There was drama everywhere you looked in Race 2 for the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship as Petr Svoboda (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) claimed his second victory of the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen after a track limits penalty for one of his rivals. Across the line, before penalties were applied, just 0.045s covered the top three but penalties for Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) and Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) meant Svoboda started his 2023 campaign with two wins from two in 2023.

THE FIGHT FOR VICTORY: two tenths across the top three…

Maier had initially crossed the line in first place but was deemed to have exceeded track limits on the final lap and was therefore demoted to second place. However, with Vannucci deemed to have committed the same offence, he was also demoted one place and dropped to third with Maier in second and Svoboda being promoted to first place to claim his first double in WorldSSP300 and starting his campaign with a maximum 50 points out of 50 to lead the World Championship standings leaving the Netherlands. 

Svoboda also claimed his second WorldSSP300 podium and it was Kawasaki’s 140^th rostrum in WorldSSP300. Maier took his second podium in his short WorldSSP300 career while it was Vannucci’s fourth in his WorldSSP300 campaigns so far as he took third place, as well as claiming Yamaha’s 70^th podium in the Championship.

JUST MISSING OUT: in the top six and close to the rostrum

Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) had crossed the line in fourth place but was demoted to fifth place for a last-lap track limits infringement with Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) the main beneficiary as he went from seventh to fourth ahead of Gennai. With Gennai in fifth place, French rider Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) claimed sixth spot with Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing), who crossed the line in fifth, demoted to seventh place.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN: a fierce fight for strong points

Enzo Valentim (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) was classified in eighth place at the end of the 14-lap race with Kevin Sabatucci (Team Flembbo-PI Performances) in ninth and Italian rider Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) in tenth. Sabatucci was penalized with a one-place grid drop for exceeding track limits on the final lap at Turn 17, which was the same offence and penalty handed to Gaggi which demoted him to tenth place.

IN THE POINTS: leaving the Netherlands with points in the bag

British rider Fenton Seabright (Kawasaki GP Project), who switched manufacturers from Yamaha to Kawasaki for 2023, was 11^th ahead of Julio Garcia (Team Flembbo-PI Performances) who was promoted ahead of Ruben Bijman (Arco Motor University Team) in 13^th; Bijman was penalised with a one-place penalty for exceeding track limits on the final lap. Daniel Mogeda (Kawasaki GP Project) in 14^th. The last point went to Yeray Saiz Marquez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) in 15^th place and he also secured the fastest lap of the race.

Troy Alberto (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) took 16^th spot after benefitting from other riders being penalised for track limits infringements. Mattia Martella (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) crossed the line in 16^th but was deemed to have exceeded track limits on the final lap at Turn 17 so dropped to 17^th place. Alessandro Zanca (Team#109 Kawasaki) was classified in 18^th after he also exceeded track limits at Turn 17 on the final lap, dropping him from 17^th to 18^th, which late call-up Kas Beekmans (Sublime Racing by MS Racing) in 19^th; he was also deemed to have exceeded track limits on the final lap and was demoted one place. Wildcard Thom Molenaar (Molenaar Racing Team) equalled his best WorldSSP300 result with 20^th place.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP300 Race 2

Lennox Lehmann (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) crashed out of the race on the opening lap of the race when fighting in the front group when he highsided on the exit of Turn 5 and putting him out of the race. Mexican rider Juan Pablo Uriostegui (Team#109 Kawasaki) was a retirement after he crashed at Turn 8 on Lap 4. Lap 11 proved to be a difficult one for MTM Kawasaki as both of their riders crashed out at different corners. 2020 Champion Jeffrey Buis crashed at Turn 11 before Loris Veneman went down at Turn 16; both riders retired from the race. Devis Bergamini (ProGP Racing) crashed out of the race at Turn 7 on Lap 13 and he retired from the race.

