With the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s latest visit to the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya done and in the history books, it’s time to look at the ups and downs from the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round. The weekend belonged to one rider after setting a lap record in the Tissot Superpole session and winning three races out of three, a manufacturer reached a milestone of WorldSBK podiums but there were some downs too including crashes for rivals in Spain.

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) extended his Championship lead to 69 points over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) after his hat-trick in Barcelona, the second consecutive year he’s won all three races at the Catalan venue. He also broke the lap record on his way to pole position on Saturday as he capped off a perfect weekend on home soil. 11 wins in the first 12 races of 2023 is a record matched only by Neil Hodgson in 2003 and Bautista’s own run in the 2019 campaign.

Yamaha entered the Catalunya Round on 396 WorldSBK podiums and, with the Japanese manufacturer averaging four podiums a round in 2023 with riders Razgatlioglu and teammate Andrea Locatelli, seemed set to reach the 400 podiums milestone. They duly did so in Race 2 after Razgatlioglu claimed three second place finishes in Spain, while Locatelli continued his impressive start to the season with a late surge to third in the Superpole Race. With their podiums from Spain, Yamaha overtook Honda in the all-time WorldSBK list with Honda on 397 podiums.

It was a strong weekend for American star Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) as he consistently finished as the top BMW rider at a circuit he has gone well at in the past. He took ninth in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole to secure his best starting position since switching from Yamaha to BMW and he was able to convert this into three top-nine finishes: ninth in Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race and seventh in Race 2. He was the top BMW in all three races as well as in Saturday’s Superpole.

In terms of downs in Spain, there were a few. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) battled to a podium in Race 1 and he was fighting for another rostrum visit in the Superpole Race. However, when fighting with Razgatlioglu into Turn 1, he just touched the white line which was damp after some rain fell in the ten-lap race, with Rea crashing out of the race from the podium battle. This meant he had to start Race 2 from tenth place, and he was able to battle his way up to fifth place by the end of Race 2.

The Catalunya Round proved to be difficult for Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) too. The Italian rider could only manage 14^th in Superpole on Saturday but he took advantage of two starts, one after a red flag, to haul himself into podium contention in the early stages of Race 1. There, he battled with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with the factory Ducati rider forcing his way through at Turn 3 before the pair made contact at Turn 11 later on that same lap. Bassani was given a Long Lap Penalty for his role in the collision. On Sunday, he could only manage tenth in the Superpole Race and 11^th in Race 2.

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round was a dramatic affair as round four of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship painted the latest picture in the title race. One rider who didn’t feature too strongly at the front however was Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), with the British rider struggling down field. Scrapping it out for points, it was far from an ideal weekend for the British rider, as attention turns to his future.

In what was a relatively difficult round, the BMW M1000 RR has never been a bike to challenge for a top five at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, but Redding couldn’t have predicted the battle he’d face this weekend. A Superpole result that left him mired on the fifth row of the grid in 13^th was compounded further when he was given a three-place demotion for Race 1 for riding slowly on the racing line. However, the weekend that followed would be fruitless, as he didn’t score a single point in any race – the first time that has happened in his WorldSBK career. Retiring from both full races and just 12^th in the Tissot Superpole Race, it really was an uphill struggle from the start.

Speaking about Sunday, Redding did what he could to put himself in a good position, but tyre life was a major factor: “Basically I used too much tyre, but I’ve been struggling all weekend to be honest. In Race 2, I decided to push as hard as I could and see how long I could stay there. I stayed at the back of the train but I was pushing a lot and pushing the front. I didn’t have good speed in the race in the straight as I couldn’t get out the corners, so I was forcing the front and it started to slide a lot more. Then, the rear started to drop and it dropped so much that it became dangerous to ride. I was tipping in and even on entry without the throttle, the bike was sliding and I had no support. I did three or four laps and it was getting worse and worse; I was already outside the points and I just thought that it’s not worth the risk.”

With attention turning to his future, Redding said that he will be evaluating all offers: “I have to consider my options and see what’s available. I have to see what we can do for BMW in the future if I am to stay there. I want to be fighting at the front for podiums and winning races but last year and this year, it’s not showing anything in that direction. It’s hard for me to wait; I know the guys are working hard. There’s a lot happening back at BMW but finding a solution is proving difficult. We will see, but there aren’t a lot of other doors open so we need to keep our head down and try to improve the package. When you go testing, you might have an item and it changes everything, but at the moment, we have a lot of items but not a lot improvement. It’s part of the game.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The battle for second place in Race 2 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya went down to the wire during the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round as Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) fought it out. Rinaldi was ahead at the start of the final lap but Razgatlioglu was able to make up three seconds across the final three laps to snatch second place.

