Melandri and Biaggi swap wins again

Just like the previous round at Motorland Aragon, Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) and Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) swapped wins and second places at another hot race circuit, as Marco won race one and Max won race two. In taking a hard fought victory, Max continued his amazing relationship with Brno, posting his 11th career win in world championship events at this 5.403km long venue. Points leader Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) battled to two gritty third place finishes at Brno today, minimizing the damage to his championship lead despite being outgunned by the riders closest to him in the points tally. “Although Pirelli was prepared for the Czech round with newly developed Supersoft compounds for both the SBK and SSP, the track conditions this weekend made for an unfavorable situation with respect to track grip. Adding to an already extreme 52°C asphalt temperature, two nights of pouring rain left the racing surface devoid of rubber and therefore less able to offer the necessary physical grip. This slightly slower lap pace of 0.5 secs avg. occurred in all four racing classes (SBK: 0.15 in R1, 0.76 in R2, SSP: 0.35, Stk1000: 1.5, Stk600: 0.48). Even considering this slower pace, two perfect SBK races saw consistent laps of 2'00 by lead pack riders Biaggi (Aprilia), Melandri (Yamaha) and Checa (Ducati), followed by Fabrizio (Suzuki) who was able to jump forward two positions from his second row start. The 4,732 Pirelli tyres consisted of 4 front and 3 rear options for WSBK, 3 fronts and 3 rears for SSP and the rest covering Superstock. For the SBK, two rear Supersoft (SC0) tyres were brought to manage the extreme heat and the poor grip provided by the track's asphalt. The first, or A option, provided stability under extreme heat and the second, or B, was the more balanced option. The front row of the SBK grid all adopted the Supersoft (B) rear combined with an SC2 (or C) option front for both races, seeing thus consistent laps throughout the middle sections and race wins decided on the final lap. The incredible performance of SSP newcomer Gino Rea (Honda) and his SC0 rear/SC1 front tyres earned him the top spot of the podium for the first time in his Supersport career, showing a real maturity since winning the Stk600 Championship in 2009.” - Giorgio Barbier, Racing Director, Pirelli Moto Pirelli BEST LAP Awards: SBK Race 1 – Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike), 2'00.118 (Lap 3) SBK Race 2 – Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike), 2'00.058 (Lap 2) Total BEST LAP (SBK): Checa C. (Althea Racing) 5, Biaggi M. (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) 4, Melandri M. (Yamaha World Superbike) 3, Haga N. (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) 1, Sykes T. (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) 1, Camier L. (Aprilia Alitalia Racing) 1, Fabrizio M. (Team Suzuki Alstare) 1 WSS – Gino Rea (Step Racing Team), 2'04.352 (Lap 2) Total BEST LAP (WSS): Foret F. (HANNspree Ten Kate Honda) 2, Lowes S. (Parkalgar Honda) 2, Scassa L. (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) 1, Davies C. (Yamaha ParkinGO Team) 1, Gino Rea (Step Racing Team) 1 Stk1000 – Danilo Petrucci (Barni Racing Team), 2'03.267 (Lap 4) Stk600 – Joshua Day (Revolution Racedays Kawasaki), 2'07.494 (Lap 10) Max Biaggi: “It’s been very tough all weekend, Carlos and Marco were very fast, but here we are again with the top 3 on the podium. In this way we’re having ups and downs, winning one race and second in the other. In race 1 I wasn’t really happy, I knew I could do it, but I didn’t have the moment and Marco went on to win. This time I could reply and do my pace. We made a few changes between the races but not very much, you can always learn from the details, we made the right adjustments but here it’s very difficult for tyre wear and temperature.” Marco Melandri: “I didn’t give up but it was too difficult like in Aragon. I tried to do my best but Max was faster. Anyway it’s been a good day, we still have to do a bit more to get the double, but I’m happy. Max and I have had some nice battles in the last two rounds, very fair and clean so that’s good. It was fun for us and hopefully fun for the people watching the race in the circuit and on TV!” Carlos Checa: “You always think that you can do better so you always attack to improve the result, but today considering the conditions, the rivals, the track and the speed we are quite satisfied. We worked well to find the right set-up, chose the right tyres, we didn’t make any mistake. Max and Marco were strong around here and they deserved the win. Most important, we are competitive and fast and still leading the championship, it’s not easy but we are confident we can get the better of them at some circuits.” Michel Fabrizio (Suzuki Alstare) is another who loves Brno and he showed it today, by taking two top four rides, with Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike) fifth on two occasions. The win tallies for the year now read Checa with eight, Melandri three, Biaggi and Laverty two each and the still injured Jonathan Rea (Castrol Honda) one. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) once again played the fastest game for BMW, sixth in each race. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) had two superb fight backs from a starting position of 19th, going ninth in race one and eighth in race two, making him the top Kawasaki finisher. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) flew solo for the official team this weekend and toughed it out, taking home points for eighth and seventh. Home rider Jakub Smrz (Effenbert - Liberty Racing Ducati) who was 11th in race one, fell in race two. Race 1 Melandri took his third win of the year to lead his championship rivals Biaggi and Checa across the line in race one. The top three were covered by only 0.436 seconds after 20 hot laps, with track temperatures reaching 44°C, and which only got hotter in race two. At one stage Fabrizio looked capable of catching the leading trio, but he slowed to take a safe and yet still impressive fourth. Laverty went from the front row to fifth. The man most on the move in the race was Badovini as he passed several riders to get up to sixth. Biaggi’s team-mate Camier took seventh, with Haslam eighth. Results: 1. