Here are your highlights, (as promised), from the first round of the 2016 FIM World Superbike Championship. Phillip Island, in Victoria, Australia, is the venue in south Australia. This is the Yamaha Finance Australia race. Let's pick up the action, in race two of the weekend, the Sunday race, for all the marbles.
Tom Sykes, two-time defending Superbike World Champion, has pole. WSBK has raced at Phillip Island since 1990, every year, except for 1993, and 2001, where there was one race, instead of two, due to torrential rain. In race one yesterday, Tom Sykes and Sylvain Guintoli, fell down the order, and they want more, coming into race two. Michael van der Mark, was also a podium finisher in race one. But, he wants to become the first Dutchman ever, to win a World Superbike race. Chaz Davies finished second by a tenth of a second behind Johnny Rea.
Chaz Davies, wants a win, on the Ducati. Can Johnny Rea, do the double, and win both races? He did that a lot, during the 2015 season. The temperatures are hot, and so is the track temp. Phillip Island is one of those tracks, where the weather can change so quickly, that you can have all four seasons in a day, as the saying goes. Looking at the top ten riders from race one, this contest, should be a scorcher. In race one at Philip Island, that happened on Saturday (per the new rules of racing on both Saturday, and Sunday), the top ten riders were Johnny Rea, Chaz Davies, Michael van der Mark, Davide Giugliano, Tom Sykes, Sylvain Guintoli, Leon Camier, Jordi Torres, and former AMA Superbike, and MotoGP champion racer, (a newcomer, to World Superbike), Nicky Hayden.
In the second half of the running order, Josh Brookes scored a top ten finish, followed by Roman Ramos, Lorenzo Savadori, Karel Abraham (another former MotoGP racer), Mike Jones (a wildcard, and reigning Australian Superbike Champion), Sylvain Barrier, Dominic Schmitter, Saeed Al Sulaiti, and Peter Sebestyen. Imre Toth was the last classified finisher, and the retirements from race one, included a crash for Markus Reiterberger, on the very last corner of the last lap! Other retirees from race one were Alex Lowes, Xavi Fores, and another former MotoGP racer, Alex de Angelis.
De Angelis was caboose on the field. Xavi Fores won't start race two here on the island. Alex Lowes was another one to crash. We have sunshine, and in the Saturday race, there was cloud cover, throughout the 22 lap distance. Johnny Rea, wants to become the first back-to-back World Superbike champion, since Carl Fogarty achieved the feat in 1998 and '99. It is interesting to note, that some of the greats of World Superbike, won multiple titles, but never, back to back. Max Biaggi, Troy Corser, and Troy Bayliss, are champion riders, of years gone by, that come to mind.
Chaz Davies uses a longer swing arm on the back of the Ducati. Well, that means there's lots of stress on the rear tire, and less grip. However, he won't burn up the rear tire as fast. Michael van der Mark, had a great race in the first one on Saturday. He is becoming more comfortable on a Superbike, and he's got a real team mate in the form of Nicky Hayden. Over 60,000 fans, have been here all weekend. Brookes has a special helmet, which is a tribute to former, eight-time WSBK race winner, Anthony Gobert. Gobert won five times at Phillip Island, racing in the championship from 1994 to 2000 with Kawasaki and Bimota, among other makes.
He also ran for Suzuki on 500cc Grand Prix bikes. Brookes has a penchant for replica helmets of great motorcycle racers. Davide Giugliano had a great Saturday race, battling with team mate Chaz Davies. Jordi Torres, is back on the WSBK grid this year, racing with Althea BMW, after winning a race, with Aprilia, last year. Althea won the championship, in 2011, with a Ducati, ridden by the great Spanish rider, Carlos Checa. But now, they are an official BMW Motorrad team. Team boss Moreno Coppolo, is running a good squad.
Nicky Hayden, is looking to become the first motorcycle rider in history, to win championships, in both MotoGP, and FIM World Superbike. We are on the warmup lap, the sighting lap. The bikes are forming up on the starting grid, being led to their positions, by their mechanics. With the new format, the Super Pole qualifying, is more exciting and crucial, as qualifying, and race one, are on the same day (Saturday) of the race weekend. Tom Sykes takes his 30th pole position of his career. Qualifying determines the grids for both races of the weekend.
