From the WSBK Pressoffice
Cal Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) and Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) shared the race wins in the final round of the Superbike World Championship at Magny-Cours on Sunday.
The action did not disappoint even if the championship was decided last weekend in favour of Biaggi, and throughout the field the final championship ranking places were still up for grabs.
Biaggi helped win the Manufacturers’ Championship for Aprilia, and in winning race two took his overall win score in 2010 to an appropriate 10. Aprilia won the Manufacturers’ title by 47 points.
Race one podium man Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) ended his season with 376 points to Biaggi’s 451, but Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) ended up moving into third, despite the brave efforts in race one of injured rider Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda), who had to pull out of race two. Checa now finishes with 297 points, Rea has 292 and after taking a win and a second today, Crutchlow is fifth, only eight points behind Rea. Noriyuki Haga ended his final day in his current team sixth in the standings, on 258 points.
Despite being excluded from race one for ignoring a ride-through penalty, Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) went fourth in race two and seventh overall. He ended his rookie WSBK season two points ahead of race two podium finisher, Michel Fabrizio (Ducati Xerox).
James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) dropped to overall ninth, after two no-scores on Sunday. Tenth in the rankings was Shane Byrne (Althea Racing Ducati) after Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) no scored and finished 11th.
Tom Sykes was top Kawasaki rider again, in Sunday’s races and the championship itself, taking his official Kawasaki Racing Team machine to 14th in the rankings.
Crutchlow had an eventually lonely win, by 3.779 seconds, in the first race at Magny-Cours but an intense battle behind went to Haslam and Checa as they passed Biaggi for the final podium places in the final chicane.
“It was a weird race for me really, leading from the front for most of the race," Crutchlow said. "I didn’t think anybody would break away, Max seemed to be holding the group up so I thought, 'let’s get in front of him.' I thought he or the group would come with me, but managed to pull out a gap. All credit to Sterilgarda Yamaha, we did a good job in this race.”
“We’ve not had the best of weekends," Haslam admitted, "qualifying in 10th place but I got a good start and had a fantastic battle with loads of different guys. To catch Max and be in that position on the last lap I had to have a go. Imola was going through my mind, the first race when I went off, but I made it stick this time and I’m really happy for Alstare and the boys.”
"A big thanks to Leon for the third place," Checa said. "It was an exciting race and I thought I could get the podium. I was fighting for second and Max passed me and Leon, I got involved in that group but it was difficult. After I see the fighting between Leon and Max, I see Max open the line, touch the corner and I thought, 'this is my opportunity.' I had better drive and on the exit I got the third place. It was fantastic, a real surprise and a nice result.”
In fourth Biaggi still scored enough points to give Aprilia the Manufacturers’ Championship. Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Aprilia) was fifth.
Biaggi underlined his championship status with a win in race two, holding off a determined Crutchlow by only 0.087 secs. after 23 laps of close action.
“My condition was bad all weekend," Biaggi explained. "I had a bit of high fever. Race one was not so bad but I couldn’t breathe properly. Race two I wanted to finish on the podium, I pushed very hard, had a little moment halfway through. I tried to not make any mistakes. We wanted to make a good result for the end of the year and I’m proud of helping Aprilia to win the Manufacturers’ title.”
“It was a close race, enjoyable for me," Crutchlow said. "I had to catch up from a bad start. All credit to Max he rode fantastic. It was an incredible race win, I couldn’t do anything about it. He won the championship so to be battling with him at the end it’s been good for me. I came into the championship with high expectations, and I’m pleased with the fifth place overall.”
Fabrizio pushed his way past Guintoli in the final chicane entry to take third. Haga was fifth.
“It was a great battle with Guintoli," Fabrizio said. "I really wanted the podium both for myself and for my team, so I could finish the season off well with them. I’d like to thank Ducati for the last three years, as well as the team, it’s been great.”
Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) won his second Supersport World Championship after finishing second behind Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) on Sunday. Sofuoglu ends the season with 263 points, Laverty 252.
In a thrilling race for Chaz Davies (Triumph BE-1 ParkinGO) he passed several riders on the final laps to take third in the race, and fourth in the championship, behind injured and absent Kawasaki Motocard.com rider Joan Lascorz.
Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) is fifth in the points, on a total of 99.
Maxime Berger (Hannspree Ten Kate Junior Honda) pushed hard from the start and took his reward with his first Superstock 1000 win of the year, the first time this season that champion Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italy Superstock) has been beaten in a race. Badovini was second, 4.7 secs. back, while front row starter Sylvain Barrier (Garnier Junior Team BMW) was third.
In the points, Badovini finishes the season with 245 and Berger is second on 147.
Superbike Race 1 Results
1. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 38:15.586 (159.101km/h)
2. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +3.779
3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R +4.261
4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +4.416
5. Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +7.476
6. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +11.866
7. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R +16.390
8. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +21.669
9. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +22.065
10. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +22.281
11. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +26.748
12. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR +35.608
13. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR +39.929
14. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +54.836
15. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:07.191
16. Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR +1:14.632
Pirelli BEST LAP: Cal Crutchlow 1:38.781 (Lap 3)
Superbike Race 2 Results
1. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38:11.343 (159.396km/h)
2. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +0.087
3. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +3.715
4. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +4.004
5. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R +15.471
6. Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +18.378
7. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +21.180
8. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +23.055
9. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R +25.657
10. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +27.781
11. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +28.206
12. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR +44.634
13. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:04.181
14. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:16.446
Pirelli BEST LAP: Cal Crutchlow 1:38.878 (Lap 5)
World Superbike Final Standings
(after 13 rounds of 13)
1. Biaggi 451
2. Haslam 376
3. Checa 297
4. Rea 292
5. Crutchlow 284
6. Haga 258
7. Guintoli 197
8. Fabrizio 195
9. Toseland 187
10. Byrne 169
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