Sylvain Guintoli: “It’s been a great weekend for me and the team, as we managed to close the gap to the leader
Magny-Cours (France), Sunday 5 October 2014 – The penultimate round of the 2014 eni FIM Superbike World witnessed a change of momentum for the title race, which will be decided on November 2nd at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar. Thanks to a win and a second place in the two wet races at Magny-Cours, Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) narrowed the gap to leader Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) to just twelve points.
The 32 year old Frenchman was cheered on by a vocal and enthusiastic home crowd that numbered some 74,514 over the race weekend.
Marco Melandri, who was second and first in the two encounters, completed the perfect race meeting for Italian works manufacturer. The former 250cc World Champion showed great form once again by stepping atop the podium for the sixth time in twelve races. Sykes on the other hand did his best to contain the damage by finishing the two encounters in fourth place after claiming an impressive Pole Position in dry conditions the day before, when he took the outright fastest lap ever recorded at the circuit.
Two titles were decided today as Leandro ‘Tati’ Mercado grabbed the ultimate prize of the FIM Superstock 1000 Cup after a dramatic final race that saw his title rival Luca Savadori crash on the last lap, while Augusto Fernandez (WIL Sport) raised the Champion’s trophy for the 2014 Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda.
Sylvain Guintoli: “It’s been a great weekend for me and the team, as we managed to close the gap to the leader. As soon as I saw the weather forecast for today, I immediately thought there would have been a good chance to make some ground to Tom. I took some risks at the beginning but once I built a good lead I kept focused and tried to avoid any mistake, in order to get the best possible result. I’m very happy although I’m already thinking about the Qatari Round, as it will be the title decider. It’s a track I know quite well, I like it and I think it will suit the RSV4 well. I wish we were racing there tomorrow!”
Sykes -For race two we were also restricted by conditions. It was a big shame because we know I can go much, much faster…
Tom Sykes: “In race one that was the limit. I wanted to go faster but unfortunately we have had some limitations for some time in wet conditions and we cannot just quite get to where we need to be. For race two we were also restricted by conditions. It was a big shame because we know I can go much, much faster. Given the conditions these results are better than I expected, so there is one bonus. I wanted to fight with Sylvain and win the race but first I needed to finish the race. It could have been a lot worse but it could have been better. We are still in the best position in the championship so we need to go to Qatar and hopefully it lives up to its reputation as a desert and we will come out swinging.”
Race 1 Results: 1. Guintoli (Aprilia) 19 Laps/83.809 km in 36’45.206 average 136.818 kph; 2. Melandri (Aprilia) 2.257; 3. Rea (Honda) 5.954; 4. Sykes (Kawasaki) 15.670; 5. Baz (Kawasaki) 16.149; 6. Haslam (Honda) 29.411; 7. Giugliano (Ducati) 57.319; 8. Lanzi (Ducati) 59.306; 9. Neukirchner (Ducati) 1’12.274; 10. Barrier (BMW) 1’22.931; 11. Canepa (Ducati) 1’39.670; 12. Guarnoni (Kawasaki) 1’42.886; 13. Corti (MV Agusta) 2’03.253; 14. Staring (Kawasaki) 1 Lap; 15. Foret (Kawasaki) 1 Lap; 16. Salchaud (MV Agusta) 1 Lap; 17. Morais (Kawasaki) 2 Laps; 18. May (EBR) 2 Laps; 19. Laverty (Suzuki) 2 Laps; 20. Toth (BMW) 3 Laps; RT. Rizmayer (BMW); RT. Yates (EBR); RT. Fores (Ducati); RT. Andreozzi (Kawasaki); RT. Elias (Aprilia); RT. Lowes (Suzuki); RT. Davies (Ducati).
Race 2 Results: 1. Melandri (Aprilia) 19 Laps/83.809 km in 36’25.402 average 138.058 kph; 2. Guintoli (Aprilia) 2.669; 3. Haslam (Honda) 16.450; 4. Sykes (Kawasaki) 20.759; 5. Lanzi (Ducati) 46.689; 6. Neukirchner (Ducati) 58.490; 7. Baz (Kawasaki) 1’03.100; 8. Corti (MV Agusta) 1’24.699; 9. Davies (Ducati) 1’27.899; 10. Canepa (Ducati) 1’51.706; 11. Foret (Kawasaki) 1 Lap; 12. Rizmayer (BMW) 2 Laps; 13. Toth (BMW) 2 Laps; RT. Staring (Kawasaki); RT. Laverty (Suzuki); RT. Fores (Ducati); RT. Guarnoni (Kawasaki); RT. Rea (Honda); RT. Barrier (BMW); RT. Morais (Kawasaki); RT. Giugliano (Ducati); RT. May (EBR); RT. Lowes (Suzuki); RT. Yates (EBR); RT. Elias (Aprilia); RT. Salchaud (MV Agusta); NS. Andreozzi (Kawasaki).
