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DONINGTON, England – Marco Melandri raced to an historic win here on Sunday for one of the world’s top motorcycle manufacturers during Round 5 of the World Superbike championship.
During race one Melandri added BMW to the list of first-time winners. In race two a classic multi-rider battle ended up in joy and heartbreak for top riders as Jonathan Rea (Honda) came out on top after a final-corner melee.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia) is leading the championship with 128.5 points, followed by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) on 123 and Rea on 108. Carlos Checa (Ducati) is currently in fourth place with 105.5 points.
Race 1
Melandri and team mate Leon Haslam achieved a 1-2 victory for BMW. Superpole winner Sykes won a tense battle for third with Rea making up places in the final laps to overhaul Biaggi and take fourth.
Checa placed sixth, four seconds from the win, making it five manufacturers in the top six. Melandri’s win also means six different riders have won races, representing five manufacturers, so far in 2012 with nine rounds and 18 races to go.
Melandri said: “It means a lot to me to win this for BMW, it’s history and something I could not dream about when I was young.
Leon Haslam added: “I found myself on the wrong side of Marco, on the right side of him into the Esses and I nearly went into the back off him so I had to let off the brakes and I am disappointed because I did feel quite good up to that point.
"Fair play to Marco and we got a BMW 1-2 which is fantastic."
Results
1 Marco Melandri (Italy) BMW S1000 RR - 34min26.736
2 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR +0.728sec
3 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1.609
4 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR +1.819
5 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory + 2.102
6 Carlos Checa (Spain) Ducati 1098R +4.820
7 Davide Giugliano (Italy) Ducati 1098R +7.520
8 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R +7.927
9 Leon Camier (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +15.144
10 Michel Fabrizio (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +16.065
11 Ayrton Badovini (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +19.805
12 Chaz Davies (Britain) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +20.170
13 Maxime Berger (France) Ducati 1098R +21.274
14 Jakub Smrz (Czech Republic) Ducati 1098R +21.517
15 Eugene Laverty (Ireland) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +26.920
16 Loris Baz (France) Kawasaki ZX-10R +35.025
17 Horoshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda CBR1000RR +39.193
18 Lorenzo Zanetti (Italy) Ducati 1098R +42.334
19 Nicolo Canepa (Italy) Ducati 1098R +43.554
Race 2
Rea took his second win of the season after an incident-strewn Race 2. On the first corner Checa and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) bashed caused Checa to tumble. The shunt took out Jakub Smrz (Ducati) and Checa’s team mate Davide Giugliano.
Laverty crashed heading down Craner Curves as eventual third-placed Sykes led for most of the race. He was eventually overhauled by second-placed Biaggi. Haslam looked to have the race won until he and Melandri collided in the last corner.
Rea held on to win by just over half a second ahead from Biaggi: “In the last corner there were five guys out there wanting to win a race, most of all Melandri came from a long way back on Leon to create a gap that I went for, me and Leon touched and I’m really sorry that he crashed.
Biaggi commented: “In race 2 the bike was a little better, I could keep up and race with the guys more than before. When the tyres went off I was struggling and then the last lap was simple, everyone tried to go inside and take my position - Melandri, Jonathan, everybody."
Results
1 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR - 34min31.847
2 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +0.508sec
3 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R +2.029
4 Leon Camier (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.245
5 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R +6.595
6 Ayrton Badovini (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +17.469
7 Chaz Davies (Britain) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +17.788
8 Loris Baz (France) Kawasaki ZX-10R +21.093
9 Peter Hickman (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +21.866
10 Horoshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda CBR1000RR +22.620
11 Nicolo Canepa (Italy) Ducati 1098R +26.764
12 Lorenzo Zanetti (Italy) Ducati 1098R +27.043
13 Michel Fabrizio (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +28.390
14 Mark Aitchison (Australia) BMW S1000 RR +56.618
15 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR +1min20.196
Points: After five rounds of 14
1 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory - 128.5
2 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R - 123.5
3 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR - 108
4 Carlos Checa (Spain) Ducati 1098R - 105.5
5 Marco Melandri (Italy) BMW S1000 RR - 97.5
6 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR - 89
7 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R - 85
8 Eugene Laverty (Ireland) Aprilia RSV4 Factory - 65
9 Davide Giugliano (Italy) Ducati 1098R - 50
10 Jakub Smrz (Czech Republic) Ducati 1098R - 44.5
Manufacturer:
1 Ducati 161.5
2 Aprilia 139
3 BMW 131
4 Kawasaki 129.5
5 Honda 112
6 Suzuki 40.5
World Supersport
In winning his first WSS race Sam Lowes (Honda) became the fifth winner in five races this season and the third in a row for Honda. Having struggled with a stomach bug all weekend and suffering a finger injury from a crash on May 12, Lowes had his work cut out for him.
