It was Aprilia that returned to form for the final races of the 2016 WorldSBK season that was held under lights at Qatar
From PR materials
1st win for Torres, Rea & Sykes join him on podium in Qatar race 1.
The penultimate race of the 2015 WorldSBK season has been won under floodlights by Jordi Torres (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) with Jonathan Rea and his KRT team mate Tom Sykes joining him on the podium. Sykes led from the start, before being passed by his Rea and Torres, the Spaniard pulling off an incredible move around the outside of the former champion into turn one at half distance. Interestingly Torres’ maiden win in WorldSBK maintains Aprilia’s 100% record of podium finishes at the Qatari venue. 2015 World Champion Rea gave chase but had to be content with 2nd, his 65th podium, while team mate Sykes finished a lonely 3rd at the flag.
Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) came out on top in the fight for 4th with Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils) completing the top 6.
Xavi Fores (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) converted his maiden front row start into a solid 7th, the Spanish rider finishing the race 3 seconds ahead of compatriot David Salom (Team Pedercini), Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing), Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia) who completed the top 11 after their own four way fight from start to finish.
The final point scorers were Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki), Gabor Rizmayer (BMW Team Toth), Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini) and Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini SBK Team).
Alex Lowes was riding superbly in 3rd in the first half of the 17 lap encounter until his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki hit problems at turn 1 on lap 8.
There was drama at the start for Leon Camier who suffered a technical problem on the grid after the warm up lap with his MV Agusta Reparto Corse machine, the British rider will hope to make amends in the final race of the season.
Race 2, the final of 2015, will take place later tonight at 2200 local time, again over a distance of 17 laps around the 5.380km Losail International circuit.
Last lap decides the final podium of the season.
The final WorldSBK race of 2015 was won on the final lap after another race long fight by Leon Haslam (Aprilia Racing Team – Red Devils), who took his 2nd win of the year ahead of Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) who secured 2nd overall in the final standings and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team). The winning margin was 0.110s and meant it was a double win for Aprilia in the season finale.
Michael van der Mark completed his debut WorldSBK with another strong showing, the Dutchman finishing 4th after running in the leading group for the first 12 laps before losing a little in the closing stages.
Sylvain Guintoli finished 5th on his last race for the Pata Honda. The 2014 champ ended the day’s second 17 lap encounter a fraction of a second ahead of Leandro Mercado (Barni Racing) who took a season’s best 6th.
7th was Randy de Puniet (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) who equalled his best result, while 8th to 10th went to Niccolo Canepa (Althea Racing), David Salom (Team Pedercini), and Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia).
11th to 15th, and the final point scorers in race 2 were Christophe Ponsson (Team Pedercini), Gianluca Vizziello (Grillini SBK Team), Gabor Rizmayor (BMW Team Toth), Imre Toth (BMW Team Toth) and Alex Phillis who scored his first WorldSBK championship point.
Xavi Fores (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati SBK Team) did not compete in race 2 after withdrawing through illness while Alex Lowes retired his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki at the end of the opening lap. Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) was able to start race 2 but also failed to finish for the second time today.
Jonathan Rea’s hopes of setting a new points record ended on lap 6 as his KRT machine suffered a technical problem
