Dramatic Race Two in Assen Ends with a Podium Finish for Michael van der Mark

[totalmotorcycle]

Dramatic #Race Two in #Assen Ends with a Podium Finish for Michael van der Mark


The Honda WorldSBK Team has completed the fourth round of the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship with another podium finish, this time courtesy of Michael van der Mark. The young Dutchman was third at the checkered flag at the end of an unpredictable 21-lap race two at the TT Circuit Assen. This is the fourth podium of the season for van der Mark, and the third out of four WorldSBK races he has contested so far in the Netherlands. After his joyful maiden World Superbike podium yesterday, Nicky Hayden finished the second Dutch encounter with a solid sixth.

Nicky HaydenzoomNicky Hayden Nicky HaydenzoomNicky Hayden
The race was declared wet by the race organizers despite the absence of rain, with the two Honda riders opting for the use of full-wet Pirellis. After a great start, both van der Mark and Hayden were part of the leading group and exchanged positions several times, while moving up the order. As the race got near its halfway point and the track surface dried, riders started to make their way back to the pits in order to switch to slicks. Van der mark came in at the end of lap nine, while Hayden waited for three more laps.

After the whole field went through the pit-stop procedure, Michael found himself in third place, although eight seconds away from the leading duo of Rea and Sykes. With no chance to bridge the gap to the front, the 23-year-old from Rotterdam decided to consolidate his position and ride his Honda CBR1000RR Fireblade SP home in third. Nicky resumed his chase from ninth place and, thanks to a good pace in the dry, he was able to make up several places before the checkered flag.

With four rounds of fourteen completed, Michael van der Mark and Nicky Hayden currently sit fourth and fifth in the Championship standings. The next round of the 2016 FIM Superbike World Championship will take place at Imola in two weeks.

Nicky HaydenzoomNicky Hayden Michael van der MarkzoomMichael van der Mark
Honda Rider Comments
Michael van der Mark (Honda World Superbike Team)
Race result: DNF/3rd“This third place feels like a win for me, especially after yesterday’s result. The support from the crowd was really amazing; I’m quite sure there were a lot more people here today compared to the past two years. As soon as we started the warm up lap, I realized that, at some point, we would have to change tires. We were ready for the pit-stop, as we are one of the few teams who always practice it at the end of every session. When Jonathan came past me I couldn’t stay with him, but I wanted to wait one more lap before going into the pits. I came in the following lap and it proved to be a good choice. I rode the rest of the race basically on my own, as the guys at the front were just too far ahead. I want to thank the team for the amazing job they have done, my sponsors and all my fans.”Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team)
Race result: 3rd / 6th“I can’t say I’m happy with sixth as I felt I could have finished in a much higher position. I got another great start, I went from tenth to fourth just on the first lap and everything felt right. This was the first race for me in the wet in Superbike and with these tires, so that put a smile on my face. Then, when the sun came out, the track started to dry really quickly. I was feeling really good and I guess that made me stay out on track for a bit too long before I pitted. Even when I got back on track I could not get up to speed immediately, as for the first time I was riding a bike with a wet setup on slick tires. At some stage I found my rhythm and went past Lowes, but then the gap to Davies was simply too big. Again, it has been a new experience for me and now I’m looking forward to Imola.”Pieter Breddels“Both Michael and Nicky had a great start to the race and showed fine speed in the wet, which was really good for us. With the tire changes, they went different ways and Michael’s choice turned out to be the right one. Despite the difference in terms of results, both riders were also able to lap consistently fast in the dry and that shows that the package we have is competitive in every condition. Overall, we’re happy with the results and most of all for the fact that we were able to place both riders on the podium this weekend. Hopefully we can take the positives into the next race.”
Michael van der MarkzoomMichael van der Mark
Heroic Performance by Jacobsen Ends in Heartache for the Honda WorldSSP Team at Assen

PJ Jacobsen and the Honda WorldSSP Team go home empty handed after a heroic performance in what was a dramatic and unpredictable World Supersport race at Assen. The race was re-run over just six laps in wet conditions following a stoppage when heavy rain drenched the circuit nine laps after the first start.

