GUINTOLI TAKES EARLY LEAD

Frenchman Sylvain Guintoli left Australia with the World Superbike Championship lead firmly in his keeping as made his return to the top step of the WSBK podium at Phillip Island exactly a year after his last visit to the track.

Having claimed his one and only win of 2013 in Australia, Guintoli would go on to repeat history with his success in race two of the day, the Frenchman emerging as the main beneficiary from an early conclusion following a red flag.

Coming after a season in which Guintoli proved a title contender but was unable to add to his victory tally, the Frenchman was delighted to be back on the top step once more.

“In race one maybe I had a little too much faith,” the Aprilia rider said. “I started off strong and toward the end I lost the right feeling with my rear tyre. The conditions were much different than they had been over the last few days but we did a good job anyway.

“In the second race I tried to look after my tyre and it worked. If I think about everything that happened during the winter I can’t help but be pleased with our weekend.

“I’m finally back on the top step of the podium. I want to thank the guys who looked after me during my recovery. I’m pretty tired now but I’ll have a month to recover before the next round.”

Guintoli leads the standings after the first round with 41 points, 10 points clear of countryman Loris Baz.

Meanwhile, Ireland’s Eugene Laverty has described his remarkable charge to victory in the day’s first race, while making his Voltcom Crescent Suzuki debut, as meaning more to him than any other success in his WSBK career as he notched up the manufacturer’s first series win since 2010.

Though Laverty has been tipped to return Suzuki to winning ways this year after a positive showing in pre-season testing, not only was the man himself surprised to turn in a win on his first outing aboard the GSX-R1000, but the manner of his success would prove particularly memorable.

Laverty was more than four seconds behind the top trio and seemingly out of victory contention after a poor start, but the Irishman would display a searing pace to work his way back into contention, pouncing on the leaders in quick succession to nose ahead for the first time with five laps remaining.

From here Laverty simply extended his advantage to finish comfortably ahead of his rivals, his win marking the first for Suzuki in 95 races when Leon Haslam took victory at Kyalami almost four years ago. Naturally, Laverty was thrilled to reward Voltcom Crescent Racing after taking him on over the winter following his departure from Aprilia.

Sadly for Laverty, his hopes of making it a perfect double came to an abrupt conclusion in race two when a dramatic engine blow-out whilst running second ensured it remained a day of mixed emotions.

“A day of highs and lows! The second race was a disappointment for everyone. We didn’t deserve that, that’s for sure but that’s racing and unfortunately that’s how it goes sometimes.”

His retirement in race two means Laverty leaves the opening round fifth in the overall standings.

Results from Phillips Island:

Race one:

1. Eugene Laverty IRL Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 22 laps

2. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +2.959s

3. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +3.034s

4. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati SBK 1199R +6.972s

5. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +11.132s

6. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR +11.718s

7. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +15.612s

8. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199R +25.724s

9. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +37.407s (E)

10. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +37.468s (E)

11. Glenn Allerton AUS BMW Italia S1000RR +39.271s (E)

12. Fabien Foret FRA MAHI Kawasaki ZX-10R +45.212s (E)

13. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC Yakhnich F4RR +50.249s

14. Jeremy Guarnoni FRA MRS Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 17.134s (E)

15. Sheridan Morais RSA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R +1m 23.686s (E)

16. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +1m 30.651s

17. Aaron Yates USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX +1 lap

Not Classified

18. Alessandro Andreozzi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R 15 laps completed (E)

19. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR 5 laps completed

20. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 4 laps completed

21. Toni Elias ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 4 laps completed

(E) denotes EVO class entry

Did Not Qualify

Peter Sebestyen HUN Team Toth Italia S1000RR (E)

Withdrawn

Mathew Walters AUS Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R (E)

Geoff May USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX

Sylvain Barrier FRA BMW Italia S1000RR (E) *

Luca Scassa ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R (E) *

Michel Fabrizio ITA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R (E)

* Replaced by Glenn Allerton

Race two:

1. Sylvain Guintoli FRA Aprilia Racing RSV4 15 laps

2. Loris Baz FRA Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +0.283s

3. Tom Sykes GBR Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +1.103s

4. Davide Giugliano ITA Ducati SBK 1199R +2.052s

5. Jonathan Rea GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR +4.951s

6. Leon Haslam GBR Pata Honda CBR1000RR +5.673s

7. Chaz Davies GBR Ducati SBK 1199R +9.664s

8. Marco Melandri ITA Aprilia Racing RSV4 +10.574s

9. Toni Elias ESP Red Devils Roma Aprilia RSV4 +11.682s

10. David Salom ESP Kawasaki Racing ZX-10R +15.065s (E)

11. Niccolo Canepa ITA Althea Ducati 1199R +16.294s (E)

12. Fabien Foret FRA MAHI Kawasaki ZX-10R +16.919s (E)

13. Alex Lowes GBR Voltcom Crescent Suzuki GSX-R1000 +19.694s

14. Sheridan Morais RSA IRON BRAIN Kawasaki ZX-10R +27.266s (E)

15. Glenn Allerton AUS BMW Italia S1000RR +27.845s (E)

16. Jeremy Guarnoni FRA MRS Kawasaki ZX-10R +29.431s (E)

17. Alessandro Andreozzi ITA Pedercini Kawasaki ZX-10R +36.393s (E)

18. Claudio Corti ITA MV Agusta RC Yakhnich F4RR +37.018s

19. Imre Toth HUN Team Toth BMW S1000RR +54.093s

20. Aaron Yates USA Team Hero EBR 1190RX +1m 13.385s