The BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK Team concluded a difficult Sunday at the “TT Circuit” in Assen (NED). Factory rider Chaz Davies (GBR) finished seventh and fifth after crashing in the morning’s warm-up. His BMW S 1000 RR was so badly damaged that the team had to prepare the rolling chassis for the races. His teammate Marco Melandri (ITA) had worse luck: a technical issue stopped him in the warm-up lap for race one. In race two, the Italian finished eighth.
The winners at the third round of the 2013 FIM Superbike World Championship were Tom Sykes (GBR) and Eugene Laverty (IRL). In the Riders’ classification, Davies, Laverty and Sykes are on equal points behind leader Sylvain Guintoli (FRA), all having 83 points in their tally. Due to the race results, Davies is classified third behind Laverty. Melandri sits in eighth with 51 points. In the Manufacturers’ classification, BMW lies in second with 99 points.
After Davies' crash in the morning, the squad did not have much time to build up the rolling chassis. Davies' crew was supported by Melendri's team, who stood in to help as soon as they had completed the race preparation on Melandri's RR. With their joint efforts they succeeded in getting the #19 RR ready for race one, though Davies had to start from the last row. With the first race getting underway, drama continued for the team. In the warm-up lap, Melandri was stopped by a part failure in the final drive and was forced to roll off the track. The race was over for him before it actually began.
The part is currently at the supplier for analysis. Davies meanwhile started his catch-up, charging his way forward through the field. After lap one he was already in 11th and gained more positions as the race unfolded. He crossed the line in seventh. In race two, both riders made a good start, with Melandri improving from eighth to fifth and Davies from 13th to ninth. But Melandri was struggling to keep this position and dropped back. After nine laps, he was back in 11th while Davies improved to sixth. On the last lap, Davies gained another position, crossing the line in fifth. Melandri finished eighth. ––Paul Duchene
2013 Assen World Superbike Race 1 Results:
1. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35’35.042
2. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 35’43.828
3. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35’43.834
4. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35’44.267
5. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35’49.273
6. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35’51.192
7. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 35’57.612
8. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35’59.793
9. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 36’05.353
10. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’10.319
11. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’19.397
12. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36’27.622
13. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’34.778
14. Ivan Clementi (HTM Racing) BMW S1000 RR 36’37.052
15. Mark Aitchison (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 36’56.903
16. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 37’00.759
17. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 37’17.752
RT. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR
2013 Assen World Superbike Race 2 Results:
1. Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35’36.814
2. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35’36.903
3. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 35’42.662
4. Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 35’42.704
5. Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 35’44.173
6. Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 35’44.218
7. Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35’57.909
8. Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 36’04.081
9. Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 36’07.047
10. Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’09.215
11. Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’16.738
12. Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 36’20.718
13. Ivan Clementi (HTM Racing) BMW S1000 RR 36’36.983
14. Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36’38.667
15. Mark Aitchison (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 36’39.478
RT. Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 24’31.112
RT. Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 8’07.727
RT. Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 3’39.175
2013 World Superbike Point Standings (after three of 15 rounds):
- Sylvain Guintoli, Aprilia: 111
- Eugene Laverty, Aprilia: 83
- Chaz Davies, BMW: 83
- Tom Sykes, Kawasaki: 83
- Jonathan Rea, Honda: 63
- Loris Baz, Kawasaki: 58
- Michel Fabrizio, Aprilia: 53
- Marco Melandri, BMW: 51
- Jules Cluzel, Suzuki: 41
- Davide Giugliano, Aprilia: 33
- Leon Camier, Suzuki: 30
- Carlos Checa, Ducati: 29
- Leon Haslam, Honda: 29
- Max Neukirchner, Ducati: 29
- Ayrton Badovini, Ducati: 20
- Ivan Clementi, BMW: 14
- Federico Sandi, Kawasaki: 8
- Alexander Lundh, Kawasaki: 7
- Glen Allerton, BMW: 6
- Jamie Stauffer, Honda: 4
- Vittorio Iannuzzo, BMW: 2
- Mark Aitchison, Ducati: 2