The New York-born rider had another great launch from fourth place on the grid in the dry race and, by turn one, he was running in second place. He then set his sights on first and, with a perfect overtaking maneuver at turn six on Kenan Sofuoglu, took the lead on lap five. Jacobsen was still at the front of the field on the ninth lap, when the race was red flagged due to sudden heavy rain that began falling on the 4.542km Dutch track. Unfortunately, Jacobsen lost the front of his Honda CBR600RR and ended up in the gravel as the red flag was being deployed.

With just a few minutes available, the Honda WorldSSP team crew did a fine job to get the bike fixed and, only few seconds away from the closure of the pit-lane, Jacobsen was able to get back on track for the sighting lap.

The action resumed for a six-lap sprint race in wet conditions, with Jacobsen running in third during the early stages of the restart. After a moment on the second lap, the 23-year-old American lost some ground but was able to fight back to the front with two laps to go. While in the lead, Jacobsen had another tumble, this time at turn seven, which put an unfortunate early end to his race.

Round five of the 2016 FIM Supersport World Championship will take place at Imola’s Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari in a fortnight’s time.


Honda Rider Comments
Patrick Jacobsen (Honda World Supersport Team)
Race result: DNF“I’m really sorry for how the race went in the end, because the team did an amazing job in getting the bike fixed in such a short time to allow me to line up for the restart. It really wasn’t my day, even though I was able to race at the front both in dry and wet conditions. I can’t thank my crew enough and I hope the next round will bring us better luck.”Pieter Breddels“That was a really hectic race. We couldn’t believe our eyes when on lap nine it started raining and then even hailing. Unfortunately PJ was caught out as he was the first rider to encounter the very wet left-hand corner and he fell, but despite the damage, the guys were able to put the bike back together and everything seemed to be working well. PJ was really comfortable on the bike in the dry and it was clear that our early problems with the rear tire were in the past. Unfortunately such a promising performance translated into zero points, but we need to keep working hard and I’m sure the results will come soon.”

World Superbike and World Supersport 2016
Round 04: TT Circuit Assen – Netherlands

Superbike Race 1


Rank

Rider (Team)

1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2 Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
3 Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team)
4 Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
5 Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team)
6 Lorenzo Savadori (IodaRacing Team)
7 Markus Reiterberger (Althea BMW Racing Team)
8 Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WSBK Team)
9 Román Ramos (Team GoEleven)
10 Lucas Mahias (Pedercini Racing)
11 Joshua Brookes (Milwaukee BMW)
12 Alex De Angelis (IodaRacing Team)
13 Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team)
14 Matteo Baiocco (VFT Racing)
15 Matthieu Lussiana (Team ASPI)

Superbike Race 2


Rank

Rider (Team)

1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team)
2 Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team)
3 Michael van der Mark (Honda World Superbike Team)
4 Lorenzo Savadori (IodaRacing Team)
5 Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
6 Nicky Hayden (Honda World Superbike Team)
7 Alex Lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WSBK Team)
8 Davide Giugliano (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
9 Leon Camier (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)
10 Xavi Fores (Barni Racing Team)
11 Sylvain Guintoli (Pata Yamaha Official WSBK Team)
12 Román Ramos (Team GoEleven)
13 Lucas Mahias (Pedercini Racing)
14 Karel Abraham (Milwaukee BMW)
15 Jordi Torres (Althea BMW Racing Team)

Supersport


Rank

Rider (Team)

1 Kyle Smith (CIA Landlord Insurance Honda)
2 Gino Rea (GRT Racing Team)
3 Kenan Sofuoglu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
4 Randy Krummenacher (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing)
5 Alex Baldolini (Race Department ATK#25)
6 Ilya Mikhalchik (DS Junior Team)
7 Ayrton Badovini (Gemar Balloons - Team Lorini)
8 Axel Bassani (San Carlo Team Italia)
9 Ondrej Jezek (Team GoEleven)
10 Christian Gamarino (Team GoEleven)
11 Federico Caricasulo (Bardahl Evan Bros. Honda Racing)
12 Luke Stapleford (Profile Racing)
13 Nicolas Terol (Schmidt Racing)
14 Kyle Ryde (Ranieri Med - SC Racing)
15 Cedric Tangre (Yohann Moto Sport)