The opening race of the final round of the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship saw a double podium finish for KRT. Jonathan Rhea won after 22 very complicated laps and a pit stop halfway through the race, and alex lowes got a solid third place.
After a first day of dry testing on Friday, it rained sporadically throughout the first day of racing on November 19. All but one of the WorldSBK riders opted for wet tyres, but when the track dried out and the sun came out, competitors were forced into the pitlane for slick tyres.
Jonathan Rhea made the most of his pit stop strategy, as he finished the race as the lead driver after seven lead changes and having good pace when the track conditions stabilized. Having not won a race since May, the Northern Irishman took full advantage of his latest opportunity and, after a scare on a wet section of asphalt on fresh slick tyres, kept his head cool and a pace fast enough to take the lead under the checkered flag.
In second position, Toprak Razgatlioğlu pushed Rea as hard as he could but the Kawasaki rider managed his race well, crossing the finish line six seconds ahead of his nearest rival.
The Tissot – Superpole race, over ten laps, and Race Two, over the full distance, will close the 2022 FIM Superbike World Championship season on Sunday 20 November.
After winning the rider's title in Indonesia, two other laurels came to fruition in Australia for Ducati: the manufacturer's title and the team title.
This is the 18th constructors' title for Ducati: an absolute record in the Superbike World Championship. An extraordinary journey which began in 1991 with the success of the Ducati 888 driven by Doug Polen and which went through legendary exploits: from Carl Fogarty first with the Ducati 916 and then with the Ducati 996, to Troy Bayliss who triumphed with three different machines: Ducati 996 R, Ducati 999 and Ducati 1098. 11 years after the victory of the Ducati 1098 R, it is the Ducati Panigale V4R which today writes a brilliant new chapter. And the celebration, which began in Indonesia with the drivers' world title won by Alvaro Bautista, was also strengthened today by the victory obtained by Aruba.it Racing – Ducati in the team world championship. This is the second success, after that obtained in 2020, for the team which has represented Ducati in WorldSBK since 2015.
A “Triple Crown” in WorldSBK, the same result obtained in MotoGP to write one of the most beautiful pages in the history of the Borgo Panigale manufacturer.
They said…
Luigi Dall'Igna (General Manager of Ducati Corse): “ After Álvaro Bautista's victory for the World Superbike riders' title, being able to also secure the constructors' title is an additional source of pride for us. This is an important objective, which rewards all the efforts and work carried out with great commitment, passion and dedication by the men and women of Ducati Corse. This is our eighteenth manufacturer's title in the category derived from production machines and it is the first obtained with our Panigale V4R, a motorcycle that has given us great satisfaction since 2019. As always, however, Special thanks go to all the Ducati riders who knew how to interpret it to the best of their ability, and who, with their results, allowed us to achieve this historic success. Congratulations also to the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team for winning the title of best Superbike team this season. »
Jonathan Rhea (Kawasaki Racing Team) – P1: “ We knew to expect everything today, so we had a plan to cover all the bases, and then it was about me staying calm on the bike and not making stupid decisions. In the wet I didn't feel like I usually do at first. I was able to pass Toprak on the brakes in the first corner and was able to move up, but I ended up going into the grass. I managed to catch up with the leaders and told myself to drive slowly, because the track was going to dry and I didn't want to waste my tires. Alex came in with a really good pace and at that point I said, "Okay, let's roll the dice and go to the pits." I didn't think it was a risky move, but I probably could have gone in a lap earlier than I did. I gave a signal to my team as I passed the straight and then entered the pitlane. After joining the track, I just drove following the pit sign. It was a real team victory today. I think we completely nailed our pitstop and didn't waste a second. A big congratulations to the team because they did a truly flawless job and they are as much a part of this victory as I am. »
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) – P2: “ For me, this weekend didn't start well, but my team worked every hour to make a good bike and now I'm happy. You know, we finished the race on the podium and it's also a strange race! For me, it's the first time I've done such a race with a pit stop. My team made a small mistake, it wasn't possible to put the front tire on the bike and we may have lost almost five seconds, but that's racing, that's motorsport. I did my best and the team did their best, so either way, I'm happy we're here! We are not alone, it is a team effort and we finish in second place. Now I'm looking towards tomorrow because we still have two races to finish the season. In the wet part of the race, I waited until I felt too much rear spin and then didn't put too much pressure on the tire. I saw the trajectory was dry but also the possibility that the rain would return, so I tried to keep the tire and watch Johnny who wasn't pushing either. After a few laps, I saw Johnny enter the box and I followed him directly. Tomorrow won't be easy either, with the same weather as today. I hope we see the sun again but I will fight for the podium again and do my best. »
alex lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) – P3: “ A strange race but I felt I was one of the fastest riders in the wet and dry. Maybe I made a bad choice during the pit stop, but I was fast in the wet, fast in the dry, and I'm always happy to get on the podium. I just want to fight up front and show my speed. I know I can be fast and I enjoyed the race. It's always strange when you have a pit stop in the middle. Tomorrow it looks like the weather will be different again, but I think I can do a good job. I want to sleep well tonight and try to finish the year strong tomorrow. »
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) – P4: “ It was a fun race today for the fans and I think for us too, doing the pit stop was interesting! In the end we got fourth position, so I think we should be happy because it's a good result and I fought with Alex for third place. I'll try to get on the podium tomorrow, that's for sure! I want to say a big thank you to my team because they were really good in the pit stop, everyone did a really good job, we didn't lose any time and didn't make any mistakes. I'm really happy with today and enjoyed the race, and now we can't wait to do it again tomorrow. I hope we can gain a little more confidence, learn on this track to start strong again in 2023! We are here, we are fast, and we have a good package with the R1, so we will fight in the Superpole race and again in race 2. I want to try to get on the podium and enjoy the maximum result. We're close to Lowes so we'll give it a try. »
Alvaro Bautista – P5: “ It was definitely a difficult race, especially because I was never able to find a feeling with the settings for a wet track and dry tires. Today, however, the most important result is the one we achieved thanks to the work we have done throughout the season. I am proud to have contributed to the manufacturer's title won by Ducati and the team title, which also gives great satisfaction to Michael and the whole team. »
Results from Race 1 Superbike at Phillip Island:
Classification credit: WorldSBK.com
