Alvaro Bautista made it mission virtually impossible for Toprak Razagtiloglu with pole posituon as the Turkish rider could only manage seventh.

Alvaro Bautista has one hand on another world Superbike trophy after claiming pole in Jerez – his fourth of the season.

There was virtually no running in FP1 due to the weather so Razgatlioglu had begun the weekend ahead – on top with his FP2 time as Bautista slipped off in the same session.

Come Superpole it was a different story with the Aruba Ducati rider putitng down a statement of intent. Having already topped FP3 earlier on Saturday morning Bautista picked up where he left off, leaping up into the top spot once out on track, avoiding the damp spots on his qualifying tyres for a best of 1m 38.635s.

His tenth WSBK pole is also his fourth of the season, equalling the total of Razgatlioglu.

 

It was Dominique Aegerter who came closest to besting the Spaniard. His final run for GYTR GRT Yamaha took him to second, 0.210s behind Bautista, with the two riders behind the 2022 Supersport and MotoE champion incredibly close on times.

Alex Lowes popped up into second late on, improving from 14th for Kawasaki, beofre being shuffled back a spot.

Six time champion Jonathan Rea was one of a trio of riders who left for their final flying laps early, to avoid any yellow flag incidents, along with Scott Redding and Tito Rabat.

In good form, Rea gestured to invite Redding to follow. In provisional pole at the time, the Kawasaki rider improved his time to remain on top, taking Redding to third behind, but they perhaps went too soon as a flurry of better laps were incoming.

Rea finished his final qualifying in green in fourth for Kawasaki. It had proviosly been a quiet weekend from him, in 13th on combined times.The #45 will be the best placed BMW on the grid for the Rokit team in eighth.

Ahead of the Brit, Remy Gardner briefly got into second before he took found himself pushed back to fifth for GYTR GYT Yamaha.

Philipp Oettl also improved late on for sixth for Team GoEleven Ducati.

That saw Razgatlioglu left seventh as he pushed to the limit on the Yamaha but unable to find a reply when he needed it most to elongate his title hopes over 0.5s slower at the chequered flag.

Spainsh rounds have been a blot on the #54’s strong qualifying form this season – his only lower start this season came at the Catalunya round in eighth on the grid.

After his huge Friday fall Garrett Gerloff reset himself and came back for ninth for Bonovo Action BMW. Andrea Locatelli completed the top ten times for Pata Yamaha.

	2023 World Superbike Jerez, Spain – Superpole Results Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 1m 38.635s 2 Dominique Aegerter SWI GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +0.210s 3 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +0.270s 4 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +0.272s 5 Remy Gardner AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +0.326s 6 Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati +0.456s 7 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK +0.516s 8 Scott Redding GBR ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +0.529s 9 Garrett Gerloff USA Bonovo Action BMW +0.555s 10 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK +0.665s 11 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +0.683s 12 Danilo Petrucci ITA Barni Spark Racing Team +0.750s 13 Michael Van Der Mark NED ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +0.844s 14 Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +1.113s 15 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +1.139s 16 Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +1.157s 17 Tito Rabat SPA Puccetti Kawasaki +1.592s 18 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +1.752s 19 Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA GMT94 Yamaha +1.783s 20 Gabriele Ruiu ITA Bmax Racing BWM +2.492s 21 Hafizh Syahrin MAL PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing +2.596s 22 Leandro Mercado ARG PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing +2.852s 23 Florian Alt GER Team HRC +3.045s 24 Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki +3.379s

Leandro Mercado (22nd) made a surprise late addition, joining the Petronas MIE Racing Honda Team as a late replacement for Eric Granado, who has lack of movement in his wrist after picking up a bone infection after his latest exit.

 

Jerez World Superbike Records:

Fastest lap: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati, 2019) 1m 39.004s

There was no race at Jerez in 2022

2021 results:

Superpole – Toprak Razgatlioglu

Race 1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu

Superpole Race – Cancelled

Race 2 – Toprak Razgatlioglu

Last Round:

Superpole – Jonathan Rea

Race 1 – Alvaro Bautista

Superpole Race – Alvaro Bautista

Race 2 – Alvaro Bautista

 

Remaining Schedule (UK Time):

Saturday

Race 1 – 13.00

Sunday

Warm-up – 08.00

Superpole Race – 10.00

Race 2 – 13.00

 

Alvaro Bautista had everything go his way as he claimed an historic 18th win of the season in style, while main title rival Toprak Razgatlioglu suffered a strange crash out of the lead to damage his title chances.

