For the first time this season, Aruba.it Racing Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista has lost the points lead in the 2019 World Superbike Championship.During round eight of 13 in WorldSBK at the UK’s Donington Park, the home hero – Jonathan Rea – piloted his Kawasaki Racing ZX-10RR to a triple victory, claiming both races and the Superpole sprint race win.
This was Rea’s fifth race win this season, and his second-straight double round victory. Rea has also finished on the podium at every race except for race one at Jerez.Kawasaki’s Jonathan ReaHis four-time World Superbike Champion performance in Donington allowed him to take over the points lead ahead of Bautista, who crashed out of race one and finished third in race two.As the series heads directly to Laguna Seca WeatherTech Raceway Laguna Seca this weekend, Rea has 376 points, 24 points ahead of Bautista. The next closest rider to Rea is Pata Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark, who is 170 points behind the leader.Joining Rea on the race-one podium were two other British riders – BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team’s Tom Sykes (-11.348 minutes) and Kawasaki Racing Team’s Leon Haslam (-23.071). In race two, Rea beat Turkish Puccetti Kawasaki’s Toprak Razgatlioglu (-0.365) and Bautista (-5.930).Ducati’s Alvaro BautistaRea also set a new lap record of 1’27.166 on his way to the win in the Superpole race this morning.“This (Sunday) morning in the sprint race with Tom Sykes, who is one of the best riders at this circuit, I was able to analyze where he was strong and make my move,” Jonathan Rea said. “Unfortunately the race was red flagged before the end. But to win the second race this afternoon was really special – the best of the weekend.“Another nice fight with Toprak, who was really strong in some areas of the track and I was able to be strong in others. A positive weekend and I am looking forward now to the next few races, because I feel like there are some good tracks coming for us now. I seriously did not expect these kind of results this weekend.”Kawasaki’s Jonathan ReaFollowing are the official results, point standings and race recaps from WorldSBK.com.
2019 Donington WorldSBK Results, Race 1
Pos.
Rider
Manufacturer
Nationality
Time
1
Jonathan Rea
Kawasaki
GBR
38’22.405
2
Tom Sykes
BMW
GBR
00’11.348
3
Leon Haslam
Kawasaki
GBR
00’23.071
4
Loris Baz
Yamaha
FRA
00’29.935
5
Alex Lowes
Yamaha
GBR
00’37.641
6
Leandro Mercado
Kawasaki
ARG
00’46.917
2019 Donington WorldSBK Results, Race 2
Pos.
Rider
Manufacturer
Nationality
Time
1
Jonathan Rea
Kawasaki
GBR
33’51.931
2
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Kawasaki
TUR
00’00.365
3
Alvaro Bautista
Ducati
ESP
00’05.930
4
Alex Lowes
Yamaha
GBR
00’06.334
5
Leon Haslam
Kawasaki
GBR
00’06.833
6
Loris Baz
Yamaha
FRA
00’07.441
7
Tom Sykes
BMW
GBR
00’08.542
8
Michael van der Mark
Yamaha
NLD
00’14.850
9
Chaz Davies
Ducati
GBR
00’18.124
10
Marco Melandri
Yamaha
ITA
00’29.115
2019 World Superbike Point Standings (after eight of 13 rounds)
Pos.
