Four attempts for the win
SUPERSPORT WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP
MONZA, ITALY
4 stage, 10 – 12 May 2013
Sunday, 12 May 2013
This weekend was held the 4th round of the World Superbike on Autodromo Nazionale Monza, the team Yakhnich Motorsport got on the top again - Sam Lowes had won this race.
On Friday Sam Lowes crashed during the QP1 and he had to sit in the box and wait for his bike as a result he got only 13 position that day. Next day he pulled together and took the pole position during the second qualification on last minutes before finish on the wet asphalt.
From Friday clarified 4 leaders – three on Kawasaki and one Yamaha (Sam Lowes). Truly, there were doubts of R6 as the circuit has a lot of straight lines. But everything depends from narrow chicanes which separate the circuit out three parts. In these chicanes Sam Lowes demonstrated his racing potential and overtake his competitors on late brakings after they have passed him on sleep-streams.
During the race in Monza the red flag appeared four times. The lap finished in few minutes after the start because of amount of crashes. For the first time all leaders of the race had fallen including Kenan Sofuoglu, Sam Lowes, Florian Marino and Lorenzo Zanetti because of the oil spot in the second chicane. Second time Polita crashed. The third red flag appeared immediately in the first chicane. Remarkably, all leaders of the race didn’t suffer (but exactly all leader were in crashes). The Race Direction decided to shorten laps for 10 and held the forth attempt after the 2nd Superbike race. Only Fabian Foret (MAHI Kawasaki Racing) and Michael Vd Mark (PATA Honda ) didn’t dice as they went on the check-up. Sam Lowes also visited the Medical Center after the crash to be sure his left wrist hadn’t injured.
For the fourth time the main heroes were 5 riders. Kenan Sofuoglu was the leader but on the 4 laps his front wheel licked away in the 8 turn. Rest laps Lowes led the way, but still Lowes, Marino, Zanetti and Russo alternated each other on the first position. But Lowes made an unimaginable attack and entering the 4th turn he overtake all three riders and than increased the advantage over rivals. However, the difference between Marino and Zanetti was only 0.9 sec, in TOP-5 got Riccardo Russo and Kev Coghlan.
For Vladimir Leonov this race was incredible as he could come to the finish on the 7 position started from 21. All red flags helped the team to find right setting for making Vladimir’s attacks more aggressive in brakings. Directly before the last restart mechanics changed front fork configuration to help him get more stabile on late breakings. Yamaha R6 made by Yakhnich Motorsport team found out more competitive.
Due to the fact that Sam has won the race in Assen now he is the leader of the WSBK in Supersport class, Fabian Foret left at 16 point and Michael Vd Mark – 21. The Raining Champion Kenan Sofuoglu after four races lags behind in 25 points. Vladimir Leonov took 13 position.
The next race will held in Donington Park (UK) on 26 May.