Cookie Consent by Free Privacy Policy website In Portimão Rea wins WorldSBK Race 1; the larger size Pirelli solutions remain the most popular with the riders
september 15, 2018 - Pirelli

In Portimão Rea wins WorldSBK Race 1; the larger size Pirelli solutions remain the most popular with the riders

The Northern Irishman finishes ahead of Italian Melandri and Dutchman Van Der Mark. The 200/65 X0175 development rear tyre was used by all the riders, in most cases paired with the larger 125/70 larger front tyre

Portimão (Portugal), 15 September 2018Jonathan Rea, Kawasaki Racing Team rider, won Race 1 in the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship held today at the Autódromo Internacional Do Algarve di Portimão, in Portugal.
The Northern Irish three-time World Champion crossed the finish line ahead of Ducati rider Marco Melandri and Yamaha rider Michael Van Der Mark.
It was poor luck for Aprilia riders Eugene Laverty and Lorenzo Savadori. After taking pole position, the Northern Irishman was forced to retire on the first lap due to contact with Xavi Forés. The Italian, on the other hand, crashed out on the twelfth lap whilst in third place. 
 
With this win, and considering the fourth place finish by his closest rival in the overall standings, Chaz Davies with an injured collarbone, Jonathan Rea is closer and closer to taking his fourth world championship title, thereby tying the world record held by “King” Carl Fogarty.
 
In terms of tyres, in this first race of the Portuguese weekend, Pirelli continues to receive excellent feedback from the riders concerning the new larger size tyres. Specifically, the 200/65 rear was used by all the riders, while the 125/70 front was the most popular.
 
Race 1 was not full of overtaking, but there was no lack of excitement from the first lap, where there was contact between Eugene Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia) and Xavi Forés (Barni Racing Team) that forced both riders to retire.
The race lead went to Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) straight away, followed closely by Marco Melandri (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) and Lorenzo Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia). In the meantime, Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing Ducati), starting from the fourteenth spot on the grid, managed to climb his way up through the ranks and by the third lap he was already in fifth position.
During the eleventh lap, Leon Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team) was forced to retire due to an electronics issue. On the following lap, Lorenzo Savadori, riding in a virtual podium position, crashed out to end his race prematurely, leaving third place to Michael Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team).
The top positions remained the same through the end of the race and Jonathan Rea finished first ahead of Ducati rider Marco Melandri and Dutch Yamaha rider Michael Van Der Mark.
 
WorldSBK Race 1 Standings:
 
1) J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2) M. Melandri (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
3) M. Van Der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
4) C. Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
5) T. Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
6) L. Baz (GULF ALTHEA BMW Racing Team)
7) J. Torres (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
8) T. Razgatlioglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
9) M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Junior Team)
10) A. Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team)
11) L. Mercado (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
12) Y. Hernandez (Team Pedercini Racing)
13) J. Gagne (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
14) R. Ramos (Team GoEleven Kawasaki)
RT) P. Jacobsen (TripleM Honda World Superbike Team)
RT) L. Savadori (Milwaukee Aprilia)
RT) J. Smrz (Guandalini Racing)
RT) L. Camier (Red Bull Honda World Superbike Team)
RT) E. Laverty (Milwaukee Aprilia)
RT) X. Forés (Barni Racing Team)
 
 
The Pirelli solutions chosen by the WorldSBK riders for Race 1:
 
In Race 1, the solution for the rear was a unanimous choice: in fact, all the riders opted for the X0175 SC0 development solution (option B) in the larger size introduced by Pirelli for the first time in the Brno race and immediately very popular with the riders.
Choices for the front were split more or less equally between the X0417 SC1 development tyre (option B), brought by Pirelli for the first time ever during the Misano round, and the better known V0952 (option A), which was also used by Kawasaki riders Jonathan Rea and Tom Sykes, as well as the Yamaha riders, Alex Lowes and Michael Van Der Mark.
 
 
Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 1:
 
• Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK),in 1'42.304 at the 3rd lap
 
• Most used front solution: devolpment SC1 X0417 (12 out of 20 riders)
 
• Most used rear solution: devolpment SC0 X0175 (20 out of 20 riders)
 
• Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 311.4 km/h, achieved by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in the 17th and 18th lap
 
• Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 6 front and 9 rear
 
Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 85, including 42 front and 43 rear
 
• Air temperature: 29° C
 
• Asphalt temperature: 42° C

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