The Italian started from 9th place on the Race 1 grid and took 16 laps to get behind race leader Jakub Smrz, after which he settled to stay on his tails until the last few laps. With only one lap to go, the Italian launched his final attack on Smrz and took the leading position, which he didn't let go until the chequered flag.
After scoring his first win in any motorcycling racing series since the 2006 Australian Grand Prix in the MotoGP class, Melandri confirmed that he feels quite comfortable on the Donington Park track and scored a runner-up spot in Race 2.
“I had a great win in race one,” said Melandri, who joined Yamaha in the WSBK at the end of last season, after his struggling campaign on a private Kawasaki in the MotoGP. “I was just behind a very aggressive bunch of riders so I had to work hard to keep my rhythm and push through. I managed to close in on Smrz with five laps to go and take my first win.”
“Race two was a little more difficult. I was suffering from a head cold and lost concentration a little mid-way. I am very pleased to be on the podium again. We have been working very hard in preparation for the races and we did very well.”
“I had a lot of fun and I think we proved that we have a very good package. I'm looking forward to the rest of the season. Thanks to Yamaha, my team and my sponsors,” added the Italian who, thanks to his successful outing in the UK, jumped to second in the overall classification, 19 points behind leader and Race 2 winner Carlos Checa.
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