Bayliss defends last-lap charge
Added on Monday, September 22nd, 2008 by Carole Nash Editor
Bayliss defends last-lap charge
Troy Bayliss remained upbeat yesterday despite failing to clinch the World Superbikes Championship at Vallelunga.
Bayliss, who was looking for a third world title ahead in his final season, crashed out in race two after chasing down the win which would have clinched the championship, leaving him with a 16th and pointless finish to add to the earlier sixth.
That leaves the 39-year-old on 369 championship points – 79 ahead of fellow Australian Troy Corser and 89 ahead of yesterday’s double winner Noriyukia Haga with just two rounds remaining and 100 points up for grabs.
And Bayliss, despite being disappointed, defended his gamble to push Haga on the final lap for the title clinching win.
“Well of course we were hoping to take the title here today and so of course I’m disappointed. It was a great race and I lost, that’s about all I can say.
“I gave it everything I had in the second race and was fighting to pass Haga. As I didn’t know what was happening behind me, and so had no idea that Michel was about to pass Corser, I’d already decided in the closing stages, with six laps to go, that I was going to try and take Nori and either win or crash because I knew that me finishing second and Corser third wouldn’t be enough to take the title and I really wanted to finish the job here today.
“I got close enough but then riding so close to the limit, it only took one tiny thing, either a little bit too much brake or too much lean, and I went down. It didn’t end the way we had hoped but we move on, there are still two rounds to go and I have a good points advantage still.”
Bayliss needs just a win from the next four races to secure the championship, which now moves to Magny-Cours in two weeks time.
