Jonathan Rea’s (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) wait for a podium in Yamaha colours in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship came to an end on Sunday at Donington Park as the #65 claimed third in the Tissot Superpole Race. His podium gave the six-time Champion a front row start for Race 2 for the Prosecco DOC UK Round, although he dropped down to eighth at the end as he concluded his home round inside the top ten.

THE WAIT ENDS: 14 races later…

Rea started the Superpole Race from eighth on the grid, but a superb start launched him into fourth by the exit of Turn 1, just behind Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team). He made light work of the Brit, passing him through Turn 4 at the Old Hairpin before building a gap. Although he was unable to catch Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) ahead, the #65 was able to come home in third place and end his rostrum drought – it was his first in 14 races – while also claiming his first Yamaha podium.

Reacting immediately after the race in Parc Ferme, Rea said: “It’s amazing. I know the podium was a little bit ahead of where we targeted, especially in such a short race. I nailed my start! My start was amazing. Yesterday, ‘Loka’ went inside but I was blocked from going there. I thought I’d send it around the outside and see what happens. I came out fourth. I thought, ‘ahh, just do Sam into the Old Hairpin’ and suddenly it was like I’d never ridden a bike, I was all nervous in third thinking how I’d manage that! I got my head down and was pretty strong. I want to thank my team for their constant hard work. We’re still not really scratching the surface of what our full potential is but we’re not giving up. The confidence in that race was pretty good. Didn’t have that little bit to go with Bulega and Toprak in the end, so congrats to them. I get to start on the front row now, I can see the lights!”

DENNING’S THOUGHTS: “To go from eighth on the grid to third on the first lap and have such a great pace, that’s a really big step”

Team Principal Paul Denning was on hand to give his thoughts after the race too as the riders made their way back into the paddock, saying: “It’s no secret how tough the start to the year’s been for Jonathan and his side of the garage. We changed a few things this weekend just in the way of working and reset our targets, to be honest, a lot lower. The first target was to be top Yamaha, try to compete for the podium and try and get there step by step rather than trying to make big jumps and making big mistakes, whether that’s in the team or JR on track. To go from eighth on the grid to third on the first lap and have such a great pace, that’s a really big step.”

TIME TO REFLECT: speaking at the end of the day

After Race 2 finished, Rea expanded a bit more on his thoughts after taking his first podium in blue: “It’s super! If I looked at the weekend as a whole, we faced some challenges but also, we caught a bit of a wave. I got a great start. I was thinking about the inside, but I just released the brake around the outside and got some great track position. I was able to make some nice laps in the beginning, stay with Nicolo and Toprak for a couple of laps which dragged me clear. I tried to settle my rhythm, rode to my pit board which was a nice feeling. It’s a bonus for everybody, a little lift.”

RACE 2: from the first row to P8

The podium in the Superpole Race gave the Ulsterman a great chance for another top-five finish but he was unable to convert that, falling down to eighth at the end of the 23-lap race. Nevertheless, it marked the #65’s best weekend following his switch from Kawasaki to Yamaha, and he reflected on the weekend’s final race, where he finished P8 as the second Yamaha rider and just a few tenths behind teammate Andrea Locatelli in seventh.

Discussing Race 2, Rea said: “We couldn’t capitalise on the track position, starting on the front row. I struggled from the get-go with rear traction. The bike was almost the same, same tyre choice, same everything. Right from the get-go, I had no entry or exit traction. I was struggling compared to Race 1 and the Superpole Race, so that’s something to look into. I haven’t had a chance to look into any of the data or the tyre pressures or anything like that, but something wasn’t right. I was slip-sliding around with my teammate and ‘Loka’ did a great job. He was at the front of the group and it’s always hard to lead at Donington, so I just gritted my teeth as long as I could, tried not to make any mistakes. Petrucci and Bautista camp past. Disappointed to finish the weekend like that but overall, we can take some positives into Most. We don’t have to wait too long to race again, so it’s nice to carry that good feeling with the bike and the team.”

 

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The final race of the weekend for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was packed with drama from start to finish, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) storming to complete a perfect weekend at the Prosecco DOC UK Round – winning all three races.