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

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

2. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD Latin America Team) +0.055s

3. Matteo Vannucci (AG Motorsport Italia Yamaha) +0.205s

4. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) +0.392s

5. Mirko Gennai (Team BrCorse) +0.755s

6. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) +0.955s

Fastest Lap: Saiz Marquez, Kawasaki – 1’48.962s

Championship standings

1. Petr Svoboda (Fusport – RT Motorsports by SKM – Kawasaki) 50 points

2. Humberto Maier (Yamaha MS Racing/AD78 Latin America Team) 30

3. Samuel Di Sora (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) 30

4. Jose Luis Perez Gonzalez (Accolade Smrz Racing BGR) 26

5. Dirk Geiger (Freudenberg KTM – Paligo Racing) 25

6. Marco Gaggi (Team BrCorse) 17

Watch more incredible WorldSSP300 action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

Round 3 of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship has concluded and it was a memorable round for everyone as a raucous atmosphere with nearly 55,000 fans in attendance throughout. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) managed to make it a triple at the legendary TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round, whilst the titanic trio were certainly back in action with Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) back on the podium, although a crash in Race 2 left a bitter taste, whilst Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) was in contention with three solid podiums.

Top ten in the Riders’ Championship standings below, full standings here:

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 174

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 118

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 104

4. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 77

5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 73

6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 54

7. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 51

8. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 50

9. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) 49

10. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 44

Manufacturers’ Championship standings can be found here.

Source: WorldSBK.com

The 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is welcoming records by the round and the Pirelli Dutch Round at the TT Circuit Assen saw a historic milestone for Ducati. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) delivered a 400^th win for the manufacturer and his 40^th with the brand, in what cements them as the most successful manufacturer in WorldSBK. We look back at their best race wins, the iconic numbers along the way and look back at some famous names.

HUMBLE BEGINNINGS: Ducati started well, and only got stronger

Ducati’s winning success has been as long as the Championship itself, winning the second ever race at Donington Park with ex 500cc Grand Prix World Champion Marco Lucchinelli, who’d add to the tally later on in the year. Raymond Roche became the first serial winner for them from 1989 to 1992, taking the manufacturer’s first World Championship in the class in 1990 with domination. Into the 1990s and Ducati’s success kept on going with riders such as Doug Polen, Stephene Mertens and Giancarlo Falappa all coming to the fore; American Polen became a double WorldSBK Champion for the brand in 1991 and 1992.

However, it was 1993 onwards where Ducati would be etched into the forefront of everyone’s minds as Britain’s Carl Fogarty became one of the most popular riders ever seen in WorldSBK – and one of the most successful. Missing out on the 1993 title despite 11 wins, Fogarty ran riot in 1994 and 1995, clinching back-to-back titles and becoming a real superstar. Also during that time, the rise of Troy Corser, who became a rookie winner in 1995 at the Salzburgring in Race 1 before Fogarty won Race 2, Ducati’s 100^th.

FIRST GOLDEN ERA: classic fights and unrivalled success

Then, in 1996, John Kocinski’s stunning start to life in WorldSBK was a winning one at Misano. In a memorable race Down Under, Corser clinched the 1996 crown for Ducati in Race 1; there was nothing stopping Ducati. Fogarty was back in Ducati red in 1997 but missed the title, whilst 1998 saw them back on top, with a particular highlight being a podium lockout in the pouring rain of Albacete, as well as Fogarty and Pierfrancesco Chili’s epic battle at Assen. 1999 came and Fogarty dominated to make it a fourth crown, with another memorable race being Phillip Island’s Race 2, as Corser and ‘Foggy’ swapped places on the final lap.

WILDCARD FEVER: new names, fresh faces, same strength, more titles

After Fogarty retired through injury at the start of 2000, the question was who could possibly replace him? Coming over after a BSB title in 1999, Troy Bayliss was the answer, but it would be a wildcard who gave Ducati their first win of the season with Neil Hodgson in a heroic Donington Park Race 2 charge, with him taking Frankie Chili on the final lap, closing in by over a second for his first win. Bayliss won at Hockenheim in Race 1. Another wildcard winner would come in the form of John Reynolds at Brands Hatch at the end of the season whilst a year later, it was Bayliss who returned Ducati to the Championship, winning an epic battle at Monza against rival Colin Edwards for a first win of the year. In 2002, Bayliss started by making history, becoming the first rider in WorldSBK to win six straight races, and whilst he’d fight until the end of the year the title would be missed. However, 2003 welcomed Neil Hodgson’s domination and a mighty nine race wins on the bounce at the start of the year., including Ducati’s 200^th podium. However, wildcard Shane ‘Shakey’ Byrne completed a memorable double at Brands Hatch, a highlight in the Italian brand’s campaign.

