PHOTOGRAPHY BY GOLD & GOOSE
SEPANG, MALAYSIA, JULY 31—In a proverbial day of two halves a double World Superbike Champion Max Biaggi shone as brightly as the Malaysian morning sun to lead the field of 22 riders on the time sheets, the only one that would count, at least.
Aprilia Racing Team’s Max Biaggi once more had the advantage of testing a few days before the rest of the World Superbike field showed up to race, but at the 10th round he once again showed his skill and class to keep double Laguna Seca race winner, Aruba.it Racing Ducati’s Chaz Davies, in second place by .149 of a second in the dry opening session.
A wet but drying track in the second session ensured that nobody would improve on their morning times, meaning Kawasaki Racing Team’s Jonathan Rea was third fastest overall, with his teammate Tom Sykes one place behind.
Aprilia Racing Team Red Devils’ Leon Haslam placed fifth despite carrying a left shoulder injury with him from the previous round at Laguna Seca, while teammate Jordi Torres went sixth.
Voltcom Crescent Suzuki’s Alex Lowes was realistic about being seventh, as his teammate Randy De Puniet was eighth.
The two-by-two World Superbike rider and team formations continued in the first dry session of the weekend, with Pata Honda’s Sylvain Guintoli and Michael van der Mark completing the top 10.
In the afternoon damp conditions, drying towards the end, Davies was fastest, Lowes second, Haslam third and Leandro Mercado on the Barni Racing Team Ducati fourth.
2015 Sepang World Superbike
Day One Combined Times:
1. Max Biaggi (Aprilia) 2:04.823
2. Chaz Davies (Ducati) 2:04.972
3. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 2:05.382
4. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 2:05.491
5. Leon Haslam (Aprilia) 2:05.533
6. Jordi Torres (Aprilia) 2:05.623
7. Alex Lowes (Suzuki) 2:05.806
8. Randy De Puniet (Suzuki) 2:05.920
9. Sylvain Guintoli (Honda) 2:05.961
10. Michael van der Mark (Honda) 2:05.986