Rinaldi had surged up the order from eighth on the grid to be running behind teammate Alvaro Bautista, but the reigning Champion was able to pull away from Rinaldi as the race progressed. Rinaldi himself had looked like he was able to pull away from the chasing pack behind him, which was led by Razgatlioglu, but he dropped back towards the 2021 Champion in the final few laps and lost second position on the run to the line.

At the end of Lap 17, Rinaldi was almost three second clear of Razgatlioglu with just a couple of laps to go and this gap was maintained at the end of Lap 18. However, by the end of Lap 19, Razgatlioglu had pulled in a second with a lap time of a 1’44.029s, compared to Rinaldi’s 1’45.144s and, on Lap 20, the difference was even greater between their lap times. Razgatlioglu set a 1’43.711s while Rinaldi could only manage a 1’45.607s as Razgatlioglu pipped him through the final corner and on the run to the line.

Discussing the podium fight, Rinaldi said: “Toughest weekend of the year as from Friday, I had the speed to fight for the podium. Yesterday, what happened, happened, and then in the Superpole Race, I fought for the podium and then the rain came. In Race 2, I was second, but I finished the tyre and couldn’t stand up! I almost crashed in every right corner and that’s why Toprak had the opportunity to catch me and pass me. It’s OK, as yesterday I didn’t race, and I didn’t have the experience of the tyre or its drop. I didn’t have the strength in my hand to defend at the end of the race. It’s OK to finish with a podium after all the ups and downs.”

Razgatlioglu is now on a run of nine consecutive podiums and has 11 rostrum visits from 12 races in WorldSBK, but he only has one win to his name which came in the Tissot Superpole Race at Mandalika. He sits 69 points back from Bautista in the Championship standings and he has a 34-point advantage over his teammate, Andrea Locatelli, who sits in third.

Discussing his second place finish, Razgatlioglu said: “I’m really happy. I was waiting until the last laps for Michael’s tyres to drop, but I’m surprised. I understand his tyres, in the last two laps, had a big drop. Normally, I’m waiting for the last three laps because I kept the rear tyre. Finally, I see him have a big drop. I’m pushing and I take second position at the last corner. Not like Jorge Lorenzo and Valentino Rossi, I tried a different style! I took second position, and this is very good for me as I took three second positions and I took really good points for the Championship.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The final race of the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round, Race 2 in the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship, was a traditionally unpredictable affair at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya with only 0.027s separating the top two at the end of the 12-lap race. The race was won by Italy’s Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) after a thrilling last-lap fight with compatriot Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) in Barcelona.

MAKING HISTORY: Italians lead the way in WorldSSP300

Gennai hit the head of the field on the final lap but Race 1 winner Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) overtook him into Turn 7, before the trio of Gennai, Buis and Vannucci went side-by-side into Turn 10. Gennai and Vannucci came out side by side heading into the penultimate corner before the pair engaged in a race to the line on the final lap of the race, with Buis backing up his Race 1 victory with a second podium of the season.

Gennai leading Vannucci meant Italy claimed their first 1-2 in WorldSSP300 as Gennai claimed his second victory in the Championship as well as his sixth podium. Vannucci now has five podiums to his name in WorldSSP300 while 2020 Champion Buis has 15 podiums in his career in WorldSSP300, putting him second in the all-time list.

NOTHING IN IT: little to separate the top six

Home hero Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) crossed the line in fourth spot as he enjoyed a strong home round and he was just 0.047s ahead of Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) as he finished in fifth place. However, Mogeda was given a post-race penalty to drop one position for irresponsible riding, promoting Perez Gonzalez to fourth. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) was sixth after he led the race around the halfway stage of the 12-lap race with just 0.578s separating the top six riders after 12 laps of racing.

TEN RIDERS, EIGHT TENTHS: Championship leader in P10

Two Brazilian riders finished in seventh and eighth with Enzo Valentim (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) and teammate Humberto Maier finishing just 0.071s behind his teammate; Maier had started from pole position. Jose Manuel Osuna Saez (Deza-Box 77 Racing Team) finished in ninth place ahead of Championship leader Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) rounding out the top ten with Svoboda just 0.797s away from Gennai.

