Marco Melandri Charges Hard to Jerez WSBK Race 1 Win

Photography by Gold & Goose

Marco Melandri had an up and down race at Jerez, in race one of the World Superbike event at Jerez. Fortunately for the Italian he was up when it counted. He made a brilliant charge after slipping early in the race and got past his teammate Sylvain Guintoli late to win his fourth race of the season. Chaz Davies took third on the factory Ducati, his fourth podium of the season.

At the green flag the Aprilias of Melandri and Guintoli led into turn one, but it was Loris Baz and Alex Lowes moved up into second and third, behind Guintoli, a few turns into the start. Melandri fell through the field, getting shoved back from first to sixth in just two laps.

On the fifth lap Baz moved past his countryman Guintoli to take over the lead for the first time.

The ever loose Davide Giugliano charged up to put his Ducati to third bringing teammate Chaz Davies with him.

Guintoli never let up and stayed right with Baz turn to turn until on  lap nine he took back the lead with an inside braking move.

Kawasaki EVO rider Bryan Staring went out with a crash on lap 10.

Halfway through the race and it was Guintoli battling Baz up front. Melandri pushed his way back up to third over Giugliano and Davies rounded out the lead pack. The big story was series leader Tom Sykes struggling back in seventh and battling with Leon Haslam.

On lap 12 Giugliano loose riding finally bit him. He crashed the Ducati with a lowside in a right hander.

Lowes crashed in turn one on lap 14, but that was overshadowed immediately by Baz crashing out of third just as Melandri past him. It appeared that the front brake lever of Baz’ Kawasaki hit Melandri’s rear tire.

Now it was the Aprilia again running one and two and Melandri was charging on Guintoli. The two by now had pulled clear of the rest of the field. With three laps to go Melandri took over the lead, a great comeback after getting shuffled back early in the race.

American Aaron Yates crashed out of a decent 19^th-place with a couple of laps to go.

In the closing laps Melandri pulled clear of Guintoli, denying his teammate valuable points to close in on Sykes in the championship chase. The margin of victory at the flag was 1.397 Davies took third. Jonathan Rea put on a strong performance for fourth, ahead of world champ Sykes.

Guintoli gained nine points on Sykes in the championship and the gap after race one was 35 points.

World Superbike Race 1 Results from Jerez – Sept. 7, 2014