The weekend at Monza could just as easily have ended with two wins for American rider Ben Spies (Yamaha), but he ran out of fuel in the last corner of the last lap of the first race, finishing 6th rather than winning a hard-fought race. He went on to dominate Race 2.
There was plenty of action from the start of race 1, with a nasty accident in the first corner forcing officials to stop the race - no less than fiver riders were involved, including Max Neukirchner (Suzuki), who broke a leg in the mêlée.
On the restart, Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) took the lead and attempted to break away from the pack, which he partially accomplished before a clutch problem slowed him down. Superpole winner (5 for 5 so far in 2009!) Ben Spies then grabbed the lead, followed closely by Japanese riders Noryuki Haga (Ducati) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda).
Spies seemed to be headed for a sure win before he ran out of fuel less than 500 m. from the finish, handing Fabrizio his first WSBK win.
In race 2, Spies took off and left everyone for dead, building up an 8 sec. lead before easing up at the end and crossing the line 4 sec ahead of the truly beaten pack.
Championship leader Noriyuki Haga had a rough ride in race 2, taking the hole shot at the start but crossing the line after lap 1 in 15th place, after hitting a bird at high speed. Haga the put his head down and was fighting his way back before losing the front in the high-speed Parabolica on lap 3, escaping serious injury in that wild ride.
We later learned that Haga had lost all sensation in his right arm from the bird hit, causing him to lose his grip on the handlebars and fall three laps later.
Next up is the World Superbike is Kyalami, South Africa, on May 17.
WSBK - Monza Race 1 Results
1. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati 18 laps
2. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati +0.239s
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Honda +8.175s
4. Yukio Kagayama JPN Suzuki +11.001s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda +12.447s
6. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha +13.693s
7. .............
WSBK - Monza Race 2 Results
1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha 18 laps
2. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +2.665s
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Honda +2.810s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda +7.706s
5. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia RSV-4 +7.863s
6. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha YZF R1 +10.383s
7. ...............
WSBK Points Standings (after 5 of 14 events)
1. (1) Noriyuki Haga Ducati 200 points
2. (2) Ben Spies Yamaha 146
3. (4) Michel Fabrizio Ducati 125
4. (3) Leon Haslam Honda 103
5. (6) Tom Sykes Yamaha 90
6. (7) Max Biaggi Aprilia 81
7. ............
photo:Yamaha
There was plenty of action from the start of race 1, with a nasty accident in the first corner forcing officials to stop the race - no less than fiver riders were involved, including Max Neukirchner (Suzuki), who broke a leg in the mêlée.
On the restart, Michel Fabrizio (Ducati) took the lead and attempted to break away from the pack, which he partially accomplished before a clutch problem slowed him down. Superpole winner (5 for 5 so far in 2009!) Ben Spies then grabbed the lead, followed closely by Japanese riders Noryuki Haga (Ducati) and Ryuichi Kiyonari (Honda).
Spies seemed to be headed for a sure win before he ran out of fuel less than 500 m. from the finish, handing Fabrizio his first WSBK win.
In race 2, Spies took off and left everyone for dead, building up an 8 sec. lead before easing up at the end and crossing the line 4 sec ahead of the truly beaten pack.
Championship leader Noriyuki Haga had a rough ride in race 2, taking the hole shot at the start but crossing the line after lap 1 in 15th place, after hitting a bird at high speed. Haga the put his head down and was fighting his way back before losing the front in the high-speed Parabolica on lap 3, escaping serious injury in that wild ride.
We later learned that Haga had lost all sensation in his right arm from the bird hit, causing him to lose his grip on the handlebars and fall three laps later.
Next up is the World Superbike is Kyalami, South Africa, on May 17.
WSBK - Monza Race 1 Results
1. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati 18 laps
2. Noriyuki Haga JPN Ducati +0.239s
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Honda +8.175s
4. Yukio Kagayama JPN Suzuki +11.001s
5. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda +12.447s
6. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha +13.693s
7. .............
WSBK - Monza Race 2 Results
1. Ben Spies USA Yamaha 18 laps
2. Michel Fabrizio ITA Ducati +2.665s
3. Ryuichi Kiyonari JPN Honda +2.810s
4. Jonathan Rea GBR Honda +7.706s
5. Max Biaggi ITA Aprilia RSV-4 +7.863s
6. Tom Sykes GBR Yamaha YZF R1 +10.383s
7. ...............
WSBK Points Standings (after 5 of 14 events)
1. (1) Noriyuki Haga Ducati 200 points
2. (2) Ben Spies Yamaha 146
3. (4) Michel Fabrizio Ducati 125
4. (3) Leon Haslam Honda 103
5. (6) Tom Sykes Yamaha 90
6. (7) Max Biaggi Aprilia 81
7. ............
photo:Yamaha