From the WSBK Pressoffice
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) did enough during a tough Imola race day to earn his, Aprilia’s and Italy’s first Riders’ World Championship in WSBK on Sunday.
Biaggi had to work hard for his title on home soil, finishing in 11th place in race one and enduring another dramatic race to fifth that finally gave him the title. Once his only title rival, Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), was forced out of race two at mid-race distance Biaggi did not need to finish to be crowned champion, but he crossed the line fifth in any case, to the roars of the 69,000 strong weekend crowd. Biaggi now has 413 points to Haslam’s 350, with one round and a maximum of only 50 points remaining.
“I’m so happy, it’s a big emotion through all my body," Biaggi said. "This is fantastic. It’s like a dream come true. I never stopped to dream to make it happen. It was always in my mind.
"In fair conditions I expected it myself. OK this year we at Aprilia did a good job, there are tough riders out there, I don’t want to take anything away from them, some are more consistent than others but they are all fast and this championship is very competitive.
"I had so many problems in race one, off the track, on the track, the bike sideways but I didn’t crash. It was very tough, for sure we didn’t get the best set-up here at Imola, it’s not an easy track but I never stopped to try. In race two we changed the bike and I attacked from the first lap."
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) won both Imola races, the first after a race-long fight, the second after breaking away early. He is now only 14 points behind the injured Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) in the fight for an eventual third place, with Rea not racing on Sunday and also not sure if he will be racing in the final round or not.
Cal Crutchlow is in overall fifth, 35 points behind Checa, posting 10th and third places race finishes.
Haga’s double podium on Sunday puts him one point behind Crutchlow, in sixth.
James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda) is seventh, but only three points up on Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) due to two crashes and non-finishes at Imola.
Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) put in a cool-headed win in race one despite great pressure from eventual fifth place man Haslam in the final few laps. Haslam ran on trying to pass Checa into the first Rivazza corner of the final lap and dropped back as a result, allowing Lorenzo Lanzi (DFX Corse Ducati) to finish second and Haga to go third.
“We struggled yesterday for qualifying in the wet but today it was more hard for the Ducatis and the top guys because it’s not easy trying to pass and everyone is going fast in the beginning," Checa said. "I didn’t want to make any mistake. Right to the very end I was pushing quite strong, at the end I didn’t expect Haslam to push so strong. I saw him braking very late, but I was able to have a clean track and finish a special and nice victory. This was like a home race for the team so a big race for them.”
"Today was a very beautiful day for me, an Italian on the podium so fantastic," Lanzi said. "My team have worked very well this weekend, conditions were difficult, rain no rain, so it was very strange. Yesterday in Superpole I worked a lot because I wanted to finish on the podium in the race, which is important for next year. I was in the lead for a few laps, which was very good. It’s been so long I don’t remember what it’s like."
Jakub Smrz (Pata B&G Aprilia) was fourth and long-time race leader from pole, Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was sixth, 10 seconds down on the winner.
Checa was a clear winner and new lap record holder in race two, setting a new best of 1:48.877, while Haga and Crutchlow took podium finishes in second and third place, respectively.
“It’s a fantastic weekend," Checa said. "I can’t remember one like that. It was a very good job by the team. Yesterday I was struggling on the wet, but today they were two exciting races, more the first than the second. But the second I could see that I could win, I just had to keep my concentration.”
“I am very happy today, and the bike was much better than in the first race," Haga said. "I was approaching Carlos in the last laps but couldn’t catch him.”
Haslam had been in a strong position to take the championship all the way to France and the final round, but when his engine let go, the championship was over there and then.
Sykes, for the second time, showed true competitive pace on his Kawasaki Racing Team machine, leading four laps.
Michele Pirro (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) went from fourth to the race winner on the last lap of the World Supersport event at Imola, after long time race leaders Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) collided at the final chicane. They restarted to finish, but not before Pirro had seen Chaz Davies (Triumph BE-1 ParkinGo) retire on the last lap, and then sweep home to take the win.
Sofuoglu was second, Laverty third and Broc Parkes (Motocard.com Kawasaki) fourth.
In the points, Sofuoglu now has 243 points to Laverty’s 227.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) made it nine wins in nine attempts in Superstock 1000 after a long battle with Lorenzo Zanetti (SS Lazio Motorsport Ducati) was effectively ended on lap nine, when Badovini made a pass into the final chicane and gapped Zanetti right away. In the championship, Badovini has 225 points, a perfect score.
Superbike Race One Results
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 38:27.631 (161.708km/h)
2. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +1.171
3. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R +1.472
4. Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +6.691
5. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.584
6. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +10.979
7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +15.023
8. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +15.913
9. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +17.025
10. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +20.795
11. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +21.243
12. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000RR +25.860
13. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +31.551
14. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR +31.689
15. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +44.349
16. Sandi F. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. +58.693
17. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:10.388
18. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:13.648
19. Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR +1:15.939
Pirelli BEST LAP: Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare), 1:48.966 (Lap 13)
Superbike Race Two Results
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 38:24.452 (161.931km/h)
2. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R +2.129
3. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +3.926
4. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +5.762
5. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +7.025
6. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +12.147
7. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +14.212
8. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +18.029
9. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000RR +18.249
10. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +19.446
11. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +23.674
12. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR +34.804
13. Sandi F. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 1000 F. +53.540
14. Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR +1:03.102
15. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:07.185
16. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:08.926
Pirelli BEST LAP: Carlos Checa (Althea Racing), 1:48.877 (Lap 7)
Point Standings (after 12 rounds of 13)
1. Biaggi 413
2. Haslam 350
3. Rea 288
4. Checa 274
5. Crutchlow 239
6. Haga 238
7. Toseland 187
8. Guintoli 184
9. Fabrizio 169
10. Corser 165
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