WSBK: 2014 Round 02 - Motorland Aragon (SPOILERS)

Aprilia Racing Team - Déjà vu?


After a thrilling start to the season, the Noale factory finds itself once again handily atop the standings. Veteran rider Sylvain Guintoli leads the standings by a healthy 10 points after just one round having secured a win and a podium during the Australian season opener. If you believe that this sounds suspiciously familiar then you'd be remembering that this is how he started the season last year. And just like last year Guintoli found himself battling with his own teammate for the win. And just like last year he found himself battling Laverty for the win. The juxtapositions must have been as mind blowing for him as the viewers because he found himself in third place at the flag for the first. Fortunately for him he regrouped admirably to rebound to first place in race 2. His teammate was not so fortunate, however. In his first outing for Aprilia Melandri earned a hard fought second in race 1, unable to match the pace and sheer brilliance of Eugene Laverty on the Suzuki (who, rumor has it, had a fully uncorked bike to ensure that the winless streak was ended and reliability be damned). Race two saw the Italian struggle, however, and when he crossed the line he was a distant 8th place.


Aragon will provide an excellent opportunity for both riders to capitalize on their points haul this year. Both managed podiums in 2013, with Guintoli pulling a double 2nd place. Race winner (with the double) Chaz Davies is relegated to the Ducati Panigale this year, and while the GP bike is said to be making headway it is unknown (and unlikely) that Gigi's magic potion has diluted down to the production bike this early in the game. As long as they don't take too many points from each other, the Aprilia crew can stand to make a tidy haul this weekend.


Sylvain Guintoli

2013 (Aprilia RSV4 Factory)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 2nd
  
  []Race 2 - 2nd
  

2012 (Ducati 1098R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 12th
  
  []Race 2 - 13th
  

2011 (Ducati 1098R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 11th
  
  []Race 2 - 11th
  

Marco Melandri

2013 (BMW S1000RR)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 3rd
  
  []Race 2 - 5th
  

2012 (BMW S1000RR)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 2nd
  
  []Race 2 - 1st
  

2011 (Yamaha YZF R1)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 1st
  
  []Race 2 - 2nd
  

Kawasaki Racing Team - Uh, no, really, I swear we've been here before!


You wouldn't think it, what with the team having a Japanese bike and a British lead rider, but the Kawasaki Racing Team actually considers Aragon a home round. Fresh from testing at Jerez the team is looking forward to making up for lost time and opportunity in Australia. Lead rider, race winner and overall hard charger Tom Sykes had come into the season fresh from dominating performances in the off season testing, Sykes came into the first round healthy and on a season high. Big things were expected from Kawasaki all around, however a series of seemingly unfortunately circumstances seem to have collided to scuttle the ship. One factor was surely the mandate that prevented teams from using the latest and greatest suspension systems on offer. Deprived of the staff of gods, the Kawasaki team found themselves struggling when the lights went out. Reigning champion Sykes barely managed a 7th place in the first race, but rallied mightily  in race 2 to help get the championship team its first podium for the season.


Unfortunately for Sykes, despite a good showing this year (compared to last) he is being outshined by teammate Loris Baz. The Frenchman finished ahead of Sykes in both races, scoring fifth place in the first race and a mighty 2nd in the... well, 2nd. That gave Kawasaki command of the podium steps. Though their riders were looking up at Guintoli in first, it was very much the look of sharks circling their prey - and there's blood in the water.


Tom Sykes

2013 (Kawasaki ZX10R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - DNF
  
  []Race 2 - 3rd
  

2012 (Kawasaki ZX10R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - DNF
  
  []Race 2 - 8th
  

2011 (Kawasaki ZX10R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 5th
  
  []Race 2 - DNF
  

Loris Baz

2013 (Kawasaki ZX10R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - 5th
  
  []Race 2 - 6th
  

2012 (Kawasaki ZX10R)

• 
  
  []Race 1 - DNF
  
  []Race 2 - 20th
  

2011

• 
  
  []Race 1 - N/A
  
  []Race 2 - N/A
  

Its been so long since the opener, i had forgotten about them.

F2 top 10 courtesty of MotoMatters:

os     No     Rider     Bike     Time     Diff     Prev

1     65     J. REA     Honda CBR1000RR     1:58.180           

2     1     T. SYKES     Kawasaki ZX-10R     1:58.417     0.237     0.237

3     7     C. DAVIES     Ducati Panigale 1199R     1:58.575     0.395     0.158

4     76     L. BAZ     Kawasaki ZX-10R     1:58.579     0.399     0.004

5     34     D. GIUGLIANO     Ducati Panigale 1199R     1:58.717     0.537     0.138

6     50     S. GUINTOLI     Aprilia RSV4     1:58.900     0.720     0.183

7     33     M. MELANDRI     Aprilia RSV4     1:58.901     0.721     0.001

8     58     E. LAVERTY     Suzuki GSX-R1000     1:58.971     0.791     0.070

9     91     L. HASLAM     Honda CBR1000RR     1:59.103     0.923     0.132

10     59     N. CANEPA     Ducati Panigale 1199R     1:59.861     1.681     0.75


Chaz is riding the wheels off the Panigale. Eric and the Buells are struggling at the bottom with a massive deficit on top speed compared to some of the others, but still not as far back as one would expect considering that. And getting faster every session.

Superpole top 2 rows from the great folks at MotoMatters for full results:


1 1 T. SYKES Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:56.479

2 76 L. BAZ Kawasaki ZX-10R 1:56.675

3 50 S. GUINTOLI Aprilia RSV4 1:56.769

4 34 D. GIUGLIANO Ducati Panigale 1199R 1:56.825

5 65 J. REA Honda CBR1000RR 1:56.972

6 7 C. DAVIES Ducati Panigale 1199R 1:56.977


Kawasaki seems to have found their groove again, and the Ducatis are coming on strong. Very strong. Melandri will have some serious work to do, but he's in the clutches of Camier who has a bit of an axe to grind. I predict fireworks!