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 40'23.699 (160,505 kph); 2. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 0.241; 3. Checa C. (ESP) Ducati 1098R 0.436; 4. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 8.448; 5. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 11.863; 6. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 16.374; 7. Camier L. (GBR) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 20.075; 8. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 21.399; 9. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 21.555; 10. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R 22.33; 11. Smrz J. (CZE) Ducati 1098R 22.494; 12. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 24.710; 13. Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 27.958; 14. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 31.724; 15. Lowes A. (GBR) Honda CBR1000RR 31.998; 16. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 34.771; ecc. Race 2 Biaggi and Melandri ended up deciding the race two result in a man-to-man duel, which went the way of the 2010 world champion. The margin of victory was only 0.222 seconds, with Melandri right behind his countryman but unable to pass Biaggi on the final few corners. Carlos Checa was in a clear third place, with Michel Fabrizio having a good race again and finishing fourth. Laverty could not catch the top quartet, but was safe in a lonely fifth. Once again Badovini impressed the paddock with his prowess and he took sixth place, one ahead of official rider Haslam. Track temperatures in race two hit a massive 54°C. Results: 1. Biaggi M. (ITA) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40'21.646 (160,641 kph); 2. Melandri M. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R1 0.222; 3. Checa C. (ESP).Ducati 1098R 3.558; 4. Fabrizio M. (ITA) Suzuki GSX-R1000 7.863; 5. Laverty E. (IRL) Yamaha YZF R1 8.534; 6. Badovini A. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 18.085; 7. Haslam L. (GBR) BMW S1000 RR 21.650; 8. Lascorz J. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-10R 21.862; 9. Guintoli S. (FRA) Ducati 1098R 25.306; 10. Haga N. (JPN) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 27.366; 11. Rolfo R. (ITA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 33.716; 12. Aitchison M. (AUS) Kawasaki ZX-10R 36.549; 13. Lanzi L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 37.468; 14. Sykes T. (GBR) Kawasaki ZX-10R; 46.878; 15. Kispataki V. (HUN) Honda CBR1000RR 1'38.074; RET Berger M. (FRA) Ducati 1098R; etc. Points (after 8 of 13 rounds): 1. Checa 293; 2. Biaggi 263; 3. Melandri 240; 4. Laverty 168; 5. Haslam 137; 6. Camier 134; 7. Fabrizio 134; 8. Badovini 106; 9. Haga 99; 10. Rea 94; 11. Guintoli 89; 12. Smrz 88; 13. Lascorz 88; 14. Sykes 84; 15. Corser 55; 16. Xaus 44; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 305; 2. Aprilia 302; 3. Yamaha 280; 4. BMW 173; 5. Suzuki 138; 6. Kawasaki 126; 7. Honda 113. World Supersport Gino Rea (Step Racing Team) won his first ever race in this category after the red flag was shown on lap 16 with Gino in a lead that he had held for some time. Fabien Foret (Hannspree Ten Kate Honda) was a close second, with championship leader Chaz Davies (Yamaha ParkinGO) third. David Salom (Kawasaki Motocard.com) collected fourth place ahead of Roberto Tamburini (Bike Service R.T. Yamaha). Sam Lowes (Parkalgar Honda) slowed after a good start and finished sixth, one place up on Luca Scassa (Yamaha ParkinGO). Broc Parkes (Kawasaki Motocard.com) crashed out while in the leading group, leaving the championship points Davies on 121, Parkes on 85, Foret on 85, Salom on 84 and Scassa on 79. Results: 1. Rea G. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 31'21.642 (155,057 kph); 2. Foret F. (FRA) Honda CBR600RR 0.448; 3. Davies C. (GBR) Yamaha YZF R6 0.857; 4. Salom D. (ESP) Kawasaki ZX-6R 2.375; 5. Tamburini R. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 5.505; 6. Lowes S. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 6.890; 7. Scassa L. (ITA) Yamaha YZF R6 7.721; 8. Ellison J. (GBR) Honda CBR600RR 15.495; etc. Points (after 7 of 12 rounds): 1. Davies 121; 2. Parkes, 3. Foret 85; 4. Salom 84; 5. Scassa 79; 6. Lowes 73; 7. Harms 59; 8. Rea 57; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Yamaha 151; 2. Honda 133; 3. Kawasaki 114; 4. Triumph 21. Superstock 1000 Frenchman Sylvain Barrier (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) won a closely contested 12-lap race at Brno as he fought off the race long challenge of championship leader Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing Ducati). The margin of victory was 0.070 seconds and the battle for third was almost as close, with Lorenzo Zanetti (BMW Motorrad Italia Superstock) just 0.7 behind Barrier, but with Markus Reiterberger (Garnier Alpha Racing Team) right in his own wheel tracks. In the championship itself, Giugliano now has 115 points, Zanetti 84, and Danilo Petrucci (who fell from his Barni Racing Ducati while leading) has 69. Barrier, who won his first race of the year today, is fourth, with 65 points. Results: 1. Barrier S. (FRA) BMW S1000 RR 24'54.052 (156,226 kph); 2. Giugliano D. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 0.070; 3. Zanetti L. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 0.722; 4. Reiterberger M. (GER) BMW S1000 RR 1.257; 5. Canepa N. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 13.181; 6. Massei F. (ITA) BMW S1000 RR 13.413; 7. Baroni L. (ITA) Ducati 1098R 17.913; 8. Morais S. (RSA) Kawasaki ZX-10R 19.058; etc. Points (after 5 of 10 rounds): 1. Giugliano 115; 2. Zanetti 84; 3. Petrucci 69; 4. Barrier 65; 5. Canepa 48; 6. Massei 36; 7. Antonelli 35; 8. Baroni 33; etc. Manufacturers: 1. Ducati 115; 2. BMW 102; 3. Kawasaki 47; 4. Honda 43; 5. Yamaha 9.