Source: WSBK.

Aprilia Racing Team’s Sylvain Guintoli is the 2014 eni FIM Superbike World Champion after a nail-biting season final race held under floodlights at the Losail International Circuit.

The Frenchman took the lead on lap five and, courtesy of a strong race pace and a new lap record of 1m57.906, he pulled a solid gap on the chasing duo of Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team) to take his first career double and the crown.

Sykes and Rea battled race long to determine the final spots on the podium with the Honda rider just edging the outgoing champion for second in final three laps.

“I cannot believe it; I have been imagining this double win for the whole month,” Guintoli said. “I never felt so good riding with this or any other bike before. It has been such hard work all season, trying not to make many mistakes. Tom has been very fast and consistent.

“After Laguna when the gap was 44 points, it was a difficult situation, but we were back and in this last round I’ve shown I’ve got the speed and what it takes to win. I proved it to myself and I’m happy. I think the title will sink in later on, but for now I’m just overwhelmed.”

Guintoli won the opening race earlier in the day, which was clouded by controversy when Sykes’ teammate Loris Baz ignored team orders to finish second ahead of Sykes. That meant Sykes had to top Guintoli in race two for the title.

“I don’t mind taking my hat off to a worthy champion,” Sykes said. “We have tried so hard all year and of course, a few incidents come to my mind now, but it is what it is. After the last few rounds, we knew Sylvain and Aprilia would have been strong. Unfortunately the outcome of today was… the winner takes it all.

“Sylvain, he did a great season. Obviously we’ve had some limitations today; I tried my best in race two, but unfortunately it wasn’t enough. That’s racing. Luckily this race is quite late in the year, so I won’t be too hard on myself for too long. The start of the next season won’t be too far away and I’ll be putting my efforts into that.”

In the final standings Rea finished a career-best third, one point ahead of Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team), with Baz completing the top five.

Newly-crowned Superbike EVO winner David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team) was once again involved in a titanic fight for the best classified EVO rider coming home ahead of Niccolò Canepa (Althea Racing Ducati) in 11th, with Bryan Staring (Iron Brain Grillini Kawasaki) riding well to claim the third EVO placing in a credible 13th overall.

Earlier Staring had finished as fourth of the EVO runners, 15th on track in a strong conclusion to his WSBK campaign. Countryman Alex Cudlin’s strong weekend was hampered on race day, first by a crash in race one on a faulty tyre, and then he was forced to pit in the second with a loose handlebar, crossing the line 18th.

The final race of the World Supersport season was a close encounter and eventually won after 15 exciting laps by Michael van der Mark (Pata Honda World Supersport Team).

Ratthapark Wilairot (Core PTR Honda) produced a spirited ride to second in his first ever WSS podium and was joined on the podium by the Pole Position man Jules Cluzel (MV Agusta Reparto Corse).

2014 Superbike World Championship
Round 12 – Losail, Qatar

Superbike race one results:
1. Sylvain Guintoli
2. Loris Baz +2.650s
3. Tom Sykes +3.955s
4. Jonathan Rea +4.805s
5. Davide Giugliano +7.861s
6. Toni Elias +8.192s
7. Chaz Davies +8.991s
8. Marco Melandri +10.512s
9. Eugene Laverty +15.978s
10. Alex Lowes +21.456s
15. Bryan Staring (AUS) +43.360s

Superbike race two results:
1. Sylvain Guintoli
2. Jonathan Rea +3.568s
3. Tom Sykes +5.092s
4. Marco Melandri +8.305s
5. Chaz Davies +8.390s
6. Toni Elias +8.654s
7. Loris Baz +9.115s
8. Davide Giugliano +13.015s
9. Alex Lowes +13.478s
10. Leon Haslam +25.471s
13. Bryan Staring (AUS) +46.248s
18. Alex Cudlin (AUS) +1 lap

Superbike championship standings:
1. Sylvain Guintoli 416
2. Tom Sykes 410
3. Jonathan Rea 334
4. Marco Melandri 333
5. Loris Baz 311
6. Chaz Davies 215
7. Leon Haslam 187
8. Davide Giugliano 181
9. Toni Elias 171
10. Eugene Laverty 161
22. Bryan Staring (AUS) 18

Supersport race results:
1. Michael van der Mark
2. Rathapark Wilairot +3.570s
3. Jules Cluzel +5.124s
4. Lucas Mahias +5.476s
5. Kev Coghlan +5.578s
6. Roberto Rolfo +8.275s
7. Lorenzo Zanetti +8.965s
8. Kenan Sofuoglu +12.367s
9. Roberto Tamburini +22.923s
10. Massimo Roccoli +23.081s

Supersport championship standings:
1. Michael van der Mark 230
2. Jules Cluzel 148
3. Florian Marino 125
4. Lorenzo Zanetti 112
5. Kev Coghlan 109
6. PJ Jacobsen 99
7. Roberto Rolfo 97
8. Kenan Sofuoglu 94
9. Rathapark Wilairot
10. Raffaele De Rosa 80

Click here for detailed results