Sykes and Rea triumph under different conditions
Portimao (Portugal), Sunday 6 July 2014 – Changeable weather played a big role in the 8th WSBK round’s race day at Portimao’s Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. This year’s Portuguese races were held in opposite track conditions and saw different podium finishers in the two encounters.Reigning champion Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) won a dry Race 1 ahead of Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and teammate Loris Baz, whilst in Race 2 Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) was victorious under wet conditions, with the Ducati Superbike Team duo Davide Giugliano and Chaz Davies completing the top-3.
The main turn of events of the day took place in the second encounter, when Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli collided and crashed on lap 13 following an overtaking attempt by the Frenchman on the Italian rider. Guintoli was able to rejoin the race, eventually finishing in 7th position, whilst Melandri’s charge to the top drew to a close on the run off area of the track.
Sykes, who was 8th at the finish line in Race 2, took advantage by this situation and now leads the title race by 43 points over Guintoli, as the series heads to Laguna Seca for the second back to back round before the summer break.
Results Race 1: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 20 Laps/91.840 km in 34'45.568 average 158.529 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 2.539; 3. Baz (Kawasaki) 3.175; 4. Melandri (Aprilia) 4.042; 5. Rea (Honda) 7.791; 6. Lowes (Suzuki) 14.772; 7. Giugliano (Ducati) 14.877; 8. Laverty (Suzuki) 14.941; 9. Salom (Kawasaki) 26.018; 10. Barrier (BMW) 26.032; 11. Haslam (Honda) 33.041; 12. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 38.385; 13. Canepa (Ducati) 42.237; 14. Russo (Kawasaki) 47.908; 15. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'03.502; 16. Yates (EBR) 1 Lap; 17. Rizmayer (BMW) 1 Lap;18. Davies (Ducati) 5 Laps; NC. Staring (Kawasaki); RT. Sebestyen (BMW); RT. Morais (Kawasaki); RT. Elias (Aprilia); RT. Foret (Kawasaki); RT. May (EBR); SH. Badovini (Bimota) 34.442; SH. Iddon (Bimota) 38.246.
Results Race 2 : 1. Rea (Honda) 18 Laps/82.656 km in 34'55.154 average 142.024 kph; 2. Giugliano (Ducati) 6.817; 3. Davies (Ducati) 8.676; 4. Lowes (Suzuki) 9.740; 5. Haslam (Honda) 11.289; 6. Baz (Kawasaki) 11.808; 7. Guintoli (Aprilia) 14.169; 8. Sykes (Kawasaki) 17.164; 9. Laverty (Suzuki) 26.406; 10. Elias (Aprilia) 30.168; 11. Barrier (BMW) 41.820; 12. Morais (Kawasaki) 47.434; 13. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 50.045; 14. Staring (Kawasaki) 1'17.436; 15. Russo (Kawasaki) 1'24.500; 16. Andreozzi (Kawasaki) 1'30.563; 17. Salom (Kawasaki) 1'34.242; 18. Canepa (Ducati) 1'34.647; 19. Rizmayer (BMW) 1'47.422; RT. Melandri (Aprilia); RT. May (EBR); RT. Yates (EBR); NS. Sebestyen (BMW); SH. Badovini (Bimota) 26.263; SH. Iddon (Bimota) 33.831.
Standings (Round 8 of 13): 1. Sykes 284; 2. Guintoli 241; 3. Baz 236; 4. Rea 235; 5. Melandri 192; 6. Davies 159; 7. Giugliano 140; 8. Laverty 121; 9. Elias 115; 10. Haslam 115; 11. Lowes 111; 12. Salom 74; 13. Canepa 46; 14. Camier 30; 15. Guarnoni 26; 16. Barrier 17; 17. Scassa 16; 18. Foret 14; 19. Morais 14; 20. Corti 13; 21. Andreozzi 10; 22. Allerton 6; 23. Bos 5; 24. Staring 5; 25. Goi 5; 26. Russo 5; 27. Toth 2; 28. Fabrizio 2; 29. Lanusse 1.
Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 301; 2. Aprilia 273; 3. Honda 235; 4. Ducati 207; 5. Suzuki 179; 6. BMW 53; 7. MV Agusta 13.
World Supersport
After a titanic race at Portimao Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team) has taken the 8th round victory in this year’s World Supersport championship after overcoming immense pressure from Jack Kennedy (CIA Insurance Honda) and former champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Mahi India Racing Team) who completed the podium. Misano race winner Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) looked like making it a four rider fight before the Frenchman overshot at turn three before eventually retiring.
The opening half of the race gave the fans a real treat with some of the closest WSS racing of the year before championship leader Van Der Mark edged clear in the closing stages to win his 4th race of the year after a red flag because of rain stopped the race on lap 13. Today’s result means that the Dutchman has never finished lower than 2nd all season with the exception of his Phillip Island crash.
For Kennedy it was his first podium finish after moving into World Supersport, the Irishman finally showing his true potential. Behind the top three Raffaele de Rosa rode well to bring the 2nd CIA Insurance Honda home in 4th ahead of PJ Jacobsen (Kawasaki Intermoto Ponyexpres) and Lorenzo Zanetti. (Pata Honda World Supersport Team).
Results: 1. Vd Mark (Honda) 12 Laps/55.104 km in 21'15.438 average 155.534 kph; 2. Kennedy (Honda) 1.649; 3. Sofuoglu (Kawasaki) 1.961; 4. De Rosa (Honda) 8.042; 5. Jacobsen (Kawasaki) 8.095; 6. Zanetti (Honda) 8.538; 7. Coghlan (Yamaha) 11.045; 8. Marino (Kawasaki) 11.847; 9. Rolfo (Kawasaki) 12.624; 10. Roccoli (MV Agusta) 15.448; 11. Wilairot (Honda) 17.152; 12. Nocco (Kawasaki) 24.774; 13. Bussolotti (Honda) 24.839; 14. Debise (Honda) 25.022; 15. Menghi (Yamaha) 25.238; etc.
Standings (Round 8 of 12): 1. Vd Mark 160; 2. Cluzel 107; 3. Marino 93; 4. Sofuoglu 83; 5. Zanetti 80; 6. Coghlan 77; 7. Jacobsen 67; 8. De Rosa 67; 9. Rolfo 62; 10. Tamburini 48; 11. Kennedy 43; 12. Wilairot 35; 13. Bussolotti 30; 14. Wahr 26; 15. Russo 25; 16. Gamarino 22; 17. Menghi 20; 18. Nocco 20; 19. Leonov 15; 20. Gowland 9; 21. Roccoli 8; 22. Zaidi 7; 23. Coveña 7; 24. Schmitter 3; 25. Calero 3; 26. Debise 2; 27. Rogers
1. Manufacturers: 1. Honda 181; 2. Kawasaki 135; 3. MV Agusta 121; 4. Yamaha 87; 5. Triumph 9.
