WorldSBK: In near perfect conditions Toprak Razgatlioglu delivered a record tenth victory at Donington Park.
The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider started from pole position and led all but two of the 23 laps.
Race 1 Highlights
Razgatlioglu led off the line but was immediately attacked in the early stages by Alex Lowes. The bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team rider pushed his way into the lead on Lap 2 but crashed heavily at the Craner Curves in the early stages. The Englishman had also been penalised for a Jump Start.
A poor start saw Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) drop to fifth position on the opening tour. The Italian rider, using the harder SC0 rear tyre, made progress and by the fourth lap he was back into second position. He was already over two seconds behind the race leader so he settled into the remainder of the race focused on claiming 20 points.
The early laps saw both Pata Maxus Yamaha riders in the podium positions. Ultimately Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) took third position at mid-distance. Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea followed him after a race long scrap with Scott Redding.
Redding’s ride, his best performance since the opening round of the season, saw the MGM BONOVO Racing finish sixth.
The opening lap saw a Turn 1 incident with Yari Montella making contact with Sam Lowes with Alvaro Bautista also involved. The trio were out of the race immediately.
Championship Highlights
- Razgatlioglu closes to within four points of Bulega while Petrucci extends his lead over Bautista to 23 points
- BMW clawed back five points on Ducati in the Manufacturers Standings
P1 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
“The weekend didn’t start very well but we kept improving the bike every session. The feeling with the bike isn’t like last year but we’re always trying our best. During the race, I wasn’t sure which tyre would work best. I had two options and I chose the SCX. At the end of the race it wasn’t easy to manage the tyre and I decided not to push at the start of the race. I pushed in the middle of the race and opened a gap and then I rode calmly to manage the tyre. It was a good race for me but we still have two more tomorrow.”
P2 – Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
“We’re still struggling to find the perfect feeling here at Donington. This track is tricky because it has both fast and slow corners. It’s hard to find the right compromise with the bike. Honestly, we haven’t found the ideal setup yet. I chose the harder SC0 tyre. This maybe wasn’t the best decision but tomorrow could be cooler so maybe the SC0 will work better in those conditions.”
P3 – Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)
“It was really, really tough and physical. In the end our target was the podium and we managed to get it. I’m really happy because I’ve struggled all weekend with my right arm but my crew did a great job. The bike worked well, even with the high temperatures and low grip, and I managed the rear tyre to the end. We’ve got another podium and I’m very happy for myself and for my team.”
Race 1 Results
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.535
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +11.775s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +14.446s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +16.160s
6. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) +16.733s
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu Lap 6- 1’26.441s
Tissot Superpole Highlights
Razgatlioglu claimed his 21st career pole position with a time of 1’24.827. The Turkish rider ended the session one tenth of a second faster than his chief championship rival Bulega.
Alex Lowes claimed his first front row start aboard the bimota KB998 Rimini. Lowes, fastest in Free Practice, has been in strong form throughout his home weekend.
A season’s best Superpole performance saw Jonathan Rea qualify on the second row of the grid. The Yamaha rider made it four different manufacturers inside the top four positions of the 15 minute session.
Superpole Results
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’24.827s
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.119s
3. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.147s
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©Words/Images are from official press release posted courtesy of WorldSBK.com