Tom Sykes had problems with burning up the rear tire in the closing stages of races. Sykes is quick over one lap. How will he do, in this 22 lap event, coming up? Davide Giugliano set fastest lap on the final lap of race one, on his way to a fourth place finish. Jonathan Rea, lives in Australia. He's already got 25 points under his belt. Can he do the double? Rea is the favorite. But, can he fight with the other riders? Sylvain Guintoli said that it was hard for him to race, with the Yamaha, as he was slowed down, in the middle of the corner. Rea was fastest in the morning warm up.
Nicky Hayden had tire problems, and Leon Camier, on the MV Agusta, finished seventh. MV Agusta has had management changes over the off season. How will they do? MotoGP rider Danilo Petrucci is here, and he looks forward to the start of the season. Bradley Smith, has also been around. Nicky Hayden, was also 2002 AMA Superbike champion, and he was a wildcard in the 2002 World Superbike race at Laguna Seca. It's been a dry spell for Americans winning World Superbike championships. Ben Spies, was the last American to do so. Thankfully, the MotoAmerica championship (which readers who read 2 Wheelin' regularly, are familiar with), has been developed, to encourage rider development to World Championship levels of motorcycle road racing.
Chaz Davies finished less than a tenth of a second in race one on Saturday. Lorenzo Savadori, finished in the points in his first World Superbike race, in race one at Phillip Island. Once again, Xavi Fores, will have to sit this race out, and watch. His index finger, on his braking hand (his right hand) is injured, and he is not fit to race today. But, he'll surely be back, as the season progresses. Alex Lowes had a huge crash in the morning warmup before race two. We are nearly ready for a start.
Did Markus Reiterberger touch Josh Hook? Nicky Hayden was also involved in that wreck. Reiterberger is P11 on the grid, ahead of Josh Brookes. How will the two BMW's for Althea and Milwaukee Racing, work. Markus Reiterberger, had a flat rear tire. Pirelli and BMW are investigating. Jordi Torres had a wreck earlier in the week. BMW is still working on their electronics package, for operating the throttle. We are close to the point where the track is right on the limit for tire grip, with sunshine, and a track at 38 degrees Celsius. Some riders will not run in this race.
Sylvain Barrier won't race today. Fabio Menghi is recovering, from a broken hip, in testing at Phillip Island. So, he won't see racing action, until later on this season and we wish him well. Josh Hook has a broken collarbone, and the replacement rider for him (Supersport veteran, and Superstock 1000 racer, this year), Toprak Razgatlioglu of Turkey, has also been hurt. Can anyone beat Jonathan Rea? The engines fire. We're ready for race two in Australia. Race action, is next!
The bikes are on their warm up lap. Tom Sykes is the first rider, to win a race, with a #1 plate, since 2002, with Troy Bayliss at Valencia, Spain. Tire choice is a big deal. Kawasaki and others are using the B spec front tire, for more stability, along with the A spec and C spec tires. Races cannot be won at the first corner, but, they definitely can be lost. No mistakes, as we look for the green light, on race two of World Superbike at Phillip Island. Go! Tom Sykes and Johnny Rea get good starts. Sykes leads into Doohan Corner.
Johnny Rea tries but cannot get through. Davide Giugliano is third, with Michael van der Mark, fourth. Alex Lowes on the Yamaha is going for it, and Jonathan Rea has taken the lead. Lead change, as Sykes goes under Jonathan Rea, into Siberia, for the first time. It's Sykes, Rea, Giugliano, and Lowes, the top four. Sylvain Guintoli and Chaz Davies are sixth and seventh, into Hay Shed corner. Oh dear! Alex Lowes, has run wide, and will lose all sorts of positions, after trying hard to challenge and get to the front of this race.
Lowes had an issue at the top of Lukey Heights and is going backwards. The day has already turned pear shaped, for Lowes, and his Yamaha team mates from Hungary, Imre Toth and Peter Sebestyen. Sykes and Rea are going for it, as we see someone running wide. They fly through Casey Stoner corner. Chaz Davies ran wide. Sylvain Guintoli and Nicky Hayden are running together. Hayden had tire issues in race one. But, it looks like the two Honda's may be doing better with their tires. Meanwhile, Chaz Davies ran wide. Michael van der Mark had front tire issues, but looks good right now.
