In WorldSBK Bautista, taking full advantage of the Pirelli tyres and with astonishing race paces, paints Phillip Island Ducati red thanks to a fantastic one-two-three, WorldSSP goes to Krummenacher

The first round of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship season was held this weekend at the Phillip Island circuit in Australia under the sign of Ducati red and the new entry to Aruba.it Racing – Ducati, Spaniard Álvaro Bautista, who triumphed by a landslide in all three scheduled races, relegating Kawasaki riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam and Yamaha rider Marco Melandri to the remaining steps of the podium. In any case, the Japanese brand can take comfort in having monopolised the podium and won the FIM Supersport World Championship race with Randy Krummenacher (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team).

After winning Race 1 on Saturday, Bautista repeated the performance today, winning both the Tissot Superpole Race and Race 2, maintaining stunning race paces that no other rider was able to match. The Ducati rider was also the one who, more than any other, was able to optimally manage the tyres made available by Pirelli, taking full advantage of their potential, as demonstrated by his consistent lap times from start to finish.

For its part, Pirelli is rather satisfied with the performance of their DIABLO™ Superbike slicks that allowed the riders to race regularly, even at a sustained pace, on a circuit that is notoriously difficult and complex like Phillip Island. Important results also arrived from the Australian Superbike Championshipwhich is held with open tyre supplier competition where Pirelli monopolised the podiums in both the Superbike and the Supersport categories - demonstration of the high level of technology and performance, not only in the slicks, but also in the grooved tyres, closely derived from the street versions, used in the Supersport class.

WORLD SUPERBIKE SUPERPOLE TISSOT RACE:

The first Superpole Tissot Race in the history of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship was won, as Race 1 had been, by Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R).
The Spaniard got off to a good start and already on the first lap was able to overtake pole man Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), only to return the position a few turns later. During the third lap, however, the Ducati rider had another go and managed to take the lead, even establishing the new race fast lap at 1’30.143. In the meantime, battle was being waged between the Yamahas ridden by Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1) for third place. Inserting himself between the two was also Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR).
On the fourth lap, the battle for first reignited between Jonathan Rea and Álvaro Bautista: Rea took back the lead, but was forced to fend off the Spaniard's continuous attacks until, during the sixth lap, he managed to move back into the lead. In the meantime, the other Kawasaki rider, Leon Haslam, took third ahead of the two factory Yamaha riders, Michael Van Der Mark and Alex Lowes, followed by the team GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1 machines ridden by Sandro Cortese and Marco Melandri.
The race ended earlier than scheduled, because on the eighth lap, due to contact on turn 4 between Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR) and Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), the race commission was forced to wave the red flag, halting the action. After winning Race 1, another victory arrived for Álvaro Bautista, who finished ahead of Kawasaki riders Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam. The Northern Irishman was able to take consolation in setting the new race fast lap with a time of 1’30.075 on the eighth and final lap.

WorldSBK Superpole Tissot Race standings:

1) Á. Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
2) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
3) L. Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
4) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
5) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
6) M. Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
7) S. Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
8) M. Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
9) E. Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
10) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
11) T. Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
12) M. Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
13) L. Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
14) R. Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
15) T. Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
16) T. Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing / Honda CBR1000RR) - Wild Card
17) J. Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
RT) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
RT) A. Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team / Honda CBR1000RR)

WORLD SUPERBIKE RACE 2:

In Race 2, the riders substantially confirmed the tyres they had chosen for Race 1 with the exception of Michael Van Der Mark, who used the same front tyre as in the Sprint Race. The Race 2 grid was partially decided by the Superpole Tissot Race held in the morning, so this is why the first nine spots were not the same as in Race 1. In this case, Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) was on the pole as winner of the Superpole Tissot Race.
The Spaniard was fast from the start, staying in the lead. Behind him were Kawasaki riders Leon Haslam and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), followed by the Yamahas ridden by Marco Melandri, Michael Van Der Mark and Alex Lowes.
Around the fifteenth lap, Rea tried to take at least second, throwing down the gauntlet to challenge his teammate until successfully overtaking him. In the meantime, Marco Melandri approached the Kawasaki riders menacingly, while Bautista increased his lead to more than 18 seconds ahead of the closest follower, Rea.
During the nineteenth lap, Toprak Razgatlioglu was forced to retire due to a technical problem.
Álvaro Bautista demonstrated his clear superiority in this race as well, seeing the chequered flag first with a 12-second advantage ahead of World Champion Jonathan Rea and the other Kawasaki rider, Leon Haslam.

