This weekend’s World Superbike round at Monza will probably go down in history and it won’t be for the 25th anniversary of the series, but rather to the capricious weather and the tires.
After race 1 was finally cancelled for safety reasons, race 2 was further delayed as the Italian circuit presented itself once again dry with several wet patches and the rider again were unhappy with the conditions and unsure whether to race with the tires that Pirelli had specifically brought for this round.
The organizers mediated the situation, have decided that the race was dry, but shortened it to 16 laps, but leaving the final decision to race to the riders after they completed two warm-up laps.
Once they returned to the grid Marco Melandri, Max Biaggi and Carlos Checa halted the start again, unsatisfied with the conditions of the Ascari and Parabolica while other riders stated that they could race, if they were careful.
Infront’s Paolo Ciabatti was to say the least upset (as were the booing fans) and proceeded to do a head count of who wanted to race and who didn’t, and with the yays outwaying the nays, another warm-up lap was decided telling those who were contrary that the race take place, could withdraw.
At the end everyone lined up on the grid, minus pole sitter Sylvain Guintoli and Michel Fabrizio, who both suffered technical issues on their Ducati’s and David Salom who suffered a broken shoulder during his race 1 crash and John Hopkins who has a suspected foot injury.
Tom Sykes immediately took the lead and ran away leaving the BMW and Aprilia factory riders to dice it out until the 8th lap when the race was red flagged due to rain.
The Kawasaki rider who had had a nine second margin over the rest of the field was awarded the victory and half points, 12.
5 instead of 25.
Leon Haslam took the second spot on the podium with Eugene Laverty in third, making it almost an entire British podium, even if Laverty is from North Ireland.
WSBK Monza Race 2 results:01- Tom Sykes – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – 8 laps in 14’08.
80002- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 9.
70903- Eugene Laverty – Aprilia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 10.
11904- Marco Melandri – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 10.
29405- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 10.
52706- Jonathan Rea – Honda World Superbike Team – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 10.
63807- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 10.
89908- Davide Giugliano – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 12.
19509- Jakub Smrz – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 13.
19910- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet – BMW S1000RR – + 19.
37211- Hiroshi Aoyama – Honda World Superbike Team – Honda CBR 1000RR – + 24.
55112- Chaz Davies – ParkinGO MTC Racing – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 24.
65513- Maxime Berger – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 24.
66214- Lorenzo Zanetti – PATA Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 24.
66815- Leon Camier – Crescent FIXI Suzuki – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 24.
81016- Leandro Mercado – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 24.
93517- Niccolò Canepa – Red Devils Roma – Ducati 1198 – + 25.
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