Aprilia’s Sylvain Guintoli fired the first shot of the 2013 World Superbike season as he overhauled fast-starting teammate Eugene Laverty to take the win in Race One at the picturesque Phillip Island circuit in Australia. After getting the holeshot and building up a 1.5-second lead, Laverty was eventually overtaken by Guintoli, who pulled away to victory. Laverty then had his hands full with privateer Aprilia rider Michel Fabrizio on the Red Devils Roma entry and just managed to hold off the charging Italian at the line. BMW Motorrad Goldbet’s Chaz Davies worked his way up to fourth, just pipping Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes at the finish, with Sykes’ teammate Loris Baz holding off Pata Honda’s Leon Haslam.
Team SBK Alstare Ducati’s Carlos Checa—who was running with the lead pack, looking good for a podium finish—and Davies’ BMW Motorrad Goldbet teammate Marco Melandri were involved in a nasty collision at Honda Corner, with both crashing out. Checa was temporarily knocked unconscious by the crash, but eventually got up under his own power.
World Superbike Phillip Island Race One results:
1. Sylvain Guintoli (FRA) Aprilia
2. Eugene Laverty (IRL) Aprilia
3. Michel Fabrizio (ITA) Aprilia
4. Chaz Davies (GBR) BMW
5. Tom Sykes (GBR) Kawasaki
6. Loris Baz (FRA) Kawasaki
7. Leon Haslam (GBR) Honda
8. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Honda
9. Leon Camier (GBR) Suzuki
10. Max Neukirchner (GER) Ducati
11. Jules Cluzel (GBR) Suzuki
12. Ivan Clementi (ITA) BMW
13. Alexander Lundh (SWE) Kawasaki
14. Glen Allerton (AUS) BMW
15. Jamie Stauffer (AUS) Honda
16. Federico Sandi (ITA) Kawasaki
17. Vittorio Iannuzzo (ITA) BMW
DNF Carlos Checa (SPA) Ducati
RT. Marco Melandri (ITA) BMW
RT. Davide Giugliano (ITA) Aprilia