More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office;

Rea doubles up in Indonesia with wet-weather WorldSBK victory after thrilling battles

The season ended with an incredible battle between second and third in the Championship in a rain-affected shortened Race 2

A shortened Race 2 for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit provided plenty of drama in wet conditions, with a delay to the start due to weather conditions meaning the race was run to a reduced 12 laps, down from the originally planned 21 laps. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) doubled up on victories in Indonesia as he battled it out with Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) for victory.

A WET WEATHER MASTERCLASS FROM REA AND REDDING…

As the race got underway, newly crowned Champion Toprak Razgatligolu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) kept the lead from the race, with the lead five quickly looking to break away. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) were able to break away with relentless pace as they battled it out for Race 2 honours.

Rea and Redding both exchanged first place as they looked to end the season on the top step of the rostrum, including a superb move around the outside of the Ducati rider on Lap 7, although Redding was able to respond. As the final lap started, Redding was able to make a move into Turn 1 before Rea responded into Turn 10. Heading into Turn 16, Redding went up the inside of Rea but ran wide, allowing Rea to move back into the lead of the race and claim his second victory at Mandalika for the 215th podium of his career. Redding’s second place earnt Ducati their 660th race on the podium.

INTENSE BATTLE FOR THE PODIUM

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) got a good start to be in the lead group of five riders, and on Lap 4 he looked to move up the order into a podium place. Into Turn 17, Bassani and Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) made contact and Bassani crashed out of the race, with the incident placed under investigation by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards, with no further action taken. On the run to Turn 17, Bassani and Razgatlioglu were battling which allowed van der Mark to get alongside Bassani on the exit.

Van der Mark and Razgatlioglu battled it out for third place with the former teammates going head-to-head for the final place on the podium, with van der Mark passing the 2021 Champion on Lap 7 to claim his third podium of the 2021 and the 50th podium placement in WorldSBK for BMW. Razgatlioglu came home in fourth place meaning the gap between him and Rea at the end of the season was 13 points, while it also secured the Manufacturers’ Championship for Yamaha for only the second time; Yamaha winning the Riders’, Teams’ and Manufacturers’ titles in 2021.

ROUNDING OUT 2021 IN THE TOP TEN

Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished his BMW stint with a top five finish in the wet conditions, finishing three seconds clear of Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) in sixth place. Gerloff’s result, coupled with Bassani’s retirement, meant Gerloff claimed the Best Independent Rider award for 2021. He finished ahead of teammate Kohta Nozane in seventh place, the best of his rookie season in WorldSBK as he ended the season on a high.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) finished in eighth place after a battle with Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in Race 2. Although Rinaldi did get ahead of Locatelli on track, he had a crash at Turn 6 which forced him out of the race and allowed Locatelli to claim fourth in the Championship standings. Following the race, Rinaldi was transported to RSUD NTB Hospital by air ambulance for further assessments after being diagnosed with a cervical strain. Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) ended his rookie campaign with his best result of the season with ninth, ahead of fellow Spaniard Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC); whose Team HRC career ended with a top ten finish.

TAKING HOME POINTS

Frenchman Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) finished 11th place after he battled with the retiring Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) in the closing stages of the race, with Davies ending his WorldSBK career with 99 podiums, 32 victories and 2999.5 points. Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) finished in 13th place and Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) was 14th and the last of the classified riders.

TO NOTE

Despite a good start and running in the top six, Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) crashed out of the race at Turn 14.

Oliver König (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) was declared unfit after a Race 1 crash, where he was diagnosed with a minimal head injury. Leon Haslam’s Team HRC farewell came to a premature end after he was declared unfit with a right shoulder functional impairment and missed both races, while Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was declared unfit with a right acromioclavicular join separation.

P1 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
“Super happy. Thanks to my team, they made all the right decisions. After our tough FP1, we got the bike in a really good area. To come here and win in the dry, win in the wet, in front of the amazing fans… massive thanks to the fans who stayed around in the wet weather. It was so nice to get a race, albeit it was very wet. Super happy with our effort this year. I rode with a lot of heart. I did my best, no regrets. Congratulations again to Toprak and Yamaha and look forward to battling again in 2022.”

