Racing News
Marco Melandri has taken a dramatic third World Superbike Championship win of the season at the Moscow Raceway after making the most of a late pit stop in worsening weather conditions to deny BMW team-mate Chaz Davies. A chaotic encounter from start-to-finish, the race began in dry conditions, but intermittent rain five laps in would throw a strategic curve ball into proceedings, since only half of the circuit was considered slippery enough for wet tyres.
Indeed, with the circuit still dry enough in parts to negate any advantage of pitting for wet tyres, much of the race was run with riders struggling for grip in most of the sectors. Even so, the first race in Russia had thrown up a series of dramatic moments even before the heavens opened, with Carlos Checa crashing out after a tangle with Jules Cluzel on lap one and pole sitter Davide Giugliano sliding oout of second place on lap two.
Most crucially, erstwhile series leader Tom Sykes was also out, after suffering technical issues on lap three. Up to fourth from his ninth place starting position, Sykes looked primed for attack, when he was forced to pull off just moments before the ZX-10R expired in fiery fashion, much to his evident frustration. With the field already down to 13 riders after three laps, Davies found himself out front with a comfortable advantage, ahead of team-mate Melandri, while Eugene Laverty, Sylvain Guintoli, Loris Baz and Jonathan Rea disputed third position.
Rain eventually began falling on lap six, but was confined to parts of the circuit, forcing riders to adopt a tentative approach if they didn't want to lose up to a minute in the pit lane changing tyres. This was of little concern to Davies who was maintaining his advantage over to Melandri, the pair split by around six seconds, while the chasing pack had now dropped to almost twenty seconds adrift. But Melandri's pit stop proved the difference between the pair and he won.
Worsening conditions led to the cancellation of the second WSBK race, after the World Supersport race suffered a huge accident on the back straight during the opening lap, prompting a red flag. Following a meeting between riders and officials over conditions, the decision was taken to cancel the Supersport round altogether. Go Eleven Kawasaki competitor Andrea Antonelli fell on the back straight, and was struck by Lorenzo Zanetti. Antonelli died of his injuries. ––Paul Duchene
WSBK Race 1
1. Marco Melandri ITA BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 25 laps
2. Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 +7.441s
3. Ayrton Badovini ITA Alstare Ducati 1199 R +12.754s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR +21.317s
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Red Devils Roma RSV4 +47.456s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +1m 00.999s
7. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1m 04.762s
8. Leon Camier GBR Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1m 04.947s
9. Jules Cluzel FRA Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1m 09.140s
10. Max Neukirchner GER MR Ducati 1199 R +1 lap
11. Federico Sandi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap
Not Classified
12. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV4 15 laps completed
13. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 15 laps completed
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 3 laps completed
15. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Racing RSV4 1 lap completed
16. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Grillini Dentalmatic BMW S1000RR 0 laps completed
17. Lorenzo Savadori ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 0 laps completed
18. Carlos Checa ESP Alstare Ducati 1199 R 0 laps completed
Fastest lap
Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBett S1000RR HP4 1m 35.299s
Most crucially, erstwhile series leader Tom Sykes was also out, after suffering technical issues on lap three. Up to fourth from his ninth place starting position, Sykes looked primed for attack, when he was forced to pull off just moments before the ZX-10R expired in fiery fashion, much to his evident frustration. With the field already down to 13 riders after three laps, Davies found himself out front with a comfortable advantage, ahead of team-mate Melandri, while Eugene Laverty, Sylvain Guintoli, Loris Baz and Jonathan Rea disputed third position.
Rain eventually began falling on lap six, but was confined to parts of the circuit, forcing riders to adopt a tentative approach if they didn't want to lose up to a minute in the pit lane changing tyres. This was of little concern to Davies who was maintaining his advantage over to Melandri, the pair split by around six seconds, while the chasing pack had now dropped to almost twenty seconds adrift. But Melandri's pit stop proved the difference between the pair and he won.
Worsening conditions led to the cancellation of the second WSBK race, after the World Supersport race suffered a huge accident on the back straight during the opening lap, prompting a red flag. Following a meeting between riders and officials over conditions, the decision was taken to cancel the Supersport round altogether. Go Eleven Kawasaki competitor Andrea Antonelli fell on the back straight, and was struck by Lorenzo Zanetti. Antonelli died of his injuries. ––Paul Duchene
WSBK Race 1
1. Marco Melandri ITA BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 25 laps
2. Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBet S1000RR HP4 +7.441s
3. Ayrton Badovini ITA Alstare Ducati 1199 R +12.754s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR +21.317s
5. Michel Fabrizio ITA Red Devils Roma RSV4 +47.456s
6. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +1m 00.999s
7. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1m 04.762s
8. Leon Camier GBR Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1m 04.947s
9. Jules Cluzel FRA Fixi Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +1m 09.140s
10. Max Neukirchner GER MR Ducati 1199 R +1 lap
11. Federico Sandi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1 lap
Not Classified
12. Eugene Laverty IRL Aprilia Racing RSV4 15 laps completed
13. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 15 laps completed
14. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 3 laps completed
15. Davide Giugliano ITA Althea Racing RSV4 1 lap completed
16. Vittorio Iannuzzo ITA Grillini Dentalmatic BMW S1000RR 0 laps completed
17. Lorenzo Savadori ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 0 laps completed
18. Carlos Checa ESP Alstare Ducati 1199 R 0 laps completed
Fastest lap
Chaz Davies GBR BMW GoldBett S1000RR HP4 1m 35.299s