Davies tries Giugliano, and decides discretion is the better part of valor. Lorenzo Savadori has been off the road someplace on the Ioda Aprilia #32. He is languishing, and so is the MV Agusta of Leon Camier. Josh Brooks is moving up after starting 14th. Chaz Davies is attacking Davide Giugliano as Leon Camier goes to the pits. 20 laps left. We are working lap two. Sykes is in P1. What kind of pace will he set? No penalties for jumping the start. Lap times are in the 1:31 range. 31.8 for Rea, 31.6 for Sykes, and 31.9 for van der Mark. Jonathan Rea, sets a fast lap at 1:31.670.
The Ducati team mates scrap, as Chaz Davies passes Davide Giugliano. Can they gang up on the Honda and the two Kawasaki's? Lorenzo Savadori is back in pit lane. Could it be game over for the Ioda Racing Aprilia rider? Savadori was last year's Euro Superstock 1000 champion. He'll be back. Michael van der Mark has been running well, and we see Leon Camier, back in the race. Josh Brooks is running faster, and so is everyone else. Chaz Davies resets fast lap at 1:31.3. Rear tires were not the only concern in the first race.
Both Honda's had front tire concerns, too. A lack of feel, and some wear, in places. Alex Lowes is back up to speed, running 16th, as he tries his best to move up. He is in the points, ahead of Sylvain Barrier. The Yamaha YZF R1 is up into the points. Savadori is the only retirement so far. We work lap six of 22. Jonathan Rea, looks over his left shoulder. Is Michael van der Mark, catching him, hand over fist? Maybe he wants to keep second. Or, maybe, he wants to say, "hey, Michael. Let's work together, to run down Tom Sykes, and take the lead away from him."
Remember too, the Honda van der Mark is riding on, is the same motorcycle, that Jonathan Rea, won races with, two seasons ago, in 2014. Sykes is controlling his tires. In turns two and three, many tire issues are seen. Tom Sykes admits Phillip Island, is not his best track. Only two riders in the field today, have won rounds of the WSBK series, here at Phillip Island. Those are Jonathan Rea (Sykes' team mate), and Sylvain Guintoli.
Through turn twelve they come, once again. This corner, really tortures the tires. Kawasaki team manager Arturo Pereth signals to Rea that all is well. We are into the seventh lap of this race, ladies and gentlemen. Now, Nicky Hayden, is up to sixth, after having tire issues in the Saturday race. Hayden will start chipping away at the factory Ducati's. Sylvain Guintoli is behind him on the factory Yamaha. The top BMW is Markus Reiterberger. In fact, all four of the BMW's (for the Althea and Milwaukee teams), are running together. Reiterberger, Brooks, Torres, and Abraham. The latter two, are motorcycle racing veterans. Jordi Torres ran in Moto2 for a few years, and Karel Abraham, in MotoGP.
Another MotoGP veteran, Alex de Angelis, is twelfth, followed by Roman Ramos, on the Go Eleven Kawasaki. Next in line is Aussie Superbike champion, Mike Jones. Mike Jones is a busy man at Phillip Island, running three races for the Aussie series, and of course, two in World Superbike, as a wildcard entry. He scored points in race one in WSBK. How about that?! We work lap eight. Sykes and Rea still lead. No one is attempting to challenge Sykes right now. Nicky Hayden is running ahead of Davide Giugliano. Hayden is past Giugliano. Now, he wants to pass Davide Giugliano, and they almost touch!
Where will Jonathan Rea try passing Tom Sykes? He has a better shot, in clean air, outside of a pack of motorcycles. Rea has to stay in second, if he has any hope of catching his team mate. Lorenzo Savadori, has checked with the doctors at the medical center. He rode the bike back to pit lane. So, hopefully, he is OK. Sylvain Guintoli has been isolated from the lead group. However, he is just behind Nicky Hayden, and insofar as lap time, Guintoli is still capable of running in the 1:31 bracket. Guintoli could make hay while the sun shines, if the lead group, wants to fight with each other. Gently, boys. No argy bargy. Let's hope not.
