World Superbikes: Round 5, Race 2 Results
Spies Makes Amends for Race 1
Ben Spies made up for the first race by dominating the second and leading pretty much from start to finish and slowing enough at the end to ensure he didn’t run too low on fuel again. Noriyuki Haga visibly slowed after being hit by a bird on his arm and then crashed out of the race for his first DNF this season. Race 1 winner, Michel Fabrizio, once again impressed in 2nd ahead of first race podium finisher Kiyonari.
Haga led off from the line but then after a few turns seemed to have a problem as he got swallowed back up by the field. Whatever the problem was it was fairly major as he went from leading the lap to crossing the line at the end of lap one in 15th position, not an auspicious beginning for his 250th World Superbike race start.
Meanwhile back at the front, normal service was being resumed with Spies leading from first race winner Fabrizio and Yukio Kagayama on the Suzuki GSX-R1000. Kagayama passed the Ducati but shortly afterwards had a front end slide that he impressively caught but which caused him to run wide just as a ride through penalty was announced for the Japanese rider ruining his day. On lap 3, Haga had a spectacular crash at the Parabolica marking his first DNF of the season and a lousy way to celebrate his 250th World Superbike Race start. It turned out that he had slowed on the first lap because of a bird strike on his arm that had made his arm numb. He struggled on but later claimed he was unable to brake causing the crash! Spies began to pull away up front with Kiyonari right on the heels of Fabrizio in 3rd. Kiyo snatched second just as Spies set a new lap record at 1’45.3 and Jonathan Rea closed up in 4th. The race became largely processional although Fabrizio took 2nd place in the closing laps. Results: World Superbike Championship Round 5, Race 2
1. Ben SPIES (Yamaha YZF-R1), 18 laps, 31:49.252 2. Michel FABRIZIO (Ducati 1098 F09), -2.665 3. Ryuichi KIYONARI (Honda CBR1000RR), -2.810 4. Jonathan REA (Honda CBR1000RR), -7.706 5. Max BIAGGI (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -7.863 6. Tom SYKES (Yamaha YZF-R1), -10.383 7. Leon HASLAM (Honda CBR1000RR), -11.586 8. Jakub SMRZ (Ducati 1098R), -21.112 9. Ruben XAUS (BMW S1000 RR), -22.112 10. Carlos CHECA (Honda CBR1000RR), -22.261 11. Regis LACONI (Ducati 1098R), -23.453 12. Shinya NAKANO (Aprilia RSV4 Factory), -32.956 13. Broc PARKES (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -37.166 14. Luca SCASSA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -43.085 15. Matteo BAIOCCO (Kawasaki ZX-10R), -43.088 25. Noriyuki HAGA (Ducati 1098 F09), -16 laps, DNF, crash 26. Troy CORSER (BMW S1000 RR), DNS 27. Max NEUKIRCHNER (Suzuki GSX-R1000 K9), DNS 28. Brendan ROBERTS (Ducati 1098R), DNS 29. Makoto TAMADA (Kawasaki ZX-10R), DNS
Ben Spies: “What could have been, that was a tough pill to swallow. We put our head down in race 2 and had to get into a good rhythm in the first 12 or 14 laps because we were obviously having a problem at the end of the race. I had to slow down and do the short-shifting trick and make sure everything was good till the end.”
Michel Fabrizio: “Ben really deserved this win after what happened in race 1. He was really determined at the start. I had to race with my second bike because of the problems in race 1 with my first bike so it took me a bit of time to get used to it as I had been using bike 1 for the last three days. I’ll have to wait a bit longer now for my second win.”
Ryuichi Kiyonari: “I’m happy with these results but a little bit disappointed because I tried to follow Fabrizio but I cannot pass him. My bike was very fast on the straights but my braking was not so good today.”
link: Wins for Fabrizio (Ducati) and Spies (Yamaha) at Monza
Noriyuki Haga: “Right at the start of Race 2 I was hit by a bird on my right arm; it hurt a lot and I lost all sensation, with strong pain and pins and needles in my right arm and hand. I tried to continue to race but it was too difficult to ride and as a result I unfortunately fell. Yes it hurts but I should be back in top shape very soon. Race 1 went much better for me of course and I really enjoyed the racing against Ben and Michel. I though at the end that I would surely end third but then Ben’s bike stopped so close to the finish line and I finished in second as a result. I am sorry for him as he deserved the win and this year me and him will continue to battle it out. Despite the Race 2 result I still hold a 54 point advantage and so I am satisfied with that.”
link: Ducati
So a bizarre race meeting that resulted in almost no difference in the point standings for the 2 riders who have dominated the season so far. It was poetic justice for Haga today as Spies bad luck in race one that cost him at least 16 points if not more likely the full 25 was equalized byHaga’s DNF in the second race. After 5 rounds, Noriyuki Haga continues to lead the championship by 54 points from Ben Spies with Fabrizio in 3rd. Round 6 of the World Superbike Championship will be held at Kyalami, South Africa on May 17th.
World Championship Point Standings after 5 rounds
1. Haga, 200 points 2. Spies, 146 3. Fabrizio, 125 4. Haslam, 103 5. Sykes, 90 6. Biaggi, 81 7. Laconi/Rea, 77 9. Neukirchner, 75 10. Kiyonari, 65 11. Smrz, 56 12. Carlos Checa, 53 13. Kagayama, 52 14. Byrne, 41 15. Xaus, 40 16. Corser, 35 17. Nakano, 34 18. Parkes, 17 19. John Hopkins, 9 20. Hill, 6
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