WORLD SUPERBIKE CHAMPIONSHIP
VOL. 51 ISSUE 19 MAY 13, 2014 P39
a win before the race, but the
manner of winning and then win-
ning again was immense, the
reasons more banal.
There have been great im-
provements in 2014, the new
Honda CBR1000RR SP looks
like the old one, but has some
small aids to racing and, of
course, Rea was overdue a dry
race win. But it is the racing
mods that have counted most.
"We did not expect to win,
but we know we were in a great
position to win," Rea said. "Pole
position was more of a surprise
for sure because it has been
quite a long time since I have
been able to put a single really
fast lap together. Race two was
a bit more comfortable than the
race one win because in the first
one I went really fast from the
start and when I dropped into
the 1:48s I was kind of there and
no more. In race two I was able
to make 1:47s for longer."
Almost as remarkable as Rea's
wins were a brace of second
places taken by the previously
panned Panigale and its best
Imola rider – Chaz Davies.
At a round where his teammate
Davide Giugliano was expected
to shine, it was Davies who gave
the bike its first really impressive
dry-weather podiums. And not
in third – but second and in two
different races. He was up front
more smartly in race one, and
second for eight laps, before be-
ing deposed for a while. He got
back in front and ended up 4.5
seconds behind Rea. In race two
he had to fight from further back,
being sixth on lap one.
"These last few races we have
been putting the bike in its nose
Briefly...
Giacomo Agostini was at the Imola
round, presenting the special edition
MV Agusta F3 800 Ago to the Italian
public at the paddock show. There
were numerous old riders and faces
around, including Davide Tardozzi
(now of the Ducati MotoGP squad)
and Fausto Gresini, who appeared
at pitch side at the pre-race charity
soccer match.
Regular BMW Motorrad Italia Super-
stock 1000 rider Sylvain Barrier, in-
jured at Phillip Island and then much
more seriously in a car crash in Eu-
rope shortly afterwards, was back in
the paddock but not riding. He is still
feeling the effects of his injuries and
a date for his return has still not been
set. Leon Camier has been filling in
for him.
Loris Baz gives chase to his
teammate Tom Sykes, Sylvain
Guintoli and Davies in an early
battle for second place.
but that doesn't mean
that Imola would not
benefit from some
major bouts of run-off
enlargement and
much more in the way
of secondary safety
barriers.
Imola is one of the
more popular rounds
on the series schedule.
