From the WSBK Pressoffice
Jonathan Rea (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) and Noriyuki Haga (Ducati Xerox) each got back to winning ways in the World Superbike Championship on Sunday in front of a 45,000 crowd at the Nurburgring, as Rea posted his fourth and Haga his second win of the 2010 championship campaign.
It was a frustrating weekend for the two top riders in the World Superbike Championship, as they had to watch others take the glory. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) had his championship lead over Leon Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) cut, despite Haslam suffering a dislocated thumb and knee injuries. Biaggi now leads the series by a slightly trimmed 58 points, with two full rounds to go.
Rea’s win and then a second place, combined with a luckless race two for Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) sees the Honda man in third overall, 64 points ahead of the Spanish rider. Rea also took a new lap record, 1:55.392, in race one.
Cal Crutchlow is only seven points behind Checa, in fifth place, having scored a third and a fourth place in Germany.
Haga’s win sees him sixth, 15 points clear of James Toseland (Yamaha Sterilgarda), who fell in race one and was only eighth in race two.
Strong rides from Sylvain Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) put him eighth overall, ahead of injured rider Leon Camier and Michel Fabrizio.
Rea took an early lead in the re-started first race and rode at full pace to lead Checa home and record his fourth win of the 2010 season.
“A great race and a great weekend for the team," Rea said. "Already on Friday we were right on the pace, we came out with a bike that was good, really pushed hard. I felt comfortable on it and turned it into a good result so I’m really proud of my team.”
“We had a good start and fought with Haga, who then fell in front of me," Checa said. "Then I tried to follow Jonathan but he was very strong and nothing happened to the end. We did our best and are quite satisfied with the pace and the work we did this weekend.”
Third place went to Yamaha Sterilgarda rider Crutchlow, 10 seconds back on Rea.
"Tenth on the grid is not so good into the first corner but I did the best job I could for Yamaha Sterilgarda," Crutchlow said. "I thought right through that third place on this track is incredible for our bike and it was going to be difficult.”
Championship leader Biaggi was fourth, and Kawasaki Racing Team rider Tom Sykes was a more than creditable fifth.
Haslam, one of the riders involved in the crash that caused the race to be stopped and then completely re-run, was sixth. Ruben Xaus was first BMW Motorrad Motorsport rider home in Germany, seventh.
Haga, a race one faller, was an impressive winner of race two, the Japanese rider shining strongly in the German sunshine. He was an eventual 3.061 seconds ahead of Rea.
“I’m very happy with this result and very sorry for the first race," Haga explained. "When I had a crash, I wasn’t getting information from the front tire and for race two I made just a little modification for the front suspension and that was working much better. I was able to keep a high pace until the flag.”
“The pace was similar to race one but Nori was fantastic, he rode an unbelievable race," Rea admitted. "It’s quite frustrating when you see someone ride away from you like that.
"A great job for my team this weekend, 45 points overall and I’m really very happy. I’m very consistent now but it’s so frustrating when I see my mid-season form.”
Haslam (Suzuki Alstare) rode through the pain barrier to go third, with Crutchlow (Yamaha Sterilgarda) ending up fourth.
“Race one was a bit frustrating," Haslam said. "It was completely my fault when I high-sided and Troy [Corser] had nowhere to go, so luckily the race was red-flagged. In the second race, I only had one bike but the boys did a great job and the Clinica did a fantastic job with my knee and my thumb so thanks to them.
"Getting on the podium is not exactly what I wanted but we’ll take it this weekend. Anything can happen, there are four more races still to go so roll on Imola.”
Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia) managed to keep Guintoli (Suzuki Alstare) behind him at the flag for fifth, in a tense 20-lap race for the championship’s top men.
A close race at the front saw Eugene Laverty (Parkalgar Honda) take the World Supersport win by only 0.058 secs. from Gino Rea (Intermoto Czech Honda), only for Rea to be disqualified because of a technical infraction with his machine. Laverty set the best time of the race on lap 17 to hold off the battling Rea.
Kenan Sofuoglu (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was eventually second and thus Sofuoglu leads the championship fight by a still comfortable margin of 12 points.
Top Kawasaki rider was the returning Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com), who was finally awarded a podium place, ahead of Fabien Foret (Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki).
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia STK) took his eighth successive Superstock 1000 win of the season, posting a perfect 200 points total so far. Winning in BMW’s home country, Badovini was almost a second up on Maxime Berger (Ten Kate Race Junior) with Andrea Antonelli (Team Lorini) in contact and in the final podium place.
Superbike Race One Results
1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 38:42.640 (159.243km/h)
2. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R +1.126
3. Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +10.006
4. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +10.716
5. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +17.391
6. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +19.301
7. Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000RR +19.613
8. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +19.880
9. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +21.176
10. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +29.752
11. Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +30.156
12. Lowry I. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +53.622
13. Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +58.820
14. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:25.906
Pirelli BEST LAP
Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda), 1:55.392 (Lap 5)
Superbike Race Two Results
1. Haga N. (JPN) Ducati 1098R 38:43.565 (159.18km/h)
2.Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR +3.061
3. Haslam L. (GBR) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +8.060
4.Crutchlow C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +8.457
5. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +9.392
6. Guintoli S. (FRA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.556
7. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +16.819
8. Toseland J. (GBR) Yamaha YZF-R1 +20.564
9.Xaus R. (ESP) BMW S1000RR +21.040
10. Byrne S. (GBR) Ducati 1098R +21.168
11.Smrz J. (CZE) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +21.734
12.Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +22.746
13.Lanzi L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +24.526
14. Scassa L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +28.218
15. Neukirchner M. (GER) Honda CBR1000RR +38.406
16. Hayden R. (USA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:08.039
17. Baiocco M. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +1:21.294
18. Lai F. (ITA) Honda CBR1000RR +1:21.362
19. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Ducati 1098R +1:38.427
Pirelli BEST LAP
Jonathan Rea (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda), 1:55.502 (Lap 2)
Superbike Points (after 11 rounds of 13)
1. Biaggi 397
2. Haslam 339
3. Rea 288
4. Checa 224
5. Crutchlow 217
6. Haga 202
7. Toseland 187
8. Guintoli 169
9. Camier 164
10. Fabrizio 160
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