Friday

The curtain has finally risen at the Mandalika Circuit! First day of sessions held in warm but optimal conditions, with all the riders enjoying the splendid layout, made up of the right mix of fast, slow and straights areas. Chaz Davies gradually became familiar with the circuit of the island of Lombok, without taking unnecessary risks and without pushing too hard, on what was the last Friday of the year.

In FP 1 the riders made the first laps cautiously to learn the track, then from mid-session onwards the times improved a lot. Chaz and Team Go Eleven used the same tyres for the entire 45 minutes of the session, making over 20 laps. Taking his time before starting to push, the Welsh rider improved lap after lap until he reached 37.4. At the end of FP 1 the gap between protagonists, from the second to the thirteenth, are all in a second. Times not yet significant, due to a track that needs to have some more tyre on it, after the initial really low grip.

Free Practice 1: 
P 1   T. Razgatlioglu   1.34.985
P 2   A. Lowes   + 1.544
P 3   G. Gerloff   + 1.600
…
P 13   C. Davies   + 2.496

The second session begins with about 55 degrees of asphalt, humidity around 90 percent and temperatures over 30 degrees. From the very first laps the track seems to have improved significantly compared to the morning, with the WorldSBK riders lowering their references. Chaz starts the session with an important change in the balance of the bike, in order to have more grip on the rear. With the SC0 he manages to lower about a second, thus preparing himself for the second run with the softer tyre. Unfortunately in the two best laps, when he was in line for a place in the top ten, a mistake at the last corner and some traffic penalised him, putting number seven in fifteenth position. Excellent sectors in the first and second splits, but in the last two there is still something to fix for tomorrow. The gap is however very limited, about a second between Chaz and second position, so with a few small changes a good result could be reached.

Free Practice 2: 
P 1   T. Razgatlioglu   1.34.230
P 2   J. Rea   + 0.174
P 3   G. Gerloff   + 0.225
…
P 15   C. Davies   + 1.206

Chaz Davies (Rider):
“Interesting first day, really nice track here in Mandalika, the layout is nice and funny, it’s everything as expected. As the day is gone on, the surface has improved, it’s rubbed in a little bit and now has got a bit more grip than this morning. Overall, maybe, I am a bit disappointed, my laptime in the end I feel like I did not put everything together as well as it should be. There are a few things to work on with the bike and try to make a step forward, try to make the bike a little bit more calm in the fast areas. I think now I need to sleep on it and it’s a good thing to be prepared for tomorrow. Enjoyable first day, I enjoyed the circuit, just I wish us a little bit faster!”

Saturday

Saturday at the Mandalika circuit ended with nothing to say; a classic tropical storm flooded the track just as the WorldSBK stars were ready to line up on the grid. All postponed until tomorrow, with two long races in one day.

The FP3 start off with the right feeling for Chaz, who, thanks to the changes made during the night, manages to improve his Best Lap, entering the top ten. Despite some problems still on the front, with a less than optimal feeling, the pace for the race is good, and the gap with the first five positions is around half a second.

Free Practice 3: 
P 1   S. Redding  1.33.486
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu   + 0.082
P 3   G. Gerloff   + 0.552
…
P 9   C. Davies   + 1.303

In Superpole Chaz decides to use the two tyres available for the qualifying; with the first Q he does not find the necessary feeling and sets a rather high time. He comes back to the pits, quick tyre change, and back in again for the last qualifying of the year. In the first two sectors the Welsh rider is almost perfect, lighting excellent partial times in line with the first row, then in the fourth sector he makes a mistake by going slightly wide at the penultimate corner. Unfortunately with the gaps so close, the tenths lost forced him in the fourth row, eleventh position on the grid of Race 1.

Superpole: 
P 1   T. Razgatlioglu   1.32.877
P 2   J. Rea   + 0.324
P 3   S. Redding   + 0.379
…
P 11   C. Davies   + 1.550

There is little to tell about Race 1 and the opening photo says it all. Just as the riders leave the pits to go to the starting grid, a tropical storm hits the Mandalika circuit, forcing the organization to change the programs. No races today, all postponed to tomorrow, with two races that will be held over the long distance, thus eliminating the Superpole Race.

Chaz Davies (Rider):
Today I felt better with the bike this morning, in the second run we made some changes and it was better. In the Superpole my first part of the lap was really good, then in the second half I struggled with the feeling of the Q, it dropped quite a lot, especially with the first one. Then we put the second Q, I was thinking too much on what I felt with the first one, so I didn’t do a good job in the last half of the lap. It’s a bit disappointing not to do such a good lap. Then I was waiting for the race, but we got way too much rain, unfortunately they had to postpone the Race, which is a shame for the Indonesian fans that were here today. Hopefully everybody comes back here tomorrow and we can enjoy two full races. Today there was a crazy amount of water. I am feeling good for Races!”