GRAND SLAM: Razgatlioglu unstoppable at Donington

It was an unbelievable weekend for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team as Razgatlioglu completed a dream result at Donington Park. After finishing fastest on Friday, and securing the pole position on Saturday, Toprak gave BMW a triple race win – his ninth victory with the German manufacturer. The #54 equals Tom Sykes’ record at the historic circuit, after beating Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) by an incredible 8.062s. Behind the Italian and taking the final spot on the podium was Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who completed his 300^th race start.

Celebration time for @toprak_tr54 as he equals Tom Sykes’ record of victories at Donington Park – wins in his pocket now!

WHAT A DAY!#UKWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/qVwa6yxcUE

— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) July 14, 2024

EARLY DRAMA: Bautista crashes on the way to the grid as Toprak leads

There was drama before the start, with reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) crashing at Goddards on his sighting lap. The #1 would get his machine repaired on the grid, in time for the race start. However, once the lights went out nobody could match Razgatlioglu who rocketed off the line, maintaining his lead from Bulega and Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW). Redding had a strong start to Race 2 but would soon be caught and demoted to fourth by Alex Lowes. Meanwhile at the front Toprak extended his advantage to over two seconds – dipping inside the 1’25 bracket.

So much work for the mechanics now after @19Bautista crash on the way to the grid

Will they be ready before a Warm Up Lap?#UKWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/WcfzuYd2sh

— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) July 14, 2024

Front row starter, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) had a tough start to Race 2, losing touch with the front four before getting overtaken by Bautista and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) with 14 laps remaining. After overtaking Rea, the #1 set his sights on Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) – soon entering the top five. At the front, Razgatlioglu put together a sensational performance, consistently lapping inside the 1’26 bracket in the late stages, crossing the line to storm to victory by 8.062s from Bulega.

BAUTISTA FIFTH: The #1 secured a strong result

Redding held onto fourth position in the closing stages of Race 2, keeping a 1.201s margin to Bautista, who rounded out the top five positions. The #1 ended the weekend with a solid performance after his crash on the sighting lap, keeping calm and finishing ahead of Petrucci at the line. Petrucci took another strong top 10 finish this weekend and finished in front of compatriot Locatelli. The Italian had an exciting end to the weekend after battling with teammate Rea, for seventh position on the final lap.

RECOVERY RIDE: Bassani secures top 10 spot

The final spots inside the top 10 went the way of GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team’s Dominique Aegerter, taking ninth at the line. The #77 was ahead of Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who completed a fantastic recovery ride after starting from 16^th on the grid. Meanwhile, it was a disappointing end to the weekend for Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda), who crashed at Turn 8 early on. Team GoEleven’s Andrea Iannone would also have an early to Race 2, entering the pitlane and retiring from the race with six laps remaining.

The top six from Race 1 at Donington Park, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.062s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +10.026s

4. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) +12.275s

5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +13.476s

6. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +15.562s

Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW) – 1’25.597s – new lap record

Championship standings

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 241 points

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 200

3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 186

4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 165

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 116

6. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) 88

Next up is the Czech Round in one week, so make sure you don’t miss any of the action using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship returned for further action at Donington Park but this time with Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) securing a victory, taking her third win in WorldWCR after a tense last lap battle at Donington Park.

It was yet another thrilling race at the Prosecco DOC UK Round, with Herrera taking victory after stealing the lead at the start and battling for first position in a sensation duel. The #6 won by 0.199s in Race 2 from Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros. Racing Yamaha Team), who is now seven-point adrift from the Championship lead. Meanwhile, Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) was able to grab another third-place finish.

THE START: Herrera hits the front

Claiming the holeshot on the run down to Redgate was Herrera, with the #6 aiming for redemption in Race 2 after finishing fourth on Saturday. Carrasco stormed to second at the end of Lap 1 and was soon under pressure from Sanchez. In the opening stages, the fastest lap would change hands multiple times, with Carrasco clawing back Herrera’s one-second advantage.

Carrasco soon hit the front at the end of Lap 6 before Herrera instantly responded on the entry to Turn 11. Meanwhile, polesitter Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) dropped to third and was in a fierce battle with Sanchez. It was a two-way fight for the final spot on the podium after a crash at Turn 11 involving Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team’s Ornella Ongaro and Roberta Ponziani put them out of contention.

