Rea slides off after best-of-season Front row start at Qatar
Sun, 18 October 2015
GINO REA crashed out of a podium challenging position with nine laps to go of the 12th and final round of the World Supersport Championship at Losail in Qatar.
The Londoner had got off to a slow start when his bike bogged off the line, falling back to 11th from third on the grid, but was scything through the field to join the front-runners when he crashed out. Gino had been fast all weekend and qualified on the front row in third position for the first time this year.
Gino said: “I am gutted really. The race got off in the worst way it could. There was no feel in the clutch and as soon as it bit, the bike bogged and I had to grab and go again. Then at the end of the first lap Baldolini hit me and ran me wide.
“I got my head down and was pushing hard. I was taking big risks to pass people becasue we were lacking some acceleration. I set the fastest lap of the race and I’d just got by Terol and was coming on to the front group but I lost the front at turn 7. We tried really hard to finish the year on a high and we had the pace, but it was more bad luck. After all the effort we went to get a front row start I am really sorry for the whole team.
"On a positive note, it was great to qualify on the front row and set the fastest lap at that point of the race. It proves we had the pace and its been a while since I was that fast in both qualifying and the race. It leaves me filled with confidence going into 2016.
"I'd like to thank the guys in my side of the garage, the CIA Insurance Landlords Insurance Honda team and all my personal sponsors for this year."
CIA Landlords Insurance Honda Team Manager Simon Buckmaster said: “Gino rode well all weekend and qualified third. Despite a bad start he was looking to challenge for the podium and it is a shame for him and the whole team that he crashed out.
Championship positions
1: K Sofuoglu 233
2: P Jacobsen 196
3: L Zanetti 158
4: J Cluzel 155
5: K Smith 116
6: G REA, CIA LANDLORDS INSURANCE HONDA 97
11: M CARDENAS, CIA LANDLORDS INSURANCE HONDA 55
20: A WAGNER, CIA LANDLORDS INSURANCE HONDA 13
34: K MANFREDI, CIA LANDLORDS INSURANCE HONDA