Standings (Round 11 of 12): 1. Sykes 378; 2. Guintoli 366; 3. Melandri 312; 4. Rea 301; 5. Baz 282; 6. Davies 195; 7. Haslam 176; 8. Giugliano 162; 9. Laverty 154; 10. Elias 151; 11. Lowes 126; 12. Salom 95; 13. Canepa 65; 14. Guarnoni 45; 15. Barrier 38; 16. Camier 37; 17. Corti 25; 18. Morais 24; 19. Andreozzi 21; 20. Foret 20; 21. Lanzi 19; 22. Neukirchner 17; 23. Scassa 16; 24. Staring 14; 25. Rizmayer 7; 26. Allerton 6; 27. Bos 5; 28. Toth 5; 29. Goi 5; 30. Russo 5; 31. Pegram 2; 32. Fabrizio 2; 33. Lanusse 1. Manufacturers: 1. Aprilia 418; 2. Kawasaki 395; 3. Honda 317; 4. Ducati 269; 5. Suzuki 220; 6. BMW 79; 7. MV Agusta 32; 8. EBR 2.
Superstock 1000
Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) has become the 2014 FIM Superstock 1000 Cup winner after finishing 4th in today’s final race at Magny-Cours. Leading from lap one it was his arch rival Lorenzo Savadori (Team Pedercini) who led, the Italian looking odds on to finish 2nd in the race and steal the crown until he crashed spectacularly on the final lap. Matthieu Lussiana (Team Garnier by ASPI) claimed his first ever race victory in front of a delighted partisan crowd. Romain Lanusse (Team Pedercini) made it French 1-2 while Jed Metcher (EAB Racing) completed the podium.
Meracdo finished 4th, ahead of Federico Sandi (Team Motoxracing) and a despondent Savadori who completed the top 6.
Results: 1. Lussiana (Kawasaki) 15 Laps/66.165 km in 30’10.266 average 131.580 kph; 2. Lanusse (Kawasaki) 7.926; 3. Metcher (Ducati) 18.507; 4. Mercado (Ducati) 20.631; 5. Sandi (BMW) 24.999; 6. Savadori (Kawasaki) 26.176; 7. Egea (Kawasaki) 37.830; 8. Valk (Kawasaki) 42.062; 9. McFadden (Kawasaki) 43.495; 10. D’Annunzio (BMW) 1’07.763; 11. Suchet (Kawasaki) 1’16.631; 12. Ayer (Kawasaki) 1’17.032; 13. Alviz (Kawasaki) 1’20.920; 14. Maurin (Kawasaki) 1’25.755; 15. Moser (Ducati); etc.
Final Standings: 1. Mercado 117; 2. Savadori 109; 3. Lussiana 84; 4. Lanusse 73; 5. McFadden 70; 6. Jezek 69; 7. Massei 67; 8. Smith 55; 9. Valk 52; 10. D’Annunzio 45; 11. Day 42; 12. Nemeth 28; 13. Muresan 21; 14. Suchet 18; 15. Metcher 16; 16. Sandi 16; 17. Bergman 13; 18. Egea 11; 19. Grotzkyj G. 10; 20. Pagaud 10; 21. Alviz 9; 22. Alarcos 8; 23. Schacht 8; 24. Castellarin 7; 25. Walraven 6; 26. Ayer 5; 27. Calia 4; 28. Moser 4; 29. Maurin 2; 30. Butti 1. Manufacturers: 1. Kawasaki 149; 2. Ducati 141; 3. Honda 71; 4. BMW 57; 5. Suzuki 6; 6. Aprilia 4.
European Junior Cup
Augusto Fernandez (WIL Sport) has clinched the 2014 Pata European Junior Cup, powered by Honda title after an intense 10 lap race at Magny-Cours, held under wet conditions. The young Spaniard, who had to finish the race in the top-15, was third at the flag behind race winner Javier Orellana (Europ Food SL) and wildcard Dorian Laville (Team Laville Mi&Do). Thanks to today’s win, Orellana sealed the runner-up spot.
Results: 1. Orellana 10 Laps/44.110 km in 24’40.793 average 107.237 kph; 2. Laville 3.256; 3. Fernandez 5.117; 4. Van Sikkelerus 8.484; 5. Van Der Valk 10.089; 6. Ortt 24.928; 7. Gouget 38.539; 8. Soomer 1’08.807; 9. Karsijns 1’41.750; 10. Wisdom 1’43.240; etc.
Final Standings: 1. Fernandez 155; 2. Orellana 140; 3. Licciardi 84; 4. Fernandez 83; 5. Harland 72; 6. Perez 66; 7. Miralles 62; 8. Soomer 57; 9. Hubner 51; 10. Van Sikkelerus 48; 11. Grassia 35; 12. London 33; 13. Wisdom 32; 14. Ortt 21; 15. Geissler 21; 16. Laville 20; 17. Ciprietti 20; 18. Hill 20; 19. Brink 13; 20. Van Der Valk 11; 21. Gouget 9; 22. Lujan Soto 9; 23. Wilford 8; 24. Karsijns 7; 25. Gabellini 7; 26. Moreno 5; 27. Drayton 4; 28. Zhu 4; 29. Miebach 3; 30. Bezuidenhout 3; 31. Epis 3; 32. Van Schoonhoven 3; 33. Somosi 3; 34. Ferreira 3; 35. Patterson 2; 36. Levy 2.
