A thrilling encounter at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship ended with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) extending his Championship lead after an incredible battle throughout the 20-lap race with Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), with the latter not finishing the race after a Turn 15 crash.
NOTHING TO SEPARATE THE TOP TWO AT THE START
As the opening lap got underway, Razgatlioglu got the jump from pole position at the start ahead of Rea with the pair battling each other throughout the opening two laps, including an incredible battle in the first two laps with the pair making contact through Turn 13 on Lap 3 with both riders staying on their bike, allowing Redding to take the lead at the start of Lap 4.
At the start of Lap 5, Rea had a moment into Turn 1 allowing the Turkish star to move up to second behind Redding. As Rea made a move for the lead on Redding, he lost the front of his Kawasaki ZX-10RR at Turn 15 forcing the six-time Champion out of the race, with Redding and Razgatlioglu fighting for victory after Rea’s retirement; Rea taken to the medical centre for a check-up. He will be reassessed tomorrow morning before the WorldSBK Warm-Up session, with the Ulsterman diagnosed with multiple contusions and a left elbow abrasion. It means this is the first time since 2014 Race 1 Rea did not feature on the podium in Portimao. Redding held the lead of the race until the start of Lap 11 when Razgatlioglu came blasting through at Turn 1.
Redding looked to respond at the start of Lap 16 but Razgatlioglu responded on the brakes into Turn 1 to retain the lead of the race. Redding tried again on the start of Lap 18 but, like two laps previous, Razgatlioglu was able to maintain position. It was a repeat at the start of Lap 19, with Redding getting by into Turn 4, but Razgatlioglu was able to cut inside into Turn 2. Razgatlioglu went on to claim his first WorldSBK victory at Portimao, while it ended Yamaha’s ten-year Portimao win drought; their first since Marco Melandri in Race 2 in 2011. It was also Yamaha’s 300th race on the podium in WorldSBK.
BATTLE FOR THE PODIUM
The fight for third was an ongoing affair throughout the 20-lap encounter with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) starting from third place holding onto that position until around the mid-way point of the race before he dropped positions, with Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) working his way up to third place on Lap 12. There was plenty of action between the six riders in contention for a podium, with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK), Haslam and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) all running wide at Turn 1 at various points of the race.
As the race progressed, Bautista was unable to pull out a gap to the chasing pack with Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) and Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) chasing Bautista, Baz making the move at Turn 1 before van der Mark and Locatelli, still chasing third, made contact at Turn 5 with Locatelli retiring and van der Mark bringing his bike back to the pits; the incident will be investigated after the race by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards. With the pair out of contention for the podium, Baz and Bautista battled for third place with the Spaniard coming out on top. At Turn 15 on the final lap, Bautista crashed out of the race with Baz inheriting third place, his first podium since his WorldSBK return.
CLAIMING A TOP TEN FINISH
Rinaldi finished the race in fourth place after the incredible battle for third place, with Haslam eventually coming home in fifth place after starting from the front row. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) claimed a solid sixth place in Race 1 in Portimao, just three tenths behind Haslam in fifth place.
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) continued his strong rookie campaign with seventh place ahead of Argentinean star Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda) claiming eighth place, his first top eight finish since San Juan in 2019, Race 1 and his best result of the 2021 campaign. Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) battled up to ninth place with Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) claiming another top ten finish.
SCORING POINTS
Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) missed out on the top ten by just over half-a-second but came home in 11th place, just ahead of Italian Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team); Cavalieri just a second behind Viñales. 2014 Moto2™ World Champion Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) scored points on his first WorldSBK race onboard Kawasaki machinery, with Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing) rounding out the points.
TO NOTE
Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was the last of the classified riders with the Belgian missing out on a point by just 0.079s. Cresson’s teammate, Lachlan Epis, retired from the race after bringing his bike into the pits, while Gabriele Ruiu (B-Max Racing Team) was also a retirement from the race, along with Rea, Locatelli, van der Mark and Bautista.
