Loris Baz dedicates Silverstone victory to Andrea Antonelli

On August 5th 2012 at Silverstone, Loris Baz scored his first ever victory as a rookie rider, dedicating his victory to Joan Lascorz – who he replaced following the Spaniard’s career ending crash at Imola last year.
One year later, almost to the day, the Kawasaki rider dedicated his second victory to the late GO Eleven Kawasaki rider Andrea Antonelli, who tragically passed away following the Supersport race in Moscow, just two weeks ago.

Baz was very impressive in race 1, running in second behind Jonathan Rea, when it started to drizzle, but on the penultimate lap he was caught by Leon Camier, Eugene Laverty and Sylvain Guintoli and shuffled back to a disappointing fifth.
Not wanting a repeat of race 1, the Kawasaki man jumped up to lead the race for eight full laps, but Chaz Davies took the head, but this time he battled his way back to the lead and then lost it again to both Suzuki riders, but he clawed back to second, and passed race leader Jules Cluzel on lap 16, which proved to be just the right timing as the race was then red flagged, after Cluzel and Leon Haslam crashed out, the rain intensifying and three quarters of the distance already covered.

“After race one I was really disappointed because I was fighting for the podium but maybe I was thinking too much about this and made a lot of mistakes, so I finished fifth.
In race two I said to myself, “OK, this one is mine.
” In the first part of the race, even in the dry, I had good pace and I pushed at the front.
I tried to control the pace from the front but there were some fast people behind me and it was difficult to go away.
Every time somebody tried to pass me I passed them back and at the end the conditions were really wet and I nearly fell.
I want to say thanks my team because they are making a really good job with this bike for not just Tom or me but for both riders.
Now I feel really comfortable.
I also want to dedicate this victory to Andrea Antonelli’s family,” said Baz.
Tom Sykes may have held on to his second place in the standings, but it definitely wasn’t his weekend.
The Kawasaki rider saw his record breaking Superpole lap and almost certain pole position cancelled because of rain, and when it began spitting during the races, the Huddersfield man decided not to take any risks and thought about the championship and just brought his Kawasaki home in 11th and 7th, and giving up 9 points to championship leader Sylvain Guintoli, who was riding with a bum shoulder.
“Race two was similar to race one and today in these weather conditions it was always going to be a difficult one,” said Sykes.
“I was not prepared to put too much on the line in these kinds of conditions – slick tyres, rain falling – and that is just the way it is.
I was not prepared to gamble too much and we saw how easy it was for people to crash, so taking some points is better than taking none.
I do not like thinking about the championship but I was maybe forced to think a little bit about it in race two.
We have not given away too much to the championship leader.
We struggled a little bit in the beginning of race two as the rear tyre did not feel as strong as in race one but I know the Ninja ZX-10R is working well.
Congratulations to Loris on his win and after the summer break we will move on and see what we can do at some circuits we should do well at.
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