Sunday

A unique day, which will remain fixed in the minds of all those who have entered Go Eleven, who have lived this year, who have enjoyed and suffered with the Italian team. Chaz Davies, one of the greatest performers in recent WorldSBK history finished his last race, saying goodbye to motorcycling fans!

The day at the Mandalika circuit is quite eventful. While the riders are lined up on the grid for Race 1, the sky clouds become grey and a few drops of rain fall. Not as strong as yesterday, but the slightly wet track forces the stewards to delay the start. The track still seems in excellent condition, so much so that the riders are all back on the grid with slicks. The race starts, and the third and fourth sectors turn out to be rather wet, with the riders entering the turns cautiously. The battle for the World Championship starts between Toprak and Rea, while behind Davies he climbs up with an excellent pace, also signing the provisional fastest lap. He enters the top eight, battles with Bautista and Sykes, and manages to contain the gap from the leaders well. As the track dries up, little by little the top five make the difference, but Chaz defends himself well and ends an excellent race in eighth position. Really good performance, especially in the first laps on a wet track!

Race 1: 
P 1   J. Rea  32’12.219
P 2   T. Razgatlioglu   + 0.670
P 3   S. Redding   + 2.155
…
P 8   C. Davies   + 14.509

In Race 2, a dejà-vù from yesterday welcomes the WorldSBK riders; all off the grid within minutes of departure due to a tropical storm. And here in Indonesia, the storms are intense, very intense. With wet riders and mechanics, the organization moves the final decision on whether or not to start Race 2, to 16.00 local time. The rain stops a bit and the race starts with very wet asphalt and only twelve laps. Unfortunately, Chaz never manages to find the pace to be in front, but the main goal is to finish his last race. After the finish line, passed in twelfth position, the emotion becomes protagonist; burnout, Prosecco, dedicated board and the whole WorldSBK circus awaits the Welshman with the number 7 for the last “Goodbye”!

Race 2: 
P 1   J. Rea    20’53.598
P 2   S. Redding   + 0.283
P 3   M. Van der Mark   + 7.437
…
P 12   C. Davies   + 50.591

Today the result for Team Go Eleven and Chaz Davies weren’t so important; today was Chaz’s day. After thirteen seasons racing at the highest level between Superbike and Supersport, 99 podiums and 32 victories, a World Championship won in 2011, three times second in Superbike World Championship, but above all one of the best, most true, exciting and heartfelt people in the paddock greets the world of two wheels. From tomorrow a new life begins for you Chaz, your team wishes you the best for future projects; you wrote a page in the history of Go Eleven, motorcycling and Ducati. Thanks for everything Chaz, you have been one of our idols, you are a legend, it is an honor to have been with you in this final season!

THANKS WORLDSBK LEGEND!

Honorable mention to the new World Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu and the Yamaha Team. Toprak and Johnny put together the best WorldSBK season; fighting with them is something unique.

WELL DESERVED TOPRAK!

Chaz Davies (Rider):
“It’s good to race today here in Mandalika, the first race I was quite happy with, I felt Ok on the bike, I was quite fast especially on the beginning of the Race, I was catching the front group. Then when the track dried I lost a bit, but I was happy with P 8. Then the second Race, in the rain here is really high grip, I felt a bit strange during the race to be honest. I was really motivated to try to finish well, but after the delay I didn’t feel particularly normal. Maybe it’s to be expected, I try to tell myself a few times: “Just enjoy it”, but anyway it’s like this. Definitively the first Race is the highlight of the weekend. Just thanks to everybody for the support, to the guys, to the Team Go Eleven for supporting me so much this year, bringing me in like a family. It has been a difficult season, but I really enjoy the time in the garage and myself in general. Now I take the next step in life, which is to walk away from racing in motorcycle. It has been a great career and looking back it means satisfaction. I wish the maximum respect to all my competitors, congratulations to Toprak for the Championship, he did such an amazing job this season, and to Yamaha also. I hope to be back here in future, but obviously not on the bike! ”

Denis Sacchetti (Team Manager):
“Having met and have been so lucky to work with a rider and, even before that, with a man like Chaz Davies, who has become a World Superbike legend is a great privilege! This was not a race for us, but a red carpet. I was excited from the first minute we arrived here at Mandalika until today. Not many people can know what it feels like when you change your life, no one can know what Chaz was thinking today, but I think everyone would have been excited looking him in the eyes! I don’t have much to say, just thank you Chaz for what you have given us and what you have given to this sport, you have left your mark in the hearts of all of us. Enjoy the next goals Chaz! “