A dry race after a weekend of mixed conditions brought lap after lap of close racing at the Autodrom Most for the Czech Superbike round of the WorldSBK championship.

Toprak Razgatlioglu once again started from pole after his hard fought  win in the Superpole race earlier in the day but it was again Axel Bassani who got a huge launch to initially lead.

That was short lived as the Motocorsa Racing rider sent his Ducati flying over the gravelat the start of lap two, leaving Bautista to take over out front.

The Aruba.it Racing rider had main rival Razgatlioglu for company with the pair duelling it out. It became almost routine, once ahead that the Spaniard would use his horsepower down the straight, occasionally being timed as leading over the line, with the Yamaha blocking and holding down the inside at turn one to retain the lead.

Razgatlioglu DNF brings points advantage

It was repeated until lap seventeen, when with just six laps remaining and clear of his turn one recovery move, the Turkish rider was sent flying from his Pata Yamaha, his highside leaving the bike on track and rider bewildered.

Alvaro Bautista was back in play in a much elevated grid position for the first time this weekend, with a third place start  after a podium finish in the sprint assuring a slice through the pack was not necessary. Running at the front he immediately used evasive moves to miss the strewn motorcycle – and was clear out in front.

It was later revealed to be a rear tyre failure, with blisters, delamination and a puncture for Razgatlioglu.

Leading over the line by a comfortable 4.652s Bautista made history – his 50th race win achieved, it also marked the first time that a rider has claimed eighteen wins in a season.

The win also meant that a different manufacturer won each race in a meet for the first time since Portimao 2021.

Bautista’s win restores his title lead too – coming into the Czech round the lead stood at 70 points and after the superpole race that had dropped to an advantage of 49. With all Razgatlioglu’s hard work undone, Bautista has claimed an increased advantage from his win, now with a 74 point gap.

Petrucci stages comeback for second.

It was Jonathan Rea who was sat in behind the drama ahead. Once that duo was split all the action arrived at his door as Danilo Petrucci chased him down for some spectacular late race action.

From eighth after a comeback performance earlier in the day, the Barri Spark rider slowly worked his way forward. First working past Michael Rinaldi, the Ducati man then had Rea in his sights with  just two laps remaining.

The man from Ballymena tried desperately to hold on, but Petrucci put it all on the line. Committed, he went through at the start of the lap, only for Rea to slide back under at turn one. A push of Ducati horsepower saw the Italian pull ahead again, with a block seeing him in front and hold on to take second at the chequered flag.

Rea continued his strong run in the Czech Republic, backing up his win in race one and second in the Superpole race with third for Kawasaki, so although he missed out on second the Northern Irish rider still recorded a best for the season.

 

2023 World Superbike Most, Czech Republic – Race (2) Results Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 22 laps 2 Danilo Petrucci ITA Barni Spark Racing Team +4.652s 3 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +4.725s 4 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +4.786s 5 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +7.538s 6 Remy Gardner AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +10.717s 7 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK +12.455s 8 Scott Redding GBR ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +13.273s 9 Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +17.925s 10 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +18.091s 11 Dominique Aegerter SWI GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +18.501s 12 Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +18.586s 13 Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati +23.138s 14 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +25.547s 15 Michael Van Der Mark NED ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +41.166s 16 Roberto Tamburini ITA PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing +50.118s 17 Isaac Vinales SPA TPR by Vinales Racing +53.767s 18 Tito Rabat SPA Puccetti Kawasaki +54.616s 19 Hannes Soomer EST PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing +1 lap 20 Garrett Gerloff USA Bonovo Action BMW +2 laps 21 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK DNF 22 Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki DNF 23 Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA GMT94 Yamaha DNF 24 Eric Granado BRA PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing DNF

Bassani bites back for fourth.

After running wide early in the race Axel Bassani carefully navigated the gravel, losing the lead but rejoining in twelfth.

Like Petrucci, he too worked his way forward through the pack, picking of rivals one by one all the time closing on the leaders.

With the riders fighting ahead the Ducati rider was able to be in with a shout of a podium finish, but had to settle for fourth after an impressive comeback, with second to fourth almost a photo finish over the line.

Rinaldi finished fifth, after being passed by two private Ducati riders.

Sixth went to Remy Gardner, who pulled clear of Andrea Locatelli’s Pata Yamaha for GYTR GRT Yamaha.

The Italian, in turn had space over eight placed Scott Redding, who was well clear of the battle for ninth aboard his Rokit BMW.

