WSBK Superbike Donington Race 1: Toprak Razgatlioğlu crashes, Álvaro Bautista crashes!

It is a strange maneuver that we witnessed this morning from Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), during the Superbike Superpole at Donington Park…

Having shown himself the fastest on Friday, the Northern Irishman had little doubt about his level of performance during the 15 minutes which would determine the starting grid, also, when Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) stuck to his rear wheel, he turned around, not to tell them to stop but to stay and be patient to create a sufficient gap with the previous driver before setting off. A strategy as friendly as it is interested, in the hope of positioning at least one Bavarian machine in front of the two main adversaries of the Kawasaki spearhead…

Finally, Scott Redding played its role well during the two runs thus carried out, relegating the championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in 5th position but unable to prevent the local hero alex lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioğlu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) to surpass him. Conversely, Loris Baz, who made a mistake after a lap without setting a time, will start 13th.

 

It is 23° in the air and 42° on the asphalt when the 26 drivers take their place on the grid for a 23-lap race on the 4023 meter track.

When the red lights go out... Toprak Razgatlioğlu made the holeshot and crossed the first turn in the lead in front Jonathan Rhea et alex lowes. Alvaro Bautista got off to a good start and is in fourth position.

 

Even before the end of the first lap, the Ducati rider took advantage of an attempted attack by the Kawasaki to move into second position. The Yamaha took advantage of this to gain a half-second lead.

 

 

In this story, Jonathan Rhea dropped to fourth but passed his teammate again before getting back on the Ducati at the end of the fourth lap.

 

 

At maximum attack, it heats up but doesn't let up.

 

 

Scott Redding went fourth while the drivers almost made contact for second place…

 

 

At the outset, the situation is clear: Toprak Razgatlioğlu has a 2,8 second lead after seven laps when Jonathan Rhea finally manages to pass Alvaro Bautista.

 

 

 

After a few laps, we can see that the gap is not reduced between the leading Yamaha and the Kawasaki and, on the contrary, continues to increase, to more than four seconds at the halfway mark.

Loris Baz moved up to 10th position but now must close a gap of more than three seconds if he wants to catch up Garrett gerloff.

Nine laps from the checkered flag, Alvaro Bautista regains second position following a small error Jonathan Rhea at turn #12, but the world championship leader made a mistake a lap later, in exactly the same place, losing the front of his Panigale.

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From then on, the suspense shifts to third position, currently occupied by Scott Redding just in front of alex lowes.

The Kawasaki rider is faster but the BMW repels a first attack from the stage local.

 

 

Two rounds later, Scott Redding cannot contain the Kawasaki but still offers us a few nice battles before giving up!

 

 

The race thus ends, with total domination by the reigning world champion who crosses the finish line with more than 6 seconds ahead of the Cannibal, for his second victory of the year after that acquired in Misano.

 

 

Loris Baz finished 9th, Lucas Mahias 12e.

 

 

In the championship, the gaps are closing…

 

Results from Race 1 Superbike at Donington Park:

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com