Dramatic turn of events in Jerez: From the first lap of the Superpole Race, Nicholas Bulega hit Toprak Razgatlioglu, who only needed a seventh place to secure his third Superbike world title.
De Paul Gozzi / Corsedimoto.com
Result: the Turk found himself in the gravel trap and the championship is restarted. Everything will now be decided in the of course 2, which promises to be explosive.
A contact that will get people talking
The BMW driver had made an excellent start, just like the day before. But at turn 5, Bulega attempted an inside pass, slightly widening its trajectory. The Ducati's fairing then touched the motorcycle of Razgatlioglu, throwing the championship leader off-piste. Fortunately, the Turk escaped without injury.
The race management immediately sanctioned Bulega with a
Long Lap Penalty, which he completed in the process. His lead was however such that he was able to comfortably maintain the lead and win a
race without suspense.
A fully relaunched championship
The title celebration will wait. With the twelve points of this victory, Open up amounts to 24 point de Soil, while there are still some left
25 to distributeThe scenario is crazy: if Bulega wins again and Razgatlioglu falls, the title could change. However, it would be enough for the Turk to
finish fourteenth to be sacred, but the tension promises to be extreme between the two men.
Toprak relegated to fourth line
This fall also puts an end to the
series of 25 consecutive podiums of the BMW driver, preventing him from equaling the record of Colin Edwards (2002). Worse, he will have to start from tenth position for race 2. Whatever the outcome, this final will leave its mark and
lively controversies.
Bautista and Iannone complete the podium
The crash overshadowed the rest of a race that was nevertheless marked by the double presence of Ducati on the podium :
Alvaro Bautista
finished second and Andrea Iannone third, particularly inspired in this last act of the championship.
Rea on the mat, worried about his knee
The race was also marked by a Jonathan Rea's new fall, Together with Remy gardner in Turn 3 of the first lap. The 38-year-old Northern Irishman was taken to the medical center for tests, suffering from right knee. His participation in the last race of the season is very uncertain.
👉 Race-2 at 14 p.m. : a final duel under high tension between Bulega and Razgatlioglu, for a world title that will be written in pain.
Read the original article on Corsedimoto.com
Paul Gozzi
Classification credit: WorldSBK.com
Jerez Superbike superpole race Jerez Superbike superpole race
