Melandri Second, Fifth At Donington WSBK

Race 1

Sykes led all 23 laps of Race One at Donington, securing his second win of the season. BMW Motorrad GoldBet’s Marco Melandri followed in second, marking his third consecutive podium finish since his Race One win at Monza. Current overall points leader Guintoli, ended the contest in third.
Sykes’ blistering performance was presaged in the previous day’s Superpole, where the British rider broke the circuit record and commanded all three SP sessions. Through the opening laps, Sykes held off pressure from Pata Honda’s Jonathan Rea, who maintained in second-place through Lap 12. Guintoli made his move into the runner-up spot on Lap 13, though it was to be short lived as Melandri was on a charge.

The BMW rider completed the opening laps back in fifth-place, and slowly made his way up the ranks as competition progressed. By Lap 15 he was up to third and wasted no time in besting Guintoli, making the pass just two laps later. Once in second, Melandri held steady to the checkers.

Rea dropped back to fourth, where he would eventually finish. Sykes’ teammate, Loris Baz, who was as far back as 12th during the opening laps, finished fifth after a notable come-from-behind effort. Althea Racing’s Davide Giugliano finished sixth followed by Guintoli’s teammate, Eugene Laverty, in seventh. Laverty appeared strong off the start, battling for third-place with Guintoli, but he steadily dropped back as the race developed, thanks in part to his run off-track in the esses on Lap 7. He was able to pull back into competition but was unable to break back inside the top-five after the incident.

Melandri’s teammate, Chaz Davies, grabbed eighth followed by FIXI Crescent Suzuki’s Jules Cluzel, in ninth. Cluzel’s teammate, Leon camier, had only completed a handful of laps before a crash in Turn 12 forced him to retire from competition.
Pata Honda’s Leon Haslam didn’t line up for Race 1 due to continued issues with his still recovering leg.
 
World Superbike Donington Race 1 Results 2013:
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki)
2. Marco Melandri (BMW)
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia)
4. Jonathan Rea (Honda)
5. Loris Baz (Kawasaki)
6. Davide Giugliano (Aprilia)
7. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia)
8. Chaz Davies (BMW)
9. Jules Cluzel (Suzuki)
10. Michel Fabrizio (Aprilia)
11. Ayrton Badovini (Ducati)
12. Carlos Checa (Ducati)
13. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati)
14. Max Neukirchner (Ducati)
15. Vittorio Iannuzzo (BMW)

Race 2

Sykes shot off the start once again in Race 2 and began building a gap on the field within the first lap that grew to over eight seconds by the checkers. Guintoli scored second-place and was followed by Laverty in third.

The Kawasaki ace bested his own lap record a handful of times in the opening rotations, leaving behind the Aprilia duo who went head-to-head in the battle for second. Guintoli settled into the runner-up spot within the first lap, but was passed by Laverty before the lap ended. The Irishman remained there for a brief period before the points leader answered back, regaining second-place on Lap 5. Mid-race Guintoli was able to match Sykes’ pace but the Kawasaki rider had already developed a comfortable lead, leaving Guintoli unable to make up ground for a chance at the front.

Guintoli’s pace allowed him to leave Laverty behind though, who was facing pressure from Althea Racing’s Davide Giugulano. The two held in third and fourth until Melandri, who was back in fifth, made up ground and got in the mix as well. Melandri passed Giugliano mid-race and put Laverty square in his sights. By Lap 18, the Italian had pushed past Laverty as well, moving into podium position. Laverty remained tenacious though and retaliated on the penultimate lap. The BMW rider remained close and desperate to find an opportunity to regain podium position, but pushed too hard and had to stand the bike up in the final lap, allowing Guintoli to regain fourth just before the checkers. Melandri re-entered in fifth, where he’d finish.

Davies ended Race 2 in sixth, followed by Baz in seventh. Ducati Alstare’s wildcard rider, Niccolo Canepa, was the only Panigale rider to break the top-10, finishing in eighth. Cluzel trailed in ninth and Red Devils Roma’s Michel Fabrizio took 10th. Rea, who looked strong in Race 1, struggled throughout Race 2, standing the bike up at one point, and being passed by multiple riders as competition progressed. He dropped from fourth-place after the opening lap to finish 11th.

Camier slid off track in the early laps but was able to rejoin and finish 13th. Badovini experienced a similar incident but retired from competition following his trip to the gravel and his teammate, Carlos Checa, remained absent from Race 2 entirely.

Guintoli’s 3-2 result at Donington was enough to keep him in the overall lead, but Sykes is now breathing down the French rider's neck from second. Laverty dropped to third, now 24 adrift of his teammate. Melandri is fourth and Davies is fifth. ––Paul Duchene

World Superbike Donington Race 2 Results 2013:
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki)
2. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia)
3. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia)
4. Davide Giugliano (Aprilia)
5. Marco Melandri (BMW)
6. Chaz Davies (BMW)
7. Loris Baz (Kawasaki)
8. Niccolo Canepa (Ducati)
9. Jules Cluzel (Suzuki)
10. Michel Fabrizio (Aprilia)
11. Jonathan Rea (Honda)
12. Max Neukirchner (Ducati)
13. Leon Camier (Suzuki)
14. Federico Sandi (Kawasaki)
15. Alexander Lundh (Kawasaki)
16. Vittorio Iannuzzo (BMW)

World Superbike Championship Points 2013:
1. Sylvain Guintoli, 173
2. Tom Sykes, 169
3. Eugene Laverty, 149
4. Marco Melandri, 127
5. Chaz Davies, 112
6. Loris Baz, 95
7. Jonathan Rea, 89
8. Michel Fabrizio, 86
9. Davide Giugliano, 72
10. Jules Cluzel, 55