The top six following WorldSBK Race 1
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK)
2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.691s
3. Eazi-Grip supported Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) +10.628s
4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +12.901s
5. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) +13.305
6. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +13.596s
Fastest Lap Scott Redding (Ducati) 1’41.507s
Van der Mark claims BMW’s first win in eight years, Rea crashes out at Portimao again.
Almost 3,000 days since their last win in 2013, BMW claimed a WorldSBK victory as van der Mark mastered tricky conditions at Portimao.
A long wait of 2,994 days is over for BMW after Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed the German manufacturer’s first victory since the Nürburgring 2013 in Race 2, with the Dutch rider mastering difficult conditions at the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve in the Tissot Superpole Race for the Motul Portuguese Round, while Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) crashed out of the lead for the second consecutive race.
MORE CHAMPIONSHIP TWISTS
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) got the better start of the Championship’s lead trio but soon found himself under pressure from Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with six-time World Champion Rea taking the lead on the opening lap.
As the leaders approached Turn 13, Rea lost the front of his machine and went off the track, the crash forcing him out of the race for the second consecutive race after his Race 1 crash on Saturday, meaning Rea will start from tenth for Race 2 later this afternoon. Razgatlioglu and Redding were the lead duo, but things soon changed in the 10-lap race as Razgatlioglu dropped down through the order while Redding remained clear at the front.
A FIRST BMW M 1000 RR VICTORY
With all the drama out in front, van der Mark was working his way through the field and moved into the lead of the race on Lap 4 at Turn 5 after taking advantage of Redding running wide at the left-hander hairpin; BMW leading a race for the first time since Phillip Island 2020, in Race 1. He will therefore start Race 2 from first on the grid, ahead of Redding in second.
Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) claimed third place after withstanding the challenge from Leon Haslam (Team HRC), although Haslam did briefly pass Baz before crashing out at Turn 13 on Lap 8. A second crash for Haslam at Turn 3 on Lap 9 meant he brought his machine back to the pits, promoting Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) into fourth place.
THE CHAMPIONSHIP LEADER IS SIXTH
Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) was another beneficiary from his teammate’s misfortune to move into fifth place, ahead of Championship leader Razgatlioglu in sixth; the Turkish star able limit his damage in the race after dropping down the order rapidly in the early stages, with Bautista and Razgatlioglu completing the second row alongside Locatelli.
FROM THE THIRD ROW IN RACE 2
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) continued his streak of top-ten finishes since his podium finish in Catalunya with seventh place, withstanding a charge from Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) with the American star just 0.068s behind Bassani. Irish rider Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was almost two seconds back from Gerloff with ninth as he starts from the third row.
TO NOTE
Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) claimed the first top ten of his WorldSBK career as he finished in tenth place, as the top Kawasaki rider, two seconds clear of Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) in 11th; although both riders will start from their Superpole result as they missed out on a top-nine spot.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was an early retirement in the race after a crash at Turn 8, with the Italian rider taken to the medical centre for a check-up. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was forced to start from the pitlane but the Belgian rookie retired from the race. Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was a late retirement after the Japanese rookie crashed on Lap 6 at turn 13.
The top nine following the WorldSBK Superpole Race
1. Eazi-Grip supported Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.140s
3. Eazi-Grip supported Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) +5.479s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +8.913s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) +9.359s
6. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +13.689s
7. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +15.143s
8. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +16.069s
9. Eazi-Grip supported Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +18.204s
Fastest Lap: Michael van der Mark (BMW), 1’54.895
Rea responds from double Portimao DNF with commanding win as Razgatlioglu crashes out
After two crashes in Portimao, Jonathan Rea claimed victory in Race 2 while Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu crashed out.
The rollercoaster venue of the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve provided more ups and downs in the battle for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) responded to two crashes during the Motul Portuguese Round with an emphatic victory as Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) crashed out of the race at Turn 15.