WorldSBK Race 2 standings:

1) Á. Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
2) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
3) L. Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
4) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
5) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
6) M. Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
7) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
8) S. Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
9) E. Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
10) L. Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
11) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
12) M. Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
13) T. Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW S1000 RR)
14) J. Torres (Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
15) R. Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR)
16) M. Rinaldi (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
RT) T. Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
RT) T. Herfoss (Penrite Honda Racing / Honda CBR1000RR) - Wild Card
RT) A. Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team / Honda CBR1000RR)

WORLD SUPERSPORT RACE:

Before Race 2 of WorldSBK, at 1:15 PM local time, the first race of the FIM Supersport World Championship season was held, with Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6) in pole position. The Italian started well, but better yet was his teammate Randy Krummenacher (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6) who, starting from the second spot on the grid, managed to move quickly into the lead. Behind them was Frenchman Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6).
On the third lap, after doing the fastest race lap on the second lap, Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse / MV Agusta F3 675) crashed out, but was able to re-join. However, on the following lap, Hannes Soomer (MPM WILSport Racedays / Honda CBR600RR) was forced to abandon the race.
During the eighth lap, the riders began to return to pit lane to change tyres. Back on the track, Randy Krummenacher confirmed his first-place position, holding onto it all the way to the finish to clinch the top step of the podium. Behind the Swiss rider were Jules Cluzel and Italian Federico Caricasulo for an all-Yamaha podium.

WorldSSP standings:

1) L. Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
2) S. Cortese (Kallio Racing)
3) F. Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP team)
4) T. Gradinger (NRT)
5) R. Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team)
6) C. Perolari (GMT94 Yamaha)
7) H. Barbera (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
8) R. De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
9) H. Soomer (Racedays)
10) P. Sebestyen (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
11) A. Badovini (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag)
12) L. Cresson (Kallio Racing)
13) J. Van Sikkelerus (GEMAR Team Lorini)
14) C. Stange (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
15) N. Calero (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
16) A. Murley (GEMAR Team Lorini)
RT) J. Cluzel (NRT)
RT) J. Iturrioz (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
RT) G. Van Straalen (EAB antwest Racing)
RT) K. Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
RT) L. Stapleford (Profile Racing)
RT) H. Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
RT) S. Hornsey (Profile Racing)

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

In the Superpole Tissot Race, the riders did not make many changes compared to Race 1. On the rear, all the riders confirmed the larger size 200/65 tyre in the medium W1049 development version (option A), whereas on the front, only three riders made changes: Leon Camier (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team / Honda CBR1000RR) and Eugene Laverty (Team Goeleven / Ducati Panigale V4 R) went from the X1071 SC2 development solution in the larger 125/70 size (option C) to the standard SC1 in the 125/70 size (option B), whereas Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1) made the exact opposite switch. There were, therefore, 9 riders riding on the standard SC1 in the 125/70 size (option B) and as many on the X1071 SC2 development tyre in the larger 125/70 size (option C), whereas the only rider to use the 120/70 size standard SC1 was Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1).

As for Race 2, the riders basically confirmed the choices made in Race 1, with the exception of Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1), who once again opted for the solution he had already chosen for the Superpole Tissot Race.

In the WorldSSP race, almost all the riders opted for the same solution both on the front and on the rear. On the rear, all the riders, except for race winner Randy Krummenacher who chose the X1434 SC1 development tyre (option B), used the U1149 SC1 development solution (option A).
On the front, the standard SC1 (option A)was the choice for no less than 16 out of the 22 riders on the grid, while the remaining 6 riders (including Randy Krummenacher) used the standard SC2 (option B).

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Superpole Tissot race:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), in 1'30.075 in the 8^th lap

• Most used front solution: standard SC1 125/70 (9 out of 19 riders) and development SC2 X1071 (9 out of 19 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 W1049 (19 out of 19 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 326.3 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the 2^nd lap

• Air temperature: 26° C

• Asphalt temperature: 40° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 2:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R),in 1'30.573 in the 2^nd lap

• Most used front solution: development SC2 X1071 (11 out of 19 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 W1049 (19 out of 19 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 321.4 km/h, achieved by Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the 5^th lap

• Air temperature: 28° C

• Asphalt temperature: 50° C

Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP race:

• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Randy Krummenacher (Bardahl Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team / Yamaha YZF R6), in 1'33.267 in the 9^th lap

• Most used front solution: standard SC1 (16 out of 22 riders)

• Most used rear solution: development SC1 U1149 (21 out of 22 riders)

• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Supercorsa tyres: 277.6 km/h, achieved by Raffaele de Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse / MV Agusta F3 675) in the 2^nd lap

• Air temperature: 26° C

• Asphalt temperature: 46° C