Race win and round podium for DesmoSport Ducati’s Jones in WA

DesmoSport Ducati is celebrating a maiden Australian Superbike Championship race win after Mike Jones claimed the opening bout at Barbagallo Raceway in Western Australia this afternoon.

After securing the Superpole in yesterday’s qualifying, Jones was able to convert that result to the race one victory, crossing the line with a 0.307s advantage on board his 1299 Panigale S.

The defending ASBK champion was also able to lead laps in the second 20-lap affair, before slipping back to third at race’s end and sealing second overall for the round.

“It’s been a fantastic weekend for myself and the DesmoSport Ducati team,” Jones reflected. “To get the Pirelli Superpole yesterday was really important and to get the first race win was a great result.

“I’m really pleased to reward the team’s efforts. It was good to control race one from the front under pressure, a really, really cool feeling. 

“In the second race I made a much better start, tried to push early, but the other guys were obviously very fast as well. Anyway, to finish on the podium and take second overall was a great way to cap off the weekend!”

Team co-owner and three-time World Superbike Champion Troy Bayliss was on hand for Jones’ success throughout the weekend, satisfied with the ongoing progression made by the first-year operation.

“We’re making progress all the time and Mike obviously had a really good weekend here in WA,” Bayliss commented. “It puts us back up nearer to the front, so with only two more rounds to go we can focus on more strong results.”

Western Australian Ben Henry, co-owner of DesmoSport Ducati with Bayliss and team manager, was proud of the team’s results across the Barbagallo weekend, which included a new fastest-ever motorcycle lap of the circuit by Jones at 55.029s.

“It’s been an exceptional weekend for Mike and the entire DesmoSport Ducati team,” Henry explained. “To see him claim the Pirelli Superpole and go on to take the opening race victory was great and well-deserved. Bringing home third in race two was another strong finish and we’re really happy to see him stand second on the podium overall.”

Jones will enter Morgan Park’s penultimate round of the 2016 ASBK title-chase in Queensland on 5-7 August ranked fourth in the standings. Visit www.asbk.com.au for further information on the series.