WSBK: Race 2 Continues the Bizzaro at Monza

After seeing Race 1 cancelled for safety concerns, i.e. not having a rain tire that could run in the wet conditions at Monza, World Superbike tried again to put on a show for the Italian fans. Giving riders two warm-up laps to sight the fabled Italian circuit, the race distance was also reduced by a lap to 17 laps total.

With the riders coming in from their two sighting laps, the hands from a majority of the racers went up on the grid, signaling that they did not want to start the race. Race Direction obliged, and delayed the start because of the conditions. Regrouping and going out on another warm-up lap, Monza continued to be problematic and claimed two victims, as BMW Italia rider Michel Fabrizio and pole-setter Sylvain Guintoli both suffered from malfunctions on the lap, and had to scratch their starts.

With the lights finally going out for the start of Race 2 (or is it Race 1?) at Monza, it was de facto pole man Tom Sykes who got the best start off the grid. Blasting away from the rest of the field, Sykes pulled immediately from the other riders, never to be seen again, and taking his first race win of the season with a nine second margin.

Leaving a group to battle for second, that melee was primarily between the factory BMW and Aprilia riders, as Leon Haslam, Eugene Laverty, Marco Melandri, and Max Biaggi duked it out while Jonathan Rea and Carlos Checa trailed behind.

With rain starting to sprinkle with eight laps to go, it didn’t take long for the riders to raise their hands and call the race. Red flagging the race, Race Direction deemed the race half-run, meaning only half points would be awarded for the riders’ efforts. With the last full-lap consisting of Sykes, Haslam, and Laverty in the first three spots, the final podium positions were all claimed by British riders, all on different machinery.

Race Results from World Superbike Race 2 at Monza, Italy:

Source: WSBK; Photo: Kawasaki Racing