WSBK: 2012 Misano Results – Video

Max Biaggi strengthened his hold on the 2012 World Superbike Championship lead with a pair of wins at Italy’s Misano circuit.

The Aprilia rider out-battled the Althea Ducati duo of Carlos Checa and Davide Giugliano to win Race One before taking a relatively easier Race Two victory.

Before the races, WSBK riders lined up on the starting grid to hold a banner expressing their support for the Emilia region in northern Italy which has been suffering from earthquakes and continuing aftershocks since late May. WSBK promoters Infront Motorsports announced an auction of racing memorabilia donated by racers to raise money for those directly affected by the disaster.

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Honda‘s Jonathan Rea was first through the opening corner getting quicker off the line than polesitter Tom Sykes of Kawasaki. Also getting a good start were Giugliano and the BMW team of Leon Haslam and Marco Melandri. Biaggi was sixth after the opening lap but began making his way through the leaders.

Rea led the first 16 laps before slowing down as his rear tire struggled for grip. Rea dropped back to fourth place on Lap 17 as Giugliano took over the lead with Biaggi and Checa behind him.

Giugliano held the lead for five laps but could not hold off the veterans Biaggi and Checa.  Biaggi was first across the finish, 0.305 seconds ahead of Checa with Giugliano four seconds back for third place.

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Sykes got off to a better start in Race Two, taking the early lead over Rea, Haslam and Biaggi. Giugliano was once again in contention early on while Checa was further back in the second group which included Melandri and Aprilia’s Eugene Laverty.

Melandri tried an inside pass of Checa on Lap 4 which seemed to catch the Ducati rider off-guard. The two made contact before Checa went down and crashed. On that same lap, Biaggi took over the lead with a pass on Sykes.

Biaggi would hold on to lead the rest of the race, winning by a margin of 5.355 seconds. Rea and Haslam battled for second with Rea coming out ahead by 0.376 seconds. Haslam completed the podium ahead of three other BMW riders, teammate Melandri and the BMW Motorrad Italia team of Aryton Badovini and Michel Fabrizio.

Biaggi leads all riders with 210.5 points. Rea, with a fifth- and a second-place finish, moves up to second overall with 172 points as Sykes drops down to third with 164.5 points. Melandri at 155.5 points and Checa with 150.5 round out the top five.

The 2012 World Superbike Championship continues July 1 at Spain’s Aragon circuit.

[Source: WSBK]

By Dennis Chung