TAKING HOME POINTS: finishing Race 2 in the top 15

Indonesia’s Galang Hendra Pratama (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) scored a second points finish in his first round back in the Championship as he took 11^th place, ahead of local rider Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) in 12^th place. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) took 13^th place ahead of Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project) in 14^thplace. Seabright had crossed the line in 13^th but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap.Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) who rounded out the points with 15^th.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300 Race 2

Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) had a difficult race after being given two Long Lap Penalties during the race, before crashing out on Lap 6 at Turn 11. The first was given to him for irresponsible riding while the second was for irresponsible riding during his first Long Lap Penalty. He brought his bike into the pitlane following his crash. He was classified but four laps down on the leader.

Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) crashed out of the race on Lap 8 at Turn 4. At the end of Lap 8, Gabriele Mastroluca (Arco Motor University Team) brought his bike into the pits and retired from the race. Shortly after Mastroluca retired, the other two Arco Motor University Team riders crashed with Ruben Bijman continuing, and then retiring shortly after, but Unai Calatayud retiring. The incident was placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards.

Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) had to serve a ride-through penalty during the race which he took on Lap 2, dropping him down the order and he eventually finished in 24^th place. Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) was given a double Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding in Warm Up and he finished in 22^nd place, while Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) also had a double Long Lap Penalty for irresponsible riding in Race 1.

Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo – PI Performances) did not race after he was injured in a crash in Race 1, with the Italian declared unfit following the crash.

The top six following WorldSSP300 Race 2, full results here:

1. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse)

2. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) +0.027s

3. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) +0.183s

4. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) +0.332s

5. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) +0.400s

6. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) +0.578s

Fastest lap: Samuel Di Sora (Kawasaki) – 1’55.821s

Championship standings

1. Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsport by SKM – Kawasaki) 69 points

2. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) 57

3. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) 50

4. Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki) 49

5. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) 49

6. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) 46

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship visited the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and, for the second year in a row, the weekend belonged to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) as he took three race wins on home soil during the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round for the second consecutive year. The results mean Bautista has extended his Championship lead to 69 points over Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometon WorldSBK) after winning 11 of the first 12 races this season.

Bautista claimed pole position for Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race on Saturday with a new lap record and he converted this into two victories, with victory in the partially rain-affected Superpole Race giving him pole position for Race 2. Although he did not get away as well as he did in Race 1 and the Superpole Race, Bautista quickly returned to the front of the field to claim a hat-trick for the third time in 2023.

The Superpole Race started in dry conditions but spots of rain started to fall in the second half of the race and, with Bautista out in front, he was the first rider to come across any change in conditions on the track related to grip but he was able to overcome this to take his second victory of the weekend, which put him in a perfect position to claim a hat-trick in Spain. It means he has won the last six races held at the Catalan venue and now has 236 points in the Championship.

Looking back on his weekend, Bautista said: “The weekend has been perfect. We won three races and each race was a bit different, especially the Superpole Race. It was a bit scary in the last few laps because it started to rain, but not regularly. It was sometimes raining in the first sector, the next lap in sector three, the next one in four and two… leading the way was quite difficult because you never knew what to expect, the amount of water is on the track, so I was discovering the track every lap. It was the longest three laps of my life! For Race 2, the conditions were similar to Race 1 but maybe the grip was a bit lower because of the rain in the morning. I understood the track and I can keep my pace. I’m really happy especially to win three races here in Spain, in front of all the fans and my family, is always more special.”

Although the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya isn’t the nearest circuit to where he hails from, it is a track where he has enjoyed a lot of success across his entire career. He won there in the 125cc World Championship in 2006 on his way to the title and he took two podiums in three seasons in the 250cc World Championship as well as a top-five finish when competing in MotoGP™.

Talking about his good record at the circuit, Bautista said: “Maybe it’s not my home circuit but I feel very good here! I have always been very fast here, in my time in 125cc, 250cc and MotoGP™ I was quite strong. Today, the weather was a bit complicated. In the end, if it rained, no problem because I could do nothing, I’d have to adapt to the conditions. I always prefer a dry race. I feel good here, so I hope to have the same feeling in the next rounds that are coming.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship action concluded at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a Barcelona hat-trick to extend his Championship lead, while Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) pipped Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) on the line to deny Ducati a 1-2 finish in Spain.

