Marco Melandri captured his third victory of the season in race one at Brno on Sunday, edging out rival Max Biaggi by just 0.241 seconds, with points leader Carlos Checa another 0.195 seconds behind. Biaggi took the lead off the pole with Melandri soon on his tail. The Italians quickly set themselves apart from the rest of the pack and swapped positions on three occasions during the race while Checa kept close watch. Melandri was able to fend off Biaggi in a final sprint to the finish line, after passing the defending champion with three laps remaining. Suzuki’s Michel Fabrizio placed fourth, while Melandri’s team-mate Eugene Laverty rounded out the top five.
Race two saw a very similar tightly contested battle between the two Italians, but with Biaggi prevailing this time after taking the lead back from Melandri on the penultimate lap and winning the sprint to the checkered flag by 0.222 seconds. Checa again finished third and Fabrizio and Laverty again fourth and fifth respectively.
With his second win of the season Biaggi has now cut Checa’s lead in the overall standings to 30 points, while Melandri sits another 23 points adrift.
The next round takes place on July 31 at Silverstone in England.
2011 Brno World Superbike Race 1 Results
1. M. MELANDRI ITA Yamaha World Superbike Team
2. M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team +0.241
3. C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing +0.436
4. M. FABRIZIO ITA Team Suzuki Alstare +8.448
5. E. LAVERTY IRL Yamaha World Superbike Team +11.863
6. A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team +16.374
7. L. CAMIER GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team +20.075
8. L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport +21.399
9. J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team +21.555
10. T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike +22.330
11. J. SMRZ CZE Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing +22.494
12. N. HAGA JPN PATA Racing Team Aprilia +24.710
13. M. BERGER FRA Supersonic Racing Team +27.958
14. R. ROLFO ITA Team Pedercini +31.724
15. A. LOWES GBR Castrol Honda +31.998
16. M. AITCHISON AUS Team Pedercini +34.771
17. L. LANZI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team +36.582
18. C. VERMEULEN AUS Kawasaki Racing Team +45.690
19. V. KISPATAKI HUN Prop-tech ltd. +1’28.907
20. S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing 1 Lap
DNF
M. BAIOCCO ITA Barni Racing Team 12 laps
R. XAUS ESP Castrol Honda 0 laps
2011 Brno World Superbike Race 2 Results
1. M. BIAGGI ITA Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team
2. M. MELANDRI ITA Yamaha World Superbike Team +0.222
3. C. CHECA ESP Althea Racing +3.558
4. M. FABRIZIO ITA Team Suzuki Alstare +7.863
5. E. LAVERTY IRL Yamaha World Superbike Team +8.534
6. A. BADOVINI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team +18.085
7. L. HASLAM GBR BMW Motorrad Motorsport +21.650
8. J. LASCORZ ESP Kawasaki Racing Team +21.862
9. S. GUINTOLI FRA Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing +25.306
10. N. HAGA JPN PATA Racing Team Aprilia +27.366
11. R. ROLFO ITA Team Pedercini +33.716
12. M. AITCHISON AUS Team Pedercini +36.549
13. L. LANZI ITA BMW Motorrad Italia SBK Team +37.468
14. T. SYKES GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Superbike +46.878
15. V. KISPATAKI HUN Prop-tech ltd. +1’38.074
DNF
M. BERGER FRA Supersonic Racing Team 15 laps
L. CAMIER GBR Aprilia Alitalia Racing Team 14 laps
J. SMRZ CZE Team Effenbert-Liberty Racing 12 laps
M. BAIOCCO ITA Barni Racing Team 9 laps
A. LOWES GBR Castrol Honda 5 laps
DNS
C. VERMEULEN AUS Kawasaki Racing Team
R. XAUS ESP Castrol Honda