That was lead at the chequered flag by Xavi Vierge, a strong result following his DNF in the superpole race. The top Honda, he held off advances from Loris Baz who placed tenth, Dominique Aegerter in eleventh and Iker Lecuona who placed twelfth.

The final points places were filled by Philipp Oettl, Alex Lowes, who went off track early in the race when in sixth, and Michael van der Mark in 15th.

Most World Superbike records

Fastest Lap: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1m 30.947s
Most Victories: Toprak Razgatlioglu (4)

2022 results:

Race 1: Alvaro Bautista
Superpole Race: Toprak Razgatlioglu
Race 2: Toprak Razgatlioglu

Last Round (Imola):

Race 1: Alvaro Bautista
Superpole Race: Toprak Razgatlioglu
Race 2: Toprak Razgatlioglu

This round so far: 
Race 1: Jonathan Rea (Razgatlioglu, Petrucci) 
Superpole Race: Toprak Razgatlioglu (Rea, Bautista)

Garrett Gerloff was the first faller – he rejoined but finished two laps down. Lorenzo Balsdassarri and eric Granado also suffered early exits. A disappointed Oliver Konig ended his home race experience by pulling into the pits.

It leaves the championship with Bautista with an improved advantage, a perfect result or him to apply the chasing pressure back onto Toprak Razgatlioglu after an exit that was no fault of his own as the championship enters it’s summer break – WorldSBK returns in Magny- Cours over the weekend 8-10 September.

 

 

Results from the Superpole race at round eight of the 2023 World Superbike championship from Most in the Czech Republic.

Toprak Razgatlioglu fought his way to the front of the Superpole race opening Sunday’s WorldSBK action in Most, Czech Republic, round eight of the championship.

Razgatlioglu continued an incredible run of form at Most, having featured on the podium at every race held at the Czech track.

All the riders lined up on slicks after a wet race one, with the softer zero tyre the one of choice.

Starting from pole, the Yamaha rider had victory in his sights but immediately had work to to with Axel Bassani getting a fantastic start, with pressure also coming from race one winner Jonathan Rea.

It wasn’t long into the sprint before the lead changed hands, with the #54 putting in a huge lunge for the lead at turn fifteen on lap four, with Rea quick to follow.

The lead three split with a fierce battle for position over the limited laps, which allowed Bassani to keep in touch as the duo ahead traded fastest laps.

As the lap ticked off Razgatlioglu pulled the pin to lead over the line by 1.203s, celebrating by collecting a Turkish flag to tour around with, before losing it as he celebrated his fifth win at Most in eight races.

With a victory at Autodrom Most in his 399th start, Rea didn’t set a time in warm-up as extreme changes were made to his Kawasaki overnight, continuing to right before the race start.

Those alterations paid off as the Northern Irish kept a second win in his sights right to the line for a superb second in hos 400th race.

Bautista battles back for podium

Alvaro Bautista was in the hunt for his 50th WSBK win. Launching from down in 14th the reigning champion had the odds stacked against him, but with a preferred tyre underneath him and no need for the pit stop which affected his race one massively, the Spaniard fought back hard.

Escapiing the crash filled first few corners, the Ducati rider was up a massive nine positions to fifth after just one lap – but his damage limitation mission was not over.

Next in line was his teammate at Aruba.It racing, Ruben Rinaldi, who put up limited resistance, allowing the championship leader to chase down the lead trio over the closing laps.

Starting with a three second gap, Bautista demolished it to quickly arrive on the back wheel of Bassani on the penultimate lap.

The last lap of the race saw thw #1 bike make it’s move claiming a valuable podium finish as the title lead was once again cut.

Bautista began the weekend with a 70 point advantage, which was cut to 54 after race one. Hie efforts to stem the damage sees the gap lessen again but only by a further four points to 49, with an improved front row start beckoning for race 2.