SHOWDOWN: Herrera vs Carrasco

On the final lap, Herrera continued to lead the way, with the #22 looking for every opportunity to pounce. Carrasco tried an attempt on the entry to Turn 11, running wide and handing Herrera victory after a super ride. Meanwhile, Sanchez was able to fend off Neila at the chequered flag after a brilliant final battle for the podium.

0.354s: Neila misses out on a podium

Finishing fourth was Neila, who narrowly missed out on a podium by 0.354s, ending the weekend strong. The #36 finished ahead of Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team), who rounded out the important top five places. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) completed a great weekend in sixth – finishing both races inside the top 10. TSL-Racing’s Lucy Michel battled from P10 on the grid to seventh after a fantastic ride to finish ahead of Pakita Ruiz (PS Racing Team 46+1) in eighth.

The final positions inside the top 10 went the way of Luna Hirano (Team Luna) in ninth and Adela Ourednickova (DaftMotoracing by Smrz), who after narrowly missing out in Race 1 did finish 10^th. However, it would be an early end to the weekend for WT Racing Team Taiwan’s Chun Mei Liu, crashing at Turn 3 on the second lap. There would also be further drama for Mallory Dobbs (Sekhmet Motorcycle Racing Team), who lost the front at the final corner with six laps remaining after a great start to Race 2.

Top six from WorldWCR Race 2, full results here:

1 Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team)

2. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) +0.199s

3. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +12.020s

4. Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +12.374s

5. Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) +27.033s

6. Tayla Relph (TAYCO Motorsport) +27.315s

Fastest lap: Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) – 1’39.209

Championship standings

1 Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Factory Team) 88 points

2. Ana Carrasco (Evan Bros Racing Yamaha Team) 81

3. Sara Sanchez (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) 58

4. Beatriz Neila (Ampito / Pata Prometeon Yamaha) 57

5. Ran Yochay (511 Terra&Vita Racing Team) 37

6. Roberta Ponziani (Yamaha Motoxracing WCR Team) 35

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returned for further action at the Prosecco DOC UK Round, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) storming to a phenomenal victory in the Superpole Race. The #54 did not have it easy, after being put under pressure early on as he charged to win his sixth race in a row. Meanwhile, it was a strong showing for Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who took second after a fantastic result for the Italian. Meanwhile, Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), ended his longest career podium drought after claiming his first podium with the Japanese manufacturer.

ROCKET LAUNCH: Bulega claims the holeshot

After dominating Saturday’s proceedings, it was Bulega who led the field through the opening sector after a magnificent launch from the line. Razgatlioglu was immediately pushing, trying to match the fierce pace of the #11 as Rea leapt to third on the opening lap. “El Turco” hit the front for the first time on Lap 3, launching a move at Turn 11 – instantly beginning to create a gap. Meanwhile, there was a huge battle forming for fourth position, with Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista, battling in the final stages.

Let’s just sit back and enjoy @toprak_tr54 riding to win once again this weekend#UKWorldSBK pic.twitter.com/RtJJg0pBAM

— WorldSBK (@WorldSBK) July 14, 2024

BATTLE OF THE BRITS: Redding fends off Alex Lowes

However, it was Redding who held onto fourth position, defending from compatriot Alex Lowes at the chequered flag. The #22 finished just 0.201s behind Redding but would round out the top five and claim a solid second row start for Race 2 later on. There will be tough competition on the second row after Bautista took P6 at the line after a solid ride from 11^th on the grid. Meanwhile, taking seventh was Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), who was unable to improve on his starting position for the final race of the weekend. “Loka” stretched a strong gap to Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) in eighth, who was under pressure in the final laps by Barni Spark Racing Team’s Danilo Petrucci, with the #9 rounding out the top nine.

BEST OF THE REST: Iannone misses out in 10^th

While it was a strong start to Sunday for Alex Lowes, the same could not be said about his teammate Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who tumbled down the order after a crash at Turn 4 on Lap 2. This will force the Italian to start from 16^th on the grid in Race 2, one row ahead of Andrea Iannone, who finished 10^th in the Superpole Race – missing out on a top nine finish by 0.599s.

The top nine from the Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.826s

3. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +6.526s

4. Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) +8.375s

5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +8.576s

6. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.188s

7. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +10.037s

8. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +11.760s

9. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +12.229s

Fastest Lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, 1’25.733s (New race lap record)

The action does not stop at Donington Park, make sure you don’t miss Race 2 at 14:00 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s fifth round is into its final day at Donington Park in the United Kingdom as the Prosecco DOC UK Round continues. With two races to come, the morning Warm Up went the way of Race 1 winner Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) who continues his outright domination of Round 5.