HAT-TRICK HERO: a treble for Bautista on home soil

Bautista lost out initially as the lights went out but recovered heading into Turn 1 to retake the lead although Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) did briefly take the lead on the opening lap, although it did not last long as Bautista recovered the lead of the race before building out a gap over teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi in second place, with Rinaldi able to build a gap over Razgatlioglu in third in the first half of the race. Rinaldi overtook Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) at Turn 1 on Lap 5 to promote himself into second.

It had looked like Rinaldi would finish in second place to lead home a Ducati 1-2, but his final lap was around two seconds slower than Razgatlioglu and the 2021 Champion was able to overtake Rinaldi on the run to the line to take second place and secure Yamaha’s 400^th WorldSBK podium, which demoted Rinaldi to third as he ended his Catalunya Round on the podium. As the race progressed, Razgatlioglu was able to pull out a gap over Lowes with the gap over a second by the start of Lap 17, allowing Razgatlioglu to claim his third podium of the weekend.

Bautista has 11 wins in the first 12 races this season, matching Neil Hodgson in 2003 and his own record from 2019 while it was his seventh consecutive win. It was a milestone win for Spain as Bautista claimed their 80^th WorldSBK victory while Razgatlioglu moved onto 93 WorldSBK podiums with second place as well as taking Yamaha’s 400^th podium. Rinaldi returned to the rostrum for the first time in 70 days as he took his 17^th podium.

JUST MISSING OUT: finishing in the top six

As the laps ticked down, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who started tenth, closed in on his teammate in the fight for fourth place but Rea was unable to make a move on his teammate. The KRT pair finished in fourth and fifth after Rea battled back from tenth place; he started there as a result of his Tissot Superpole Race crash. While they were fighting ahead, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was behind and losing time to the chasing Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) with Vierge passing him on the brakes into Turn 1 on the final lap to promote Vierge to sixth place. Locatelli was able to take seventh place at the end of the race and, as a sign of how consistent he has been in 2023, seventh place is his worst finish of the year and his worst result since he was eighth in Race 2 in Argentina in 2022.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: dramatic battles throughout

Swiss rider Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed eighth spot as he ended his Catalunya Round with a third top-ten finish after he battled with both Team HRC riders. He had looked at passing Vierge in the closing stages before the Spanish rider pulled away but he finished more than two seconds clear of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) who finished in ninth. American star Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) finished inside the top ten for the third race in Barcelona as he took him top BMW honours.

TAKING HOME POINTS: finishing in the top 15

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) was unable to repeat his comeback from Race 1 on Sunday and he finished in 11^th place, almost two seconds down on a top-ten place. He had a similar margin behind him with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in 12^th. Two rookies finished in the final points-paying positions with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in 13th and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) in 15^th sandwiching Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) in 14^th place. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was 16^th with Ivo Miguel Lopes (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) the last classified rider in 17^th. The Portuguese rider was just 0.040s away from Baz at the end of the race.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSBK Race 2

Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) and Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) retired from the race after a Lap 1 crash at Turn 4, with Malaysian rider Syahrin taken to the medical centre for a checkup following the collision. Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing) brought his machine into the pitlane and retired from the race in the first half of the 20-lap fight. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) also brought his bike into the pits and retired after he had a technical issue in Race 2.

The top six following WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +8.583s

3. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.643s

4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +11.366s

5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +12.824s

6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +15.242s

Fastest Lap: Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) – 1’41.730s

Championship standings

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 236 points

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 167

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 133

4. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 100

5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 91

6. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 73

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Source: WorldSBK.com

There was a fierce fight for victory in Race 2 during the FIM Supersport World Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya and there were plenty of emotions on display on the podium for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round as Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) took his first win in WorldSSP after fending off a challenge from both teammate Marcel Schroetter and Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in a thrilling three-way battle for victory in Spain.

EMOTIONAL WINS: Sofuoglu on the top step

Sofuoglu once again got a good start from ninth on the grid to put himself in the lead group in the early stages and he was soon in the lead of the race but it was a fierce fight for the win with Sofuoglu, Sofuoglu’s teammate Schroetter and Manzi who completed the podium positions with just 0.500s separating the top three at the end of the race, with Manzi moving into second on the final lap into Turn 1; Manzi crossed the line in second but was demoted one place for exceeding track limits on the final lap at Turn 8.

