World Superbike
Spoiler Alert:
2011 Misano World Superbike results below
Records were broken Sunday at 2011 Misano, round 6 of 13 in the 2011 World Superbike Championship.
And the man who broke these records is no surprise – Althea Ducati’s Carlo Checa. The Spaniard followed up his double win at Miller Motorsports Park with another double at Misano. Checa now has won eight races this year, and now has 245 points in the World Superbike Championship, 72 ahead of the reigning WSBK Champion, Alitalia Aprilia’s Max Biaggi.
Joining Checa on the WSBK podium in race 1 at Misano was Biaggi and Yamaha’s Marco Melandri, respectively. In race 2, it was Biaggi again and Pata Aprilia’s Noriyuki Haga.
Starting WSBK Race 1 in second behind pole-sitter Tom Sykes on the Kawasaki ZX-10R, Checa got shuffled back to fourth behind Biaggi, BMW Motorrad’s Leon Haslam and Sykes. Checa got into second within a few laps, and began chasing down Biaggi, setting the fastest lap of the overall race (1:36.660). By lap 11, Checa took the Superbike lead, eventually winning 0.9 of a second over Biaggi, and 17.1 seconds ahead of Melandri.
In the second WSBK Misano race, Checa tool lead after two laps, and by the ninth lap had a one-second advantage over Biaggi. The race was red-flagged due to a crash by Melandri, which left a bunch of oil on the track.
Upon restarting the World Superbike race, Checa began from the pole, a immediately found a great rhythm; en route to the win, he posted a 1L36.520, which became the new lap record at Misano. He would finish 1.4 seconds ahead of Biaggi, with Haga taking third.
Besides having the huge advantage in the 2011 World Superbike Championship, Ducati also leads the manufacturer’s championship with 252 points; Aprilia is in second with 212.
As for misfortunes, Castrol Honda’s Jonathan Rea broke his arm during the warm-up lap crash aboard the CBR1000RR.
Carlos Checa (Althea Ducati 1198R) says: "What a great result today! In the first race, I didn’t make a great start, losing some ground through the first corners. Max was strong at the start and it wasn’t easy to pass him but once in front, I was able to find good rhythm and build a small advantage. I’m extremely satisfied also because the tire began to slide in the final laps and it was very hot today.
"We changed tire for race 2 and it seems we made the right decision. Max was strong again in race 2 and both he and I had a strong pace, stronger than the other riders, but I perhaps had an extra couple of tenths over him. When I took the lead I managed the race well and took the second win of the day.
"We knew that Misano could be favorable to us, after results during testing here in May, but I didn’t expect the double win. Fantastic, and perhaps even more important that the Miller wins because we knew we could do well there while here it was far from easy and so even more special."
As for misfortunes, Castrol Honda’s Jonathan Rea broke his arm during the warm-up lap crash aboard the CBR1000RR.
2011 Misano World Superbike Results: Race 1
1. Checa (ESP-Ducati)
2. Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia)
3. Melandri (ITA-Yamaha)
4. Sykes (GBR-Kawasaki)
5. Laverty (IRL-Yamaha)
6. Camier (GBR-Aprilia)
7. Guintoli (FRA-Ducati)
8. Badovini (ITA-BMW)
9. Lascorz (ESP-Kawasaki)
10. Berger (FRA-Ducati)
2011 Misano World Superbike Results: Race 2
1. Checa (ESP-Ducati)
2. Biaggi (ITA-Aprilia)
3. Haga (JPN-Aprilia)
4. Badovini (ITA-BMW)
5. Haslam (GBR-BMW)
6. Michel Fabrizio (ITA-Alstare Suzuki)
7. Guintoli (FRA-Ducati)
8. Xaus (ESP-Honda)
9. Lascorz (ESP-Kawasaki)
10. Vermeulen (AUS-Kawasaki)
2011 World Superbike Point Standings (after 6 of 13)
1. Checa 245
2. Biaggi 173
3. Melandri 150
4. Laverty 123
5. Haslam 106
6. Camier 101
7. Michel Fabrizio 95
8. Rea 94
9. Smrz 83
10. Guintoli and Badovini 72
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