Rider
Manufacturer
Nationality
Points
1
Jonathan Rea
Kawasaki
GBR
359
2
Alvaro Bautista
Ducati
ESP
334
3
Michael van der Mark
Yamaha
NLD
196
4
Alex Lowes
Yamaha
GBR
179
5
Leon Haslam
Kawasaki
GBR
173
6
Tom Sykes
BMW
GBR
139
7
Toprak Razgatlioglu
Kawasaki
TUR
135
8
Chaz Davies
Ducati
GBR
121
9
Marco Melandri
Yamaha
ITA
118
10
Sandro Cortese
Yamaha
DEU
93
11
Jordi Torres
Kawasaki
ESP
75
12
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
Ducati
ITA
74
13
Markus Reiterberger
BMW
DEU
56
14
Loris Baz
Yamaha
FRA
51
15
Leandro Mercado
Kawasaki
ARG
35
16
Eugene Laverty
Aprilia
GBR
32
17
Leon Camier
Honda
GBR
26
18
Lorenzo Z Zanetti
Ducati
ITA
14
19
Ryuichi Kiyonari
Honda
JPN
14
20
Thomas Bridewell
Ducati
GBR
12
21
Alessandro Delbianco
Honda
ITA
10
22
Michele Pirro
Ducati
ITA
8
23
Yuki Takahashi
Honda
JPN
8
24
Samuele Cavalieri
Ducati
ITA
6
2019 Donington Park World Superbike Race 1 Recap
A wet Race 1 proved to be dramatic in the 2019 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, as Donington Park hosted yet another thrilling encounter. A frantic start saw Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) take the lead early on and never look back as he romped to a 76th career win to take the championship lead, as Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) crashed out in dramatic fashion.It was a blistering opening lap from Jonathan Rea, who leapt of the line and took the lead at Turn 1, opening up a lead of over a second on the first lap. Pole-sitter Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) held second place, ahead of Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha of Loris Baz in fourth. Alvaro Bautista was fifth in the early stages but losing time to Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team).As the race settled, Rea was setting a scorching pace, lapping two seconds a lap quicker than anybody else, whilst behind him, Loris Baz got his way into the podium positions and ahead of Leon Haslam at the Melbourne Loop on Lap 2. One of the bigger losers off the start was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing), who was down in ninth. It was a bright start for Argentine rider, Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), who was up to eighth from 14th, one place behind replacement rider, Peter Hickman (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).On Lap 4, Bautista began to respond to Lowes, as the Spaniard pulled clear and steadied the tide. Further down the order, Alessandro Delbianco (Mie Althea Racing Team) was showing his wet weather skills once again, as he was coming through the order. However, two laps later, it was a colossal moment for the Italian at Turn 2, with both legs off one side of his Honda, taking to the soaking wet grass at high-speed, yet somehow remaining upright.Back at the front, Jonathan Rea continued to pull away from the rest, although Tom Sykes was beginning to match his former teammate’s lap times. After eight laps, Rea had a seven second lead, setting a supreme pace but needing to remain focussed, as the rain became heavier and more water was laying on the track. Whilst Sykes was second, Haslam was back in third and ahead of Loris Baz.Then, a succession of accidents as Jordi Torres crashed on wet grass on the exit of Turn 6, whilst Sandro Cortese crashed at the same corner on the same lap, with the entry of the corner being the only difference. However, then there was huge drama, as Alvaro Bautista crashed out in spectacular style at the same point of the track, suffering his first back-to-back crashes of the season. The championship pendulum had now swung to Jonathan Rea, but with more than ten laps left, he still had to remain upright.As riders ahead fell, other riders took advantage, with Leandro Mercado now elevated into sixth place, Hickman seventh and Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in eighth. Behind them, Alessandro Delbianco was on the move, up inside the top ten and wanting more, as he chased after those ahead of him.Jonathan Rea took a third career victory at Donington Park, his 76th in total. Tom Sykes was back on the podium for a second round running and on a third manufacturer at Donington Park, whilst Leon Haslam was third at his home venue. Once again proving his worth in the wet weather, Loris Baz was fourth, ahead of Alex Lowes, who had a relatively quiet race.A stunning ride for ‘Tati’ Mercado saw him take his joint-best result of his career and his best result of the 2019 season. Peter Hickman took a career-best seventh as a replacement rider, whilst behind him was Michael van der Mark, Alessandro Delbianco and Chaz Davies – the Italian getting the Welshman on the penultimate lap. It was a best result of the season for Ryuichi Kiyonari (Moriwaki Althea Honda Team), who took 11th.
