World Superbike’s Race two at Aragon is the reason why this championship is becoming more popular every day, close racing and not knowing who is going to take the win until the final laps.
In this case it was an extraordinary Marco Melandri who won his third race of the season (after Donington and Miller) in a thrilling last lap battle against three Aprilia riders, Eugene Laverty, Chaz Davies and Max Biaggi.
Eugene Laverty got the holeshot ahead of team mate Biaggi, with Leon Haslam, Tom Sykes, Melandri and Davide Giugliano following.
Laverty was still in the lead on lap two trying to outrun Biaggi but couldn’t escape as the Italian tried to over take him at turn 16, but ran slightly wide and the Irishman easily regained the spot in the direction change heading to the hill towards the last turn, but his lead didn’t last long as both Biaggi and Melandri got the best of him and the three would closely shadow each other until the twelfth lap when Laverty regained the lead, but the cards were turned on him on lap 15 when both Italians found a way past him with Biaggi taking the lead over Melandri.
In the meantime a fired up Chaz Davies shook off a four rider battle for fifth and charged up the field to try to catch the feuding lead group that was almost 1,9 seconds ahead of him.
Firing up his Aprilia in a series of fast laps he caught up with the leaders with five laps to go and the race had another important player as Biaggi led the three other riders into the 16th lap.
In a hard pass, almost at the limit, Melandri tried to out brake Biaggi at turn 16 pushing him wide but in the attempt he let Davies and Laverty through.
Finding himself in the lead again Laverty tried to pace the pack, but suffered a big wobble in the hairpin braking point but was able to save it in the direction change.
In the penultimate lap at turn 7 Melandri overtook Davies and set his sights on Laverty and at the slow hairpin, where riders are travelling at just 45km/h the Italian struck again, but Laverty again had the change of direction in his favour.
In the last lap Melandri tried again and at turn 9 pushed his way through and protecting his entrance into hairpin and the final turns finished ahead of Laverty by just 0.
042s.
Chaz Davies took third after fending off and re-passing Max Biaggi in the final two corners and took his maiden podium.
Jonathan Rea won the hard fought battle for fifth ahead of Leon Haslam, Carlos Checa and Tom Sykes.
Ayrton Badovini who punted Skyes off in race 1 finished ninth while Davide Giugliano closed out the top ten.
For both Fixi Suzuki riders Leon Camier and John Hopkins it was a race to forget as both had to retire with technical issues.
WSBK Aragon Race 2 results:1.
Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 39′59.
2002.
Eugene Laverty (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 39′59.
2423.
Chaz Davies (ParkinGO MTC Racing) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 39′59.
6464.
Max Biaggi (Aprilia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 39′59.
6845.
Jonathan Rea (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 40′05.
8116.
Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 40′06.
6917.
Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′08.
5258.
Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40′09.
6449.
Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 40′10.
02810.
Davide Giugliano (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′10.
12511.
Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet) BMW S1000 RR 40′21.
15512.
Maxime Berger (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′21.
24613.
Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 40′21.
68614.
Lorenzo Zanetti (PATA Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 40′42.
00115.
Hiroshi Aoyama (Honda World Superbike Team) Honda CBR1000RR 40′48.
34416.
David Salom (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40′50.
16117.
Niccolò Canepa (Red Devils Roma) Ducati 1098R 41′00.
06318.
Leandro Mercado (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 41′13.
34919.
Norino Brignola (Grillini Progea Superbike Team) BMW S1000 RR 41′52.
58820.
Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 41′37.
232RT.
Leon Camier (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 35′03.
915RT.
John Hopkins (FIXI Crescent Suzuki) Suzuki GSX-R1000 6′11.
966