Losail, Qatar – Sylvain Guintoli is the 2014 World Superbike Champion after a nail-biting season finale under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit in Qatar.
The Aprilia Factory rookie won both races – the first to be run at night in World
Superbike history – in convincing fashion for the first double of his career, and took the title from Kawasaki’s defending champion Tom Sykes by a scant six points.
South African Sheridan Morais improved immensely from 20th in Friday’s first practice to 12th on Saturday but crashed heavily in the final free practice session, was unable to make Superpole and didn’t ride on Sunday.
RACE 1
Jonathan Rea (Honda) led off the start before being overtaken by Kawasaki’s Lorenzo Baz; the first half of the race saw eight riders covered by little more than a second, before Baz and Guintoli began to ease away from the pack.
There was jubilation in the Aprilia pit when Marco Melandri passed Sykes on lap 13, while Baz and Guintoli remained locked together in front.
Guintoli made his move at the beginning of lap 14, passing Baz to take a lead he was never to relinquish, as he pulled away in the final four laps to cross the line for his fourth win of the season.
Sykes demoted Rea to take the final podium spot, while the Honda rider battled to hold off a late charge from Davide Guigliano (Ducati Team) and Aprilia privateer Toni Elias.
Ducati privateer Niccolo Canepa and works Kawasaki man David Salom crossed the line separated by 0.011s in their own private Evo battle, finishing 12th and 13th overall – but that was enough to make Salom the inaugural Evo Class champion.
In a dramatic start to the final race of 2014, Sykes came out of the first-corner traffic jam unscathed - and in front – as Baz and Rea’s team mate Leon Haslam took each other out.
Sykes was soon overhauled by Guintoli, however, who set a new lap record as he romped away to an unchallenged victory and the World Superbike - by just six points! – while Sykes and Rea battled right down to the wire to determine the final podium order, with Rea just edging the 2013 champion over the final three laps.
Melandri got the best of a five-way dice for fourth, coming home ahead of Chaz Davies (Ducati Team) and Elias.
Newly crowned Evo Class champion Salom was once again involved in a titanic fight for Evo honours with Canepa, as the two came home 11th and 12th respectively.
WORLD SUPERSPORT
The final race of the Wolrd Supersport season was a close encounter, eventually won after 15 exciting laps by new champion Michael van Der Mark (Honda). Ratthapark Wilairot (Honda) produced a spirited ride to second, his maiden podium at world championship level, ahead of pole position man Jules Cluzel on the MV Agusta.
Van der Mark controlled the race from the front to post his sixth win of the year ahead of an impressive Wilairot, the Thai rider having the best ride of his season under the floodlights.
The final podium place was decided on the last lap after a fast and furious three-way scrap eventually went the way of Cluzel, the Frenchman clearly frustrated at the speed of his rivals.
Lucas Mahias and his Yamaha team mate Kev Coghlan were fourth and fifth with veteran Roberto Rolfo (Kawasaki) completing the top six after showing some incredible pace in the closing laps.
Local rider Nasser Al Malki was a late wild-card entry on a privateer Honda, his ride confirmed just two hours before the first free practice session on Friday; he did well to finish a solid 16th, to the delight of the local fans and his team.