2014 WSBK – Misano Results
Mon, 23 Jun 2014
Kawasaki‘s Tom Sykes won both races at Misano to stretch his championship lead to 39 points as we pass the halfway mark of the 2014 World Superbike Championship.
The reigning champion scored his third double-win round of the season while his teammate Loris Baz added a pair of second-place finishes. David Salom on the Kawasaki’s factory EVO entry was also the top rider in the new sub-class for both races to top off a strong weekend for the Team Green.
Race OneRed Devils Roma Aprilia‘s Toni Elias took the holeshot in Race One but it was Sykes with a late pass to take the lead on the opening lap with Baz not far behind in third. Baz moved into second on the following lap as his teammate established a half-second cushion in front.
By the third lap, the two Kawasaki riders were well out in front, with Aprilia’s Marco Melandri and Sylvain Guintoli more than two-seconds behind in third.
With first and second growing farther and farther out of reach, the two Aprilia pilots battled each other for third while trying to fend off Ducati‘s Chaz Davies, Honda‘s Jonathan Rea and Elias.
After the full 21 laps, it was Sykes with the win with Baz in second while Melandri captured the final podium position.
2014 WSBK Misano Race One Top Five Results Pos. Rider Motorcycle Time 1 Tom Sykes Kawasaki ZX-10R - 2 Loris Baz Kawasaki ZX-10R +5.012 3 Marco Melandri Aprilia RSV4 Factory +6.417 4 Chaz Davies Ducati 1199 Panigale R +7.783 5 Sylvain Guintoli Aprilia RSV4 Factory +16.248 Race TwoThe second race began with Ducati’s Davide Giugliano taking an early lead. Unfortunately, he was ruled to have jumped the start and was assessed a ride-through penalty on the third lap. That handed the lead over to Sykes who ran remained well in front the rest of the race for the win.
The fight for second was a hard fought battle between Baz and Melandri who were separated by less than half a second for the entire race. The two riders swapped places a few times but time and again it was Baz regaining the advantage, eventually surviving the encounter to take second.
2014 WSBK Misano Race Two Top Five Results Pos. Rider Motorcycle Time 1 Tom Sykes Kawasaki ZX-10R - 2 Loris Baz Kawasaki ZX-10R +3.083 3 Marco Melandri Aprilia RSV4 Factory +3.413 4 Sylvain Guintoli Aprilia RSV4 Factory +5.092 5 Jonathan Rea Honda CBR1000RR +18.975 After Six RoundsWith the double, Sykes now has 20 WSBK wins in his career and a comfortable lead in the standings with 251 points. Guintoli remains in second but saw the deficit grow to 39 points from 13. While his teammate has drawn the attention, Baz has put together a solid campaign and now sits third overall after passing Rea in the standings. Melandri rounds out the top five.
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The 2014 WSBK Championship resumes July 6 at Portugal’s Portimao circuit followed
2014 WSBK Top Five Standings after Seven Rounds Pos. Rider Team Points 1 Tom Sykes Kawasaki 251 2 Sylvain Guintoli Aprilia 212 3 Loris Baz Kawasaki 210 4 Jonathan Rea Pata Honda 199 5 Marco Melandri Aprilia 179[Source: WSBK; Photos by Kawasaki, Pirelli and Getty Images]
By Dennis Chung
See also: 2014 AMA Superbike – Barber Results, 2015 Honda CB300F Gets CARB Approval, Ducati Holding Private Viewings of New Scrambler at World Ducati Week.