WSBK Superbike Donington Superpole Race: Razgatlioglu pounds ahead of Rea and Redding who overwhelms BMW

The protagonists return to the Donington track for a sprint race called Superpole where the points will count. Indeed, during the first competition on Saturday, Alvaro Bautista made a misstep, allowing his opponents Toprak Razgatlioglu, winner, and especially Jonathan Rea, who gave Kawasaki its 500th podium in the category, to put him back in the championship . But in fact, how does the Spaniard on the Ducati approach this new challenge on a track that definitely does not suit him?

Saturday was indeed difficult for Alvaro Bautista who suffered his first fall of the season. The Spanish driver came out of fifth position well, and from the first lap he had joined the group fighting for the podium, engaged in a spectacular duel for second place with Sale (Kawasaki). With seven laps to go, Baptist managed to carve out a small margin, but at turn 12 he lost the front and crashed. “I'm really sorry about the accident, but I have to say it was quite sudden. The sensations were good, and I was not at the limit. Unfortunately, I also made a small mistake because of the many bumps on the circuit, especially in this corner. These things can happen, but this accident certainly doesn't change my focus or affect our confidence for Sunday's races." commented the official Ducati.

Races that will be missed Christophe Ponsson. The French rider of the family Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha will indeed miss the rest of the round at Donington Park after being judged unfit with a functional disability in his right shoulder. He was already returning from his injury suffered at Misano during the Emilia Romagna round and participated in all sessions until Race 1, but he will miss all competitions on Sunday. Ponsson had qualified 24th in Saturday's Tissot Superpole session but retired from the race after completing 13 of 23 laps, and the Frenchman will now miss the remainder of the weekend due to a functional impairment of his right shoulder.

It is 26° in the air and 35° on the track for this 10-lap competition. Baptist still leads the championship with 220 points, but Sale now has 204 while Razgatlioglu counts 164.

The start is given with Razgatlioglu on your mind. Sale et Redding follow. Baptist is fifth behind Lowes. Baz is ninth, Mahias 14th

Sale is already giving his best, but he must remain vigilant...

The loser of the first three rounds is Baptist, stuck in fifth row behind Alex Lowes. Redding is on the provisional podium with his BMW. In the peloton, we are bickering for seventh place.

There are 6 rounds left and Razgatlioglu leads with a beating.

In the peloton the stage local finishes his performance.

There are three laps remaining and a battle rages for the third step of the podium between Redding et Lowes.

A duel between Englishmen which allows Baptist to pick up again in the last lap. The race returns to Razgatlioglu before Sale et Redding which delights BMW. Baptist is fourth so that the big loser is Alex Lowes. Rinaldi, Lecuona, Locatelli, Baz et gerloff close the top 10. Mahias is 14th.

Superpole Race Superbike results at Donington Park:

Classification credit: WorldSBK.com