An unexpected turn of events saw Max Biaggi reclaim top spot in the 2012 eni Superbike World Championship standings from fellow Italian Marco Melandri at Nurburgring overnight.
In conditions that were ideal for racing, the normally reliable Melandri (BMW) crashed out of strong positions in both 20-lap races, while Biaggi (Aprilia) scored a strong win in the opener before he too tumbled out of race two -- won in resounding fashion by Welsh rookie Chaz Davies (Aprilia).
However, Biaggi did manage to remount and salvage a few points in 13th position, and will now take a 9.5pt lead over Melandri into the penultimate round at Portimao in Portugal on September 23.
And if the leading duo slip up in Portugal, Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes is lurking, now just 17pts behind Melandri after two strong finishes (4-5) at Nurburgring.
After a brilliant second half of the year which saw him finally move ahead of Biaggi at the last round in Moscow, Melandri came back to earth with a resounding thud in Germany.
“Today was my first time getting a double zero (in WSBK),” said Melandri. “I am very disappointed for the team that is working so hard. In race one I struggled a lot with the rear grip and was losing a lot compared to the guys in front of me, so I was trying to catch them in braking.
“I was braking very hard every time but in corner eight I took a bump and just lost the front. I don’t know what caused my crash in race two yet. I was on the straight and lost the front. That was strange. Now I will recharge my batteries and fight back in Portugal.”
As is the pattern in so many WSBK events, the fast-starting Sykes again led early in both races at Nurburgring – he has been in front for 160 laps so far this season, streets ahead of second-placed Carlos Checa on 69 – before polesitter Biaggi made his way past en route to his fifth win of the year. By that time, both Jonathan Rea (Honda) and Melandri were already out of proceedings.
Eugene Laverty and Davies eventually made it a trifecta for Aprilia, followed by Sykes and the hard-charging Leon Camier (Suzuki), who had to start from last position on the grid (22) after a technical problem forced him into the pits before the race.
Camier’s strong pace was eventually rewarded with a third place in race two behind Davies and Laverty.
For Davies, it was the perfect day, with his first WSBK win coming as BMW Motorrad also announced that he will be joining Melandri in the marque’s 2013 factory team.
Rea was fourth in race two, with Sykes just edging out reigning world champion Checa (Ducati) for fifth.
WORLD SUPERSPORT
Australia’s Broc Parkes (Honda) was fourth, unable to maintain the pace set by leading trio Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki), Jules Cluzel (Honda) and Fabien Foret (Kawasaki). The second Australian, Jed Metcher, was 15th on his Yamaha.
“I got a good start and went with the front two but I was trying like hell to stay with them,” said Parkes.
“They had a lot more punch off the corners and eventually I couldn’t stay with them. It was just disappointing because I went slowly backwards and ended up fifth, trying to push myself to my own limits to see what we could make out of the situation. Sam Lowes crashed, which put me up a spot, but I want to be back in the battle for the podium,” he added.
Sofuoglu now leads the championship by 38pts over Cluzel with two rounds remaining, while Parkes remains in fifth, 19pts behind Sam Lowes (Honda).
FIM SUPERSTOCK 1000 CUP
Perth’s Bryan Staring (Kawasaki) title claims evaporated at Nurburgring when he crashed out of the lead on lap nine of 11. He had earlier started from pole position.
Sylvain Barrier (BMW) won from Kevin Coghlan (Ducati) and Markus Reiterberger (BMW).
In the championship, Eddi La Marra (Ducati) leads on 119pts from Barrier (113) and Staring (86).
NURBURGRING WORLD SUPERBIKE RESULTS
Race one: 20 laps
1 Max Biaggi, Italy, Aprilia
2 Eugene Laverty, Great Britain, Aprilia +3.027
3 Chaz Davies, Great Britain, Aprilia +3.127
4 Tom Sykes, Great Britain, Kawasaki +12.306
5 Leon Camier, Great Britain, Suzuki +14.131
6 Sylvain Guintoli, France, Ducati +19.523
7 Leon Haslam, Great Britain, BMW +27.017
8 Lorenzo Zanetti, Italy, Ducati +33.116
9 Ayrton Badovini, Italy, BMW +34.937
10 Hiroshi Aoyama, Japan, Honda +39.132
Fastest lap and new record: Biaggi – 1:55.267
Race two: 20 laps
1 Davies
2 Laverty +3.022
3 Camier +3.222
4 Jonathan Rea, Great Britain, Honda +5.705
5 Sykes +7.304
6 Checa +7.541
7 Davide Giugliano, Italy, Ducati +14.709
8 Loris Baz, France, Kawasaki +19.782
9 Badovini +19.925
10 Guintoli +20.028
Fastest lap: Checa – 1:56.148
CURRENT WORLD SUPERBIKE STANDINGS (AFTER 12 OF 14 ROUNDS):
1 Biaggi 318
2 Melandri 308.5
3 Sykes 291.5
4 Checa 247.5
5 Rea 225.5
6 Laverty 213.5
7 Haslam 189
8 Davies 156.5
9 Guintoli 143.5
10 Giugliano 125
Next round: Portimao, September 21-23