ANOTHER TWIST IN THE CHAMPIONSHIP
The start was delayed due to a technical issue when the riders were lining up on the grid for the start of Race 2, with the delayed start meaning the race distanced was reduced one lap from 20 laps to 19. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was on the move from tenth place as he found himself in second place at the end of the opening lap, while Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) moved into third place.
Rea made his move for the lead through the fast Turn 9 left-hander on Lap 2 on Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), relegating the British rider who had led from the start. At the start of Lap 2, Razgatlioglu passed Rea into Turn 1 before the six-time World Champion responded. The trio were battling throughout the opening laps, with both Razgatlioglu and Rea able to take advantage of Redding running wide at Turn 5 at Turn 10 on the same lap. Razgatlioglu made a move on Rea down the start-and-finish straight to move into the right-hander of Turn 1 at the start of Lap 7, before Rea responded at Turn 11. At the end of Lap 10, Razgatlioglu crashed at Turn 15, the same place Rea did in Race 1, which forced the Championship leader out of the race. Rea went on to take the 110th win and the 210th podium of his career, narrowing the gap in the Championship to 24 points. Rea’s victory means both he and Razgatlioglu have scored 25 podiums this season, the first time it has happened in WorldSBK history. The top two in the Championship are also tied with 25 podiums and 11 wins each.
PODIUM BATTLE
At the start of Lap 13, Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) moved up into podium contention after his third-place start in Race 2 after overtaking Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) into Turn 1; Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) had tried to pass both of them in the same but Baz was wise to it, cutting back on the Spanish rider to re-take third place. Two laps later and Bautista looked to make a move through the opening couple of corners with Baz defending and keeping the position. The battle went on through Lap 16 and 17 with Bautista looking to make the move into Turn 1 each time and Baz responding into Turn 2. On Lap 18, Bautista looked to make a move on Baz into the Turn 5 hairpin, with Bautista running wide and Baz looking to reclaim the place. Through the exit of the corner, the pair made contact with Bautista coming off his bike and retiring from the race. Baz held on to cross the line in third place, while Locatelli came home in fourth place after withstanding a late surge from fellow Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in fifth place. After the race, Baz was sanctioned with a one place position drop, demoting him to fourth place and promoting Locatelli to third; the Italian’s fourth podium of his rookie campaign.
SCORING POINTS…
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was sixth after starting from first place, five seconds clear of Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) with the Italian suffering from a right ankle sprain and contusion and a right hip contusion following his Tissot Superpole Race crash. He battled with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) throughout the race with the pair separated by just three tenths at the end of the 19-lap encounter.
Italian rookie Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) continued his strong form with ninth place, after battling with Rea during the open lap of the race, eventually finishing two tenths clear of Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) as he scored points again as he continues to stand in for Tom Sykes.
Laverty finished five seconds clear of Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) in 11th place, who was also clear of Spanish rider Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) in 12th place. Japanese rookie Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was 13th, just over a second behind Viñales, with Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) and Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) rounding out the points. Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) was the last of the classified runners in 16th place.
TO NOTE
Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was the first retirement of the race after a Turn 2 crash at the start of Lap 3, with the Belgian rookie taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the incident. Cresson was diagnosed with a concussion and a left knee injury and will be transported to Portimao Hospital for further assessments. Cresson’s teammate, Lachlan Epis, also retired from the race while Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) suffered from technical issues during the early running and brought his bike back to the pits. Wildcard Gabriele Ruiu (B-Max Racing Team) was also a retirement from Race 2 after completing 10 laps.
The top six following WorldSBK Race 2
1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +5.425s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +12.289s
4. Eazi-Grip supported Loris Baz (Team GoEleven) +12.300s
5. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +13.596s
6. Eazi-Grip supported Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +15.289s
Fastest Lap: Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 1’41.309s
Championship standings
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 478 points
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 454
3. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 424
4. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 249
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) 249
6. Eazi-Grip supported Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 211