BMW MOTORRAD ITALIA GOLDBET SBK TEAM - MOSCOW RACEWAY - RACE

Today was the final day of the historic first Russian World Superbike round at the Moscow Raceway and the BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet Superbike Team was on track for the usual two Sunday races. Michel Fabrizio finished fifth in the first race and was the innocent victim of a crash in the following one. Ayrton Badovini finished race 1 in twelfth position and he crossed the line in eighth place in race 2.

The partially damp track conditions at the start of Race 1 brought uncertainty to tyre choice until the last available moments for the teams to work on the bike on the grid. Michel Fabrizio and Ayrton Badovini, as with almost all riders, opted for slick tyres. From the seventeenth grid slot Michel made a fantastic recovery and managed to make the best of the difficult track conditions, riding up to a final fifth place. Ayrton Badovini, who started from the nineteenth spot on the grid, was twelfth at the end of the race.

There was no doubt about the weather for race two with a fully dry track. Michel Fabriziohad an unfortunate crash at turn 5 on lap 1, due to a blameless collision with Hiroshi Aoyama, who was ahead of him. Ayrton Badovini rode well throughout the race, recovering many positions to take the chequered flag in eighth place.

Race 2 was won by Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport Team). His victory and second place in Race 1 means that the Italian rider is now leading the riders' standings, with three rounds remaining.

Serafino Foti, BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet Superbike Team Sporting Director, said: "We leave Moscow half happy. Michel did a good job with his approach to the very tricky conditions and got a well deserved fifth place, while in the second race he had an accident through no fault of his own. That's racing and it happens, especially if you start the race from the back of the grid.

Ayrton finished the first race in twelfth place and he improved his results in the following one by ending up eighth. We need to work to get back to being in the top five and we'll be ready for the next round of Nürburgring."

Michel Fabrizio #84 Race1 5th Race 2 DNF "Race 1 went very well and I'm happy with the result. In race 2 it was a matter of a race accident that can happen, especially if you start far from pole. Aoyama braked a bit too much, another rider was able to avoid him but I saw him at the last moment and I could do nothing about him."

Ayrton Badovini #86 Race 1 12th Race 2 8th "I'm definitely not happy with how this weekend went, as I was unable to be as fast as I would have liked. In race 2 I rode defensively, while in the first one I had a few little issues that prevented me from being as quick as I could be. Now we need to focus fully for the upcoming Nürburgring round."

Race 1 1- Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) 41’07.852 2- Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) + 8.878 3- Max Biaggi (Aprilia)  + 12.603 5- Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team) + 29.582 6- Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) + 30.58712- Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team) + 47.813

Race 2 1- Marco Melandri (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) 40’14.677 2- Tom Sykes (Kawasaki) + 0.976 3- Chaz Davies (Aprilia) + 4.213 8- Ayrton Badovini (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team) + 23.696 DNF - Leon Haslam (BMW Motorrad Motorsport) DNF - Michel Fabrizio (BMW Motorrad Italia GoldBet SBK Team)