Lapping together with teammate Michael van der Mark in the closing stages, Razgatlioglu was able to stay out for the full 10-minute session as the #54 seeks a second consecutive hat-trick. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was P2 in Race 1 and held that placing during morning Warm Up, whilst Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was top Yamaha. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth and enjoyed a slightly better timed session than at other points of the weekend and made it four manufacturers inside the top four. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) seems to have found gains and was fifth.

Rounding out the top half dozen, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was top Independent rider, whilst Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had to settle for P7. Completing the top ten, Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), Michael van der Mark and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team Motocorsa Racing). Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was P12 but crashed whilst Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW), who starts from the front row for the Tissot Superpole Race at 11:00 local time, was 16th. Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda Team) has been declared unfit for the rest of the round following a crash in Race 1 on Saturday.

Top six after WorldSBK Warm Up, full results here:

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’25.582
2. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.586s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.634s
4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.797s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +0.831s
6. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +0.844

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Title contender Marc Vich took a vital victory in Race 1 of the FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup, despite a red flag and restart due to weather conditions. The Spaniard was joined on the podium by Poland’s Dawid Nowak and Italy’s Alessandro Di Persio.

The rider from Mallorca got a good launch from his second-place grid spot, slotting into an early lead in the 10-lap race and attempting to pull a gap on his rivals. As the pack closed in rain started to fall in several sectors of the four-kilometre track and the decision was taken to throw the red flag after just three laps. At this point Vich was leading, followed by Eduardo Burr, Di Persio and Nowak – the four riders separated by just eight tenths of a second.

After the switch from slick tyres to full wets it was time for a shortened five-lap dash. Vich once again shot to the front of the field, but with a patchy track it was no easy task to hold off his fellow competitors. Di Persio and Nowak were quick to surround him, staying close through every twist and turn of the tricky British track. Meanwhile Burr and championship leader Gonzalo Sanchez fought to keep themselves in contention too. As has been the case for most R3 World Cup races this season, the podium came down to the last corners, the experience of Vich and Nowak versus the ambition of the rookie, Di Persio. Incredibly, the trio crossed the line covered by just +0.164.

Burr and Sanchez completed the Top 5. 

FULL RESULTS – R3 bLU cRU World Cup – RACE ONE

Marc Vich said: “The race was difficult because we had a red flag for the rain and we all switched to wet tyres, but then the track started to dry very quickly so it was tricky with the grip. Finally, I managed everything well, I kept pushing for this victory and I’m feeling so happy. Tomorrow I would like to pull a gap, but in this class it’s so hard! I hope it will be dry and I’ll try for another top result.”

Race 2 will be held at 16:15 local time, 17:15 CET, on Sunday July 14th. Tune LIVE in via the Yamaha Racing YouTube channel.

Source: WorldSBK.com

It was an eventful day in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, with Toprak Razgatlioglu flying the flag high for BMW after storming to pole position and securing an impressive Race 1 victory. However, the top Yamaha at the end of the day’s proceedings was Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) – securing a fifth-place finish at the line.

The #65 ended the Tissot Superpole session in eighth position, earning a spot on the third row of the grid – behind teammate Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha). In Race 1 it was a strong result for Rea, claiming fifth at the line after carving through the field on Saturday.

Discussing the story of his weekend so far, Rea said: “My pace was better than I expected and you know we had a bad Free Practice 1 as we had a technical issue. But in Free Practice 2 my pace was okay and you always think that you need to improve but you forget the race pace is going to be about there and that everybody can only go so fast.

“To be honest, we didn’t change the bike drastically, we worked on some points this weekend, especially with the electronics to fine-tune it. Top five and a bonus was top Yamaha which is not something which we really think about as ‘Loka’ was right there but it is nice.”

Rea was strong through Sectors 2 and 3 during Race 1 and crossed the line to finish 1.436s behind Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). Finishing fifth leaves Rea 12^th in the 2024 World Championship standings, just two points behind Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK).