2019 Donington Park World Superbike Race 2 Recap
Rea made it three wins at Donington Park, putting on a spectacular show in front of a large, supportive British crowd!In the final action of the weekend for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, it was yet another thrilling encounter from lights-out to the chequered flag. It was action right from the start, with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) coming out on top after another tough scrap with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing).Heading towards Turn 1 for the first time, Jonathan Rea rocketed from pole position to grab the holeshot, ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Turkish Puccetti Racing), whilst Alvaro Bautista (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) blasted into third. At the Old Hairpin however, Bautista was passed by home-hero Leon Haslam (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Chaz Davies had a strong opening, running as high as fifth, right behind his teammate. It was a nightmare for Jordi Torres (Team Pedercini Racing) one lap later, as the Spaniard retiredWith the race settling down, on Lap 3, Razgatlioglu took the lead at the circuit where he took his first WorldSBK career podium. With a strong out-braking manoeuvre at the Melbourne Loop, he was able to pinch the advantage. However, two laps later, Rea took the lead back and one lap further on, Haslam momentarily got ahead of the Turk at the Foggy Esses. At the Melbourne Loop, Razgatlioglu recovered and the 22-year-old was back in second.Razgatlioglu was able to retake the lead from Rea, with the two riders dancing side-by-side around the Donington Park circuit. Another late-braking move at the Melbourne Loop saw him retake the lead and then, putting the hammer down. Razgatlioglu and Rea broke clear of the fading Haslam in third place, whilst Alvaro Bautista was all over the rear-end of the five-time WorldSBK race winner.With 12 to go, it was a rare error at the Foggy Esses from Toprak, allowing Rea to cut through and take the lead back from the young Turk. A lap later, and the battle for third started to ignite with Bautista taking the final podium position from Leon Haslam. With all the swapping, slowly but surely, Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing – Yamaha) was now closing down Leon Haslam, with Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in sixth. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was seventh from tenth on the grid, whilst Davies had slipped to eighth.There was a change in the battle for fifth place, as Alex Lowes forced Baz wide at the Foggy Esses, with the British rider getting ahead into the Melbourne Loop. Even further back, double winner from Donington Park in 2018, Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team), got ahead of Davies for eighth place.In the closing stages, there were two battles: for first and second between Rea and Razgatlioglu, and for third place between Bautista, Lowes, Haslam and Baz – with Lowes getting ahead of Haslam with just three laps to go. Going into the final lap, half-a-second split the leading two, whilst Bautista had a small buffer for a safe third place.Coming to the line for the final time, Jonathan Rea completed a Donington Park hat-trick at home, the first triple he has achieved this season. Razgatlioglu took another podium with second and Alvaro Bautista took his first podium of the weekend, although he now trails the reigning WorldSBK champion by 24 points. Alex Lowes was fourth whilst Leon Haslam completed the top five, only just ahead Loris Baz.Tom Sykes was the best of the rest, with Michael van der Mark taking a hearty, hard-earnt eighth, ahead of Chaz Davies and Marco Melandri (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), who completed the top ten after a disappointing Prosecco DOC UK Round. Peter Hickman (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was 11th, ahead of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (BARNI Racing Team), with Sandro Cortese (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK), Leandro Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Alessandro Delbianco (Althea Mie Racing Team) completing the points.
Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory + Steve ’Stavros’ Parrish
byMotos and Friends by Ultimate Motorcycle
Hello everyone and welcome once again to Ultimate Motorcycling’s weekly podcast—Motos and Friends. My name is Arthur Coldwells.
Our first segment features the new Aprilia Tuono 660 Factory. Senior Editor Nic de Sena brings us his report on the flagship version of Aprilia’s upright middleweight machine. He gives us insight into whether it’s worth spending the extra money on the Factory version, and also of course, whether this sporting Aprilia is really the motorcycle for you.
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The next guest segment of Motos and Friends is brought to you by the faster and most technologically advanced, 2023 Suzuki Hayabusa—one of the most iconic sportbikes ever. Check it out in person at your local Suzuki dealer now, or visit suzukicycles.com to learn more.
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In this segment, Associate Editor Teejay Adams chats with (arguably) one of the most interesting Suzuki race riders of all time. the iconic RG500 alongside teammate double World Champion Barry Sheene. The two were almost as famous for their exploits off-track, as for their success on it. Those were the days! Steve also raced the Isle of Man TT for about ten years where he won 13 Silver Replicas, and got a podium finish. His insight into that particular brand of mayhem are fascinating.
But there’s waaay more to Steve Parrish than his motorcycle racing. He is also the most successful Semi-Truck racer ever, and, little known piece of useless trivia—he’s my birthday twin: 24th February. He is a natural entertainer and you can’t miss his recounting of the world’s most entertaining—and arguably terrifying—double-decker bus ride ever. If any of you were actually on that hell-ride then we’d love to hear from you!