Big weekend, contradictory emotions
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
SILVERSTONE, ENGLAND
9 Round, 2-4 August 2013
Sunday, 4 August
The race in Silverstone was too hard for the team Yakhnich Motorsport because of strong feelings for her riders: Sam Lowes, Vladimir Leonov (WSS) and Dakota Mamola (STK-600). All riders proved they could achieve good results and realized their potential. This weekend was two races of the STK-600 class.
During morning warm-up Vladimir Leonov reached the time 2’10 and finished the session on the 12th position, the place on which he could started the race but for the technical problems on Saturday. Vladimir got the good start and on the 3rd lap he reached the Italian rider Lorenzo Zanetti. They both rose on 4 positions. In the last lap Leonov overtook Zanetti and finished on the 10th positions holding his own record (2'09.565). In the Supersport World Championship standings he takes 10 place.
Vladimir Leonov: «Today i really enjoyed the race, it was perfect! After the Saturday we found wright settings which helped me to attack».
Meanwhile Sam Lowes and Kenan Sofuoglu struggled for the championship branch. 14 laps to 16 Sam and Kenan played the hopeful game. Sam controlled the Turkish rider to strike the wright blow as in Assen. In the entrance to the slow chicane «Arena» which unites Village Corner and The Loop Sam turned out on the outside trajectory before Sofuoglu. Lowes decided to enter the narrow left hairpin and at the same time Turkish rider wedged between Sam and kerb. He hited Sam into the leg after that the Yakhnich Motorsport rider lost the balance.
Both riders were on the brink and they didn’t observe “clean” trajectories but Sofuoglu understood that there would be a contact in his manoeuvre.
Sam managed to stamp the clutch and avoid blocking the engine. Raising the Yamaha he rushed to the finish and got the second place. However, after the race the Yakhnich Motorsport manager applied to the Race Directorate with the protest against the Mahi Racing Team India ridre's behavior.
Sam Lowes: «The race was almost won and I prepared the attack to complete the combination. But I didn't expected Kenan to make such maneuver! He did purposely. It’s wrong and shouldn’t happen again”.
Taking up the official complaint from the Russian team the Directorate didn’t find infringements in Sofuoglu’s actions and approved race results.
Claudio Corsetti, the General manager: «Of course, Sam is happy that he could finish this race with such good result but Kenan's behavior discouraged. Sam is sure that it was planed as he attacked when Sam couldn’t see him. To ride aggressively and what we saw today – two different things”.
The next round of the World Superbike will be held in Nurburgring GP-Strecke. For today Sam Lowes is the leader of the Championship saving 29 point advantage over Sofuoglu. Kenan’s teammate Fabien Foret is on the third position in general standings.