However, the six-time WorldSBK Champion believes that there is still work to do before he feels fully comfortable on his Yamaha: “It is hard to describe but still I feel like the bike is quite aggressive, as from an electronic point of view I need to be in harmony with what is going on and it seems like sometimes I am fighting against the traction control, wheelie control or engine braking. That is probably the biggest area for improvement and it is all confidence as you know when you can trust that the electronics are working in synchrony with you it is almost telepathic that is when you can start to make some magic.”

Looking ahead to Sunday, Rea is focused on the start of the Superpole Race which he believes will play a crucial part in the remainder of his weekend: “The Superpole Race all depends on the start and tomorrow, I need to pray to the heavens that I get off the line good as that will make or break my day as that grid position carries over to Race 2 so it is an important one. The race tyre has not been quite decided as I haven’t done much mileage with the SCX tyre this weekend which we feel will be the race tyre.”

Make sure you watch the rest of the action from Donington Park using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Supersport World Championship returned to track at the Prosecco DOC UK Round for a thrilling Race 1, with Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) looking impeccable at Donington Park after taking the lead early on and charging to victory to take his 5^th win.

DELIGHT FOR HUERTAS: The Spaniard took a third consecutive win

It was a phenomenal WorldSSP Race 1, with Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) leading early, before being quickly attacked by Huertas. Once the #99 entered the lead he did not look back, extending his win margin to 4.679s at the chequered flag. Montella would lose second in the closing stages with Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing’s Stefano Manzi finishing in second position, a mere 0.188s ahead of Montella.

THE START: Montella launches strong as Huertas attacks

The lights went out and it was an impressive start from Montella with spots of rain in the air as polesitter, Huertas charged hard behind on the opening lap. Huertas did not take long to steal the lead, launching his attack on Lap 2 at Redgate and would go on to set the fastest lap of Race 1. Meanwhile, Manzi had a solid start, maintaining third and began to set his sights on Montella.

There would be drama for home hero, Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph), who would receive a Long Lap penalty for taking a shortcut and not losing one second. The #69 was in an intense fight for the final spot in the top five between Orelac Racing Verdnatura’s Jorge Navarro and Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse). Meanwhile, at the front, Huertas soon extended his lead to over five seconds – setting a consistent 1’29 pace.

THE PODIUM BATTLE: Manzi pipped Montella in the closing stages

With two laps remaining the #62 of Manzi snatched second from Montella, as all eyes turned to the final lap. Montella looked for an opportunity at every corner on the last lap but would not be able to find a gap in the Italian’s armour, settling for third and allowing Manzi to secure P2. Further back, there was late drama for Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who crashed at the final corner on the last lap after contact with the #64. Motozoo ME AIR Racing’s Federico Caricasulo was given a five-position penalty for the incident – dropping the Italian down to P16.

REST OF THE FIELD: Navarro fends off Debise

Navarro took fourth at the line after a great battle in the closing stages with Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team), who rounded out the top five. Meanwhile, after starting from the third row, Sofuoglu took sixth place at the line after an impressive ride to finish ahead of Booth-Amos, who recovered to seventh after his penalty. D34G Racing WorldSSP Team’s Oli Bayliss was eighth at the line and finished ahead of Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team), who was dropped one position to ninth after the #66 exceeded track limits on the final lap. Meanwhile, the final spot inside the top 10 went the way of Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha), who was less than 20 seconds adrift from victory.

The top six from WorldSSP Race 1, full results here:

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)

2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) +4.679s

3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +4.867s

4. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +6.392s

5. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +6.630s

6. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +12.120s

Fastest lap: Adrian Huertas (Ducati) – 1’28.861s – new race lap record

You don’t want to miss WorldSSP Race 2 on Sunday at 15:15 Local Time (UTC+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Race 1 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was a dramatic affair and two of the standout riders featured epic comebacks from both Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The #22 started from ninth before coming home in second place, while reigning Champion Bautista left the grid in 11^th before fighting his way into third place at Donington Park.

HEROIC HOME COMEBACK: from the third row to the rostrum

Lowes was classified ninth in the morning Tissot Superpole session, although he did have a time good enough for the front row deleted due to yellow flags. It left the Brit going from the third row, but he made swift progress in the early stages, climbing into the lead fight. Running in fourth, he set his sights on Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) ahead and passed his compatriot on Lap 12 at Goddards, when the #45 ran wide. Two laps later, he overtook Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) at the Melbourne Loop to move into second, where he remained for the rest of the race.

