Toprak Razgatlioglu takes Race 1, relegating Bulega and Bautista to the lower steps of the podium.
from Misano Adriatico
Toprak Razgatlioglu is the best rider of the moment, there is no doubt about it. His mastery of the medium is truly second to none. Bringing a bike like the BMW, considered second rate until last year, into the title fight is a feat that only a generational talent can accomplish. The championship is more open than ever.
The Superbike World Championship arrives at the Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli for the fourth round of the season, the Emilia Romagna Round. The extremely technical track will put the drivers to the test, who will have to avoid making mistakes to finish the race in a good position.
The Misano World Circuit Marco Simoncelli was inaugurated in 1972. The then Santamonica Autodrome has undergone numerous changes over the years, which have enlarged and modernized it. The current shape and meaning are the result of a major renovation that took place in 2007, while the traditional layout was not changed from the following year. In the 4,200 km that make up one lap, there are short straights interspersed with long sequences of curves, 16 in total, 10 on the right and 6 on the left. The circuit debuted on the calendar in 1991 and, since then, has only been missing in the 1992, 2009, 2013 and 2020 editions (planned but canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic) of the championship.
There are 24 registered for the first Italian stage. Danilo Petrucci has recovered from his injury and can return to racing on Barni’s Ducati, entrusted to Spinelli last round. Michele Pirro plays a wild card with the third official Ducati.
The race
Gardner starts divinely and forcefully takes first position from poleman Razgatlioglu, Bautista and Bulega who are chasing him. The first lap also saw the crashes of Vierge at Rio and Rea at Carro. The Spaniard manages to restart without major problems. The Northern Irishman, however, had a disastrous fall and decided to go to the circuit’s medical centre.
Gardner’s leadership did not last long. On the fourth lap Razgatlioglu overtakes him at the Quercia. The Australian will also suffer the same fate with Bautista and Bulega, who will prevail, respectively, at the Sunset and at the Chariot of the sixth passage.
Bulega is faster than Bautista and chases his teammate. The home driver manages to steal the central step of the podium from the two-time champion with an attack on the Rio on lap 8. The rankings solidify in the second half of the race and there are few events capable of allowing changes in position.
Mackenzie retired to the pits on lap 9. The same fate also befell Aegerter on the twelfth lap due to an engine failure and Sam Lowes on the fourteenth due to the after-effects of a crash entering Carro 3. Rabat instead restarts, ending up with his wheels in the sand at the end of the penultimate round.
Toprak Razgatlioglu completes an extraordinary Saturday by taking his BMW to victory in Race 1. Nicolò Bulega and Alvaro Bautista follow him on the podium. The points zone also contains, in order, Locatelli, Alex Lowes, Gardner, Iannone, Van der Mark, Petrucci, Lecuona, Bassani, Gerloff, Pirro, Rinaldi and Redding.
Toprak Razgatlioglu drives the fans crazy in the stands with his fourth win of the season, 43to in career. The BMW Turk gives a driving lesson to all his opponents in terms of control, style and pure speed.
The results of the race
The results of SBK Race 1 in Misano
The general ranking
The Superbike ranking at the end of Race 1 in Misano
Today’s victory allows Toprak Razgatlioglu to take the lead in the drivers’ championship. The Turk, at 142, now leads Bautista by three points and Bulega by 13. Andrea Iannone, sixth with 73 points, is first among the independents. Ducati continues its dominance in the manufacturer (182) and team (Aruba Racing at 268) rankings.
Next appointments
The day on the track at Misano is set to continue. The first Supersport race will start at 3.15pm, which will be followed at 4.00pm by the WCM finale and at 4.40pm by the Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup. The Superbike will return tomorrow at 9.00am with the Warm Up and at 2.00pm with Race 2.
Media: Riccardo Righetti
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