P2 Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
“I didn’t do as well as Chaz when he left, he took the win! I did my best. None of us have done any wet weather riding this weekend. It was just everyone for themselves, go out and you see it at the beginning of the race; swapping and changing. Jonny got the rhythm. I felt strong then he come past me. I was behind him, I was faster. I think you get a lot of judgement when someone’s in front of you. I tried at the end. Jonny made a small mistake. I pushed. He passed me quite hard on the brakes, it was a big aggressive. I said ‘okay, let’s try it back for the last corner’. I was locking fronts, locking rears. It’s been an amazing season.”

P3 Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
“I’m really happy with this podium. I had an amazing fight with Toprak on track and I really enjoyed this even though I think I could’ve ended up further towards the front. I’m really proud to be on the podium here. We saw today the tarmac is fantastic and in the wet conditions we could have some awesome battles, and in the dry.”

More, from a press release issued by Yamaha:

Gerloff Wins Independent Riders’ Championship, Nozane Achieves Best WorldSBK Result in Indonesia

At the 2021 FIM Superbike World Championship finale in Indonesia, the GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team added to their Independent Teams’ trophy, with Garrett Gerloff winning the Independent Riders’ title, while rookie teammate Kohta Nozane scored his best result in seventh.

Rain returned to the Mandalika International Street Circuit on Sunday, but it held off for the morning’s postponed first race. With the track still damp from the early showers though, Gerloff immediately lost positions from his fourth-place grid slot to run 13th early on. He was unable to challenge back inside the top 10 and eventually crossed the line in 11th.

Race 2 was delayed due to a heavy downpour prior to the start, and the organisers took the decision to shorten the contest to 12 laps. After a good initial getaway, the American dropped back outside the top 10 in the melee of the first corners, but he was able to make an impressive comeback through the field and eventually brought his Yamaha R1 home in sixth place. The result saw the Texan end the 2021 campaign seventh in the overall standings and first of the Independent riders.

Nozane was 15th in the tricky mixed conditions in Race 1, but went on to enjoy his best performance yet of his maiden WorldSBK campaign in the afternoon. Starting 16th, the Japanese rider was up to ninth by the end of the first lap, and showed impressive pace to run sixth by lap four. Gerloff managed to pass the 2020 JSB1000 All-Japan Champion, who was comfortably ahead of Pata Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli by the chequered flag.

Garrett Gerloff: P11 & P6

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team

“I wish we could have had a dry race. To have ever-changing conditions for two days in a row was a bit frustrating, but I am happy to have finished the season. The track in the wet was amazing today, it had a lot of grip and there was not too much standing water, but it just took me a while to find the limit. I just prefer racing in the dry, it’s less scary. Now I know where the limit in the wet is, though, and I felt really fast in the dry earlier in the weekend, so I look forward to coming back next year. I am also really happy that I was able to keep the lead in the Independents’ Championship to give it to the team, they deserved a positive result. I look forward to 2022 and to the winter tests, so we can work on some things. Next year I need to improve my consistency and the first couple of laps of my races, for sure, because I am not quick nor aggressive enough at the start. The bike feels great, but I need to work on myself.”

Kohta Nozane: P15 & P7

GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team

“Today, I had a very difficult time in Race 1. The conditions were very tricky as sometimes it was raining, sometimes it wasn’t, and my final result was not good. Then I hit the reset button and focused fully on Race 2, which was run in the wet. I like these conditions but it was my first time at this track in the rain, so it wasn’t easy. It was the same for everybody, though, and I was confident I could do well. In the end I achieved my best result of the season, a seventh place result, after running my best race so far in WorldSBK. Next season, though, I will need to make a step up and the target for 2022 is to make it onto the podium for the first time.”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:

Toprak Razgatlioglu is the new WorldSBK Champion

The Turkish rider claimed the 2021 WorldSBK Championship in Indonesia, denying Jonathan Rea a seventh consecutive title

After a hard-fought 2021 season, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) was crowned the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Champion at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit. Toprak Razgatlioglu is the first rider to dethrone six-time WorldSBK Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), also becoming the first ever Turkish WorldSBK Champion.

