Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing) has been in complete control of the world Superbike championship. Last years champion and this year’s championship leader has shocked the field since the season opener and has not let off of the gas. Bautista has now won 16 of 18 races this season. The last two rounds Bautista won all three weekend events totally to 4 hat tricks this season. Yet, this weekend that achievement was denied. Having sat behind Bautista the majority of the season. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon) denies Bautista the hat trick in the super pole race today. This was a much needed win for Razgatlioglu if he is to have any chance of competing for the championship title. The race seems all but over but today Razgatlioglu proved Bautista can be beaten.
It was a marginal win, the gap only being 3 tenths between Bautista and Razgatlioglu in the Superpole race. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) secured a second podium on the weekend in the superpole race. While his championship fight is nearly over. It is good to see some diversity on the podium.
The big story this weekend came in Race 2 for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing). Petrucci has struggled to find chemistry with his Barni Spark Racing V4R. After making the transition from the MotoAmerica Medallia Superbike Championship in the USA to World Superbike. He has struggled to compete for podiums. Today that wait came to an end as Petrucci secured his first podium of the season after nearly securing the feat in race 1.
Petrucci Addresses His first Podium of the Season
After the race, Petrucci stated to WorldSBK.com, “I didn’t have the pace in Race 1. I reached Jonny because he did two or three laps that weren’t perfect but, in the end, I was not feeling good with the bike. Today, I smelt the podium and I said, ‘I need to try’. It was good because I passed Gerloff, Loka and Lowes, I said ‘no, Jonny again for the podium…in England, a six-time World Champion and 250 podiums… how can I do it!?’. I immediately found a way and I passed him. I had a really good pace. We made a small modification of the setup but not major things. The confidence is growing.”
The top six from WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) +2.650s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +7.936
4. Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +9.198s
5. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +9.506s
6. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +9.960s
Fastest lap: Alvaro Bautista, Ducati – 1’26.089s
Championship standings
1. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 357 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 264
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) 175
4. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 163
5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 146
6. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 102