It was really hot during Race 1 of the World Superbike not only because of the weather. The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship saw a new battle between the defending champion and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who broke out into the leaders, struggling not to let Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) go forward.

Credit:motorsport.com

Davies passed 6 ideal laps, not giving any chance to the current world champion and the leader of the championship to pass through. Everything was determined at the Corkscrew - a famous bunch of 7-9 turns at Laguna Seca Circuit. The Welshman broke a fraction too late on the climb to the Corkscrew, a little mistake that Rea had to take as an advantage.

Rea’s attack was really risky! He went closer to the track center, Davies then started to return his “normal” riding, practically without losing speed, and Kawasaki and Ducati miraculously escaped the accident at Turn 9. Rea drowned out any possibility of a comeback, keeping a consistent 1-2 second gap all the way through the latter two thirds of the race. Jonathan got the seventh win in 2018 at Laguna Seca. With Davies ending the race in second, the two are now separated by 70 points in the standings, with eleven races remaining on the calendar.

Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) finished the third. The Lincolnshire rider has shown tremendous pace throughout the last three rounds, and following his first podium at Laguna Seca – spells excellent news for the Yamaha man going into tomorrow.

“I am really, really happy! The race itself wasn’t fantastic, the second part was quite boring as I needed to carefully manage my position, but I was really strong at the start and that allowed me to get the podium. To get a podium at Laguna on the Yamaha is beyond what I expected so I think we can be happy with the job we have done as a team. We will try to improve the setting of the bike a bit for tomorrow and see if we can have another go, and I just want to say a big thanks to the guys at Yamaha, Crescent and everyone involved in the whole project because to get a podium here, at what was our worst track last year, is testament to everyone’s efforts.”

Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) started the race not too successful, and after 8 laps lost his third position. In the middle of the race Kawasaki rider lost another two positions and finished the race only seventh.

Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) pleased all his fans with an excellent fourth. The Irishman also got a huge advantage, starting from pole tomorrow, at a track where a front row can be a near guarantee of success.

Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) completed the top five in Race 1, ahead of Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team).

Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) was eighth, in front of Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) in ninth. Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) rounded out the top ten in his home race.

T. Razgatlioglu made the audience worry, after he flew through the air with his motorcycle on Turn 11, confirming once again the insidious nature of the Corkscrew. The Turkish rider was taken to the medical center.

WSBK 2018 – Laguna Seca Race One Results:

1. Jonathan Rea Kawasaki GBR 35’15.071

2. Chaz Davies Ducati GBR 00’02.978

3. Alex Lowes Yamaha GBR 00’12.212

4. Eugene Laverty Aprilia GBR 00’14.309

5. Marco Melandri Ducati ITA 00’16.712

6. Xavi Fores Ducati ESP 00’18.929

7. Tom Sykes Kawasaki GBR 00’25.638

8. Michael van der Mark Yamaha NLD 00’26.211

9. Jordi Torres MV Agusta ESP 00’31.579

10. Jake Gagne Honda USA 00’38.084

11. Yonny Hernandez Kawasaki COL 00’44.971

12. Román Ramos Kawasaki ESP 00’45.412

13. Karel Hanika Yamaha CZE 00’50.768

14. Lorenzo Savadori Aprilia ITA 01’06.063

15. Loris Baz BMW FRA +1 lap

World Championship Standings after Race 1, Round 8:

1. Jonthan Rea (GBR) Kawasaki (295 points)

2. Chaz Davies (GBR) Ducati (225 points)

3. Michael van der Mark (NED) Yamaha (204 points)

#Moto #Bike #Race #Racing