Carlos Checa took another comfortable win, his 9th this season, in race 1 at Silverstone while giving Ducati an ulterior reason to celebrate; Checa gave the Italian manufacturer its 300th win in World Superbikes.
The Althea Ducati rider rode a tatical race, battling for a while with a hard charging Noriyuki Haga and John Hopkins, but it didn’t take more than several laps for the Spaniard shake them off and set his sights on leader Eugene Laverty who was trying to speed away.
Checa literally hunted the Yamaha rider down with a series of fast laps and at the beginning of lap 7 overtook him and then said Hola to the rest of the field.
Marco Melandri took, third inheriting the spot from Leon Camier.
The Aprilia Alitalia who seemed on his way to a certain podium, until his machine decided it had enough of the Silverstone track with just three laps left.
The English rider literally limp homed in 15th and he was the last rider who managed to finish the race.
Leon Haslam finished in fourth in front of pole setter John Hopkins who faded in the last laps of the race, as did most of the riders, with tires that were completely gone on the left side.
The battle for seventh was pretty intense, but it went to Sylvain Guintoli followed by Joan Lascorz, Maxime Berger, Troy Corser and Ayrton Badovini who closed out the top ten.
Max Biaggi had a nightmare race, not only because he ended up 11th after battling with riders he barely knew existed on the grid, but because he once again lost contact with rival Checa in the standings.
Crashers included Michel Fabrizio who lost the rear of his Suzuki on the first lap, Noriyuki Haga was running in when he crashed out with his Pata Aprilia in the same corner as in Superpole 3.
Castrol Honda’s bad luck continued, Alex Lowes had a horrific highside and had to be helped off track and then Fabrizio Lai also lost control of his CBR1000RR.
Mark Aitchinson was running in 12th and lost his Pedercini Kawasaki up against the barriers.
Jakub Smrz pitted on lap 3 with some technical problem.
WSBK Silverstone Race 1 results:01- Carlos Checa – Althea Racing – Ducati 1198 – 18 laps in 38’06.
47702- Eugene Laverty – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 3.
30403- Marco Melandri – Yamaha World Superbike Team – Yamaha YZF R1 – + 4.
78204- Leon Haslam – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 7.
11605- John Hopkins – Samsung Crescent Racing – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 11.
05706- Sylvain Guintoli – Team Effenbert Liberty Racing – Ducati 1198 – + 21.
89907- Joan Lascorz – Kawasaki Racing Team – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 22.
30808- Maxime Berger – Supersonic Racing Team – Ducati 1198 – + 22.
73409- Troy Corser – BMW Motorrad Motorsport – BMW S1000RR – + 25.
49110- Ayrton Badovini – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 25.
72511- Max Biaggi – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 25.
84412- James Toseland – BMW Motorrad Italia – BMW S1000RR – + 45.
57813- Roberto Rolfo – Team Pedercini – Kawasaki ZX-10R – + 51.
65014- Jon Kirkham – Samsung Crescent Racing – Suzuki GSX-R 1000 – + 57.
31015- Leon Camier – Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team – Aprilia RSV4 Factory – + 1’36.
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