Cycle News

VOL. 50 ISSUE 35 SEPTEMBER 4, 2013 race - not essential, but we saw that every point counts last year." For Guintoli his machine's natural speed and passing advantage was blunted in Germany, in an unexpected way. "Normally we can pass in the straights, or at least get close, but at these two races there was something missing," Guintoli said after race two. "I was pushing really hard to stay with the group and getting closer to Tom [Sykes] in the closing stage of race two, but the red flag stopped me. When I see Tom in front I feel like I cannot let go and I am sure he feels the same." Melandri was the most scathing of all, criticizing BMW's lack of development now that they know they are pulling out in 2014. But he was still a master of the bike that could well have delivered him a double win. He feels race one was truly his, however. "I think it will be very tight in the end of the season but missing points for a red flag twice is disappointing," Melandri said. "Anything can happen. I do not think I was sure of a double today. In race two it was tough. I struggled more with the bike but for sure Chaz [Davies], Eugene [Laverty] and me would like to win the race for different reasons. Something was going to happen in the last lap. Maybe it would have been a good show for the TV." Melandri took a second and a third on the day, a trick only beaten by the day's really fast in race pace and I tried to stay with him. I found out that I did not set up the bike really perfectly, I think, and in some places I was losing time, but Sam was really fast anyway. His pace was better than what I expected but I just did not give up. I knew I could finish second easily, but I preferred to try to win the race and I knew I could crash, so I chose to try to win the race anyway. I knew it would be difficult. There is now a home race for me in Turkey and I will try to win the race again." Lowes had beaten the old lap record on his way through to the lead, and then Sofuoglu knocked two new records out, the latter being the final new best of 1:58.072. Lowes won by a commanding 7.4 seconds from Foret and a rider who is making his mark in a good way in World Supersport - Kevin Coghlan after making frontend set-up changes at Silverstone. He took his first ever podium for third, by holding off the injured and ill Pata Honda rider, Lorenzo Zanetti. P77 Briefly... Laurens Kleinkoerkamp, the boss of Yamaha's racing operations in its European headquarters, was in Germany to support World Supersport rider Sam Lowes and to speak about the future of the World Superbike series. He confirmed that Yamaha would not be back in 2014, in the Superbike class or the Evo class in any official way, but may return if and when the conditions are right. A new Yamaha Superbike is on the cards, but the exact launch date is still unknown. With the primary rules of both the full Superbike and the Evo class now released in time for the German round, it did not create too many certainties for team's plans in 2014. For privateers the main concern is the calendar - how many flyaway races there will be and in what order. With no Indian round, there are still possible new rounds in Qatar (seems definite), Malaysia (less probable) and there will still be at least five of what can be considered long haul races. Dorna is currently recomposing the travel fund payments to include more teams and to help any aspirant Evo class entrants. Sam Lowes (center) gets his fifth World Supersport win of the season. Lowes can wrap up his first title next time out, but he's going to have to do it on Sofuoglu's home patch in Turkey, on September 15.

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