Historic clashes in WorldSBK
WorldSBK commentator Harry Lloyd takes a look back over some racing line disputes
Jonathan Rea’s (Kawasaki Racing Team) fantastically hard-fought double isn’t the only things grabbing headlines in the days after another dramatic weekend at the TT Circuit Assen. Fans and journalists alike are still discussing, debating and analysing the incident in Superpole 2 and subsequent war of words between Rea and Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). An in-depth post on his Facebook Page gave everyone Chaz Davies’ side of the story, complete with calculated 107% sector times.
Both will be looking to put it behind them in the coming rounds, but it’s not the first time that two championship rivals have had a disagreement or two, especially during Superpole. Superpole is always a tense session; just a couple of tenths can separate a rider from a front or a fourth row start. As a result riders going slow on the racing line - deliberately or not - is often a hot button issue.
Davies will have no doubt received a bit of sympathy from Italian teammate Marco Melandri. Back in 2011 the veteran had a similar incident with another rider while pushing for a fast lap in Superpole. During Superpole 2 (then the second of three Superpole sessions) at Donington Park in 2011, Melandri was on a fast lap to try and advance through to the final session when fellow Italian, and then title rival, Max Biaggi looked behind and slowed down. As with Davies, a distraught Marco Melandri was forced to roll off and sacrifice his flying lap.
Melandri claimed Biaggi had seen him coming with the Roman allegedly already raising a hand in apology, as opposed to swerving off the racing line, when Melandri arrived on him. While Davies and Rea continued their discussion in Parc Ferme, Biaggi took it upon himself to go visit Melandri in his Yamaha pit box.
That particular weekend in Britain saw Biaggi finish in 11th and fourth while Melandri took two third finishes behind eventual champion Carlos Checa and then Yamaha teammate Eugene Laverty. Biaggi would eventually apologise to Melandri during an interview with Italian radio, the duo continuing to let their riding do the talking for several seasons after. The incident in the pits saw Biaggi receive a 3,000 Euro penalty.
Perhaps the most famous ‘disagreement’ in WorldSBK history also took place in Assen, back in 1998 between Pierfrancesco Chili and Carl Fogarty. The Brit was out for victory in Race 2 as he looked to leave Assen as the King once again, but Chili (winner of Race 1) had other ideas. Like Davies and Rea, the two battled for much of the race until Chili fell at the Gert Timmer Chicane on the last lap. Fogarty went on to win, but there was still a discussion to be had between the two rivals.
Normally when one arrives in Parc Ferme to celebrate victory they’re greeted by their team and a loved one or two, but this time Fogarty had a surprise guest: a raging Chili. Fogarty didn’t even have time to take his helmet off before the discussion over what happened on track began. Davide Tardozzi, Ducati team boss, stepped in to separate the two from their heated discussion and let Fogarty finish his celebrations.
While Davies and Rea’s conversation ended then and there, Chili was ready and waiting for Fogarty in the press conference, wearing little more than his now famous blue bathrobe. Chili quickly took the chance to grab a nearby reporter and share his version of events, calling for Ducati to ban Fogarty from racing at the next and final round in Sugo, Japan as he believed the Brit had deliberately forced him to fall. Fogarty would go on to wrap up the title in Japan.
Chili would keep racing until 2006 in the WorldSBK championship and soon after his retirement even considered teaming up with Fogarty to run a team. Time really does heal all wounds.
No doubt Rea and Davies will leave their bathrobes in the motorhomes and both their retirements from racing seem a long way off, but the scene is set for a season of even more fantastic battles in Superpole and the races. Rea has the championship lead, but the last four rounds of 2016 showed the world what a fired up Davies can do. Bring on Imola and the fireworks!