The chaos of the yellow flags hands the Superbike Superpole at Misano to Toprak Razgatlioglu. Behind the Turk Nicolò Bulega and Remy Gardner.
It wasn’t the track that decided the ranking of the Superbike Superpole session at Misano. Or at least, it wasn’t just the track. The pole position was in fact decided by the yellow flags.
In fact, Nicolò Bulega set the best time of the session. The name of Toprak Razgatlioglu and his 1’32.320, a new record on the Riviera track, will appear in the roll of honor. The time of the Italian from Ducati was in fact canceled due to the yellow flags.
Remy Gardner and Alex Lowes round out a top four made up of four different manufacturers. A certification of the balance, at least in qualifying, of this Superbike. Alvaro Bautista is a bit disappointing, given the premises. The Spaniard doesn’t go beyond fifth position.
Wasted opportunity for Andrea Iannone. The Italian crashed on his second flying lap while he was attacking the front row. The crash of the Team GOEleven rider, among other things, decided the results of the Superpole.
Another complicated day for Jonathan Rea. The Yamaha standard-bearer is fifteenth away from both pole and his brand mates.
THE NEWS OF THE SUPERBIKE MISANO SUPERPOLE
The short duration of the Superbike Superpole session – only fifteen minutes – requires all riders to leave the Misano pits as soon as the green flag is waved.
The first to set a flying lap was Phillip Oettl who crossed the finish line in 1’35.386. However, it was an immediate track record: Toprak Razgatlioglu set a 1’32.786 despite an impediment from Micheal van der Mark in the last sector. The only other driver to go below the 1’33 mark was Remy Gardner in 1’32.991.
Having freed himself from his teammate, Razgatlioglu adjusted his fastest lap in the second lap, lowering the benchmark to 1’32.709. Alvaro Bautista also moves up the rankings but doesn’t go beyond 1’33.177. The other official Ducati, that of Nicolò Bulega, set the best time. The Italian’s time is 1’32.556.
Halfway through the session and all the riders finish their first run with Bulega ahead of Razgatlioglu, Gardner, Bautista and Andrea Iannone in the standings.
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The first attempt with the second long-term tire was ruined by a fall by Andrea Iannone at Turn 14 and by van der Mark at Turn 13. Both Bulega and Razgatlioglu managed to avoid the yellow flag, lowering the benchmark again: 1’32.221 for the ‘Italian, 1’32.320 for the Turkish. Gardner secures his third position and adjusts his time to 1’32.906.
However, the real leap forward was made by Alex Lowes who moved into fourth position with a 1’33.075. The last shock to the standings came from Sam Lowes, who rose to eighth in 1’33.196 and Andrea Locatelli who took sixth position with his 1’33.129.
At the end of the session the ranking changes: the yellow flags require some interventions by the Race Direction with the various fast laps being cancelled. Among these also that of Bulega who lost pole position to Razgatlioglu.
It will therefore be the Turkish driver who will start from the pole both in Race 1 and in the Misano Superpole Race. He still maintains second Bulega position with Gardner completing the front row. The second row is opened by Alex Lowes with an anonymous Bautista and Locatelli completing it.
The crash in the second phase of the session did not allow Iannone to go beyond seventh position. Sam Lowes, Dominique Aegerter and Tito Rabat complete the top ten. Another disastrous result for Jonathan Rea: the “Cannibale” will start from fifteenth place.
THE SUPERBIKE RANKING OF THE MISANO SUPERPOLE
The Superbike riders will return to the track at 2pm when the traffic lights go out to start Race 1 of the Emilia-Romagna Round.
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