Haslam: I couldn’t risk going with Rea, Razgatlioglu

Leon Haslam is satisfied to have played it safe to ensure a double podium result in Sunday’s two World Superbike Championship races, despite being out-performed by team-mate Jonathan Rea and satellite rider Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Reeling from a lost podium in race one as one of several riders to crash in treacherously wet conditions, Haslam made amends in the Superpole Race with a run to third position, passing an ailing Tom Sykes on the final lap.

The more lucrative second race, however, saw Haslam enjoy a stint in the lead after Alvaro Bautista crashed ahead of him, though he was soon passed by Razgatlioglu and then by Rea, who proceeded to pull a gap on him as they fought for the win.

“The third place in the sprint race was just a matter of staying on and bridging the gap to Tom Sykes, and I managed to pass him on the last lap. This afternoon I was struggling from lap one and did not have much front feeling, but I think everybody was in the same position.

“When Johnny and Toprak came past I felt I could have pushed to go with them but I had already risked too much so I had to run my own race.

“Alex [Lowes] was then behind me and I did not want to give up the podium, so I fought a little bit at the end. We have made some good steps from the Jerez test but there are little things we are still finding out.”