2023 World Superbike Most, Czech Republic Superpole Race Results Pos Rider Nat Team Time 1 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK 10 Laps 2 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK 1.203s 3 Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 2.968s 4 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati 3.180s 5 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 5.310s 6 Remy Gardner AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team 8.205s 7 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK 8.375s 8 Danilo Petrucci ITA Barni Spark Racing Team 9.021s 9 Garrett Gerloff USA Bonovo Action BMW 10.165s 10 Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK 13.017s 11 Dominique Aegerter SWI GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team 14.448s 12 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW 14.749s 13 Scott Redding GBR ROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team 17.880s 14 Michael Van Der Mark NED ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team 20.022s 15 Tito Rabat SPA Puccetti Kawasaki 27.182s 16 Isaac Vinales SPA TPR by Vinales Racing 28.010s 17 Eric Granado BRA PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing 28.264s 18 Roberto Tamburini ITA PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing 31.741s 19 Hannes Soomer EST PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing 38.884s 20 Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki 55.685s 21 Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati 2 laps 22 Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK DNF 23 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK DNF 24 Lorenzo Baldassarri ITA GMT94 Yamaha DNF

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05.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu led teammate Andrea Locatelli to Superpole victory on Sunday as Pata Yamaha celebrated another double WorldSBK podium at Mandalika.

The 2021 champion enjoyed his first win of the 2023 season following a frenetic and shorter than normal sprint. Kawasaki’s Alex Lowes completed the podium celebrations while championship leader Alvaro Bautista crashed out.

Mandalika’s sprint action lined up after a morning fall for Bautista. The Aruba.it Ducati rider bouncing straight back from a turn 14 crash to top the warm-up standings ahead of the ten lap dash, teammate Michael Rinaldi and Honda’s Iker Lecuona suffering their own offs as the day fired up but cleared to compete across the final races.

Saturday’s penalty dispatched, Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea returned to his fifth place gird spot for the Superpole race. Razgatlioglu ahead on pole with Locatelli and Bautista alongside on the front row. Overnight rain shifting the track conditions with the Ducati rider opting for the harder Pirelli option compared to his paddock-bemusing soft choice for race one.

Razgatlioglu took charge as the lights released the pack, Bautista through on Locatelli for second with Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani dispatching Rea for fourth. Drama ensued as Lowes skittled out at the opening corner following contact with Barni Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci, Bonovo BMW’s Loris Baz an unsuspecting casualty with Rokit’s Scott Redding sent to the back of the pack in the aftermath.

The Yamaha rider held court as lap two settled in. Jonathan Rea following his teammate into the turn one gravel one lap later with red flags immediately brought out ahead of an eight lap restart.

Take two saw the grid returned to its earlier formation. Rea suffering an initial technical issue as the warm-up lap launched before the frantic action fired up.

Bautista claimed the holeshot but it was Razgatlioglu who ultimately took charge once again. Rinaldi through to the wheels of his teammate for third with Rea recovering to challenge from fourth. The six-time champion made the move stick as the lap concluded, defending hard down the home straight with Locatelli capturing the number 21 shortly after.

Baz’s dramatic Sunday continued as the Frenchman suffered an early retirement, in visible pain, after being allowed to restart but suffering further contact from Lowes’ ZX-10RR as he powered through to sixth at turn ten.

Rinaldi continued to fade as the race unfolded. The Italian was running seventh on lap three as Locatelli advanced to second. Bautista the next rider down following contact with Rea in the battle for fourth, while Lowes found himself up to third after capitalising on the aftermath with five to go.

The podium hunt continued as the penultimate lap prepared. Razgatlioglu easily in control with a second in hand to the pursuing R1 while the Kawasaki struggled to find a way through on Locatelli.

Lowes ultimately settled for third, an impressive recovery from the gravel trap just forty minutes prior and his best result at the Lombok circuit, with Rea 1.7s back at the flag. Bassani headed Honda’s Xavi Vierge for fifth and sixth with Rinaldi, BMW’s Michael van der Mark and teammate Redding holding the all-important top nine positions ahead of the afternoon contest.

Click here for times

05.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

While Aruba.it Ducati looked odds on for the WorldSBK race two victory at Mandalika, Alvaro Bautista wasn’t the obvious choice until Sunday’s final stages.

The Spaniard picked off teammate Michael Rinaldi on the penultimate lap to clinch his fifth win of six races in 2023 amid a rollercoaster Sunday afternoon in Indonesia. Superpole winner Toprak Razgatlioglu and a jubilant Xavi Vierge completed the podium with the Honda rider celebrating for the first time in his Superbike career.

The final race of the Indonesian weekend lined up without Bonovo BMW’s Loris Baz. The Frenchman having sustained a fractured right proximal fibula and right ankle during the morning’s Superpole sprint. MIE Honda’s Eric Granado also missing from proceedings due to ongoing sickness.

An earlier crash for Bautista left the Aruba rider tenth on the grid for the concluding action with Razgatlioglu back on pole. Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli and Kawasaki’s Alex Lowes alongside on the front row.