As Hodgson took the 2003 title and Ducati won every race, 2004 was similar; one of WorldSBK’s finest races was at Misano 2004, when Frankie Chili took his final win with a tyre gamble whilst James Toseland went on to become the youngest ever World Champion. The title was taken in 2006 with Troy Bayliss, who conquered Assen’s Race 2 in 2007 in a classic duel with James Toseland. A year later, it was Lorenzo Lanzi who profited from a final corner shuffle at Valencia in Race 1, whilst it was a final hurrah for Bayliss who retired from racing as a Champion with victory in his final race. In 2009, Michel Fabrizio won at home for the first time, whilst in 2011, the title was back in Bologna with Carlos Checa – Checa took the crown at Magny-Cours, having achieved Ducati’s 300^th win at Silverstone.

SOMETHING NEW: enter the Panigale model

Four wins in 2012 preceded a barren spell in 2013 and 2014 as the new Panigale V-Twin struggled to fight with rivals. However, 2015 called and Chaz Davies was competitive straight away and took the model’s first win at Aragon in 2015, although it was a heroic Sepang Race 2 that saw Davies come to blows with eventual Champion Jonathan Rea, denying the Ulsterman a double. 2016 saw Davies win again but it was Marco Melandri’s return to WorldSBK and winning ways at Misano that came as a highlight of 2017, whilst the Italian beat Rea in a head-to-head belter at Phillip Island a year later.

The current era of success however came with the Panigale V4 R, which came into use in 2019, with rookie Alvaro Bautista at the helm. Nobody saw which was he went for the first 11 races of 2019, with his final race win of the streak coming in Race 2 at Assen, before his title challenge faded. 2020 welcomed Scott Redding and Michael Ruben Rinaldi as race winners at Jerez Race 1 and Teruel Race 1 respectively, whilst Chaz Davies would sign-off his factory Ducati career with a win – his last one –  in an emotional final race for the team at Estoril. With Redding in third overall in 2021, he took a brilliant win at Most in Race 2 – where he’d go on to propose to girlfriend (now wife) Jaycey.

BACK TO BOLOGNA: title back in red in 2022 as records shattered

But it was all about 2022, when Alvaro Bautista was back in the Ducati team and back to winning ways straight away. He racked up victory after victory, including at Most where his win gave Ducati a massive 1000^th podium in WorldSBK. After more wins came through the year, it was a second place at Mandalika that returned the title to Ducati after 11 years with a round to spare. However, the final round at Phillip Island saw one of the greatest comebacks, with Bautista coming from as low as 16^th on Lap 1 to win after a bold tyre gamble. With the #1 back on a Ducati for the first time since 2005, Bautista dominated the opening race of the 2023 season in the rain at Phillip Island, before Ducat’s big 400^th win came at Assen in Race 2, completing his second hat-trick of the year and taking an eighth win from nine races.

IN NUMBERS: the heavy-hitting stats regarding Ducati’s wins

400 – Ducati claim 400 wins in WorldSBK; their nearest rivals are Kawasaki at 177. With their 400^th win, it was also the 700^th different podium that Ducati have been represented on.

60 – The #1 on a Ducati has won a race 60 times, six different riders contributing and the rider with the most #1 Ducati wins is Fogarty, at 24.

55 – Carl Fogarty’s 55 wins for Ducati means he’s the most successful, followed by Troy Bayliss at 52.

40 – Bautista clinched his 40^th win in Race 2 at Assen, exactly 10% of all of Ducati’s wins.

36.840s – The biggest Ducati victory margin was 36.840s at Brands Hatch in 1993’s Race 1 with Giancarlo Falappa finishing ahead of Kawasaki’s Scott Russell.

32 – 32 different riders have won a WorldSBK race for Ducati, with five being one-time victors for the brand: Andreas Meklau at the Osterreichring in Race 1 1993, Jamie Whitham at Sentul Race 1 1994, Anthony Gobert at Laguna Seca in Race 1 1999, John Reynolds at Brands Hatch Race 1 2000 and Garry McCoy at Phillip Island Race 2 2004.

8 – Eight riders from United Kingdom and eight riders from Italy have won races for Ducati, more than any other nationality.

4 – Fogarty’s four titles remain the most by a single rider for Ducati in World Superbike.

