WSBK : Sylvain Guintoli wins race 2 to become Championship leader after first round

Technical problem for Laverty, Baz and Sykes complete the podium.

Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) has won the second race of the eni FIM Superbike World Championship at Phillip Island, his career's fifth in the series. The Frenchman, now Championship leader after the opening round, was in first place on lap 15 when the race was red flagged, following the technical problem suffered by race 1 winner Eugene Laverty. The Irishman's GSX-R 1000 engine blew as he was running second ahead of Kawasaki Racing Team pairing of LorizBaz and reigning Champion Tom Sykes, who claimed the remaining podium positions.

Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team) was 4th followed by Pata Honda duo Jonathan Rea and Leon Haslam, whilst Giugliano's team mate Chaz Davies claimed seventh place ahead of Marco Melandri (Aprilia Racing Team) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia). Works Aprilia rider Melandri was part of a thrilling ten way battle up front in the early stages, before going wide at Turn 4 during the eighth lap. Two laps later Brit Alex Lowes (Voltcom Crescent Suzuki) made the same mistake whilst trying to catch the leaders, eventually ending up thirteenth behind EVO riders David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team), tenth, NiccolòCanepa (Althea Racing Ducati), eleventh, and Fabien Foret (Mahi Racing Team India Kawasaki), twelfth.

1.	S. GUINTOLI	APRILIA	41
2.	L. BAZ	KAWASAKI	31
3.	M. MELANDRI	APRILIA	28
4.	D. GIUGLIANO	DUCATI	26
5.	T. SYKES	KAWASAKI	25
6.	E. LAVERTY	SUZUKI	25
7.	J. REA	HONDA	21
8.	C. DAVIES	DUCATI	17
9.	D. SALOM	KAWASAKI	13
10.	N. CANEPA	DUCATI	11

WSBK; First Race :Historic win for Eugene Laverty and Voltcom Crescent Suzuki

The Irishman scores his team's maiden win in WSBK.

The eni FIM Superbike World Championship had its first exciting race of the year today at Phillip Island, with Irishman Eugene Laverty scoring a sensational win aboard his GSX-R 1000, making it three in a row with the double he scored at Jerez last yearin the last round. In his debut race with Voltcom Crescent Suzuki, Laverty achieved an historical maiden win for the Voltcom Crescent Suzuki Team. Laverty is also the first Suzuki rider to climb on the top step of the podium since the second race at Kyalami in 2010.

After a poor start of the race, which saw him crossing the line in seventh place at the end of lap 1, and an early battle first with Chaz Davies (Ducati Superbike Team) and then with Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike), Laverty started his charge to the leaders thanks to an incredible race pace. Once reached the front runners, the Irishman passed Davide Giugliano (Ducati Superbike Team), Marco Melandri and leader Sylvain Guintoli (Aprilia Racing Team) to take first position on lap 17.

With Laverty pulling away in the late stages, Melandri got the better of team mate Sylvain Guintoli for second, whilst Giugliano settled for fourth after losing ground in the final laps. Loris Baz (Kawasaki Racing Team) edged Jonathan Rea (Pata Honda World Superbike) to take fifth place as reigning Champion and Baz's team mate Tom Sykes had a difficult time, eventually ending up seventh ahead of Chaz Davies.

EVO riders David Salom (Kawasaki Racing Team), NiccolòCanepa (Althea Racing Team) and substitute rider for injured Sylvain Barrier Glenn Allerton (BMW Motorrad Italia Superbike Team) put up an exciting battle, with Spaniard David Salom to come out on top to claim 9th.

Voltcom Crescent Suzuki's Alex Lowes, Leon Haslam (Pata Honda World Superbike Team) and Toni Elias (Red Devils Roma Aprilia) all crashed unhurt early on in the race.

The Swinging 60s relived via Duncan Hamilton

In 1960s London, you needed only two cars: a Mini to dart between black cabs and red buses, and an E-type in which to escape (with haste) to your country retreat at the weekends. Some would say that little has changed in five decades…

UK-based Classic Driver dealer Duncan Hamilton currently has this dream duo in stock, awaiting a buyer with the right sense of Sixties style. We dropped by with our camera before that fortunate individual arrives.

Jaguar E-type 'Lightweight' Fixed-Head Coupé

This 1964 E-type is a freshly restored example of the fetching Fixed-Head Coupé, which the owner upgraded to ‘Lightweight’ specification – with the never-ending bonnet, widened arches and various other parts fashioned in aluminium (and magnesium used for the wheels). Fitted with a Lynx-built 3.8-litre engine mated to the five-speed gearbox from the 4.2-litre model, it would surely prove the perfect partner for a late-evening run to a cottage in the Cotswolds, and perhaps the occasional weekend blast around Goodwood circuit.

Austin Mini Cooper S

Meanwhile, this spritely little number began life as a MKII 998 Cooper before undergoing a no-expense spared upgrade to Cooper S, with attention to detail the highest priority. The dealer claims the work has left the car “better than new, with improved performance and significantly improved noise and comfort levels, albeit retaining the speed and cornering abilities which made the early Mini Coopers famous.” Sounds like the perfect antidote to the misery of Monday morning traffic to us – and at a very reasonable price, too.

The Jaguar E-type Lightweight Coupé and the Austin Mini Cooper S can be found in Duncan Hamilton's stocklist in the Classic Driver Market.

Market | Cars

1964 Jaguar E-Type SI - 3.8 Coupe Lightweight

EUR 111 883

Market | Cars

1968 Austin Mini Cooper - S Mk II

EUR 27 082

Pink pony: 1964 Playmate and her new Mustang

The year 1964 was memorable for many reasons, two of which are shown in this picture from Playboy magazine...

As we mention elsewhere, 1964 saw the debut of not only the super-important Ford GT concept, but also the marque's all-conquering Mustang. Meanwhile, 19-year-old Donna Marie was crowned Playmate of the Year – and became the first recipient of a 'Playmate Car' for her efforts. Coinciding with the launch of the Mustang, Donna was given a 1964.5 model painted in the later-popular 'Playmate Pink', as well as $100,000 cash and a host of other presents. This tradition has continued right up to the present day, and no one can accuse Hef of losing enthusiasm for the idea: 2009 Playmate Ida Ljungqvist was the lucky recipient of a red Mazda saloon.

Numerous classic Ford Mustangs can be found for sale in the Classic Driver Market.