Lights out for 21 laps and Razgatlioglu took the holeshot as Jonathan Rea swapped positions with his Kawasaki teammate. Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani splitting the pair from fourth as Vierge advanced to sixth.

Lowes was back in fourth as Rea took a look at Locatelli at the conclusion to the opening lap. Bassani hitting back at the number 22 before he lunged at Rea. The aftermath disrupting the two Yamahas with Razgatlioglu down to fifth, Locatelli seventh, as Bassani claimed the lead from the Kawasaki pairing.

An advancing Michael Rinaldi found the Ducati rider quickly in podium contention before he dispatched both ZX-10RR’s for second position. Bautista struggling to make the same progress from eighth as his teammate took charge out front.

Lap five kicked off with Lowes bettering Rea for the final podium position after a moment in the final sector, Razgatlioglu the next to dispatch the six-time champion as Bautista did likewise on Locatelli.

Rinaldi held a near two-second lead as he set the fastest lap on his sixth revolution. Razgatlioglu advancing on a trio of riders as he claimed second, Lowes wide at the opening corner as he dropped to 14th with Bassani pushed wide by Rea in a similar move.

Disaster struck the BMW of Michael van der Mark as the Dutchman crashed out with a heavy highside, Go Eleven’s Philipp Oettl caught up in the aftermath at turn 11 before Scott Redding spun out of his own move on Locatelli. The race red-flagged after seven laps completed.

Rinaldi headed the 14-lap restart, albeit having lost his 2.5s advantage from the previous session. Razgatlioglu and Vierge alongside on the front row with the rejuvenated Bautista behind.

The Ducati rider bettered the Honda off the line as Rinaldi maintained command overall. Rea quickly coming under pressure from Bassani before he retained position in the top five while Locatelli and Barni’s Danilo Petrucci headed Iker Lecuona and Redding from sixth to tenth.

Rinaldi’s lead was nearing a second as lap three began. Bautista struggling to find a way through on the 2021 champion as further back GRT Yamaha’s Remy Gardner battled Bonovo’s Garrett Gerloff for tenth.

Bautista advanced to second as Bassani did likewise on Rea for fifth with four laps done. Rinaldi checking out ahead as third to eighth, covered by less than two seconds, continued to bicker.

Rea’s race came to an abrupt conclusion after a turn seven slide on lap nine. Locatelli through to head the fifth-place fight from Bassani and Petrucci with Lecuona, Gardner and Redding now rounding out the top ten.

Bautista began to reel in his teammate as he cut the gap from eight tenths to less than one with four laps to go. The 27-year-old defending hard from his more experienced rival before the reigning champion made his move at turn ten.

The final lap unfolded with Gardner making waves on his way to seventh. Bassani dropping down to eighth after his early podium challenge before disaster struck the race-long leader. Rinaldi ran wide with Razgatlioglu and Vierge quick to capitalise for the final podium positions, the Italian regrouping for a frustrating fourth place finish.

Locatelli headed rookies Petrucci and Gardner from fifth to seventh with Bassani, Lecuona and Redding rounding out the top ten. Gerloff, GRT’s Dominique Aegerter, Lowes, GMT94’s Lorenzo Baldassarri and MIE Honda’s Hafizh Syahrin all collecting points as the final finishers.

Click here for times

05.03.2023 |
Gordon Ritchie |
WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu was pleased to have won his first WorldSBK race of 2023, as he scooped points on the Pata Yamaha in what was a red flagged and then shortened Superpole race at Mandalika. But pleased up to a point, a few points short of 25, in reality.

“Most important for me is the long race, not a short race,” Razgatlioglu said, swinging sideways on a chair in the vast upper media centre at the Pertamina Circuit. “But anyway we did it. This is not easy also because this year especially, everybody is very strong. Especially Ducati. Big improvement.

“All the Ducatis are fast,” he continued. “Normally Bautista is a very strong rider, but also now it is a good package with Bautista and Ducati. But anyway, we keep fighting. Today I saw Rinaldi. I tried my best every lap, tried 100 per cent, but if I did not go wide in corner ten I think I would be passing the last sector because the last sector I am stronger than him. Bautista is still strong, I think the same lap every lap but it was not possible to catch him. Especially in some sectors the Ducati is very strong.