0.005s – The closest finish won by a Ducati was actually a Ducati 1-2 with Corser beating Fogarty at Phillip Island in Race 2, 1999.

Watch the 2023 season unfold and see if more magic is in the offing with the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship had more history written at the TT Circuit Assen during the Pirelli Dutch Round as Italian manufacturer Ducati claimed their 400^th victory in WorldSBK history after Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed a hat-trick in the Netherlands. Ducati become the first manufacturer to reach this milestone as Bautista also racked up his 40^th win in WorldSBK after withstanding early pressure in the race.

HISTORY MADE: Bautista records a milestone for Ducati

The battle for the lead involved Bautista, Razgatlioglu and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in the early stages of the race with all three taking their chance to lead throughout the race. Razgatlioglu made his move for the lead on Lap 3 but Bautista responded quickly, before Rea made his move on Lap 5 at the same Turn 8. Bautista was able to respond almost immediately to re-claim the lead and Rea’s race would come to an end on the following lap. He lost the front of his Kawasaki machine at Turn 9 on Lap 6 which put him out of the race.

It meant the fight for victory became between Bautista and Razgatlioglu, but the reigning Champion was able to pull out a gap over Razgatlioglu as he claimed his 40^th WorldSBK win and Ducati’s 400^th win in WorldSBK. Razgatlioglu was unchallenged as he took second place in Race 2 to continue his run of podium finishes, now at six races. He was directly ahead of teammate Andrea Locatelli in third, matching his podium tally from 2021 and doubling his count from 2022. Locatelli had to fend off a challenge from Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) who took fourth place.

Not only did Bautista’s victory give Ducati their 400^th WorldSBK victory, it was also their 700^th race on the podium to hit two milestones in one race. As it was Bautista’s 40^th win, all on Ducati, he has exactly 10% of Ducati’s WorldSBK victories. Razgatlioglu now has 90 podiums to his name while teammate Locatelli has ten, putting him level with Simon Crafar and Max Neukirchner while equalling his best podium tally to date.

LATE DRAMA: last-lap penalty switches fourth place…

Bassani had been running in the lead group during the first half of the race and was promoted to third following Rea’s crash but Locatelli made his way past his compatriot on Lap 8 at Turn 5 with a similar move to the one he made on Saturday against Bassani. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) backed up his sixth-place finish in Race 1 with fourth in Race 2. At the final chicane, the pair made contact with Bassani taking to the green and Aegerter staying on track. The incident was looked at and Bassani, who crossed the line in fourth, was demoted one place due to a track limits infringement on the final lap; Aegerter was therefore classified in fourth place, his best WorldSBK finish, with Bassani in fifth. It was yet another strong result for GRT Yamaha as Aegerter’s teammate, Remy Gardner, took sixth place after fighting his way through the field.

LEAVING ASSEN IN THE TOP TEN: a strong comeback

Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed seventh spot after a hard-fought race for the British rider, finishing just over a second behind Gardner but also withstanding a late charge from rookie Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). Petrucci finished in eighth place but was only 0.075s behind Redding at the end of the 21-lap race as he charged through the field. Ninth belonged to Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) after a dramatic race for the Brit. On the sighting lap, Lowes went into the gravel and he was able to bring his bike back to the pits for the team to work on. He was able to start the race from the back of the grid, rather than fourth place where he had been scheduled to, but was able to slice his way through the field to ninth place. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took tenth place to end a difficult weekend in the top ten.

TAKING HOME POINTS: inside the top 15

German rider Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) took 11^th place, just over a second behind Rinaldi, while he had to fend off Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who finished in 12^th place and only four tenths behind Oettl. Lorenzo Baldassarri (GMT94 Yamaha) took 13^th place ahead of Hafizh Syahrin (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) was 14^th ahead of Tom Sykes (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing); Sykes claiming his first point since returning to WorldSBK for the 2023 campaign.

Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing MOVISIO) was 16^th and almost 10 seconds down on the points-paying positions and he had to fend off Eric Granado (PETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Team) in 17^th place. Isaac Vinales (TPR by Vinales Racing), making his first start of the 2023 campaign, was 18^th after a late fight with wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (Bmax Racing). Ruiu was just 0.020s behind Vinales at the end of the race.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from Race 2

Three riders crashed in quick succession on Laps 2 and 3 in separate incidents. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) crashed at Turn 9 on Lap 2, Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashed at Turn 16 and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) crashed at Turn 1 on Lao 3. Van der Mark was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash and he was subsequently transported to hospital for further assessments on a suspect left femur fracture. Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was another who retired from the race when he crashed at Turn 15 on Lap 8, while Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) crashed at Turn 4 on Lap 12; he did re-join the race but brought his bike into the pits and retired.

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

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

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +3.915s

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +7.416s

4. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +9.445s

5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +9.500s

6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +12.279s

Fastest Lap: Alvaro Bautista, Ducati – 1’37.607s

Championship standings

1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 174 points

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 118

3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +104

4. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 77

5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 73

6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 54

Watch more WorldSBK action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The FIM Supersport World Championship’s visit to the TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round concluded with a thrilling Race 2 which was won by Nicolo Bulega (Aaruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) as he continued his strong start to the 2023 campaign, while there was an incredible fight for the podium behind Bulega as he took his fourth win in six races this season. Home team Ten Kate Racing Yamaha were able to celebrate a home podium with Stefano Manzi taking second place in the Netherlands.

FIGHTING FOR THE PODIUM: a fierce battle

Bulega has been the only repeat winner in 2023 so far and he continued that record as he claimed victory in Race 2 at Assen. He initially fell behind Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) on the opening lap but he responded at the final chicane to re-claim the lead of the race and, from there, he was able to take advantage of the squabbling behind him to build a gap of more than three seconds.

The battle for the podium had been a group of five or six riders but fracture when Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), teammate Bahattin Sofuoglu and Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) went three-wide into the final chicane. Sofuoglu crashed out after contact with the Dutch rider while Schroetter and van Straalen continued; the incident was placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards and no further action was taken.

It meant the podium fight ended up being between Caricasulo, Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Schroetter, with Manzi and Caricasulo fighting hard for second place. On Lap 16, the pair went side by side into the final chicane before Manzi opened up a gap to Caricasulo with rookie Schroetter fighting back to close the gap on the podium places. Despite Caricasulo and Schroetter fighting hard, Manzi was able to hold on by just 0.086s for second place, with Caricasulo in third.

Victory for Bulega moved Ducati onto nine WorldSSP victories, only one behind Suzuki and MV Agusta in the all-time list while Manzi claimed his eighth podium since joining WorldSSP, putting him in 38^th place in the all-time list. Caricasulo took his 30^th podium in WorldSSP with third place but his podium, coupled with Bulega’s victory, mean Ducati now have 40 podiums in WorldSSP.

JUST MISSING OUT: a late charge but shy of the podium

Schroetter backed up his maiden podium from Race 1 with fourth place in Race 2, finishing just half-a-second away from Caricasulo on the podium. The German rookie had a more than five second margin to the riders fighting hard behind him as Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) and Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) battled it out for fifth place throughout the second half of the race. Finnish rider Tuuli was able to hold on to fifth on his Triumph machine with Debise ending a strong weekend in sixth place.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP TEN: ending the Dutch Round on a high

Their battle allowed Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) to close the gap to the top-six battle but he finished two seconds away in seventh place, ahead of Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura). De Rosa had been running ahead of Navarro but was ordered to drop one position in Race 2 which dropped him behind Navarro. Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) once again pulled off an incredible comeback as he finished in ninth from 28^th on the grid, finishing ahead of van Straalen in tenth; van Straalen ran off at Turn 5 shortly after the incident at the final chicane.

SCORING POINTS: finishing in the top 15

Tom Booth-Amos (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) was 11^th after a strong race for the Kawasaki rider and he finished as the lead WorldSSP Challenge rider. Booth-Amos finished just 0.444s behind van Straalen at the end of the race, while he had a similar margin behind him with Andrea Mantovani (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) in 12^th place. Wildcard Simone Corsi (Altogo Racing Team) ended his debut WorldSSP weekend in 13^th place ahead of Nicholas Spinelli (VFT Racing WEBIKE Yamaha) in 14^th and Tom Edwards in 15^th. Spinelli had to serve a Long Lap Penalty for Race 2 following a crash with Edwards in Race 1 on Saturday.

