Photography by Gold & Goose
Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes won the opening race World Superbike race at the Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli after starting from pole courtesy of his record breaking lap yesterday. Sykes took over the lead on the second lap and pulled away to a 5.012 second margin of victory over his teammate Loris Baz. Marco Melandri was third on the factory Aprilia.
At the start it was Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) taking the holeshot before reigning champion Tom Sykes forced his way past, diving underneath Elias in a high-speed kink. Both factory Aprilia riders made small mistakes before regrouping allowing Loris Baz through to give chase to his Kawasaki team mate.
Elias dropped further when he overshot a turn at the start of lap three.
As the race progressed the battle at the front was fast becoming an all Kawasaki affair with the fight for the final podium place now involving both Ducati riders as well as the two factory Aprilia machines, Elias and the Pata Honda of Jonathan Rea.
As the race entered the final third Sykes was pulling away from Baz by 2-10ths of second per lap, leaving the Frenchman a lonely second. The final podium fight was now between Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) and Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) with Melandri eventually grabbing 3rd at the flag.
Chaz Davies, Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) and Jonathan Rea completed the top six.
David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) came out on top in the EVO battle after working his way through the pack after being caught mid pack in the opening sequence of corners eventually finishing a respectable 11th overall.
Alessandro Andreozzi (Team Pedercini Kawasaki) and Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) crashed out unhurt. Both the EBR machines of Americans Aaron Yates and Geoff May retired early.
Sykes pushed his lead in the series to 27 points over Guintoli. Baz moved past Rea into third.
World Superbike Race 1 Results from Misano – June 22, 2014
1. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R 21 laps
2. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +5.012s
3. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +6.417s
4. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R +7.783s
5. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +16.248s
6. Toni Elias ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +17.399s
7. Jonathan Rea GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR +21.162s
8. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati SBK 1199 Panigale R +26.393s
9. Eugene Laverty IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +26.842s
10. Leon Haslam GBR PATA Honda CBR1000RR +40.600s
11. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +42.064s (E)
12. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199 Panigale R +46.804s (E)
13. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC F4RR +48.909s
14. Ivan Goi ITA Barni Ducati 1199 Panigale R +50.429s (E)
15. Sylvain Barrier FRA BMW Italia S1000RR +52.452s (E)
16. Jeremy Guarnoni FRA MRS Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 02.476s (E)
17. Riccardo Russo ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 11.815s (E)
18. Bryan Staring AUS IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 23.649s (E)
19. Peter Sebestyen HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1 lap (E)
Ayrton Badovini ITA Bimota Alstare BB3 (E)
Christian Iddon GBR Bimota Alstare BB3 (E)
Ineligible to score points, removed from results (Badovini across the line 12th, Iddon 16th)
Not Classified
22. Sheridan Morais RSA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R 17 laps completed (E)
23. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 13 laps completed
24. Aaron Yates USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 10 laps completed
25. Fabien Foret FRA MAHI Kawasaki ZX-10R 9 laps completed (E)
26. Matteo Baiocco ITA Grandi Corse Ducati 1199 Panigale R 7 laps completed (E)
27. Alessandro Andreozzi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 5 laps completed (E)
28. Geoff May USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX 1 lap completed
Did Not Start
Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR
Michael Savary SUI Dream Team MV Agusta RC F4RR
