IN
THE
WIND
P54
termined Saturday race.
In the second race, in which
Rea's 55th win for Kawasaki
equaled Fogarty's record of
55 wins for Ducati, Rea had to
fight. The race two podium had
Rea on top, by 3.2 seconds,
but it was the official new Inde-
pendent Riders champion Xavi
Fores (Barni Racing Ducati) who
finished top Ducati competitor, in
second place.
Brilliant at the start of the
year, but in a mid-season dip
at one time, Fores has rallied
impressively and has scored two
podiums in the past two rounds.
And such is the weirdness of
modern day WorldSBK racing he
will almost definitely lose his ride
next year.
Melandri has already lost his
official Ducati place for 2019, but
is still a rider capable of double
podiums even with this cloud
over his head. Third in race two
keeps him knocking on the door
of fourth place overall, as Sykes
is now only eight points ahead
of him.
For the 2013 champion
Sykes—another 2018 race winner
and podium rider with no ride
sorted at present—and options
running out all around him, Vil-
licum was a hard venue, as he
was only fourth in Superpole and
then sixth and fifth in the races.
He made up real ground from
ninth in race two, to finish an
important fifth.
It was a tough weekend for
potential championship runner-
up Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing
Ducati) as he crashed trying
to overtake Sykes in race one.
With an already painful and still
broken right collarbone it was
the last thing he needed. Fourth
place in race two was much bet-
ter but he was glad that the Pata
Yamaha of Michal van der Mark
was not making any great strides
at Villicum.
It was another tough
weekend for Jake Gagne
(45) but he improved for
an excellent 10th place
on Sunday.