“This weekend we were not really strong in starting,” he continued, despite securing Saturday’s pole position plus a podium result across all three races. “I tried to find a good setup, but finally in Race Two the front tyre was still very good and not destroyed. I am, in the races very strong, but not enough for this because after the red flag, I used again the same tyre, my SC0 tyre. We could not put a new one on. I just tried my best. The feeling after a few laps, especially in the left corners, was that it was spinning a lot. But anyway, we took second position in Race Two. This is good for the championship because the championship is very long.”

Razgatlioglu said that the places he lost in Race Two were not because of a major mistake on his behalf. “I think the rider passed me and I go also a different wind. The wind is very strong. But the problem maybe that if there was no red flag, maybe it’s possible I could win the second race. Rinaldi started to drop and started to come to me, but this is racing. I’m happy because every session we are improving.”

Razgatlioglu, looking to the next race at Assen hopes he can pull out a big race win sooner rather than later. “I hope this year Assen we are focused on the race with Johnny [Rea]. We will not crash, I hope. We need to have a good position, especially Johnny. For Johnny I think it’s not an easy weekend. I think it’s the same problem, similar problem. I think his front is a big drop like yesterday. Especially the hot conditions, the Kawasaki is not working good but Jonny is still strong, very strong. I believe he will come back very strong, especially at Assen, because he is very strong there. We will see.

“We need to fight with Ducati. I need him, because I need also some help! We will see. Also ‘Loka’ is first two weekends very strong. Maybe we are fighting with Ducati together.”

Alvaro Bautista had to come from tenth in the Race Two grid, after his Superpole race crash.
So did Razgatlioglu really expect that? “No, but it’s easy for Ducati. Ducati easy pass on the straight the other riders. This is a big advantage. I try to go on the corner the same but I eat the tyre. Alvaro easily passes because on the straight his bike is very fast. He is also a very strong rider, I know, but with the bike is now a very good package.”

03.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

Aruba.it Ducati’s Michael Rinaldi opened his second round account by leading the WorldSBK times in free practice one at Mandalika on Friday.

Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu and Ducati teammate Alvaro Bautista completed the top three, less than two tenths of a second covering the trio after the opening 45-minute session in Indonesia.

A hot and humid Lombok Island found track temperatures already up to 42℃ as the morning practice fired up under 62% humidity. GRT Yamaha’s Remy Gardner led the opening times with a 1’35.192 effort as he enjoyed his first taste of the Lombok layout aboard the Superbike before Phillip Island hero Bautista hit the top half a second ahead.

Rokit BMW’s Scott Redding sat third with ten minutes dispatched, Bonovo’s Loris Baz the next in line before a crash at turn ten derailed his progress on the M1000RR. Honda’s Iker Lecuona – already suffering from illness as the weekend began – endured his own turn 16 fall moments later as Razgatlioglu took charge overall with 1’34.669 pace.

GMT94’s Lorenzo Baldassarri was the next crash, at turn five, as Dominique Aegerter and Danilo Petrucci came together in a near miss on their respective GRT Yamaha and Barni Ducati machines with half an hour to go. Rinaldi claimed fifth with his initial hot lap before the crash fest continued, the Italian grounding the Panigale at turn ten five minutes later.

Kawasaki trio Jonathan Rea, Alex Lowes and Puccetti’s Tom Sykes were yet to hit the track at the halfway point of the opening session. Lowes the first to leave the pitbox with 20 minutes on the clock as he made his way to fourth thanks to a 1’35.5 before Rea completed the ‘big three’ with his first shot.

Razgatlioglu attempted to extend his advantage as the closing ten minutes began until the final sector negated the effort. Andrea Locatelli circulating a second adrift of his Pata teammate in seventh, with Rinaldi and a trio of BMW’s – in the form of Michael van der Mark, Redding and Gerloff – behind.

Locatelli and Rinaldi advanced two positions apiece with three minutes remaining before the Ducati man upped the ante overall with a 1’34.613. Xavi Vierge placing the second Honda up to sixth, then fifth with his final two attempts.

Rinaldi maintained command as the chequered flag dropped. Razgatlioglu splitting the Aruba duo from second with Rea trailing Bautista in the top four. Gardner completed the fastest six runners on his debut with Locatelli, Lowes, GoEleven’s Philipp Oettl and van der Mark completing the top ten.

Click here for times

03.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

Aruba.it Ducati’s Michael Rinaldi continued to dominate the WorldSBK times in Indonesia by heading Alvaro Bautista in Friday’s FP2.

The Italian’s final 1’32.468 effort held off his teammate by three hundredths of a second as the opening day at Mandalika drew to a close, Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu completing the leading trio 0.157s adrift.

