly in the first curve…
Giugliano took the opportunity to take the lead in the race as the two Kawasaki graze dangerously on the go-around! Sykes comes out in front of Rea but the Northern Irishman quickly climbs to second position. "Johnny" reproduces his attack at the start of the 5th lap but widens further and momentarily goes off the track !
Giugliano was then half a second ahead of Sykes and Rea. Chaz Davies is two seconds behind his teammate, chased and soon threatened by Haslam … Jordi Torres on the second Aprilia Red Devils is more than a second behind Leon, and a good second ahead of Guintoli.
About twenty seconds behind the leaders, Christophe Ponsson climbed to a remarkable 14th place, just ahead of Randy de Puniet (Suzuki Voltcom Crescent), Nico Terol (Ducati Althea) and Niccolo Canepa (Kawasaki Grillini).
It was not until the 8th lap to see Jonathan Rea succeeding in his attack at the end of the straight line and settling in second position, in front of his teammate Tom Sykes and in the wheel of Davide Giugliano. Behind, Chaz Davies begins to hear the V4 roar of his compatriot Leon Haslam.
On the ninth pass in front of the pits, Haslam raised his Aprilia to the level of the official Ducati but could not pass on the brakes. Rea, on the contrary, gains a new place by braking later and harder than Giugliano in the first corner. "JR" is prime !
The Ninja n ° 65 gradually moves away from Giugliano who begins to toil as the halfway mark is just crossed. Sykes overtook Ducati n ° 34 at the very start of the 10th lap and set off in pursuit of Rea. Four seconds behind, Haslam and Davies continue to fight…
The "Pocket Rocket" double "Chazie" at the start of the 11th lap, in the descent towards the first curve on the right. In their wake, more than a second behind, Jordi Torres rolled alone and achieved excellent lap times. Guintoli is seventh more than ten seconds behind the leader, but must prevent any attack from his teammate Van den Mark lodged in his aspi…
Finally alone in the lead, Jonathan Rea no longer commits any fault and increases his lead: more than three seconds at the end of the 14th lap. Tom Sykes no longer seems able to play the win but will have to fight again because Giugliano has been pressing him for two rounds.
Giugliano easily overtakes Sykes when braking on hairpin n ° 5. The pace of n ° 66 dropped sharply: its choice of rear tire (softer than Rea’s in particular) turned out to be handicapping at the end of the race. Sykes loses third place in round 17 to Leon Haslam.
A lap later, Sykes loses another place – and precious points – at the expense of Chaz Davies. This makes the business of the – wide – leader of the 2015 championship, posted at the head of the race more than five seconds in front of Giugliano and eight seconds in front of Haslam.
Sykes’ ordeal continues when Sylvain Guintoli, Michael van den Mark and Jordi Torres remove him from the Top 5 at the start of the last lap … The two Honda Pata finish this second SBK race neck and neck: the Supersport champion Van den Mark beats Superbike champion Guintoli by a breath.
Fourteen seconds before the two Fireblades, Rea’s # 65 Ninja again crossed the finish line in the lead, with a comfortable lead over Giugliano’s # 34 Ducati and Haslam’s Aprilia # 91. Davies and Van den Mark complete the Top 5. Guintoli finished sixth, Ponsson 14th and De Puniet 16th.
Jonathan Rea couldn‘t have started the second half of the 2015 season better: his second victory of the day gave him 25 more points. The Kawasaki rider’s lead has now reached 124 points, i.e. almost five victories … while there are only 6 events and 12 races left. !
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