Indonesian World Superbike Results: Alvaro Bautista a class apart as Jonathan Rea endures shock result
Alvaro Bautista keeps 100% win record intact with a dominant performance in Race 1 of the Indonesian World Superbike round.
As the lights went out Toprak Razgatlioglu made a brilliant start as he led from pole into turn one, however, drama ensued directly behind the Yamaha rider.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi appeared to clip the rear of Axel Bassani’s Ducati, while also nearly taking out teammate Bautista.
Rinaldi suffered an immediate fall after the contact was made, which was enough to end his race on the opening lap.
With Razgatlioglu unable to break clear of Bautista, a group of seven riders including Rea, who was at the back of the lead group, remained in contention.
Keen to join the party at the front, Rea got stuck in as he made quick passes on Alex Lowes and Danilo Petrucci.
Then came a change for the lead on lap five as Bautista hit the front thanks to a move at the very quick turn 15.
Looking to respond, Razgatlioglu was instead bumped down to third by Bassani, with the Italian making his overtake stick under braking at turn ten.
As Bautista began to break clear of Razgatlioglu after the Turkish rider got back ahead of Bassani for second, Rea was losing touch with Locatelli in fourth.
A move that looked inevitable then took place as Lowes pounced on his teammate for P5.
Lowes’ progress then continued as he made a brilliant move on Bassani for fourth between turns 11 and 12.
Enduring a nightmare race, Scott Redding eventually pulled into pit lane to retire as he hit the bike in frustration.
Rea’s race went from bad to worse as Petrucci relegated the six-time world champion down to seventh on lap 15.
| 2023 World Superbike Mandalika, Indonesia – Race (1) Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | 21 Laps |
| 2 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +4.809s |
| 3 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK | +6.586s |
| 4 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +8.871s |
| 5 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Racing Team | +11.667s |
| 6 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +12.685s |
| 7 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +13.610s |
| 8 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | +13.961s |
| 9 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +14.454s |
| 10 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +14.590s |
| 11 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Action BMW | +16.431s |
| 12 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +16.793s |
| 13 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GoEleven Ducati | +26.167s |
| 14 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | +30.580s |
| 15 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT94 Yamaha | +35.520s |
| 16 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing | +1’02.195s |
| 17 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +1’09.875s |
| 18 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Kawasaki | +4 Laps |
| 19 | Michael Ruben Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | DNF |
| 20 | Scott Redding | GBR | ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | DNF |
Another mistake under braking at turn one from Rea then gifted eighth to Xavi Vierge, while Michael Van Der mark was next up to line up a pass.
A mistake from Lowes in sector one also relegated him by a position as Petrucci moved up to fifth.
Contact was then made between Van Der Mark and Rea, as the latter put in a late move in response to the Dutch rider getting through at turn 10, which resulted in the BMW rider being pushed wide.
A late flurry from Van Der Mark saw him get through on Lowes and Vierge for sixth, while Aegerter took eighth away from Rea after a bold move from the Kawasaki rider on Lowes pushed them both wide.
At the front, Bautista took a dominant win ahead of Razgatlioglu and Locatelli.
Joining Remy Gardner in missing Race 1 was Eric Granado, after the Brazilian rider was also ruled out due to acute gastroenteritis.
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