Schroetter took the lead from teammate Sofuoglu at Turn 1 on Lap 11 but Sofuoglu responded a lap later, while Manzi moved into second after passing Schroetter at Turn 1 on Lap 13. However, Manzi ran wide a lap later at Turn 10 but two laps later he made up for his mistake by taking both MV Agusta riders at Turn 5 to move into the lead, demoting Sofuoglu to third. On the penultimate lap, Sofuoglu moved into the lead as he and Schroetter went either side of Manzi into Turn 1 and he was able to hold on to the lead despite late pressure from Manzi on the final lap. With Manzi’s penalty, Schroetter was promoted to second place for the first MV Agusta 1-2 finish since Phillip Island in 2015.

Sofuoglu’s victory meant he became the third Turkish winner in the Championship after his uncle, Kenan, and Can Oncu and it was Turkey’s 45^th win in WorldSSP as well as the country’s 100^th podium. Schroetter’s podium gave him his third podium in his first full season in the Championship while Manzi moved onto nine podiums. For MV Agusta, their double podium means they have now finished on the podium in 50 different WorldSSP races.

JUST MISSING OUT: strong performances inside the top six

Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) continued his strong form since the Championship returned to Europe with fourth place with the French rider one of several riders who was able to lead throughout the race. He finished more than four seconds clear of Dutch rider Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) in fifth place after he fended off Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) to take fifth. Caricasulo, like in Race 1, got a great start as he moved into the lead of the race at the start and fought in the leading group in the early stages before dropping back to sixth place.

IN THE TOP TEN: fighting at the front but dropping back…

Caricasulo was trying to attack van Straalen in the closing stages but he also had to fend off Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha) who took seventh place ahead of Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) in eighth. Just over a second separated van Straalen in fifth and Tuuli in eighth place after a thrilling fight for the high-scoring points-paying positions. Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed ninth spot, two seconds down on Tuuli, while Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) rounded out the top ten.

SCORING POINTS: rounding out the top 15

Australian rider Tom Edwards (Yart-Yamaha WorldSSP Team), who was a surprise fourth in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session, finished in 11^th for his best WorldSSP result so far; Edwards was just four tenths away from a maiden top-ten finish. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) claimed 12^th place while Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), returning to replace the injured Can Oncu, scored points with 13^th place ahead of Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) in 13^th and Adrian Fernandez (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team); Fernandez, making his WorldSSP debut, scored his first points in the Championship.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP Race 2

Wildcard Baris Sahin (MDR Offitec Yamaha) retired from the race in the early stages of the race while Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) crashed out of the race on Lap 7 at Turn 5. John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) was fighting for the points-paying positions but he crashed out on Lap 9 at Turn 9 which put him out of the race. Apiwath Wongthananon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) retired from the race after bringing his bike into the pits.

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) was running in the top five in the closing stages of the race after being bumped down the order, but he retired from the race on the penultimate lap with a technical issue.

The top six following WorldSSP Race 2, full results here:

1. Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse)

2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +0.420s

3. Stefano Manzi (Tem Kate Racing Yamaha) +0.500s

4. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +2.563s

5. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) +7.039s

6. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +7.327s

Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega, Ducati – 1’45.166s

Championship standings

1 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 152 points

2. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 119

3. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 116

4. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) 98

5. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) 75

6. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) 65

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Rain started to fall in the Tissot Superpole Race in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and there was drama everywhere at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed his second victory this weekend. There was a thrilling battle for the podium places as both Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) and teammate Andrea Locatelli battled their way to the rostrum.

DRAMA THROUGHOUT: fighting for the front row in Race 2

Bautista led the field away from pole position and he kept that into Turn 1 while teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi surged up the order to move into second place heading into Turn 1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was able to pass Rinaldi on Lap 4 at Turn 11 to move into second place as he looked to close down, but Bautista extended his lead over Razgatlioglu to win the race ahead of Razgatlioglu.

The rain started to fall in the second half of the race and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) took advantage of this to move into third place after a last-lap fight with Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) to continue his podium streak and secure a front row start for Race 2 alongside teammate Razgatlioglu and Bautista. Initially, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was in the fight for a front row start but a crash when he touched the white line under braking for Turn 1, putting him out of the race.

FIGHTING BACK, DROPPING DOWN: securing a second row place for Race 2

Lecuona will start Race 2 from fourth place after his last-lap fight with Locatelli, with the pair separated by half-a-second at the end of the 10-lap race. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was third after his teammate crashed at Turn 1 but he dropped down to fifth on the final lap, missing out on fourth place by just 0.097s. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was sixth after starting from second place but he will start Race 2 from the second row.

