2011 World Supersport
After a stellar season that saw Chaz Davies take seven podiums of which an impressive five race wins from the 11 races completed, the Welshman powered his Yamaha YZF-R6 to the chequered flag Sunday in Magny Cours, the penultimate round of the season, to prematurely claim the 2011 World Supersport Championship title.
Davies encountered a tough race today at the French formula one style circuit but with a comfortable 35 point advantage, the Welshman just needed to cross the line in sixth place, ahead of his closest adversary Fabien Foret, to claim the well-deserved title.
Teammate Luca Scassa was determined to celebrate the occasion with a race win of his own. The Italian was on flying form, storming his R6 to the finish line, delivering a spectacular victory, his third of the 2011 season.
Sunday marks the maiden Championship title of Davies’ professional racing career, an outstanding achievement he has reached prior to the grand finale in Portimao on 16th October. Chaz Davies’ career highlight to date was achieved in 2008 on winning the prestigious Daytona 200 race.
Davies has been unbeatable throughout this season on his powerful YZF-R6 machine, the same R6 that has already delivered a Championship title just two years ago. After a year’s absence, the 2009 championship winning Yamaha YZF-R6 made a sudden and stunning return to the World Superbike paddock with the Yamaha ParkinGO Team at the beginning of the 2011 season.
Giuliano Rovelli’s Yamaha ParkinGO team participated in the 2010 World Supersport championship with Chaz Davies but chose to make a late change of manufacturer at the beginning of this season after being contacted by Yamaha Motor Europe, selecting the Yamaha YZF-R6 as the weapon of choice following its 2009 success at the hands of MotoGP Rookie Cal Cutchlow.
Following Crutchlow’s similar success just two years, where the Brit scored ten pole position starts, ten podiums and five race wins, the winning YZF-R6 returned and proved it’s true potential once again as the most unbeatable and competitive machine on the grid.
Chaz Davies successfully claimed the title with a 37 point advantage over Foret in second place. Luca Scassa’s perfect victory today saw the Italian gain a valuable 25 points. Scassa is in fifth place in the standings, just 15 short of Parkes in third and 23 behind Foret in second.
With Sunday’s impressive results, Yamaha are topping the manufacturer’s championship with a significant 12 point lead, having won an impressive eight out of the eleven races to date, with one race to go and 25 points still up for grabs at the final round of the season in Portimao. The Yamaha ParkinGO team have also secured the top place in the Team Standings with a substantial lead and cannot be surpassed by another team.
Chaz Davies (Yamaha YZF-R6) says: "It’s been an amazing season and it has taken me 15 long years to get me where I am now. There are so many emotions hitting me all at once, I’ve worked towards this all my life and I still believe I am now in this position. I can’t thank my team and Yamaha enough for all their effort. I certainly didn’t think at the beginning of the year that I’d be here now, taking the championship title. My family and my girlfriend have been behind me all the way and I owe them so much. Thanks to everyone who helped make this magical moment happen."
Luca Scassa (Yamaha YZF-R6) says: "It’s very important for me to finish the race as best I can. I’m really happy with today’s results but I’m particularly pleased with what I’ve learned all year. I hope to be able to prove this again in Portimao and conclude the season in the best possible way. I just want to go fast again and it feels great to be back winning."
Giuliano Rovelli (Yamaha ParkinGO Team Owner) says: "When I started in 2007 with Lucio Nicastro with did a test in Cartagena and we had just the basic elements; spanner and screw drivers. I can’t believe we are now World Champions after such a short amount of time! I want to express a sincere thanks to all the team, who has worked very hard all year, to Yamaha for the winning package and support, to my staff at ParkinGO and Oasi Handling.
"With the right mentality and professionalism, one step at a time, you can reach your goals. Thanks to Luca Scassa for another spectacular victory today and to Chaz Davies; a rider that truly deserves this title, a fantastic person and a friend, a true champion in every sense of the word!"
Laurens Klein Koerkamp (Yamaha Motor Europe Racing Manager) says: "I’m very proud we have achieved this fantastic result after winning in 2009 with the R6, not entering in 2010 and then returning and immediately dominating again this season. One of the main reasons to race in product model classes is to promote the model we sell in dealership; with these results I think yet again we have proved the R6 to be the leading bike in the 600 supersports class.
"I want to thanks Chaz, Giuliano and all the Yamaha ParkinGO team for all their hard work this season. Also a special thanks to two of Yamaha Motor Europe’s supporting staff members Marcus Eschenbacher and Torleif Hartelman, who have been essential in reaching the title."
2011 Magny-Cours World Supersport Results:
1.   Luca Scassa   Yamaha   ITA   37’48.052
2.   Sam Lowes   Honda   GBR   0’01.582
3.   Broc Parkes   Kawasaki   AUS   0’01.749
4.   David Salom   Kawasaki   ESP   0’01.826
5.   James Ellison   Honda   GBR   0’02.384
6.   Chaz Davies   Yamaha   GBR   0’05.212
7.   Roberto Tamburini   Yamaha   ITA   0’09.755
8.   Fabien Foret   Honda   FRA   0’11.268
9. Florian Marino   Honda   FRA   0’18.290
10.   Ronan Quarmby   Triumph   RSA   0’26.735
11.   Balazs Nemeth   Honda   HUN   0’38.714
12.   Vittorio Iannuzzo   Kawasaki   ITA   0’39.412
13.   Miguel Praia   Honda   POR   0’39.711
14.   Alexander Lundh   Honda   SWE   0’39.927
15.  Louis Bulle   Yamaha   FRA   0’42.537
2011 World Supersport Point Standings:
1.   Chaz Davies   Yamaha   GBR   181
2.   Fabien Foret   Honda   FRA   144
3.   Broc Parkes   Kawasaki   AUS   136
4.   David Salom   Kawasaki   ESP   136
5.   Sam Lowes   Honda   GBR   129
6.   Luca Scassa   Yamaha   ITA   121
7.   James Ellison   Honda   GBR   83
8.   Florian Marino   Honda   FRA   78
9.   Roberto Tamburini   Yamaha   ITA   70
10.   Gino Rea   Honda   GBR   67
11.   Massimo Roccoli   Kawasaki   ITA   62
12.   Robbin Harms   Honda   DNK   59
13.   Miguel Praia   Honda   POR   43
14.   Vittorio Iannuzzo   Kawasaki   ITA   39
15.   Balazs Nemeth   Honda   HUN   36
