RE: WSB Donington: PH2

RE: WSB Donington: PH2

Tuesday 26th May 2015

WSB Donington: PH2

Could the Brits lead the way at their home race?



Donington Park can claim to be the spiritual home of World Superbikes as the first ever round was held there, and sure enough the Brits made the most of home town advantage in qualifying. Somewhat expectedly, the Kawasaki pair were the pace setters with Sykes nipping pole from Rea with Giugliano in third followed by an all-Brit second row.

Yes, it's those Kawasakis out front again!
Yes, it's those Kawasakis out front again!
Race one and Sykes got the better start but Leon Haslam, who has done more laps of Donington than anyone else, crept past to take the lead with Rea making it past Sykes to take second spot. A few corner later Rea was in the lead with Davies in fourth spot turning up the wick on the Ducati to ensure the Kawasaki pair and the Aprilia weren't going to check out.

Mid-race and with Sykes now leading the way, the battle for the podium was down to the two Kawasaki riders and Haslam as Davies was dropping off the leading group. Although, that said, Haslam's Aprilia was also now a few metres behind the rapid green bikes who were busily knocking lumps out of each other!

Although Kawasaki's dominance in WSB is starting to get a little dull, at least the pair made it quite an entertaining race before Sykes broke Rea to take a clear win with Davies in third. Could Rea match his teammate's pace in race two?

Ryde (yellow) took a superb third place
Ryde (yellow) took a superb third place
With Sykes making the most of his pole position, it was once again down to Haslam and Rea to attempt to cut his advantage in the opening laps. Sadly for Rea, a mistake ruled him out of the chase as he slipped to seventh while at the front Sykes started to set lap records.

A slightly uneventful race saw Sykes take an unchallenged race win with Rea making up for his error by finishing second and Davies beating Haslam to the final podium slot.

The supersport race saw a few Brit wildcards mixing it up with 17-year old Kyle Ryde impressing the most, running with the leaders for the first half of the race and eventually fending off Zanetti to finish a stunning third.


Results

Race 1:
1. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)
3. Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati SBK Team)

Race 2:
1. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)
3. Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati SBK Team)

Brit watch:

Leon Haslam (Aprilia) - 4, 4
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) - 2, 2
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) - 1, 1
Alex Lowes (Suzuki) - 6, 6
Chaz Davies (Ducati) - 3, 3
Leon Camier (MV Agusta) - 9, DNF
Gino Rea (Honda WSS) - 8
Kyle Smith (Honda WSS) - DNF

Previous rounds:
WSB Spain
WSB Thailand
WSB Assen
WSB Imola

Author
Discussion

smilo996

Original Poster:

2,754 posts

169 months

Monday 25th May 2015
quotequote all
You have to wonder what Dorna will do next to ruin motorcycle sport in the UK and elsewhere. Attendance on race day at Donington this year was similar to BSB.
That is also testiment to the great job BSB does, however.......

This against a backdrop of several British riders riding with different manufactuers and all intresting riders in their own right and filling the podium in different combinations.

Perhaps 120,000 at Brands is not possible again but 35,000 for the British WSBK round really.

The grab for money with BT, the Circuit of Wales and making media outlets pay for coverage seems to have taken it's toll. That is before the strange (not) influx of Spanish refugees from MotoGP last year and this. Time for the FIM or someone to step in and give Dorna their marching orders.

y2blade

56,029 posts

214 months

Monday 25th May 2015
quotequote all
WSB lost it's spark years ago.

I have this round from yesterday recorded on sky+, will prob end up deleting it or maybe watch it on fast forward.


Shame when you look back at how amazing WSB used to be.

Ahonen

5,015 posts

278 months

Tuesday 26th May 2015
quotequote all
y2blade said:
WSB lost it's spark years ago.

I have this round from yesterday recorded on sky+, will prob end up deleting it or maybe watch it on fast forward.


Shame when you look back at how amazing WSB used to be.
Yeah, I can't quite put my finger on what's happened to WSBK, but I used to watch it avidly in the Foggy, Edwards, Chili, Bayliss and Hodgson eras yet these days I can't generate the same enthusiasm. I'm glued to BSB, but WSBK doesn't flick my switch anymore despite the racing being good and the Brits handing out a good kicking to all and sundry (and I count Guintoli as one of us as he lives here and has a hilarious Leicester/French accent).