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World Superbike
WSBK: Melandri Takes Title Lead In Moscow
Tom Sykes scored the first-ever World Superbike win at Moscow but Marco Melandri was an even bigger winner, taking Race 2 and the points lead.
(Photo: BMW Motorrad Motorsport)
After winning Race 2 at the all-new Moscow Raceway Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) took the lead in the eni FIM Superbike World Championship for the first time in 2012, following up a second place finish in race one in perfect style. Melandri reversed the opening race finishing order as he beat Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) by less than one second in the second intense 25-lapper in front of 32,500 enthusiastic fans. Sykes’ Race 1 win was his second of 2012, following on from his success at Monza in May.
Melandri had been stung by a wasp on his left leg in the first race but battled on to his podium finish, then recovered well enough to take an important lead after race two that now gives him an 18.5-point advantage over the long time championship leader, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team). Biaggi had been third in Race 1 but no-scored in Race 2.
The enthusiastic and thoroughly entertained Russian race fans judged the first ever SBK event in their country a real success, even if many of the top names were to lose points after several high profile but largely injury-free crashes. Biaggi had a collision under braking with Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in Race 2 and neither rider finished, which means that Melandri now has 308.5 points to Biaggi’s 290, with Sykes third on 267.5.
Race 1
Sykes scored the first win after a faultless display of front running at a high pace. Despite damp patches on the track surface from earlier rain, his instant speed from second on the grid kept him away from the troubles many other top riders endured behind him, with crashes helping Melandri finish second. Biaggi overhauled his teammate, Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team), on the very last lap to take third place and what would prove to be important points. Potential podium riders Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati), his teammate, Davide Giugliano, Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia), Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Racing Team Ducati) all crashed out, with Haslam also falling then restarting to finish sixth after clashing with Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Aprilia).
Tom Sykes: “Carlos made history yesterday with the first pole but like I’ve said all season I would certainly trade my pole for a race win and today that’s happened. Myself and Kawasaki have gone down in the history books by winning here, the race went very smoothly for myself, we did a lot of work yesterday on race tyres and today has paid off with full points.”
Results: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 25 laps/98.275 km in 41'07.852 average 143.359 kph; 2. Melandri (BMW) 8.878; 3. Biaggi (Aprilia) 12.603; 4. Laverty (Aprilia) 13.027; 5. Fabrizio (BMW) 29.582; 6. Haslam (BMW) 30.587; 7. Canepa (Ducati) 32.170; 8. Zanetti (Ducati) 34.704; 9. Hopkins (Suzuki) 40.366; 10. Salom (Kawasaki) 41.143; etc.
Melandri had been stung by a wasp on his left leg in the first race but battled on to his podium finish, then recovered well enough to take an important lead after race two that now gives him an 18.5-point advantage over the long time championship leader, Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team). Biaggi had been third in Race 1 but no-scored in Race 2.
The enthusiastic and thoroughly entertained Russian race fans judged the first ever SBK event in their country a real success, even if many of the top names were to lose points after several high profile but largely injury-free crashes. Biaggi had a collision under braking with Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in Race 2 and neither rider finished, which means that Melandri now has 308.5 points to Biaggi’s 290, with Sykes third on 267.5.
Race 1
Sykes scored the first win after a faultless display of front running at a high pace. Despite damp patches on the track surface from earlier rain, his instant speed from second on the grid kept him away from the troubles many other top riders endured behind him, with crashes helping Melandri finish second. Biaggi overhauled his teammate, Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team), on the very last lap to take third place and what would prove to be important points. Potential podium riders Carlos Checa (Althea Racing Ducati), his teammate, Davide Giugliano, Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing Aprilia), Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) and Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Racing Team Ducati) all crashed out, with Haslam also falling then restarting to finish sixth after clashing with Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Aprilia).
Tom Sykes: “Carlos made history yesterday with the first pole but like I’ve said all season I would certainly trade my pole for a race win and today that’s happened. Myself and Kawasaki have gone down in the history books by winning here, the race went very smoothly for myself, we did a lot of work yesterday on race tyres and today has paid off with full points.”
Results: 1. Sykes (Kawasaki) 25 laps/98.275 km in 41'07.852 average 143.359 kph; 2. Melandri (BMW) 8.878; 3. Biaggi (Aprilia) 12.603; 4. Laverty (Aprilia) 13.027; 5. Fabrizio (BMW) 29.582; 6. Haslam (BMW) 30.587; 7. Canepa (Ducati) 32.170; 8. Zanetti (Ducati) 34.704; 9. Hopkins (Suzuki) 40.366; 10. Salom (Kawasaki) 41.143; etc.
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