We have a full on fight for the top six places, and a couple other two or three rider battles, through the field. Alex Lowes is making inroads on Mike Jones, but not at a rapid pace. The two riders, are 2.7 seconds adrift of each other, on the speedway. Jones had a crash, in the morning warm up. Maybe some stiffness induced by that wreck, is starting to ail him, as we work our way into this race. Working lap ten, we're a lap or so from halfway. But, the tire grip is already beginning to fall off. This is going to get hairy. Alex Lowes has a lonely ride in 15th, as Yamaha returns as a factory team, for the first time in five years, since 2011.
Davide Giugliano continues to fend off the challenge, from Nicky Hayden. Alex Lowes, meanwhile, has lost more places. Lowes has perhaps run wide in the second sector on the track. He has sunk to 20th, and this race, will be one he'll want to erase from his memory bank, immediately. Nil points, for Alex Lowes. That's a rider's worst nightmare, fighting for the championship, throughout the season. He'll have to play catch up. Oh boy! Tom Sykes has run wide! On lap 11, he is passed, and rops from the lead, to fourth. So, now, the top three is Rea, van der Mark, and Davies. Kawasaki, Honda, Ducati, in that order.
We will be at half distance, at the end of this lap, folks. Let us not forget, Davide Giugliano ran fastest lap at 1:31.445, on the last lap of race one on Saturday. Now, Michael van der Mark, has passed Jonathan Rea! Rea, is one of these blokes, who you could call, "the closer", because he's so strong towards the end of these races. Will he have enough, to get back past van der Mark's Honda CBR1000RR SP? Alex Lowes is now shown back up into 15th spot. Meanwhile, we watch the Yamaha of Sylvain Guintoli. Guintoli is closing in on Nicky Hayden.
Guintoli is coming, and coming, fast! Four manufacturers scrap for the top seven spots. Oh no. It's game over for Mike Jones. His brilliant weekend, as a wildcard racer, has come to a premature end. Troy Bayliss is one of the supporters of the team Jones has been riding for this weekend. Sykes is clawing his way back towards Chaz Davies and Michael van der Mark is dropping his lap times into the low 1:32 range, to save his tires. Mike Jones' motorcycle, has been cleared off the track, after what could have been a low side crash.
At the moment, the Honda Fireblade has been running well in the hands of Michael van der Mark. They will have a new motorcycle, next year. The Yamaha, the newest bike on the grid, is running very well. Just nine laps remain in this race. van der Mark (who is also a two-time champion in the Suzuka 8 Hours FIM Endurance Championship race), is being challenged by Jonathan Rea. Sylvain Guintoli is really closing up. It is his third motorcycle, in as many years. He has run an Aprilia, a Honda, and now, the new Yamaha.
The bikes scream down the straightaway, with just eight laps remaining, in this race. This is amazing! We have eight laps left, and seven riders, who could very possibly win this thing! Now, blokes, I don't want to get hopes up, because, surely, this train, will whittle itself down, to only a few riders. But, bear in mind, that Phillip Island is the race track that saw the closest finish in WSBK history, in 2010. In that race, Leon Haslam, and Michele Fabrizio, were side by side, at the start/finish line. If Chaz Davies wants a shot at this, he'll have to pass Rea, and start going after van der Mark. He's kept his powder dry so far.
But, will he have to use all the firepower he has, in that Ducati 1199 Panigale R? We'll see. Rea is going to try going after van der Mark. These boys might catch lapped traffic. #10, Imre Toth, on the Team Toth Yamaha YZF R1, is close by. Seven laps still remain. Rea, van der Mark, Davies, the top three. It's hard to overtake here at Phillip Island. Davide Giugliano tries to pass Tom Sykes, but no. Nicky Hayden says, "thank you for keeping the door open", and whistles by. Guintoli on the Yamaha does likewise. That little move, didn't work out, in the least, for Giugliano. He got freight trained there, and so did Tom Sykes.