Razgatlioglu claimed the lead of the standings after an eventful Donington Park weekend, although his lead didn’t last long when a Rea hat-trick at Assen vaulted him back to the top. The lead kept changing hands, with Razgatlioglu back on top after Navarra – albeit by virtue of full-race wins as he and Rea were level on points going to Magny-Cours – before two changes throughout the Catalunya Round: Rea taking the lead after Race 1 in Barcelona before the newly-crowned Champion claimed it back after Race 2. A dramatic Portuguese Round provided more twists and turns with Razgatlioglu holding the lead by 24 points heading into the penultimate round of the season at the Circuito San Juan Villicum venue, whilst the Turkish rider arrived at the season finale with a 30-point advantage over Rea. Second place at the end of Sunday’s Race 1 in the season-ending Indonesian Round, Razgatlioglu claimed the 2021 WorldSBK title.

At 25 years, 1 month and 5 days, Razgatlioglu becomes the third-youngest Champion of the category, behind James Toseland (23 years 11 months and 28 days, 2004) and Troy Corser (24 years 11 months, 1996). He started his motorcycle career competing in the IDM Yamaha R6 Cup and in the Turkish Road Race 600cc Championship in 2011 and 2012. He then moved to the Red Bull MotoGP Rookies Cup for 2013 and 2014. He took one win in the class in 2014 during the Sachsenring event, showcasing his potential from very early on. Later in the year, he made his European Superstock 600 Championship debut at Magny-Cours as a wildcard, winning his first ever race. It was clear that a future star was emerging right before us. In 2015, he joined the WorldSBK paddock racing in the Superstock 600 class full-time, claiming the title in his first season in the category. He then moved to Superstock 1000 for the 2016 and 2017 seasons, finishing second in the standings in his second season and taking wins.

In 2018, he made the move to the premier class with Kawasaki Puccetti Racing, shocking everyone when he took two podiums – a first by beating Jonathan Rea in the last lap of Race 2 at Donington Park and a second at the all-new San Juan venue – and was the rookie of the year. 2019 was a significant year in many ways for Razgatlioglu; he emerged as a true contender and after eight podiums, he took a first win in a last lap fight with Rea at Magny-Cours, doubling up in the Tissot Superpole Race. Ending the year fifth overall with 13 podiums and the Best Independent Riders’ award, Toprak switched from Kawasaki to join the ranks of Yamaha and the Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK outfit.

In 2020, he finished his first season with Yamaha in fourth place, taking a stunning win in his first ever race for the team at Phillip Island, before two more followed during the final round of the year at Estoril. In 2021, he achieved 13 wins, 29 podiums and 3 pole positions. With a 25-point advantage over his closest competitor Jonathan Rea, Toprak Razgatlioglu becomes the 2021 WorldSBK Champion, the 18th one in  Championship history, coincidentally crowned in the 18th final round title decider.

The newly-crowned Champion will remain with Yamaha until 2023 and both will aim to continue challenging many records. Their target will be set on making it two in a row for Razgatlioglu.

Toprak Razgatlioglu, Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK:“First, I want to say thank you to my family and to Kenan Sofuoglu because we are a big family. Also, thanks to my team, they did an incredible job this year. Sometimes we crashed, sometimes we had good races and finally we are here. I’m really happy. It’s a special day for me today because this Championship is for my dad. It has always been my dream. He’s not here anymore, he passed away, but I feel he is watching. I’m really happy. It’s an incredible day for me and we are World Champion. Thanks to everyone!”

More, from a press release issued by Dorna WorldSBK Press Office:

De Rosa does it at last: the Italian takes maiden WorldSSP victory in rain-hit Mandalika Race 1

A long wait is over as Raffaele De Rosa claimed his first WorldSSP win after resisting late-race pressure from the 2021 Champion, Dominique Aegerter

The drama throughout the 19-lap FIM Supersport World Championship was relentless at the Pertamina Mandalika International Street Circuit in Race 1 for the Pirelli Indonesian Round as Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) claimed victory in a rain-impacted opening race. The rain started to fall just before the race started before getting harder in the opening stages, with riders who opted to stay out on slick tyres benefitting as the rain eased after a short period.