Despite a late push from eventual second place finisher, Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki), Lowes came within 0.003sec of setting a lap record in his efforts to keep the Turkish rider behind him on the penultimate lap. He is six points behind Sofuoglu in the championship.
The third place spot was taken by third-ranked rider overall, Jules Cluzel (Honda). Broc Parkes (Honda) was in the early fight for a podium spot but dropped back to fourth, while Glen Richards (Triumph) finished in fifth. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki) placed sixth.
Results:
1 Sam Lowes (Britain) Honda CBR600RR - 33min43.603
2 Kenan Sofouglu (Turkey) Kawasaki ZX-6R +0.678sec
3 Jules Cluzel (France) Honda CBR600RR +3.987
4 Broc Parkes (Australia) Honda CBR600RR +8.088
5 Glen Richards (Australia) Triumph Daytona 675 +11.786
6 Sheridan Morais (South Africa) Kawasaki ZX-6R +20.849
7 Ronan Quarmby (South Africa) Honda CBR600RR +23795
8 Valentin Debis (France) Honda CBR600RR +24.094
9 Billy McConnell (Australia) Triumph Daytona 675 +26.663
10 Fabien Foret (France) Kawasaki ZX-6R +26.806
Points: After five of 13 rounds
1 Kenan Sofouglu (Turkey) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 81
2 Sam Lowes (Britain) Honda CBR600RR - 76
3 Jules Cluzel (France) Honda CBR600RR - 64
4 Fabien Foret (France) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 55
5 Broc Parkes (Australia) Honda CBR600RR - 42
6 Alex Baldolini (Italian) Triumph Daytona 675 - 38
7 Ronan Quarmby (South Africa) Honda CBR600RR - 34
8 Sheridan Morais (South Africa) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 27
Manufacturer:
1 Honda 111
2 Kawasaki 106
3 Triumph 51
4 Yamaha 43
5 Suzuki 6
During race one Melandri added BMW to the list of first-time winners. In race two a classic multi-rider battle ended up in joy and heartbreak for top riders as Jonathan Rea (Honda) came out on top after a final-corner melee.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia) is leading the championship with 128.5 points, followed by Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) on 123 and Rea on 108. Carlos Checa (Ducati) is currently in fourth place with 105.5 points.
Race 1
Melandri and team mate Leon Haslam achieved a 1-2 victory for BMW. Superpole winner Sykes won a tense battle for third with Rea making up places in the final laps to overhaul Biaggi and take fourth.
Checa placed sixth, four seconds from the win, making it five manufacturers in the top six. Melandri’s win also means six different riders have won races, representing five manufacturers, so far in 2012 with nine rounds and 18 races to go.
Melandri said: “It means a lot to me to win this for BMW, it’s history and something I could not dream about when I was young.
Leon Haslam added: “I found myself on the wrong side of Marco, on the right side of him into the Esses and I nearly went into the back off him so I had to let off the brakes and I am disappointed because I did feel quite good up to that point.
"Fair play to Marco and we got a BMW 1-2 which is fantastic."
Results
1 Marco Melandri (Italy) BMW S1000 RR - 34min26.736
2 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR +0.728sec
3 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1.609
4 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR +1.819
5 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory + 2.102
6 Carlos Checa (Spain) Ducati 1098R +4.820
7 Davide Giugliano (Italy) Ducati 1098R +7.520
8 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R +7.927
9 Leon Camier (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +15.144
10 Michel Fabrizio (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +16.065
11 Ayrton Badovini (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +19.805
12 Chaz Davies (Britain) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +20.170
13 Maxime Berger (France) Ducati 1098R +21.274
14 Jakub Smrz (Czech Republic) Ducati 1098R +21.517
15 Eugene Laverty (Ireland) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +26.920
16 Loris Baz (France) Kawasaki ZX-10R +35.025
17 Horoshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda CBR1000RR +39.193
18 Lorenzo Zanetti (Italy) Ducati 1098R +42.334
19 Nicolo Canepa (Italy) Ducati 1098R +43.554
Race 2
Rea took his second win of the season after an incident-strewn Race 2. On the first corner Checa and Eugene Laverty (Aprilia) bashed caused Checa to tumble. The shunt took out Jakub Smrz (Ducati) and Checa’s team mate Davide Giugliano.