The afternoon action immediately got up to speed as the track registered 53℃ temperatures. Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea setting the initial 1’33.370 benchmark pace, almost a second clear of Bologna teammates Bautista and Rinaldi with Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani holding fourth on a lap worthy of P1 in FP1.

Bautista was the first to fall as FP2 bedded in. The reigning champion losing the Panigale at turn one on his fourth attempt as Bassani refined his time. GRT Yamaha’s Dominique Aegerter splitting the Ducatis until the number 47 improved yet again, with Rinaldi ahead of his fallen teammate next time around.

Alex Lowes claimed sixth on the second KRT as Pata Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli advanced to fourth. Razgatlioglu, Garrett Gerloff and Tom Sykes yet to set times in the opening ten minutes with the 2021 champion up to seventh as he joined the action.

The factory Yamaha pairing continued to refine their times as Razgatlioglu captured third. Rinaldi back in charge overall with a 1’33.180 and half an hour on the clock, his teammate returning to the track at the midpoint of the session and instantly bettering by 0.05s.

Rookie Remy Gardner continued to impress on his GRT with a 1’33.3 for fourth. Sykes joining the pack with 20 minutes to go after sitting out the first half of FP2 suffering a bout of food poisoning.

Ninth-placed Michael van der Mark circulated as fastest BMW rider once again in the afternoon outing. Rokit teammate Scott Redding running two places adrift with Bonovo Action’s Garrett Gerloff and Loris Baz 12th and 14th respectively with a quarter of an hour left to play.

Lowes advanced to sixth with his 14th lap of FP2, Locatelli, Aegerter, Bassani and Honda’s improving Xavi Vierge rounding out the top ten as the session wound down with the BMW’s now condensed, just adrift.

Baz improved to tenth as the Bonovo rider picked up pace, Redding following suit to eighth moments later with van der Mark bettering the pair to seventh thanks to a 1’33.6, with five minutes to go. An openly frustrated Lecuona returned to the box from 15th in the standings following a second incident of the day, this time at turn ten.

A late surge found Bautista then Razgatlioglu at the head of the times with the first 1’32 offerings of the weekend. The Ducati rider instantly hitting back with a 1’32.499 as van der Mark took fifth. Rinaldi arriving 0.029s faster than his teammate to outpace the pack as the chequered flag dropped.

The Italian maintained his advantage in the final stages, Bautista, Razgatlioglu and Rea completing the top four ahead of the improving Dutchman with Gardner, Lowes, Locatelli, Bassani and Redding rounding out the top ten.

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04.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli commanded pack in Saturday’s Superpole qualifying at Mandalika.

Claiming the first Superbike qualifying one-two for Yamaha since Cal Crutchlow and James Toseland back in 2010, Razgatlioglu maintained his pole record for the 2023 season, and his three from three Lombok dominance, thanks to a 1’32.037 effort on Saturday morning. Locatelli sat just 0.069s shy of his teammate after a strong performance in Indonesia while Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista completed the front row ahead of the afternoon race action.

Superbike qualifying fired up without GRT Yamaha’s Remy Gardner. The Australian ruled out of Saturday action with acute gastroenteritis following an impressive top six showing on day one. The sickness having swept through the paddock as round two prepared with numerous riders affected to varying degrees.

A frantic 15 minutes saw Razgatlioglu set the initial pace with a 1’32.231 laps as Bautista and Ducati teammate Michael Rinaldi slotted into second and third. Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea running fourth as the opening minutes unfolded with Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani splitting him from teammate Alex Lowes in the top six.

Michael van der Mark headed Rokit BMW teammate Scott Redding from seventh as Bautista bettered overall in the battle for pole. GRT Yamaha’s Dominique Aegerter and fellow R1 rider Andrea Locatelli rounded out the top ten with Honda’s Xavi Vierge just adrift.

Razgatlioglu consolidated his command with a 1’32.037 in the closing minutes, teammate Locatelli joining him for a Pata one-two as Rinaldi took a trip through the gravel. Rea improved but not enough for the front row, a quarter of a second shy of the benchmark, while Bonovo BMW’s Loris Baz arrived to seventh. Redding, Barni Ducati’s Danilo Petrucci and Lowes completed the top ten from a regrouped iker Lecuona on the second Honda. Van der Mark, Aegerter, Vierge and Garrett Gerloff looked to round out the fastest 15 before late decisions shuffled the standings.

