Double win for Rea in WorldSBK at Laguna Seca; Pirelli continues development of the 200/65 rear that will also be taken to Misano

Today the Californian Laguna Seca track hosted the second MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship race which was won, just like Race 1 held yesterday, by Kawasaki rider Jonathan Rea.

The Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK Northern Irishman, who finished ahead of Ducati rider Chaz Davies and Aprilia rider Eugene Laverty,thereby takes a splendid double win for Kawasaki, accumulating an important advantage in the overall Championship standings.

For Pirelli, the Laguna Seca round was useful for obtaining confirmation on development operations of the new and larger 200/65 size rear tyre which, although with different compound specifications, has already been on the track this year at the Phillip Island, Imola, Donington and Brno rounds, as well as here at Laguna Seca. In this round, the 200/65 tyre competed against the standard size tyre with the same compound and the riders tended to prefer using the larger solution.Pirelli proves once again to be an innovator, as already occurred in the past going from the 16.5 to 17 inch size and they are working to introduce a new size which could become the standard in motorcycle racing for the future.

In Race 2, in accordance with the rule that calls for the grid to be inverted with respect to Race 1, Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) started from the first spot. To his left on the starting grid were Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team), whereas Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), winner of Race 1, started from ninth place.

When the red lights went off, Laverty started well, but it was Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) who made the best start, moving from fifth to second place behind Laverty and ahead of Melandri. In the meantime, Jonathan Rea clawed his way back up through the pack and was already third after overtaking Forés and Melandri.

During the fourth lap, an accident for Marco Melandri forced the Italian to abandon the race while Rea overtook Michael Van Der Mark as well, moving into second place, a second and three tenths behind Laverty.

On the eighth lap, Jonathan Rea's Kawasaki managed to catch up Eugene Laverty and his Aprilia, overtaking him to move into the race lead.

At the mid-race point, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) also managed to overtake Michael Van Der Mark, thereby moving into third behind Laverty, who he was then able to get past on the seventeenth lap to move into second place. Behind Laverty came the Yamahas ridden by Van Der Mark and Lowes. In the meantime, American rider Patrick Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) took a tumble on the “Corkscrew”, ending his race early.

Jonathan Rea was first under the chequered flag once again, giving Kawasaki a splendid double win, followed by Chaz Davies with Ducati and Eugene Lavertywith an outstanding third place finish on his Aprilia.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings:

1) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
3) E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia)
4) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
5) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
6) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)
7) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
8) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
9) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
10) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
11) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
12) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
13) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
14) K. Hanika (Guandalini Racing)
15) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
16) J. Herrin (Attack 2Wheel Legal Yamaha)
RT) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
RT) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
RT) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 2 and WorldSSP:

In Race 2, most of the riders substantially confirmed the choices they had made yesterday for Race 1. At the front, the V0952 SC1 development tyre (option C) was still the most used, but it lost a few votes to the W0657 SC1 development solution (option A) which had already been chosen in Race 1 with outstanding results by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). In Race 2, switching to solution A were Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), Jordi Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Josh Herrin (Attack 2Wheel Legal Yamaha).

Also on the rear, the W1002 SC0 development tyre (option B) in the larger 200/65 sizeremained the most used solution, although the W1050 (option A) earned the trust of 7 out of the 19 riders on the grid.

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK),in 1'23.480 at the 5^th lap

• Most used front solution: development SC1 V0952 (10 out of 19 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC0 W1002 (12 out of 19 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 257 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the 3^rd lap

• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the WorldSBK class: 5 front and 5 rear

• Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 65, including 34 front and 31 rear

• Air temperature: 20° C

• Asphalt temperature: 46° C