SBK | Prosecco DOC UK Round, Race1: Van der Mark euphoria

Big party at parc fermé at the end of the first race of the sixth round of the World Superbike Championship, at Donington Park: Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team) obtains his first career victory in WorldSuperbike thanks to a race conducted masterfully.

A victory that was anything but easy if we consider that the Dutchman had to face the two riders who had dominated the entire weekend up to that point, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): Van der Mark this time he waited for the right moment to overtake them and fly to the finish line.

“I saw them dueling, I wasn't sure of my pace for the whole race, so I stayed behind them” – says an elated Michael Van der Mark – “Although they fought, the pace remained fast. We had opened a gap with the guys fighting for fourth place and that was kind of my plan. Then I saw them in difficulty, so I attacked them."

The Dutchman put in a solid performance and seized the perfect moment: “Johnny made a mistake so I tried to pass him. Then I saw that Tom was also having some difficulty. After I managed to get into the lead I started to open the gap. Johnny came back near the end so I had to push really hard. I'm very happy with my first victory: we've been waiting for this moment for a long time, I've been in Superbike for four years, I've been working on this Yamaha project for just as many years and my first victory has finally arrived. We showed everyone that the bike is improving."

alex lowes (Pata Yamaha Official WorldSBK Team), fourth at the finish line and never too far from the leaders, expressed his happiness for his teammate: “For this team and for all the work that has been done, it is nice to see Michael conquer the his first victory. He had a fantastic race, I congratulate him and his entire team in the garage, but also the team in general, because they worked really hard. Obviously I would have liked to get the first victory here. But, as said, congratulations to him! Tomorrow we'll start from pole, maybe it'll be my turn!. Here I have the special support of my family and friends, they can't always come to the races and this matters a lot to me,” he says. “Unfortunately, fourth place today was the best we could do, but they will be here tomorrow too, we'll see what happens!”