Rinaldi advanced to fourth with Baz sixth as Bassani dropped behind the Frenchman due to yellow flag infringements. Redding reduced to 11th with Lecuona 16th in the post-flag changes as Puccetti Kawasaki’s Tom Sykes completed the day 17th.

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04.03.2023 |
Christina Bulpett |
WorldSBK

Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista continued his 2023 WorldSBK domination with a commanding victory at Mandalika on Saturday afternoon.

The Spaniard’s unbeaten run stretched to four as round two kicked off just as the season opener had concluded. Five seconds the gap to Pata Yamaha’s podium challengers Toprak Razgatlioglu and Andrea Locatelli at the chequered flag.

Razgatlioglu maintained his impeccable Indonesian pole record as 2023’s race one prepared. Locatelli lining up alongside his teammate with Australia’s triple winner Bautista competing the Lombok front row.

Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea was forced to start the 21 lap race from eight on the grid after a late demotion for slow riding during the Superpole session, with fellow KRT rider Alex Lowes one place behind. Michael Rinaldi, Loris Baz, Axel Bassani and Danilo Petrucci completing the leading rows from fourth to seventh respectively ahead of lights out, with Remy Gardner and Eric Granado missing due to sickness.

The acton ignited on a dry and 50℃ temperature track with Razgatlioglu holding his advantage from a hard pushing Bassani, Bautista quickly bettering the satellite Ducati as his factory teammate skittled himself out of contention at turn one.

Petrucci sat fourth as the opening lap settled in. Locatelli dropped to fifth from Lowes and an advancing Xavi Vierge on the Honda Fireblade with Rea battling BMW’s Scott Redding for eighth.

Rea was through on Vierge for seventh as the second lap concluded. Bonovo’s Garrett Gerloff heading BMW teammate Baz on the edge of the top ten before Michael van der Mark split the pair on the factory M1000RR next time around.

A trio of Ducatis trailed Razgatlioglu by a quarter of a second as lap four fired up. Locatelli up to fourth as Rea found sixth with Lowes neatly behind before the Northern Irishman continued his climb.

Bautista took charge on lap six as the top eight continued to run within two seconds of each other. Bassani the next to dispatch the former race leader as Razgatlioglu was relegated into the path of his teammate, for third. The 2021 champion hitting back at turn ten one lap later.

A new fastest lap allowed the Aruba rider to advance his lead to almost a second at a third race distance. The pack beginning to spend out under the increasing pace. Van der Mark headed the BMW contingent from ninth on lap nine, Baz and Redding behind with Dominique Aegerter breaking the pattern from 12th on the GRT Yamaha.

The double Supersport champion was the man on the move next time around as he dispatched the Brit for 11th. Honda’s Iker Lecuona taking his own look at the number 45 just a tenth behind with GoEleven’s Philipp Oettl disappointing Redding further as the lap played out.

Lowes bettered Rea for fifth at the halfway stage with Bassani the next in his sights. Fourth captured briefly next time around as first Tom Sykes retired into pitlane on the Puccetti ZX10-RR with a visibly frustrated Redding shortly behind.

Petrucci began to hassle the six-time champ with eight laps to go. The move completed through turn ten as the Italian advanced to sixth, Aegerter enjoying similar success further back for tenth with Vierge attempting his own look at Rea moments later.

Late race pace brought van der Mark into contention with six to go. The Dutchman hard on the wheels of the fading Kawasaki before he finally capitalised down the inside at turn ten, Rea immediately hitting back with a move worthy of an apology before the fight continued to play out.

There was further anguish for KRT as Vierge got the better of Lowes for sixth. Van der Mark securing eighth from Rea shortly after as he began to hunt down his former teammate, while Aegerter arrived to challenge for ninth.

The penultimate lap found Bautista with another dominant five-second lead over the Pata duo. Van der Mark quickly through on both Lowes and Vierge as he swept up to sixth with Aegerter doing likewise on both KRT riders behind.

Four wins from four races saw the reigning champion’s title defence strengthened as he claimed Ducati’s maiden win at the Lombok venue. Razgatlioglu and Locatelli completed the podium celebrations with Bassani and Petrucci a second clear of van der Mark’s impressive late charge. Vierge, Aegerter, Rea and Lowes rounded out the top ten while Baz, Lecuona, Oettl, Gerloff and GMT94’s Lorenzo Baldassarri completed the points finishers ahead of Hafizh Syahrin, Oliver Konig and a limping Sykes, four laps down.

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