Gordon Ritchie | June 10, 2018
2018 Czech Republic WorldSBK and WorldSSP Sunday Results—An astoundingly unpredictable second race at Brno saw Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) score his first ever WorldSBK race win, after a front-running show for much of the 18-lap race in hot conditions.
2018 Czech Republic WorldSBK Sunday Results
It’s been a long time coming for Alex Lowes in WorldSBK. He finally broke through for his first win in race two.
Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK) was second and unable to keep the final pace of Lowes. Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third, after many of the other top riders made surprise exits or errors.
The shock early sector of the race started off with some of the top names finding themselves in deep trouble. Jonathan Rea (KRT) fell before the race had got into its full swing, on lap three, losing the back and sliding off gently at turn 12, after what appeared to be contact between himself and his own teammate Tom Sykes, as they tussled for track position. Rea was unable to restart despite some frantic efforts.
Shortly afterwards Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) ran on into turn three and finally regained the track dead last.
Then it was Sykes’ turn to fall, as he lost his rear end in a lowside crash, restarting like Melandri, but sitting in 17th place, racing for that position with Melandri for a time.
Out front, the two Pata Yamaha machines of Alex Lowes and Michael van der Mark led the race, with Davies working his way to third.
Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) was fourth, nearly ten seconds down, with his team-mate Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia) fifth.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba Racing IT Ducati Junior Team) was sixth, one place up on Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team).
Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team Ducati) placed eighth and the top Kawasaki rider was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in ninth place. Román Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki) scored tenth, with Jake Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) 12th, just behind Loris Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team).
PJ Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team) was 13th.
Melandri got a point for 15th, but Sykes was 16th and no-scored like his team-mate Rea.
In the championship, Rea has 270 points, Davies 205 – now 65 behind – VDM has 196 and Sykes 179.
2018 Czech Republic WorldSBK Sunday Results
2018 Czech Republic WorldSBK and WorldSSP Sunday Results—Jules Cluzel (NRT Yamaha) won his third WorldSSP race of the season after an epic defense of his almost race-long lead from pole man Sandro Cortese (Kallio Racing Yamaha).
Cluzel (16) held on for another WorldSSP win in the Czech Republic.
A leading hardcore of four riders split from the rest early in the 16-lap WorldSSP contest, with three Yamahas and one MV battling it out for the three podium places.
It became a fight between Cluzel and Cortese, with eventual third placed man Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse by Vamag) dropped a little and fourth place finisher Lucas Mahias (GRT Yamaha Official WorldSSP Team) dropped a lot by half race distance.
A small squabble between the leading Yamahas allowed De Rosa back in, but in the last few laps, with the tires sliding, it was Cluzel v Cortese to the flag.
A few heavy moments, including a hit between the leaders, ended up with both of them escaping to fight to the line, with Cluzel the winner by 0.148 seconds.
“I expected he (Sandro) would try to fight and the last lap last I was really struggling with the rear grip. I just tried my best and I tried to close a little bit the door. When we hit I have a big mark on my leathers! It was funny because we both stayed on the bike and I think everybody enjoyed it.”
Randy Krummenacher (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha) was fifth, and not able to get into the leading group. Thomas Gradinger (NRT Yamaha) had a strong ride to sixth.
Anthony West (EAB antwest Racing Kawasaki) was top Kawasaki rider, in seventh place, but 20 seconds down on the winners. Kyle Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance) was eighth,
Top ESS rider was Finnish rider Eemeli Lahti (Sterkman Motorpsort by HRP Suzuki) in ninth, with Loris Cresson (Kallio Racing Yamaha) tenth.
Sheridan Morais (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was a non-finisher leaving top official Kawasaki rider Hikari Okubo (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) in 13th.
In the championship, Cortese leads Cluzel, 122 points to 120, with Krummenacher on 105, Mahias on 103 and De Rosa top MV runner on 83. No WorldSSP riders in Laguna Seca of course, so their next round will be at Misano on July 8.
2018 Czech Republic WorldSSP Sunday Results
