In the first race of the day, Jonathan Rea (Honda) took his fourth WSBK win of 2010, leading flag-to-flag from the front row.
The race was stopped on lap 16 following an accident involving Leon Haslam (Suzuki) and Troy Corser (BMW), with both riders unhurt and fit enough to continue racing. At the restart, pole sitter Max Biaggi (Aprilia) got away in front but was nudged to the outside of the first corner by Carlos Checa’s (Ducati) dive-bomber attempt to grab the lead.
As Checa collected himself in time to hold onto second, Biaggi dropped to eighth and spent the rest of the race reeling back the lead pack, ending up fourth, 0.7sec from a podium finish.
Future MotoGP Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow impressed again, passing both Haslam and Sykes to end up third, 10 seconds behind the winner after losing time passing some very tough riders.
Back at the front, Haga – a double Nürburgring winner in 2008 – passed fellow Ducati rider Carlos Checa on lap three, only to lose the front on lap 8, much to his frustration as he felt the bike was the quickest one on the track.
The second race did in fact prove him right, as he celebrated his first win in almost five months. It was not an easy ride for the Japanese, as Checa crashed battling him for the lead, and first-race-winner Jonathan Rea stuck right with him in the early part of the race, before fading back 3 seconds at the finish. Leon Haslam, bad knee and thumb from the Race 1 fall notwithstanding, came across the line a gallant third aboard his Suzuki, a mere 8sec behind the winner.
This was Haga’s second win of the season, his first since Valencia back in April and a far cry from his Championship run from last year.
Despite finishing behind Haslam, Biaggi still carries a 58 point advantage with only 100 points left to play for at Imola and Magny-Cours – a good day for Aprilia!
WSBK at the Nürburgring, Race No.1 - Results
Pos. Rider Team Bike Laps/Gap
1. Jonathan Rea Honda 20laps
2. Carlos Checa Ducati +1.126s
3. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha +10.006s
4. Max Biaggi Aprilia +10.716s
5. Tom Sykes Kawasaki +17.391s
6. Leon Haslam Suzuki +19.301s
7. Etc…
WSBK at the Nürburgring, Race No.2 - Results
Pos. Rider Team Bike Laps/Gap
1. Noriyuki Haga Xerox 20 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea Honda +3.061s
3. Leon Haslam Suzuki +8.060s
4. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha +8.457s
5. Max Biaggi Aprilia +9.392s
6. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki +9.556s
7. Etc…
2010 WSBK Standings – After 11 of 13 two-race rounds
Pos. Rider Team Points
1. Max Biaggi 397
2. Leon Haslam 339
3. Jonathan Rea 288
4. Carlos Checa 224
5. Cal Crutchlow 217
The race was stopped on lap 16 following an accident involving Leon Haslam (Suzuki) and Troy Corser (BMW), with both riders unhurt and fit enough to continue racing. At the restart, pole sitter Max Biaggi (Aprilia) got away in front but was nudged to the outside of the first corner by Carlos Checa’s (Ducati) dive-bomber attempt to grab the lead.
As Checa collected himself in time to hold onto second, Biaggi dropped to eighth and spent the rest of the race reeling back the lead pack, ending up fourth, 0.7sec from a podium finish.
Future MotoGP Yamaha rider Cal Crutchlow impressed again, passing both Haslam and Sykes to end up third, 10 seconds behind the winner after losing time passing some very tough riders.
Back at the front, Haga – a double Nürburgring winner in 2008 – passed fellow Ducati rider Carlos Checa on lap three, only to lose the front on lap 8, much to his frustration as he felt the bike was the quickest one on the track.
The second race did in fact prove him right, as he celebrated his first win in almost five months. It was not an easy ride for the Japanese, as Checa crashed battling him for the lead, and first-race-winner Jonathan Rea stuck right with him in the early part of the race, before fading back 3 seconds at the finish. Leon Haslam, bad knee and thumb from the Race 1 fall notwithstanding, came across the line a gallant third aboard his Suzuki, a mere 8sec behind the winner.
This was Haga’s second win of the season, his first since Valencia back in April and a far cry from his Championship run from last year.
Despite finishing behind Haslam, Biaggi still carries a 58 point advantage with only 100 points left to play for at Imola and Magny-Cours – a good day for Aprilia!
WSBK at the Nürburgring, Race No.1 - Results
Pos. Rider Team Bike Laps/Gap
1. Jonathan Rea Honda 20laps
2. Carlos Checa Ducati +1.126s
3. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha +10.006s
4. Max Biaggi Aprilia +10.716s
5. Tom Sykes Kawasaki +17.391s
6. Leon Haslam Suzuki +19.301s
7. Etc…
WSBK at the Nürburgring, Race No.2 - Results
Pos. Rider Team Bike Laps/Gap
1. Noriyuki Haga Xerox 20 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea Honda +3.061s
3. Leon Haslam Suzuki +8.060s
4. Cal Crutchlow Yamaha +8.457s
5. Max Biaggi Aprilia +9.392s
6. Sylvain Guintoli Suzuki +9.556s
7. Etc…
2010 WSBK Standings – After 11 of 13 two-race rounds
Pos. Rider Team Points
1. Max Biaggi 397
2. Leon Haslam 339
3. Jonathan Rea 288
4. Carlos Checa 224
5. Cal Crutchlow 217