WSB Brno: Melandri holds off Biaggi for race one win

Yamaha World Superbike Team rider Marco Melandri held off Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) in an extremely close race one to take his fourth win of the season at Brno.

Biaggi led from pole until Melandri stole the lead in the eighth lap. The Italian riders were then embroiled in a battle for first, trading places until Melandri reclaimed the lead with three laps remaining and held off Biaggi to take the win despite a delaminated rear tyre.

Spaniard Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) moved past Eugene Laverty to take third on lap three and rode consistently to close the gap on the leading Italians, but was unable to challenge for second.

Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) took fourth, finishing ahead of Melandri’s Yamaha World Superbike team mate Eugene Laverty in fifth. Ayrton Badovini was the strongest performing BMW rider taking sixth place on his satellite BMW Motorrad Italia machine, finishing two positions ahead of Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) in eighth. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) ended the race in seventh.

Tom Sykes finished behind Kawasaki Racing team mate Joan Lascorz in tenth.

Alex Lowes, standing in for the injured Jonathan Rea with Castol Honda, finished his first World Superbike race in fifteenth place.

1. Marco Melandri (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40’23.699
2. Max Biaggi (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40’23.940
3. Carlos Checa (Althea Racing) Ducati 1098R 40’24.135
4. Michel Fabrizio (Team Suzuki Alstare) Suzuki GSX-R1000 40’32.147
5. Eugene Laverty (Yamaha World Superbike Team) Yamaha YZF R1 40’35.562
6. Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 40’40.073
7. Leon Camier (Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40’43.774
8. Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) BMW S1000 RR 40’45.098
9. Joan Lascorz (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40’45.254
10. Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40’46.029
11. Jakub Smrz (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 40’46.193
12. Noriyuki Haga (PATA Racing Team Aprilia) Aprilia RSV4 Factory 40’48.409
13. Maxime Berger (Supersonic Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 40’51.657
14. Roberto Rolfo (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40’55.423
15. Alex Lowes (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 40’55.697
16. Mark Aitchison (Team Pedercini) Kawasaki ZX-10R 40’58.470
17. Lorenzo Lanzi (BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team) BMW S1000 RR 41’00.281
18. Chris Vermeulen (Kawasaki Racing Team) Kawasaki ZX-10R 41’09.389
19. Viktor Kispataki (Prop-tech ltd.) Honda CBR1000RR 41’52.606
20. Sylvain Guintoli (Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing) Ducati 1098R 41’15.440
RT. Matteo Baiocco (Barni Racing Team) Ducati 1098R 24’45.501
RT. Ruben Xaus (Castrol Honda) Honda CBR1000RR 2’00.118