2016 Malaysian Superbike Championship: Rajini Krishnan finishes sixth overall after Round 4 and 5
Indian racing talent Rajini Krishnan had a mixed outing at the fourth and fifth round of the 2016 Malaysian Superbike Championship.
In Round 4, Race 1 was declared wet before the start. However, there were a few patches where the surface was dry. Taking a gamble, Rajini opted for slicks, hoping that there'll be a dry line as the race progressed. The first five laps were disastrous as he slipped to P13. But after that, he began to claw his way up the field as conditions improved. Picking places quickly, he managed to grab the second spot by Lap 11. He then began hunting down the man in P1 and managed to get past him on the last lap, at Turn 8.
Race 2 was declared a dry race and Rajini tried to make the most of this. He was on P2 by the second lap and looked set for a strong finish. However, a small mistake cost him the podium. On Lap 7, his bike got into a tank slapper at Turn 14. In trying to control the bike, he accidentally pressed the speed limiter button. By the time he realised the problem, a few riders got past him. Rajini tried hard to regain his position but could only manage a P4 finish by the end of the race.
Round 5 was a complete disaster for Rajini. In Race 1, Rajini was pushing hard on Lap 1, when all of a sudden, a rider in front of him crashed. Rajini unfortunately crashed into him thus bring an end to his race. The bike was severely damaged and needed extensive repairs before Race 2. Rajini's mechanics raced against the clock to get Rajini's bike ready in time to make it to the starting grid. However, lady luck had other plans for Rajini and he was forced to retire before the race began due to a faulty clutch. Given the kind of performance he showcased in Round 4, Rajini could have had a strong finish in Round 5. But that's what racing is all about.