RAIN THREATENS TO PLAY A MAJOR PART…

The rain started to fall in the opening four laps of the race, with the race lead being held by numerous riders looked to take control of the race. At around the halfway stage, De Rosa was able to break away at the front of the field in search of his maiden victory, with the Italian rider claiming his first WorldSSP victory at the 89th time of asking.

De Rosa withstood pressure from 2021 Champion Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in the final two laps of the race as he held on to claim Kawasaki’s 45th WorldSSP win and end a streak of 21 Yamaha victories stretching back to Estoril 2020, when Lucas Mahias claimed victory. De Rosa’s victory means he becomes the third-oldest rider to claim their maiden WorldSSP victory, at 34 years, 7 months and 26 days old. He is also the first Italian to win on a Kawasaki in WorldSSP.

Federico Caricasulo (VFT Racing) claimed the first podium for VFT Racing in his debut race for the team, his third of the 2021 season. He had led the race in the opening stages, including on the first lap as he overtook Aegerter at Turn 10, but fell back to third as Aegerter found some late-race pace. Podiums for Aegerter and Caricasulo mean Yamaha have now claimed 50 podiums in the 2021 season.

CLUZEL FIGHTS BACK

French rider Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) came into the Indonesian Round as the form rider, with three wins in the last four races, but had to battle his way back from 13th place to claim fourth place, missing out on a podium by half-a-second against his former teammate. Another rider who had their turn leading the race was Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team), but the Moto2™-bound rider fell down to fifth place. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) was sixth despite losing time as the rain fell with a huge moment exiting the final corner, but he was able to respond to claim a top-six finish. The results for Odendaal mean he will finish the Championship in second place while Gonzalez is guaranteed third place in the standings.

Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was seventh, but like most of the riders ahead of him, had his time battling for the lead of the race before he claimed seventh place, just two tenths away from Odendaal. 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher (CM Racing) started the weekend strongly after topping Friday practice and also showed strong pace in the first half of the race, before eventually claiming eighth place, half-a-second clear of Estonia’s Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing). Peter Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) rounded out the top ten, nine seconds away from Soomer.

TAKING HOME POINTS

Unai Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing) claimed his best result since a mid-season switch to WorldSSP with 11th place, while Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) extended his points-scoring run to 20 races with 12th. Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Team) was 13th after starting from 20th on the grid, ahead of Andres Gonzalez (VFT Racing) and Daniel Valle (Yamaha MS Racing) who rounded out the points-paying position. Jeffrey Buis (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) was the last of the classified riders in 16th.

TO NOTE…

Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) was the first rider to retire from the race after he had a Lap 8 crash at the final corner, the left-hander of Turn 17. Although he was able to re-join the race following the crash, the Finnish rider brought his bike back to the pit lane a lap later. Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) retired from the race after he had a technical issue on Lap 12 of 19, while the two riders who pitted for intermediate tyres when the rain fell, home hero Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) and Christoffer Bergman (Wojick Racing Team), also were not classified.

P1 Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)

“After this time, I did it! I am really happy. At the finale of the season, we went very fast. My pace was good. I want this because my team, my family, my sponsors deserve it. I’m really happy. Tomorrow, we try again!”

P2 Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)

“It was a difficult race with all the small drops of rain. The track was little bit wet in some corners and drying after a few laps, then a little bit more rain came again. At the start, I didn’t want to risk too much. I fell back a little bit but at the end, I felt I was the strongest rider on track. When tomorrow is dry, for sure I try to fight for the victory.”

P3 Federico Caricasulo (VFT Racing)

“I’m really happy because my plan was not to come here! VFT Racing gave me this opportunity. When I came, I didn’t think it would be possible to be on the front row and on the podium, but we did it immediately. I’m really happy. The bike and the team are working very well. Now I can’t wait for tomorrow because today I had a little problem in the last two laps with the front tyre. If I solve that for tomorrow, we can fight for the win.”

Editorial Note: Frenchman Valentin Debise, riding his GMT94 Yamaha, has been ruled medically unfit to continue in the Supersport World Championship event in Indonesia. According to a social media post by Debise, he crashed in Free Practice One and injured his shoulder.