Submitted by Jared Earle on
The World Supersport race was a fight for a potential title over nineteen laps with the fastest non-contender relegated to a pit lane start.
The three contenders for the title, Michael Van Der Mark, Jules Cluzel and Florian Marino lined up in first, third and tenth on the grid, but this didn't matter as the start put Van Der Mark in seventh after a few corners while Marino led with Cluzel spearing through to fourth.
While Kenan Sofuoglu was setting fastest laps at the back of the field, Florian Marino was joined by Jules Cluzel and Michael van der Mark by the seventh lap, wasting no time in turning the race at the front a fight to keep the championship alive. PJ Jacobsen and Jack Kennedy were right behind the front three, keeping the fight alive.
At the midway point, the fight between the top three resembled a last lap scrap and it didn't let off until the penultimate lap.
After an uncountable number of overtakes, from the sensible to the three-wide sublime, Jules Cluzel pushed past Michael van der Mark for second place, but saw an opportunity to pass Florian Marino as well, but it was an impossible corner and he lost front grip, forcing Marino to avoid him as van der Mark met no resistance and finally had a gap to manage. PJ Jacobsen followed van der Mark through and kept Florian Marino behind him.
Michael van der Mark won the race and the title, succeeding Sam Lowes as 2014 World Superbike champion.
PJ Jacobsen took his second podium of the season and Florian Marino passed Jules Cluzel for second place in the championship. Jack Kennedy finished a convincing fourth.
Results:
Pos | No. | Rider | Bike | Gap | Best Lap | Speed |
1 | 60 | M. VD MARK | Honda CBR600RR | 1'45.156 | 245,7 | |
2 | 99 | P. JACOBSEN | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 0.363 | 1'45.225 | 245,7 |
3 | 21 | F. MARINO | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 0.508 | 1'45.338 | 245,1 |
4 | 4 | J. KENNEDY | Honda CBR600RR | 0.960 | 1'45.303 | 245,1 |
5 | 88 | K. COGHLAN | Yamaha YZF R6 | 2.951 | 1'45.388 | 247,3 |
6 | 26 | L. ZANETTI | Honda CBR600RR | 4.639 | 1'45.169 | 247,9 |
7 | 44 | R. ROLFO | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 5.860 | 1'45.517 | 244,0 |
8 | 14 | R. WILAIROT | Honda CBR600RR | 6.460 | 1'45.106 | 243,5 |
9 | 10 | A. NOCCO | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 10.477 | 1'45.271 | 245,7 |
10 | 5 | R. TAMBURINI | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 10.875 | 1'45.250 | 245,7 |
11 | 6 | D. SCHMITTER | Yamaha YZF R6 | 16.916 | 1'45.732 | 246,2 |
12 | 65 | V. LEONOV | Honda CBR600RR | 18.066 | 1'45.478 | 242,9 |
13 | 54 | K. SOFUOGLU | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 19.253 | 1'44.849 | 242,9 |
14 | 53 | V. DEBISE | Honda CBR600RR | 20.916 | 1'45.952 | 244,0 |
15 | 11 | C. GAMARINO | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 23.624 | 1'45.818 | 245,1 |
16 | 57 | F. CASAS | Yamaha YZF R6 | 28.001 | 1'46.448 | 240,3 |
17 | 61 | F. MENGHI | Yamaha YZF R6 | 28.392 | 1'45.982 | 243,5 |
18 | 9 | T. COVEÑA | Kawasaki ZX-6R | 44.443 | 1'46.940 | 242,9 |
19 | 24 | M. BUSSOLOTTI | Honda CBR600RR | 47.116 | 1'46.900 | 240,3 |
20 | 64 | M. DAVIES | Honda CBR600RR | 1'05.177 | 1'48.469 | 239,7 |
21 | 161 | A. IVANOV | Yamaha YZF R6 | 1'05.265 | 1'48.178 | 242,9 |
22 | 7 | N. CALERO | Honda CBR600RR | 1'05.737 | 1'48.298 | 241,9 |
RET | 87 | L. MARCONI | Honda CBR600RR | 1 Lap | 1'45.818 | 245,1 |
RET | 16 | J. CLUZEL | MV Agusta F3 675 | 2 Laps | 1'44.958 | 246,8 |
RET | 155 | M. ROCCOLI | MV Agusta F3 675 | 4 Laps | 1'45.924 | 239,7 |
RET | 35 | R. DE ROSA | Honda CBR600RR | 9 Laps | 1'45.502 | 244,0 |
Comments
Great battle! PJ 2nd!
Awesome supersport race, was good to see PJ get gifted with 2nd, but he was right up there with the guys in front so he deserved a podium.
Yup
You only get the points you're there for at the end of the race.
He made his own luck
He made his own luck. :-)
Go PJ
Great result.
Get that man to Moto 2!