WSBK
Published on July 17, 2022 at 15:34 PM by Oléna Champlain

WSBK Superbike Donington Race 2: Toprak Razgatlioglu completes a hat trick, the championship is back on track

This is the last WSBK event at Donington and an opportunity for Razgatlioglu to sweep everything in this event in England.

Donington

Following Saturday's victory in Race 1, Toprak Razgatlioglu won the sprint race at the Superbike round at Donington. He immediately took leadership and kept it until the end, and no one managed to worry him. Another great performance from the reigning champion, who with this last competition of the day will be looking for the grand slam.

Second position for Jonathan Rhea, who was unable to do anything against his rival Yamaha. He gave everything, but it wasn't enough to recover Razgatlioglu. One last opportunity is given to him to triumph on his British lands in this Race 2. The third was Scott Redding, on the first podium with BMW. Excellent performance from the English rider, finally competitive with the M 1000 RR. Already in the first heat he finished fourth.

Alvaro Bautista was only fourth thanks to a final overtake on alex lowes. Sixth is the other official Ducati ridden by Michael Ruben Rinaldi, which preceded Iker Lecuona et Andrea Locatelli. The last driver in the points is Loris Baz with the BMW of the Bonovo team. What will this final battle have in store for us on a dry and sunny Donington track?

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At the start of the 23 laps, under 29° in the air and 43° on the track, it's still Razgatlioglu who takes the lead in front Sale et Bautista. Rinaldi follows in front Redding et Alex Lowes.  Sale takes all the risks in this first round.

Razgatlioglu resists Sale et Baptist already lets go after two rounds. But he picks up thanks to the battle of the ragpickers which takes place before him.

The battle rages…

The six-time World Champion relentlessly harasses the man who took his crown from him last year. Baptist observe with Redding to suction. For the moment, the Spaniard Ducati maintains the lead in the general classification by 9 points and the Turk is 39 lengths behind.

There are 17 rounds remaining and the duel does not weaken.

There are 13 laps remaining and the appearance of the race remains the same. A Dantesque duel in front and a third thief in contact ready to pull the chestnuts out of the fire. An idea that also runs through the head of Redding which keeps the BMW in the wake of the infernal trio. But the Englishman weakens, which benefits Rinaldi.

10 laps from the goal, Razgatlioglu gives himself a little air Sale who doesn't have one Baptist. The Turk whips his Yamaha and it bears fruit. Two laps later, he approached a second ahead of the Kawasaki. The passive increases with each turn. The mass seems said. During this time, Loris Baz does the job...

Sale weakens what benefits Baptist who goes second. Rinaldi becomes a danger for the Kawasaki with four laps to go.

Under the checkered flag, the reigning World Champion completes a resounding hat-trick which puts him back on track in a title race where Baptist saves the essential with a second place. Sale remains hungry with third position. But the gaps have narrowed… Baz is ninth and Mahias 14th

Results from Race 2 Superbike at Donington Park:

world

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com