Sykes and Melandri take Misano victories - Crash for Davies in race one

Misano has seen Sykes take the Race 1 win, while Ducati’s Melandri took the race 2 Victory. In WSSP Kenan Sofuoglu continued his winning streak, with Anthony West 10th in the same class.

Tom Sykes – Misano

WorldSBK race 1: Dramatic victory for Sykes in Rimini sunshine

A breathtaking race one at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” on Saturday afternoon saw Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) take advantage of three big crashes ahead of him to secure maximum points, with Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) also on the podium.

In the final stages of the last lap Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) crashed out of the lead and was hit by Rea, with Rea able to pick up his bike to finish third, behind winner Sykes and second placed Lowes. Moments before that incident Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) also crashed out when fighting for a podium finish and he would ultimately finish 15th.

Tom Sykes – Misano

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) also spectacularly crashed out at turn 13 with 7 laps to go, with Rea close by, after the Dutchman had led for most of the race. Van der Mark took over at the front from provisional leader Rea in the early stages and had built up a big lead at one stage before his advantage decreased and then he went down.

Behind Sykes, Lowes and Rea the top five also featured Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) and Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team).

Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Roman Ramos (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven), Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team) were all in the top ten.

There were retirements for Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team), Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) and Riccardo Russo (Guandalini Racing). Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) crashed late on but remounted to finish 11th.

Tom Sykes wins Race 1 – Misano

Race 1 Results

Tom Sykes – Kawasaki
Alex Lowes Yamaha
Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki

Marco Melandri – Misano

WorldSBK race 2: Marvelous Melandri takes 100th Italian victory at Misano

At the Pirelli Riviera Di Rimini Round on Sunday it was home rider Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) who took a stunning first win of 2017, with Kawasaki Racing Team pair Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes also on the podium.

Responding positively to his last lap crash in Race 1, Melandri came from tenth on the grid to return to winning ways with a +1.113s victory over Rea. It was Melandri’s first WorldSBK win since 2014 and the 100th victory for an Italian rider in the top class of the championship.

Marco Melandri – Misano

The second place result for World Champion Rea strengthened his title defence as he now leads the standings by 50 points after seven rounds. It was also a successful weekend for Sykes as he followed up on his Race 1 win with another podium result to continue his excellent recent form.

Starting from pole Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team) had held the lead for 8 laps but he was hugely frustrated to drop out of the race with a tyre problem with just 3 laps to go when riding in second place.

The top five was completed by Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) and Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia), with the Dutchman crossing the line fourth and the Irishman fifth.
Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia), Raffaele de Rosa (Althea BMW Racing Team), Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), Leandro Mercado (IODARacing) and Stefan Bradl (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) completed the top ten.

Marco Melandri – Misano

Only 12 riders finished the race at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, with the likes of Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Xavi Fores (BARNI Racing Team) and Roman Ramos (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) all retiring with technical problems.

With 10 laps to go Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) went down at Turn 2 and he was unable to finish the race.

After his crash in Race 1 Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was unfit to race on Sunday, having suffered a closed thoracic trauma, a fracture of the transverse process of L3 (3rd lumbar vertebrae) and a contusion of the left thumb.

The WorldSBK riders will next be in action at the Geico US Round over the 7th to 9th July weekend.

Marco Melandri wins Race 2 – Misano

Race 2 results

Marco Melandri – Ducati
Jonathan Rea – Kawasaki
Tom Sykes – Kawasaki

WorldSBK points after round 7

Jonathan Rea – 296 points
Tom Sykes – Kawasaki 246 points
Chaz Davies – Ducati 185 points

Anthony West was 10th in the WSSP Race – Misano

WSSP Sofuoglu storms to fourth successive win

At the Pirelli Riviera Di Rimini Round on Sunday it was World Champion Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) who took a fourth consecutive victory, with the Turkish rider accompanied on the podium by Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team).

In clear and sunny conditions at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” Sofuoglu extended his brilliant winning run as he continues to put his early season injury troubles behind him with a two second win over Frenchman Cluzel.

In the final stages Cluzel was just unable to challenge Sofuoglu despite a good earlier fight, whilst Caricasulo was delighted to finish behind them in third place as the top Italian – in front of the Misano fans.

PJ Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) applied the pressure to Caricasulo for the last podium position over the finals laps but just could not catch the Yamaha man. Crossing the finish line behind American rider Jacobsen were two Britons, Kyle Smith (GEMAR Team Lorini) and Gino Rea (Team Kawasaki Go Eleven) in fifth and sixth respectively.

Completing the top ten, meanwhile, were Axel Bassani (3570 Puccetti Racing FMI), Sheridan Morais (Kallio Racing), Hannes Soomer (WILSport Racedays) and Anthony West (EAB West Racing). Soomer was the top FIM Europe Supersport Cup finisher in ninth place.

Anthony West – Misano

Early in the race championship leader Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) crashed out, falling twice and unable to rejoin after the second of his two spills, with the DNF being a significant blow to his title assault. His lead in the standings is now reduced to just five points ahead of Sofuoglu.

There were also crashes for the likes of Niki Tuuli (Kallio Racing), Lachlan Epis (Response RE Racing), Zulfahmi Khairuddin (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing), Christian Gamarino (BARDAHL EVAN BROS. Honda Racing) and Robin Mulhauser (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda).

The WorldSSP riders will return to action at the Prosecco DOC German Round – after their summer break – over the 18th to 20th August weekend.