Laverty crashed heading down Craner Curves as eventual third-placed Sykes led for most of the race. He was eventually overhauled by second-placed Biaggi. Haslam looked to have the race won until he and Melandri collided in the last corner.
Rea held on to win by just over half a second ahead from Biaggi: “In the last corner there were five guys out there wanting to win a race, most of all Melandri came from a long way back on Leon to create a gap that I went for, me and Leon touched and I’m really sorry that he crashed.
Biaggi commented: “In race 2 the bike was a little better, I could keep up and race with the guys more than before. When the tyres went off I was struggling and then the last lap was simple, everyone tried to go inside and take my position - Melandri, Jonathan, everybody."
Results
1 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR - 34min31.847
2 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +0.508sec
3 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R +2.029
4 Leon Camier (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.245
5 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R +6.595
6 Ayrton Badovini (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +17.469
7 Chaz Davies (Britain) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +17.788
8 Loris Baz (France) Kawasaki ZX-10R +21.093
9 Peter Hickman (Britain) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +21.866
10 Horoshi Aoyama (Japan) Honda CBR1000RR +22.620
11 Nicolo Canepa (Italy) Ducati 1098R +26.764
12 Lorenzo Zanetti (Italy) Ducati 1098R +27.043
13 Michel Fabrizio (Italy) BMW S1000 RR +28.390
14 Mark Aitchison (Australia) BMW S1000 RR +56.618
15 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR +1min20.196
Points: After five rounds of 14
1 Max Biaggi (Italy) Aprilia RSV4 Factory - 128.5
2 Tom Sykes (Britain) Kawasaki ZX-10R - 123.5
3 Jonathan Rea (Britain) Honda CBR1000RR - 108
4 Carlos Checa (Spain) Ducati 1098R - 105.5
5 Marco Melandri (Italy) BMW S1000 RR - 97.5
6 Leon Haslam (Britain) BMW S1000 RR - 89
7 Sylvain Guintoli (France) Ducati 1098R - 85
8 Eugene Laverty (Ireland) Aprilia RSV4 Factory - 65
9 Davide Giugliano (Italy) Ducati 1098R - 50
10 Jakub Smrz (Czech Republic) Ducati 1098R - 44.5
Manufacturer:
1 Ducati 161.5
2 Aprilia 139
3 BMW 131
4 Kawasaki 129.5
5 Honda 112
6 Suzuki 40.5
World Supersport
In winning his first WSS race Sam Lowes (Honda) became the fifth winner in five races this season and the third in a row for Honda. Having struggled with a stomach bug all weekend and suffering a finger injury from a crash on May 12, Lowes had his work cut out for him.
Despite a late push from eventual second place finisher, Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki), Lowes came within 0.003sec of setting a lap record in his efforts to keep the Turkish rider behind him on the penultimate lap. He is six points behind Sofuoglu in the championship.
The third place spot was taken by third-ranked rider overall, Jules Cluzel (Honda). Broc Parkes (Honda) was in the early fight for a podium spot but dropped back to fourth, while Glen Richards (Triumph) finished in fifth. Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki) placed sixth.
Results:
1 Sam Lowes (Britain) Honda CBR600RR - 33min43.603
2 Kenan Sofouglu (Turkey) Kawasaki ZX-6R +0.678sec
3 Jules Cluzel (France) Honda CBR600RR +3.987
4 Broc Parkes (Australia) Honda CBR600RR +8.088
5 Glen Richards (Australia) Triumph Daytona 675 +11.786
6 Sheridan Morais (South Africa) Kawasaki ZX-6R +20.849
7 Ronan Quarmby (South Africa) Honda CBR600RR +23795
8 Valentin Debis (France) Honda CBR600RR +24.094
9 Billy McConnell (Australia) Triumph Daytona 675 +26.663
10 Fabien Foret (France) Kawasaki ZX-6R +26.806
Points: After five of 13 rounds
1 Kenan Sofouglu (Turkey) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 81
2 Sam Lowes (Britain) Honda CBR600RR - 76
3 Jules Cluzel (France) Honda CBR600RR - 64
4 Fabien Foret (France) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 55
5 Broc Parkes (Australia) Honda CBR600RR - 42
6 Alex Baldolini (Italian) Triumph Daytona 675 - 38
7 Ronan Quarmby (South Africa) Honda CBR600RR - 34
8 Sheridan Morais (South Africa) Kawasaki ZX-6R - 27
Manufacturer:
1 Honda 111
2 Kawasaki 106
3 Triumph 51
4 Yamaha 43
5 Suzuki 6
