A new victory, his fourth in a row after the three wins in Australia, for Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) during the second round of the FIM Superbike World Championship which takes place this weekend in Indonesia at the Mandalika circuit, on the island of Lombok.
Unlike most drivers, including the pole sitter Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who decided to use the standard solutions SC0 at the rear and SC2 at the front, a little protective in terms of wear, the reigning world champion, as well as his teammate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi, made the unconventional decision to bet on the SCX-A super soft development tire (B800 specification) at the rear and the standard medium SC1 at the front. This combination proved to be a winning choice thanks to rather high asphalt temperatures which favored the performance of the softer solutions, and to the Spaniard's careful tire management.
“This circuit is not technical, but it has particular characteristics and the temperature of the asphalt can have a great influence on the choice and performance of tires. Yesterday, during FP1, the track was not very smooth and it was a little wet, so when the drivers left the ideal lines, they risked slipping. In FP2, with the evolution of the track and higher temperatures, the tires started to perform extremely well. Today, during FP3, we found the same conditions as yesterday morning. The drivers had little grip and the tires showed small signs of wear. This effect is likely due to moisture that builds up overnight and leaves the asphalt slightly damp, making the track colder and slippery. The Superpole Superbike session was heavily influenced by strong winds, so the riders, even using SCQ, were unable to push as they would have liked. In Supersport Race 1, a few drops of rain at the start made the track more slippery. Then, as during FP2, with warmer asphalt temperatures, the soft solutions became extremely efficient again. At that point, with asphalt temperatures around 50°C, the super soft SCX development solution became more competitive than the soft SC0, at least in the first half of the race, which allowed Bautista to take the lead and manage the tires impeccably until the checkered flag. So congratulations to him and Ducati, and to Can Oncu for his first WorldSSP victory. »
- With a time of 1'32.037, Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) took Superpole pole position ahead of his teammate Andrea Locatelli and the championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati). The session, during which the drivers used SCQ rear tires and SC1 front tires, was strongly influenced by the strong gusts of wind which prevented the pilots from pushing hard.
- In the of course 1, tire choice was a crucial element of race strategy. Most riders decided to use the standard SC0 rear and SC2 front solutions, while a minority, including the race winner Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati) and his teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi, opted for softer solutions at the front and rear, using the SC1 and the SCX-A respectively (super soft development tire in B800 specification). In addition to the two Ducati riders, the Honda factory riders, Xavi Verge et Iker Lecuona and Garrett gerloff on his BMW, made the same decision for the rear.
- The softer solutions, notably the SCX-A rear, combined with remarkable tire management, proved to be a winner as they ensured a good advantage over the SC0 for a good part of the race, then gradually declined in performance towards the end.
WSBK Superbike Indonesia Race 1: classification
- In Superpole, Nicholas Bulega (Aruba Racing WorldSSP Team) took pole position with a time of 1'35.520. Behind him, another Italian rider, also on Ducati, Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Team). Third place went to Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). With air temperatures of 30°C and asphalt temperatures of 44°C, all drivers climbed the SCX compound at the rear, the softest available, while atbefore, the choices were varied: the pole sitter used the SC1, while Caricasulo and Öncü preferred the SC2.
- Just before the of course 1, a few drops of rain begin to fall on the starting straight. However, all the drivers on the track started with slicks. The majority put the standard SC0 soft at the rear and the standard SC2 hard at the front, although some riders from the rear tried to gain an advantage by riding the rear SCX.
- After starting from third place on the starting grid, the Turkish driver Dog Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) took the lead on the first lap of Race 1, maintaining its position until the checkered flag. Behind him, Federico Caricasulo and, in third position, Niki Tuuli (Dynavolt Triumph) take the podium. The poleman Nicholas Bulega finished fifth on his Ducati.