Apiwath Wongthananon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) just missed out on points with 16^th, only 0.125s behind Edwards at the end of the flag, while his teammate was involved in a tight battle for 17^th. John McPhee (Vince64 by Puccetti Racing) finished in 17^th but he was only 0.051s ahead of Anupab Sarmoon (Yamaha Thailand Racing Team) at the end of the 18-lap race. There was another tight finish for 18^th as Maximilian Kofler (D34G Racing) finished 0.075s ahead of Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE HONDA Team) in 20^th. Harry Truelove (Dynavolt Triumph) finished in 21^st ahead of Adam Norrodin (PETRONAS MIE HONDA Team) and Yuta Okaya (ProDina Kawasaki Racing) who rounded out the classified riders.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from WorldSSP Race 2

Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) crashed out of the race at Turn 1 with both riders retiring from the race. The FIM WorldSBK Stewards opted to investigate the incident after the race. Oncu was taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the crash. Luke Power (Yart-Yamaha WorldSSP Team) retired from the race after bringing his machine into the pits in the first half of the race, while Federico Fuligni (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) also brought his bike into the pits before taking the chequered flag to retire.

Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing) was declared unfit following a crash on Friday in Free Practice 1, with the Australian showing symptoms of a big toe fracture following the crash.

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

1 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)

2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +4.437s

3. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) +4.523s

4. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +5.088s

5. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) +10.864s

6. Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) +11.068s

Fastest Lap: Nicolo Bulega, Ducati – 1’37.607s – New Lap Record

Championship standings

1 Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 127 points

2. Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 90

3. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 79

4. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team) 77

5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 63

6. Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) 61

Don’t miss more WorldSSP action throughout 2023 using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The shortened Tissot Superpole Race in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was a fierce fight between Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) for victory at the TT Circuit Assen during the Pirelli Dutch Round. The pair could barely be separated throughout the eight-lap race as they secured a front row start for this afternoon’s Race 2 following their battle.

FRONT ROW FOR RACE 2: battling for the win

Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) got the holeshot as the lights went out and jumped into the lead of the race but Bautista was able to respond on the opening lap to re-claim first place before looking to build a gap. Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) both kept the pressure on Bautista while Rea’s teammate, Alex Lowes, was also in the four-rider group for victory.

As the race approached the final few laps, Bautista started to pull out a gap over Rea to claim victory in the Superpole Race and claim first on the grid for Race 2, ahead of Rea in second and Razgatlioglu in third. Victory for Bautista moved Ducati onto 399 wins in WorldSBK history and 699 races on the podium, while Rea’s second place set a new record for podiums at one track with 25. Razgatlioglu claimed his 89^th podium in WorldSBK with third place.

RACE 2 FROM ROW TWO: fierce fights for good grid positions

Lowes finished in fourth place after losing time to Razgatlioglu, Rea and Bautista but he also had a margin of more than two seconds over Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in fifth place after he had a fight with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) and Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Locatelli got through on Lap 6 while Bassani and Aegerter were fighting and separated by just 0.273s at the end of the line.

THIRD ROW START: looking to take advantage of their starting position

Aegerter took seventh and he will lead the third row in Race 2 as he withstood a charging Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth place. Aegerter held on by just 0.071s to take seventh spot in the eight-lap Superpole Race to secure a third-row start for Race 2. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) will start from ninth in Race 2 after taking the same position in the Superpole Race as he looks to emulate his podium from Mandalika.

HOUSEKEEPING: to note from the Superpole Race

The race was shortened to eight laps following a technical issue for Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) with possible fluid on the track, with the start delayed for this to be checked. Baz did not take part in the shortened Superpole Race following the issue.

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

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

2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.916s

3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +1.757s

4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +3.126

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +6.067s

6. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +6.781s

7. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +7.054s

8. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +7.125s

9. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +8.568s

Fastest Lap: Alvaro Bautista, Ducati – 1’33.780s

Watch WorldSBK Race 2 from the TT Circuit Assen from 14:00 Local Time (GMT+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

A dry track with damp patches greeted the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship for Sunday’s 15-minute Warm Up session at the TT Circuit Assen during the Pirelli Dutch Round. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) topped the times by less than a tenth of a second ahead of Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), while all five manufacturers were inside the top six after Warm Up.

