World Superbike’s Race 1 on the spectacular and undulating roller-coaster Portimao circuit saw Marco Melandri take his second win of the season, in a highly tatical race that became a thriller in the final laps.
with the BMW Goldbet rider beating Sylvain Guintoli to the finish line by a mere 0.
007s.
After yesterday’s Superpole, Tom Sykes, Eugene Laverty and Jonathan Rea were expected to be the main protagonists of the race, instead the Kawasaki rider after taking the holeshot and battling with his rivals, started to visibily fade in the final three or four laps, to finish 3rd, and more than four seconds adrift.
Laverty had a huge heartbreak as after taking the lead from Sykes at the start of lap 6, his Aprilia blew an engine or a valve just five laps later.
Jonathan Rea also suffered a technical issue and pulled out early on in the race.
The first third of the race was more tatitical with the various leaders controlling the pace, but it began changing speed after Laverty’s DNF, as Melandri and Sykes began facing off, while Sylvain Guintoli who was running third seemed unable to catch the frontrunners, instead the Frenchman caught the the Italian and British riders after a few laps.
The first move came from Sykes during lap 17, when he outbraked Melandri at turn 1 forcing the Italian to ride off track as Guintoli took advantage of the clash to move into second and chase after the Kawasaki rider, while Melandri did the same as rode out of the gravel pit like a scalded cat.
Lap 19 became a battle field, Guintoli passed Sykes and just a few turns later so did Melandri, and the two sped away leaving Sykes floundering.
With two laps left Guintoli and Melandri traded the lead, but the Italian slipstreamed Guintoli at the start the last lap, as the Frenchman tried his best at turn 3, but ran wide and letting Melandri get back through and cross under the chequered flag, just barely ahead of the Aprilia rider who tried to slipstream him to the line.
Suzuki’s Leon Camier who had started in 13rd on the grid finished fourth after riding the field.
Loris Baz took fifth and lost his favorite battling partner Davide Giugliano after the Althea rider crashed out immediately after passing him.
Chaz Davies finished in a lonely 6th, and Michel Fabrizio was 7th and ahead of Jules Cluzel and a highly disappointed Carlos Checa in 9th.
The very battered Federico Sandi closed out the top ten.
The race saw only 13th finishers.
Leon Haslam retired between the 9th and 10th laps completely exhausted and in a vast amount of pain unable to continue.
2013 WSBK Portimao Race 1 Results:1.
Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 38′12.
4472.
Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38′12.
4543.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38′16.
6714.
Leon Camier (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 38′21.
9265.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 38′24.
5046.
Chaz Davies (BMW Motorrad GoldBet SBK) BMW S1000 RR 38′29.
0577.
Michel Fabrizio (Red Devils Roma) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 38′33.
7978.
Jules Cluzel (Fixi Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 38′34.
7849.
Carlos Checa (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 38′36.
10910.
Federico Sandi (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 39′39.
44211.
Vittorio Iannuzzo (Grillini Dentalmatic SBK) BMW S1000 RR 39′39.
56612.
Ivan Clementi (HTM Racing) BMW S1000 RR 39′41.
54313.
Max Neukirchner (MR-Racing) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 38′36.
153RT.
Ayrton Badovini (Team Ducati Alstare) Ducati 1199 Panigale R 33′35.
596RT.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 19′02.
014RT.
Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 16′03.
234RT.
Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) Honda CBR1000RR 13′51.
476RT.
Alexander Lundh (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 10′48.
699RT.
Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 8′43.
052