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World Superbike
WSBK: Biaggi, Melandri Top Aragon Twin Thrillers
Max Biaggi and Marco Melandri scooped up a win apiece in Sunday's intense World Superbike doubleheader at MotorLand Aragon.
Aprilia Racing's Max Biaggi and BMW Motorrad Motorsport's Marco Melandri (Photo: Infront Motor Sports)
PROGRAMMING NOTE: Race 1 of the MotorLand Aragon round of the Superbike World Championship from will air on SPEED on Sunday, July 1 at 5:30pm ET. Race 2 will air Tuesday, July 3 at 1:00pm ET.
Like last year Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) scored a win apiece in the eni FIM Superbike World Championship round today, after two classic races unfolded during each 20-lap contest. Biaggi now has 20 career wins to his credit, Melandri seven.
There was drama aplenty in warm conditions, but race day temperatures had cooled from the fiery intensity of the first two days, a factor that played a part for some riders in their final fortunes. Strong winds also affected the riders today, but the abiding memory of all will be a superb second race in which Melandri held off the attentions of not only Biaggi, but also two other Aprilia riders, Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia). Davies had to catch up the leading trio in a forceful run to the front and was rewarded with his first career podium to add to his fourth place from race one.
Race 1
Biaggi secured a tight win by only 0.278 seconds from his great rival Melandri. This was Biaggi’s fourth win of 2012, and his third in a row. The top two were well clear of the battle for third, which eventually went to Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) from Davies, even though he took it in bizarre circumstances after Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was deprived of what looked like a sure podium place when Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) lost the front and his machine, which then hit Sykes’ rear wheel, and both riders fell.
Max Biaggi: “It was a nice race. I saw I could stay in the lead. The tires are always a problem here and it’s very difficult to keep the pace, but we were working good all weekend to be comfortable with the tires moving around. There were only two riders in front, we tried to overtake each other and understand where and what was possible to do at the end. The result could have been the other way around but this time I did it so I’m happy.”
Marco Melandri: “I was struggling to pass Laverty and Sykes and then I had to push a lot to catch Max who was leading. When I was there I tried to take him but it was not easy. In the end he passed me quite easy because he was faster than me, but it was a good result anyway. BMW and the team have been working very well and we will try and win Race 2.”
Carlos Checa: “We always fight until the end, you never know! Today for sure we were lucky because we were not in the best position so to be here was quite a surprise. Hopefully Badovini and Sykes are okay after their crash, but I’m quite satisfied for the final result. It’s my home race and it was difficult to be in front fighting for the win today."
Results: 1. Biaggi (Aprilia) 20 Laps/106.880 km in 39'51.188 average 160.911 kph; 2. Melandri (BMW) 0.278; 3. Checa (Ducati) 9.462; 4. Davies (Aprilia) 10.827; 5. Laverty (Aprilia) 15.708; 6. Fabrizio (BMW) 27.597; 7. Haslam (BMW) 29.032; 8. Giugliano (Ducati) 39.374; 9. Camier (Suzuki) 40.887; 10. Berger (Ducati) 41.440; 11. Canepa (Ducati) 42.056; 12. Guintoli (Ducati) 42.369; 13. Zanetti (Ducati) 42.669; 14. Aoyama (Honda) 48.010; 15. Hopkins (Suzuki) 49.752; 16. Rea (Honda) 54.590; etc.
Like last year Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) and Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) scored a win apiece in the eni FIM Superbike World Championship round today, after two classic races unfolded during each 20-lap contest. Biaggi now has 20 career wins to his credit, Melandri seven.
There was drama aplenty in warm conditions, but race day temperatures had cooled from the fiery intensity of the first two days, a factor that played a part for some riders in their final fortunes. Strong winds also affected the riders today, but the abiding memory of all will be a superb second race in which Melandri held off the attentions of not only Biaggi, but also two other Aprilia riders, Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia). Davies had to catch up the leading trio in a forceful run to the front and was rewarded with his first career podium to add to his fourth place from race one.
Race 1
Biaggi secured a tight win by only 0.278 seconds from his great rival Melandri. This was Biaggi’s fourth win of 2012, and his third in a row. The top two were well clear of the battle for third, which eventually went to Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati) from Davies, even though he took it in bizarre circumstances after Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was deprived of what looked like a sure podium place when Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) lost the front and his machine, which then hit Sykes’ rear wheel, and both riders fell.
Max Biaggi: “It was a nice race. I saw I could stay in the lead. The tires are always a problem here and it’s very difficult to keep the pace, but we were working good all weekend to be comfortable with the tires moving around. There were only two riders in front, we tried to overtake each other and understand where and what was possible to do at the end. The result could have been the other way around but this time I did it so I’m happy.”
Marco Melandri: “I was struggling to pass Laverty and Sykes and then I had to push a lot to catch Max who was leading. When I was there I tried to take him but it was not easy. In the end he passed me quite easy because he was faster than me, but it was a good result anyway. BMW and the team have been working very well and we will try and win Race 2.”
Carlos Checa: “We always fight until the end, you never know! Today for sure we were lucky because we were not in the best position so to be here was quite a surprise. Hopefully Badovini and Sykes are okay after their crash, but I’m quite satisfied for the final result. It’s my home race and it was difficult to be in front fighting for the win today."
Results: 1. Biaggi (Aprilia) 20 Laps/106.880 km in 39'51.188 average 160.911 kph; 2. Melandri (BMW) 0.278; 3. Checa (Ducati) 9.462; 4. Davies (Aprilia) 10.827; 5. Laverty (Aprilia) 15.708; 6. Fabrizio (BMW) 27.597; 7. Haslam (BMW) 29.032; 8. Giugliano (Ducati) 39.374; 9. Camier (Suzuki) 40.887; 10. Berger (Ducati) 41.440; 11. Canepa (Ducati) 42.056; 12. Guintoli (Ducati) 42.369; 13. Zanetti (Ducati) 42.669; 14. Aoyama (Honda) 48.010; 15. Hopkins (Suzuki) 49.752; 16. Rea (Honda) 54.590; etc.
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