Rea posted a best time of 1’34.747s as times improved throughout the 15-minute session to top the times ahead of Sunday’s two races, ahead of Bautista in second. Bautista posted a 1’34.839s to take second spot ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) in third as the ‘Titanic Trio’ took the first three spots in Warm Up. All three took turns leading the session at various points but it was Rea who came out on top.

Dutch rider Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was the BMW representative inside the top six as he took fourth place on home soil, 0.373s down on Rea’s time. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) continued his strong Assen form with fifth place ahead of Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) was sixth; ensuring all five manufacturers were inside the top six on Sunday morning.

It was another strong showing from Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) as the Swiss rider took seventh place in Warm Up, finishing ahead of Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth place. Philipp Oettl (Team GoEleven) was ninth ahead of Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) as the British rider rounded out the top ten. Lowes was around seven tenths down on his teammate’s time.

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

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’34.747s

2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.092s

3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.275s

4. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.373s

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +0.412s

6. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +0.432s

Watch Sunday’s racing action from Assen LIVE and UNINTERRUPTED from 10:00 Local Time (GMT+1) using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

The TT Circuit Assen played host to the first round of the 2023 Yamaha R3 bLU cRU European Championship, and two exciting and dramatic races were put on by the 19 young riders contesting the event. Italy’s Emiliano Ercolani was the winner of Race 1, and Race 2’s victor was Brazil’s Gustavo Manso during the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s Pirelli Dutch Round.

Sunny skies and pleasant temperatures greeted the R3 paddock on Saturday morning for the opening race and the riders prepared for battle at the technical Dutch track. Bad luck hit Colombia’s Jeronimo Gonzalez when he went down on the warm-up lap and was unable to start, and Brazil’s Gustavo Manso was also forced to miss the first race due to extended medical checks following a crash on Friday. 

The rest of the field got away cleanly as the lights went out and it was pole-sitter Aldi Satya Mahendra who made the initial break away, with a group of five riders chasing closely behind him. Once the pack closed up further, no fewer than four riders had a go at leading. But it was Italy’s Emiliano Ercolani, last year’s SuperFinale winner, who consistently made his way back to the front, he stayed calm and smooth to take the first victory of the season by just 0.039 seconds. Spain’s Marc Vich finished second, and Brazil’s Kevin Fontainha took third. 

The start of the second race was tense as clouds closed in and light rain fell around the circuit, an initial race start was quickly red flagged as the precipitation increased. At the restart, Mahendra once again got the best launch, but a huge group of riders were fighting it out for top spot – providing some thrilling action for the watching crowds. Several changes of the lead were carried out over the 10-lap race, with Brazil’s riders looking increasingly strong. Thailand’s Krittapat Keankum crossed the line in first position but was later demoted to seventh due to a track limits penalty. The win eventually went to Manso, with his compatriots Eduardo Burr and Fontainha in second and third. 
 

Full results can be found for Race 1 and Race 2.
Championship standings can be found here.

The R3 bLU cRU riders will be on track again on May 5^th and 6^th for Round 2 in Barcelona.

Emiliano Ercolani – Race 1 Winner, said: “I’m very happy! In the race I tried to go fast to increase my gap at the front, but it was very hard to get away from the group. Instead, I decided to try and do the best last lap that I could, staying clean with my lines and not making any mistakes. This strategy worked and I’m very pleased to get the first win of the R3 season.”

Gustavo Manso – Race 2 Winner, said: “It’s been a very difficult weekend because I had to start race two in last position due to missing race one with my medical checks. It was a hard race with many fast riders, and I tried to stay focused. In the end several riders received penalties for exceeding track limits on the last lap, and it meant I was able to win. It’s a great way to start my season.

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is back in full swing at the iconic TT Circuit Assen for the Pirelli Dutch Round and one topic is being spoken about a lot: Toprak Razgatlioglu’s (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) MotoGP™ test at the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto which took place shortly before the Dutch Round. The test was at a private MotoGP™ test and Razgatlioglu was alongside Yamaha test rider Cal Crutchlow at the Spanish circuit.

The test was Razgatlioglu’s second on the Yamaha M1 machine but his first full days of action on the MotoGP™ bike after the first one was impacted by rain at MotorLand Aragon. Team Manager Paul Denning revealed he completed 110 laps when he spoke during WorldSBK Free Practice 1 and Razgatlioglu gave more details about the test when speaking to the media on Thursday ahead of track action in the Netherlands.

