Ducati’s Chaz Davies couldn’t hide his disappointment after failing to make it inside the top five in both World Superbike races at Phillip Island. But he did manage to stay on his bike to end the day comfortably inside the top ten with seventh and eighth position finishes.
In the opening race Davies made a very quick start from eleventh on the grid, passing several riders through the first corners to position fifth at the end of lap one. On lap two, the British rider made the best lap of the race, 1’30.949, earning his first ‘Pirelli best lap award’ of the season and setting a new record with a lap time three tenths of a second faster than Voltcom Suzuki’s Eugene Laverty’s fast lap at this track in 2013.
The Powys based rider lost a couple of positions in the subsequent phase and from mid-race tyre wear began to impact on his performance, leaving him with no option but to slow down. Separated from both the group immediately ahead of him and the chasing group, Davies was able to hold eighth position to the line.
In the final outing, Davies was lying ninth after the first lap but then quickly moved up through the field to position himself fifth by lap eight. Unfortunately an electronic problem caused by a stone perforating the front fairing of his Panigale slowed him down from the tenth lap onwards and, when the race was brought to a premature end after 14 laps, Davies crossed the line in final seventh place.
The Welshman had to contend with rear tyre issues in the first and a pesky stone in his front fairing in race two, but after overcoming some adversities Davies is eighth in the overall championship on seventeen points.
“I am a little disappointed in terms of race results. In race one he had a rear tyre issue and I gradually lost grip from maybe the mid-race point. Race two was a little better, I was hanging in there with the front group, managing to edge my way up through the field to about fifth. Then at about lap ten I felt like I lost power and so I slowed down because I didn’t know what was happening,” said Davies.
“It was a shame as I think we were in for a better result in race two. I felt more comfortable, with the team having made some changes between the first and second races. Anyway, there are positives to take away from the weekend. Solid points in each race for example – it’s the first time I’ve scored points in both Superbike races at Phillip Island. I also made the fastest lap of race one. But I know we’re capable of more, everyone’s working hard and the bike is feeling good. Roll on Aragon.”
