Gordon Ritchie | August 20, 2017
WorldSBK: Double Delight for Davies and Ducati
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) overcame a third row grid position to pass even championship leader Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and early leader Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to win his second Lausitzring race in 24 hours.
Davies, well over two seconds up on the chasing Rea after 21 laps, closed up ground to Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) in the championship race, as his fellow third row starter Sykes finished fourth, and 14 seconds down, on his main rival for what appears to be second place now – barring disaster for Rea, who grew his overall championship lead ahead of Sykes once more.
Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) made a strong finish for fifth, winning fight between Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team).
Markus Reiterberger (Van Zon Remeha BMW) was ninth and Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) won a battle with Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) for tenth.
In the championship, Rea has 381 points, Sykes 311 and Davies 276.
WorldSSP: Morias Wins a Chaotic Race in Germany
A red flag near the end of the WorldSSP race ensured that the win would go to first time WorldSSP victor and Saturday Superpole man, Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha).
A late pass from Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) on Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) saw the Italian rider run out wide, try to get back on line and fall, his bike coming across the circuit to take out his team-mate Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team).
The red flag came out to stop the race and the result was taken back one lap, which placed long time race leader Sheridan Morais (Kallio Race System Yamaha) as the race winner, from Sofuoglu and Mahias.
Caricasulo did not get back to pitlane with his bike in enough time to be classed a finisher, and he was taken to the medical centre for checks.
Jules Cluzel (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda), part of a five-man leading group, was finally ranked fourth, some eight seconds ahead of the fifth-place rider Niki Tuuli (Kallio Race System Yamaha).
Lorenzo Zanetti (Team Factory Vamag MV Agusta) was sixth and Kyle Smith (GEMAR Balloons – Team Lorini Honda) seventh.
Aussie rider Anthony West (EAB West Racing Yamaha) was a popular eighth on his self-entered Yamaha.
In the championship, Mahias has 121 points, Sofuoglu 120 and Morais 101.
Patrick Jacobsen (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Gino Rea (Team GO ELEVEN Kawasaki) retired.