Both Ducati's tried attacking both Kawasaki's. Chaz Davies runs wide this time, trying the inside line on van der Mark. Davies was almost forced wide at turn one. Nicky Hayden is fourth, only eight tenths of a second behind the top three! We have never had a Dutch rider win in World Superbike. Could van der Mark do it? Where will the leaders catch Imre Toth? He's a few hundred meters up the road right now. Let's hope that doesn't mess with this awsome race! Most of these blokes seem to have gotten around Toth. No harm, no foul. We saw Hayden in MotoGP, for a good many years, save the tires and the bike, until the last part of the race. Same tactics, here, in World Superbike.
Davies is close behind Jonathan Rea. Five riders, running in WSBK, have won their very first race, they entered, since the championship began, in 1988. Max Biaggi, was the last to do it, in Qatar, in 2007. Davide Giugliano, has passed Tom Sykes. Sykes has fallen down to seventh, with just four laps remaining. We work lap 18 of 22. Davide Giugliano has passed Tom Sykes, and we watch Chaz Davies get very close behind Jonathan Rea. van der Mark is so fast in the final corner, Rea cannot get close enough.
Rea, meanwhile, has taken the lead, passing Michael van der Mark, who falls to third. Nicjy Hayden is still the fastest rider on track. It's a three way battle right now. van der Mark, Davies, and Hayden. Hayden was quickest of all, on the previous lap at 1:31.810 while Rea, could only muster a 1:31.984, and Davies and van der Mark, both, only hit the low end of the 1:32 range. Sylvain Guintoli is fifth. Only three laps left. The four BMW's are still locked together in the back half of the top ten. Torres, eighth. Brooks, ninth. Reiterberger, tenth. Abraham, 11th. The rest of the order is Ramos, de Angelis, Lowes, Barrier, Schmitter, Al Sulaiti, Sebestyen, and Toth.
BMW, and Honda, are both going well. Hayden is doing well, as Honda North America puts all their money behind him. Three laps to go now. You could throw a blanket over the top seven riders. Anyone could still win. Rea, Davies, and van der Mark, were the top three in Saturday's race one. They are currently in those same positions, as we close out Sunday's race two. Rea runs a 1:31.8, and Sykes is a tenth slower. The Kawasaki has great straight line speed, but Sykes is slowed by traffic.
Davies is right behind Rea. Rea swept around Davies to win race one, through turn twelve. Two laps to go. Davies tries to dive in on Rea. But, Michael van der Mark is now side by side with Chaz Davies. Can van der Mark make a move into the Southern Loop? No. Through Stoner corner they come. Now, Davies is very close behind Jonathan Rea. This is the next to last lap. Chaz Davies is through on Jonathan Rea! They almost touch! Davies takes the lead. Rea has better corner speed into Siberia. Past the Hay Shed, and through Lukey Heights.
Rea had problems at Lukey Heights, in race one. Davies, has the lead. Have Rea's gremlins come back to bite him just before the end of this one? If Michael van der Mark wants to do anything to win this race, he MUST pass Rea, ASAP. We are on the final lap. Rea has the advantage, slipstreams past Davies into turn one! van der Mark is closing on the Ducati. He must have heard the message, to go for it. If anyone wants to pass, turn four, will be the spot to do it. Sliding through Stoner corner, Davies comes up the inside, loses the rear tire, and, he's down! He is down, ladies and gentlemen! Game over for Chaz Davies!
The Ducati team is in disbelief in pit lane! Through Siberia for the final time. Can Johnny Rea do the double? Jonathan Rea became the first WSBK rider (as mentioned), since Troy Bayliss in 2002 to win the season opener with the #1 plate. Can he do the double? Nicky Hayden and David Giugliano, fight for third. Will we see Honda's both on the podium? Honda hasn't gone 1-2 since the 2008 British race at Donington Park. Will we see a 2-3 from the factory Honda's? Jonathan Rea, does the double, and wins, at Phillip Island!
van der Mark, finishes second. Davide Giugliano, beats Nicky Hayden, for the final podium spot! Phew! What a race! Chaz Davies, after his fall, he can only manage tenth spot.
WSBK Race 2: #1 Jonathan Rea GBR. Kawasaki ZX10R
Rea has won 31 races in his World Superbike race winner. He equals former double World Superbike champion, Colin Edwards. Kawasaki's next win, will be #80. The next event, is in Buriram, Thailand, coming up, in two weeks. Look for a race report, right here, on 2 Wheelin'. So long for now, everyone.
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