2nd and 3rd place in WSBK Supersport, Imola 2012

Pole position rider Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda – Carbonin partner) tried everything he knew on the final few laps of the FIM Supersport World Championship race at Imola to get past eventual winner Fabien Foret (Kawasaki), but he could not get into a position to make his final move.

In finishing second by only 0.574s Lowes promoted himself to second in the championship, on a day when lots of top names and new talents experienced some vastly differing results.

Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda – Carbonin partner) was ninth on lap one, having been 11th on the grid, but rode through with good pace to set-up a final lap struggle with Roberto Tamburini (Team Lorini Honda). Quarmby came out on top to record his first podium finish, but he only beat Tamburini by 0.004s after their dramatic exit from the final chicane.
Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) was looking good for a top four finish, but fell on lap six, at the infamous final chicane. Martin Jessopp (Riders PTR Honda) had to take a ride-through penalty for cutting the last chicane.

Sam Lowes (Bogdanka PTR Honda) Race result: 2nd Championship position: 2nd “That was a tough race. We changed the bike a bit for today and the team gave me a bike that as capable of winning. Fabien was great last year at this track and this year he did not put a foot wrong. I nearly matched his times towards the end, but I could not go any faster to catch him, but fair play to all of us, and I am glad to get my first podium of the year. I made a good start from pole and had to control the race from the front. Fabien is a fantastic rider and he’s always good at this circuit so well done to him for the win. We’re getting closer and I feel good and confident. I didn’t make any mistakes in the race and the bike and tyres were working well until the end. We’re now second in the championship so I’m really looking forward to Assen.”
Ronan Quarmby (PTR Honda) Race result: 3rd Championship position: 4th “It is amazing to get third and I did not expect to get onto the podium from my starting position. I pushed hard this weekend and I cannot say thank you enough to my team because the bike was good this weekend. What an amazing race day after getting on the podium. My bike was all good and yesterday we did not know which tyre to run and we made a good decision in the end. The team was awesome and I have never been so happy in a long time racing. It got difficult at the end so I had to get my head down and I knew Tamburini was close. I block-passed him on the last corner and came out in the wrong gear so had to get my weight forward and try to get to the line in front of him which I did – just.”

Jules Cluzel (PTR Honda) Race result: DNF Championship position: 9th “I made a mistake and crashed I think touched the kerb a little bit too much maybe, with too much angle. I had some chatter and it was my mistake. I was not so good before this and the gap from the first group started to be bigger. I had some movement and some sliding and maybe I did not take the good tyre choice. Anyway, it is on to Assen and I hope to get a better result there.”
Mathew Scholtz (Bogdanka PTR Honda) Race result: Disqualified Championship position: 20th “I made a bad start and dropped down a bit, but quickly recovered a few positions. Then I tried to pass another rider and had to go straight through the last chicane, which dropped me down to 17th. I worked my way up to seventh again and was closing in on the riders ahead, but then I saw the black flag. I never saw the penalty board and it’s a pity because I had a really good pace and I was very happy with the race until then. Overall it was still a good weekend and I hope that we can go to Assen now and show what we can do.”