Reacting to a home podium and an epic comeback, Lowes said: “It was a great race. I knew I had pretty good pace, all weekend I’ve been fast. We worked on long run and end of race pace, between laps 10 and 23 around Donington is a tough place to be! The bike felt great, I struggled with the front towards the end. I was having to make a lot of time up in the mid part of the race, making some passes and trying to pass Scott and Bulega. I was a little bit worried when I saw Bautista on the pit board, he’s always super-fast at the end of races! I’m so happy to be back on the podium in a long race here at Donington Park. It’s a proper home race for me. Lots of friends and family are here and it’s nice to reward their support with a good race. I’m riding very well at the moment, I’m confident and in our sport, confidence helps massively. I’d say it’s my best ride at Donington.”

TYRE GAMBLE PAYS OFF: SCX for Bautista, others on SC0

With nothing to lose from 11^th on the grid, double Champion Bautista opted for a contrasting tyre choice. Rather than use the SC0, which most of the grid used, the #1 selected the softer SCX option and used it to good effect. He took a measured approach to his fight through the field, completing the first lap in ninth, the second in eighth, third in seventh and fourth in sixth. He remained in sixth for the next eight laps before passing Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) for fifth and then Redding for fourth. He moved into third when passing teammate Bulega, but he was unable to challenge Lowes for second, finishing in P3.

On his tyre choice and podium fightback, Bautista said: “It was a really fun race. Starting from 11^th, I did a really good comeback! I made a lot of overtakes and I did a gamble because I used the soft rear and it worked, especially with more temperature, it helped me to use the tyre. At the same time, I had to be careful in the beginning because, if you destroy the tyre in the first two laps, you’ll never recover. I was just trying to be as careful as possible in the first few laps and then tried to push step by step. I started to overtake people and I saw that I was closing in on the front riders. On the other side, the feeling with the bike isn’t the best, like it was last year. I can’t force the bike or ride as I want. Every time I try to force it, I lose the bike. It’s very difficult. We need to keep working, try to improve. I’m happy because today, this was the maximum we could do. We were on the limit. Last season, with the SCX tyre, it was impossible to do any races here even the Superpole Race. This year, maybe because the asphalt has been used more, and accepts the soft tyres more, I tried it for a few laps yesterday and today but no more than seven or eight laps. The feeling was good, the drop wasn’t terrible and then the track had a high temperature. We made a gamble trusting that, after 10 laps, the tyres would keep good performance. It was a good choice.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Saturday’s track action for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is over after a sensational Race 1, where Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)  destroyed the lap record in Superpole before dominating the race. It was a strong showing for BMW, with Razgatlioglu being joined on the front row by Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) after the British rider started third on the grid.

Things were beginning to look up for Redding, who was latched onto the back of the #54 in the opening stages of the race. Redding was running in P2 until there were 19 laps to go, with Nicolo Bulega passing the #45. The British rider would drop to fifth when his race soon came to a halt with five laps remaining – suffering a mechanical issue at Turn 11.

Discussing the technical issue that ended his race, Redding said: “It is a shame to come out with a bit of a mechanical because even if I finished fifth, I would have been relatively happy with that and have something to work on and we would have it in the bank. While now I still need to get the result and try again tomorrow to try and make it better for me.”

Up until his retirement, Redding was hot on the pace and one of the quickest riders through Sector 2 on Saturday afternoon. The #45 was very consistent, running inside the low 1’26 bracket throughout Race 1.

Speaking about the start of his race and his plan for Race 1: “I started to grit my teeth and not think about saving my tyre as I wanted to get in the mix of the race. I was trying to race smart but hard. I struggled to get the bike stopped a little bit because I was using the SC0 rear tyre, which hasn’t been my favourite this weekend but it is the only race option for the longer races.”

Now looking ahead to Sunday, Redding believes that a shorter race could benefit him ahead of Race 2: “We have the Superpole Race tomorrow and we need a good result there to get a good qualifying for Race 2. I think we may be able to use a different tyre which may favour me a little bit. I would love to bag a podium here as when you are top five you are close and you can battle it out with a few laps to go. I didn’t feel really comfortable today in the race with the tyre, so with some setting changes maybe we can make me feel comfortable so I will be able to ride like I was in qualifying and the other Practice sessions and yeah, I will give everything for a podium.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com