From the World Superbike Championship
ASSEN, NETHERLANDS – Jonathan Rea and Carlos Checa scored a win apiece in round three of the World Superbike Championship at Assen on Sunday, in races held in dry and occasionally sunny conditions at this classic Dutch track.
Rea was particularly happy to see his first victory arrive at his team's home circuit, after some tough times early in the season.
It is Checa, however, who can leave with the greatest satisfaction as he now has a clear points lead over Max Biaggi, 132 - 89. Biaggi, the reigning champion, recovered from all his dramas at Donington last month with two assured second place finishes on Sunday and he got the reward of second in the championship overall, with his home race of Monza next up.
Donington race winner Marco Melandri just missed out on a podium finish in race one at Assen but fell in race two and is now in third place overall, four points behind Biaggi. Rea is now fourth, on 79 points, as he and Checa swapped wins and third places, with Checa taking the final spot in race one and Rea third in race two.
Leon Haslam had two hard fights on his hands Sunday but he scored good points in race two for fifth place, the same position he holds in the championship fight with his new total of 68 points.
Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) set the fastest lap in race two to help him go fourth and he is now sixth in the championship.
Race one saw many falls and retirements, and only 14 riders finished the race, but in race two only two riders failed to finish.
Rea overcame the early battles at Assen to record his and Honda's first win of the 2011 season in the opening race, beating Biaggi by 0.7 seconds and championship leader Checa by 3.5 seconds in race one.
“First and foremost I’m proud to give Castrol Honda their first podium in the World Championship this year," Rea said. "My crew worked really hard all weekend and we really made the right decision to develop a specific bike for the race because it paid off. I led from the start, was wondering whether to let Max pass, but made the right decision and won the race.”
“I have to be happy with this result because of the way I finished free practice on Saturday afternoon," Biaggi admitted. "I had to use bike number 2 so it’s a good result. We changed something in the warm-up but for the race we came back to a set-up we thought was correct for me and I could do nice lap times and be consistent.”
Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike) overcame a slow start to claw his way back to fourth, just ahead of Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare).
With Troy Corser (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) behind Fabrizio there were six different machines inside the top six places.
Top Kawasaki runner was Mark Aitchison (Pedercini Team Kawasaki) in 10th.
Haslam, Corser's team-mate, survived a fast early crash to recover to a top-12 finish.
A delayed start to the second race made no difference to the outcome as Checa and Biaggi played a high-speed game of cat-and-mouse. Biaggi looking to have it wrapped up as he passed long time leader Checa, only for the Spanish rider to reassert himself on the final lap and win his fourth race of the year.
“It’s a fantastic result, the win was amazing," Checa said. "I put a soft tire in for the second to get that extra grip and at the end the tire was good and responsive, this was the question mark. I was trying to put some gap between me and Max, but he was strong. I made a mistake and he passed me but then I overtook him again for the win.”
“Good performance for us," Biaggi said. "We made a very good set-up for the race after my crash yesterday. We tried to adapt, it wasn’t perfect, couldn’t find the tire to match. I was fast enough to make a good race but not enough to win the race. Too much movement, it’s the maximum we could do.”
A battle between Rea and Melandri ended when the Italian star fell, leaving Rea on the podium in third.
Camier (Aprilia Alitalia) was fourth, while a multiple rider fight for fifth went to Haslam from Laverty, Fabrizio, Haga, Smrz and Guintoli.
In the points standings Checa now leads by 132 to Biaggi's 89. Melandri is third on 85, Rea jumping to fourth with his new total of 79 points.
“We had to dig deep in that last race but it’s been a good weekend for me and my team," Rea said. "I’m not sure but one of the Yamaha riders slowed me up at the start and the front guys got away. Then I was matching them for lap times but I ran into some tire problems during the latter stages of the race. But the team worked well, I’m really satisfied and that’s exactly the confidence and momentum we need to take to the next races.”
Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) took his first win in the World Supersport category after heading up a 16-lap race that was restarted twice after red flag incidents.
Second was Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) some seven seconds back, with third closely place contested but eventually taken by Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com).
Robbin Harms (Harms Benjan Racing Honda) went fourth, David Salom, Parkes' team-mate, was fifth, and Lorenzini by Leoni Kawasaki rider Massimo Roccoli ended up a fine sixth.
In the championship standings, crashes from some of the leading contenders also closed up the points totals, with Davies' team-mate Luca Scassa still leading on 50, Parkes on 47, and Davies on 45.
In the opening race of the Superstock 1000 season Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati) held off a strong challenge from Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team Ducati) to secure the win at Assen. Pole man Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) slid back from his early challenge to go third.
The Assen weekend also saw the debut of the European Junior Cup which saw 12 riders line up at the start on identical Kawasaki Ninja 250 machines. The first race win went to German Tom Busch ahead of New Zealand’s Daniel Mettam and American Brandon Kyee.
Superbike Race One Results
1. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 35:46.486 (167.589 km/h)
2. Biaggi M. (ITA)Aprilia RSV4 Factory +0.739
3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R +3.572
4. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF-R1 +9.508
5. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +9.892
6. Corser T. (AUS) BMW S1000RR +11.120
7. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 +15.235
8. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR +30.081
9. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR +32.071
10. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R +35.000
11. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R +43.287
12. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR +45.289
13. Veneman B. (NED) BMW S1000RR +45.298
14. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +50.764
Pirelli Best Lap Award: Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike), 1:36.660 (Lap 3)
Superbike Race Two Results
1. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 35:38.693 (168.199km/h)
2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +0.524
3. Rea J. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR +3.584
4. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +5.913
5. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000RR +16.916
6. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF-R1 +17.375
7. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 +17.740
8. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory +18.329
9. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R +18.378
10. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R +18.404
11. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R +26.284
12. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R +27.053
13. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R +38.614
14. Xaus R. (ESP) Honda CBR1000RR +40.824
15. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000RR +40.953
16. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R +40.982
etc.
Pirelli Best Lap Award: Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing), 1:36.476 (Lap 3)
World Superbike Points
(after 3 rounds of 13)
1. Checa 132
2. Biaggi 89
3. Melandri 85
4. Rea 79
5. Haslam 68
6. Camier 50
7. Smrz 49
8. Fabrizio 47
9. Laverty 35
10. Haga 34
etc.