COMPLETING THE THIRD ROW: in the top nine in the Superpole Race

Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) continued his strong Barcelona form by taking seventh place after joining the podium fight in the final couple of laps and he was only 0.141s behind Aegerter at the end of the race. Rinaldi eventually dropped down to eighth place to give him a third row start for Race 2. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) will complete the third row for Race 2 as he took ninth spot, with just 1.5 seconds separating Razgatlioglu in second and Vierge in ninth. After his crash, Rea will start Race 2 from tenth place.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from the Superpole Race

Remy Gardner (GYRT GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) retired from the race in the closing stages after a technical issue and he was the only other retirement alongside Rea. Loris Baz’s (Bonovo Action BMW) race was disrupted when he had a crash at Turn 5 on the opening lap which dropped him down to last place and he recovered to take 18^th.

The top nine following the Tissot Superpole Race, full results here:

1 Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +2.110s

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +2.385s

4. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +2.868s

5. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +2.965s

6. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +3.257s

7. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +3.398s

8. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.102s

9. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +4.884s

Watch WorldSBK Race 2 from Barcelona at 14:00 Local Time (GMT+2) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship continues its Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya, talk about the 2024 rider line-up is continuing. With very few riders being contracted for the 2024 season, there are plenty of riders who could be on the move for the 2024 season. One rider whose future is not yet known is Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) with the 2021 Champion’s contract with Yamaha expiring at the end of the 2023 season.

Only Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) have contracts for the 2024 campaign so far but Razgatlioglu’s future has been one of the key talking points in Barcelona. Last time out at Assen, his manager, five-time WorldSSP Champion Kenan Sofuoglu, said that he believes Razgatlioglu will continue in WorldSBK after rumours of a possible switch to MotoGP™ resurfaced following a test with Yamaha and that continuing with Yamaha is their first choice.

In Free Practice 2, Paul Denning, the Team Principal at Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK, said that he was “blown away” by Yamaha’s offer as the Japanese manufacturer aims to keep hold of the rider who delivered their first WorldSBK title since Ben Spies in 2009 when he beat Rea in an incredible 2021 season.

However, Sofuoglu has recently spoken to Speedweek.com about Razgatlioglu’s future. He said: “I rejected Yamaha’s offer. They didn’t offer us what I imagined. I had told Yamaha that I wanted a commitment in Catalunya, I wouldn’t talk to any other manufacturer until then. Now I’m talking to others too. I have an offer from BMW and I also talk with Kawasaki and manufacturers in MotoGP™. Toprak thinks highly of the BMW. I don’t have an offer from Honda.

“When we went to Yamaha in 2020, many also advised me against it and said that this would destroy Toprak’s career. Toprak is not completely satisfied at Yamaha at the moment, so we don’t see the best Toprak at the moment. On the positive side, Yamaha have offered us a long-term contract and that we have very close relations with Yamaha Turkey. I won’t rush anything, maybe we won’t decide where Toprak is going until the summer.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Dark clouds gathered overhead at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya ahead of Sunday’s action which got underway with Warm Up in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship for the Prosecco DOC Catalunya Round. Reigning Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) started Sunday as he ended Saturday as he topped Warm Up by almost three tenths ahead of his nearest rivals.

Bautista posted a 1’41.367s to top the 15-minute Warm Up session and he was 0.287s clear of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in second place. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took third spot on Sunday morning as he bounced back from his collision with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) in Race 1. Rinaldi spent some time in Warm Up leading the session.

Rookie Dominique Aegeter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) continued his strong Barcelona form with fourth place, 0.459s down on Bautista’s time, while he was around a tenth clear of six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Rea had around a three-tenths advantage over Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) in sixth place with the Spanish rider putting four different manufacturers in the top six.

Seventh place went to Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) after he set a 1’42.262s to lap only 0.020s slower than Vierge ahead of him, with Locatelli in a Honda sandwich. Behind him by around a tenth of a second was 2022 Catalunya polesitter Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) while two British riders rounded out the top ten. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was ninth as he looked to bounce back from two crashes on Saturday while Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was tenth as he hopes to respond to his Race 1 crash.

The top six following WorldSBK Warm Up, full results here:

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’41.367s

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.287s

3. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.355s

4. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.459s

5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.560s

6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +0.875s

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Source: WorldSBK.com