During the Dutch Round, Kenan Sofuoglu, a five-time WorldSSP Champion and Razgatlioglu’s manager, provided an updated on the 2021 Champion’s future on Saturday. Sofuoglu, who raced in WorldSBK in 2008 and also ventured into the MotoGP™ paddock for two seasons in Moto2™ between 2010 and 2011 explained how the first target is to stay with Yamaha and that he believes “we will continue in WorldSBK”.

He said: “Our first choice is to continue with Yamaha. We will start speaking about Toprak’s future from our side and also from Yamaha’s side. The first goal is to do a deal together and then we have to decide where to go, MotoGP™ or WorldSBK. This is on the table. I am always telling him to stay in WorldSBK. Many years ago, I took Toprak with me and I built him for WorldSBK. I didn’t build him for MotoGP™. He is very talented, maybe more talented than many MotoGP™ riders, but MotoGP™ is a different world. I believe to be a MotoGP™ rider, you need to grow there. From the Red Bull Rookies Cup, Moto3™, Moto2™ and MotoGP™. 

“Toprak grew here. WorldSBK is Toprak’s home. I am telling Toprak, ‘we built you for WorldSBK and you can, for the next 10 years, have a big career here’. I always advise to stay in WorldSBK but I’m also respecting his dream. Maybe he’s in between and doesn’t know exactly what to do. We are just speaking. He will make a decision, but I believe we will continue in WorldSBK.”

Watch more WorldSBK action from the Netherlands using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com

There was drama everywhere you looked in Race 1 during the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen and several riders were able to take advantage of this drama to record their best finish in WorldSBK to date. Swiss rookie Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed sixth place in Race 1 to take his highest finish in his short WorldSBK career as the double WorldSSP Champion continues to impress in his rookie campaign.

Aegerter won four times at Assen in WorldSSP when he raced for Ten Kate Racing Yamaha and he continued to show strong speed at the circuit in his first WorldSBK round at the iconic Dutch circuit. He finished fourth in the combined classification on Friday and took seventh in Saturday’s Tissot Superpole session. His pace in the race allowed him to move up the order in the closing stages to record a top-six finish for the first time in WorldSBK.

Aegerter dropped down to eighth place on Lap 1 before falling out of the top ten altogether by the end of Lap 2, completing the second lap of 21 in 13th place. He stayed there for the third lap before his charge started and he was running in tenth by the end of Lap 6. He moved up to ninth the following lap before gaining another position to run in eighth on Lap 9. He would stay in eighth until the final few laps of the race, where he passed Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) to move into sixth place at the end of the race.

Discussing fighting with factory riders from other manufacturers, Aegerter said: “It’s always nice when you can be close to the front. For sure, it’s one goal to be the best Yamaha rider. When we finished in sixth position, like we did in the test, it’s not so bad for me but I would like to finish more in front! I have my own goals and I think we are, the Yamaha family, working together to beat especially Ducati and Bautista and also the other fast riders. I hope we can go closer to the top five as a team. When you can see the top three guys, they are somehow a little bit back to last year with their 1-2-3, so they are at a little bit of a different level but I think, when I can work strongly and have a better understanding of the bike, power and electronics, I think I’m able to be there, to learn from them. My goal is to finish in the top ten. Sixth is good and the next goal is a top five.”

Aegerter has had several tests with the GRT Yamaha squad and is now in his third round weekend with the team but he is still adjusting to the Yamaha YZF-R1 machine, having been competing on the manufacturer’s R6 model in WorldSSP as he claimed the World Championship title in 2021 and 2022 with Yamaha.

Explaining how he is still adapting, Aegerter said: “I’m still a rookie and this bike has so many different things you can change, whether it’s chassis setup or the electronics settings with traction control, anti-wheelie and power delivery… it takes time to understand and to have a base setup that suits your riding style. We have really good technicians and we can also sure data with the other riders. I think we are close but still we need some more time to understand each practice, each race, when to put what inside and I think we, step by step, are getting closer. Today was my best result and it’s already a good sign.”

Watch more incredible WorldSBK action from Assen using the WorldSBK VideoPass!

Source: WorldSBK.com