Texan Mikey Lou Sanchez, age 13, placed second in MIR Racing Finetwork Cup Promo3 Race Two Sunday at Circuito de Navarra, in Spain.
Sanchez actually crossed the finish first, but according to a social post by his family, he was penalized one finishing position for weaving too aggressively on the run to the finish line.
Toprak Razgatlioglu won World Superbike Race Two Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Razgatlioglu won the 15-lap race by 1.966 seconds on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1.
It was Razgatlioglu’s first full-distance race win of the season, breaking a streak of 13 consecutive full-length race wins so far in 2023 by Alvaro Bautista.
Bautista, the defending World Champion, crashed his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R early in the race and DNF.
Italian Axel Bassani thrilled the home crowd by taking second on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, just ahead of six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea and his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff placed 13th on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
WSBK R2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Toprak Razgatlioglu secures Race 2 win as Alvaro Bautista crashes
In Race 2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) emerged victorious after an intense battle with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). The race took a surprising turn as Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) suffered a crash in Tamburello on the first lap. Razgatlioglu capitalised on Bautista’s misfortune to claim the lead, ultimately securing his first feature-length race win of 2023.
Axel Bassani finished in second position whilst Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured a well-deserved third place. The race also witnessed a strong performance from Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) who finished in fourth place, adding valuable points to his Championship campaign. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured fifth place as he looks to retain his seat in the team for 2024. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) achieved a career-best sixth-place finish.
After Race 2, Alvaro Bautista maintains his lead in the WorldSBK Championship standings with 391 points, but Toprak Razgatlioglu’s victory reduces the gap to 70 points.
Read the full report from Race 2 on worldsbk.com
Toprak Razgatlioglu secured a well-deserved victory in Race 2, marking his 4th win of the season.
P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK
“I’m very happy that this year, finally, I’ve won! I waited for this moment, so thanks to my team who did an incredible job this weekend. Every session, we improved the bike but I am also sorry for Alvaro but this is racing, and you try and do your best. It’s the first time he’s crashed. After, I made a plan and didn’t want to risk. I followed Axel and in the last three laps I passed him and took a good pace. In general, I’m very happy this weekend! It’s the first time that Yamaha have won at Imola this weekend and I love this track too. It was very hot this weekend and congratulations to everyone because of this. I think it’s been a very good weekend as everybody’s watched real racing! The Championship is not over; I am riding like before, I’m focusing just on winning.”
Axel Bassani finished second and equaling his best result, as he narrowly missed out on his maiden victory.
Jonathan Rea claimed a solid third-place finish in Race 2 at Imola, reducing the gap to Andrea Locatelli in the championship standings.
Bradley Ray showcased his potential and achieved a career-best sixth-place finish in Race 2.
Alvaro Bautista takes the holeshot but crashes out at Turn 3, bringing an end to his streak of feature-length wins in 2023.
DNF | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“We decided to make the race shorter… and I made it even shorter! I made a mistake. I had a good start and kept a good line, but I just touched the inside white line at Turn 3. Maybe in other laps I touched it without problems but perhaps, on the first laps, the tyres were not 100%, I made a mistake. Next time, I have to be more careful. A pity because we were quite competitive this weekend. We were quite strong in Race 1 and in the Superpole Race. We had a nice battle with Toprak. we were stronger than I expected this weekend. I have to be positive, look forward and try to learn from the mistake.”
Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Imola. Riding his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, the Italian won the 17-lap race by 7.188 seconds. It was Manzi’s third win of the season.
Nicolo Bulega, the current Championship point lead, was the best of the rest on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Yari Montella finished third on his Barni Spark Racing Panigale V2.
Only 16 of the 30 starters finished the race, which was run in dry conditions.
WSS R2 Results
Toprak Razgatlioglu won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish rider won the 10-lap race by 0.244 second. It was Razgatlioglu’s third Superpole Race win of the season.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Razgatlioglu’s teammate Andrea Locatelli finished a close third.
American Garrett Gerloff DNF the race, pulling his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR into the pits and retiring.
WSBK SP Race
More, from a press release issued by ASBK:
Jones Obliterates Morgan Park Lap Record for Superbike Pole as Hayden Nelson Stars in Michelin Supersport
Alpinestars Superbike
After starting every race of the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) race from the front row, Defending ASBK champion, Mike Jones on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1 M went one better, as he continued his recent resurgence in the Alpinestars Superbike category to claim his first pole position of the year and the vital championship point that accompanies the feat to start at the front of the field for tomorrow’s two, 16-lap races.
It was neck and neck throughout the two qualifying sessions with Q1 deciding the top 12 that moved through to the second stanza to define the top four rows of the grid.
Arguably, Jones has done more laps around the Morgan Park layout than most of the field combined and he put his local circuit knowledge to good use as he led the morning’s fourth practice session and backed it up to do the same in both qualifying sessions.
After the first 20-minute qualifying session Jones led Herfoss with Cru Halliday on the way back to the top in third. The session was halted after a few minutes when Glenn Allerton’s BMW had a mechanical problem and there was a chance that some fluid had leaked on the track surface. The session was soon resumed although the leading four riders of Jones, Herfoss, Halliday and Pearson remained in the garage for the remainder of the session.
It was a lot more frantic in the main qualifying session, but no one could unseat Jones…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Michelin Supersport
The Michelin Supersport Championship qualifying again proved it will be one of the closest fought tiles in recent years with the leaderboard changing numerous times during the two sessions today.
In the first part, defending champion, John Lytras, who was in the top slot in the three-practice sessions yesterday, sat out the session quietly confident that he had the pace to be able to lead the field heading into Q2. Without recording a time, the rest stepped up to the plate with class rookie, Hayden Nelson, slotting into the top spot from early series championship leader, Ty Lynch on Michelin tyres second fastest from JJ Nahlous, Cameron Dunker third with championship leader Olly Simpson fourth.
Nelson is an extremely fast learner and has adapted to the 600cc category with aplomb while for the championship leader, Olly Simpson it is his first visit to Morgan Park since he was a junior some 12 years ago, so for the South Australian he had to learn the track all over again. As for Nelson who happens to be a cousin of the Bayliss family, he has put in a few days there realising how critical it is to know the best line that is well known for its braking and acceleration, bumps around the back of the circuit requiring precision to find that sweet spot of the track.
For the second qualifying session, Nelson took a tip from Lytras’ lead to sit out the session, saving his energy and tyres as well as staying out of trouble in the final moments…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Supersport 300
The opening Supersport 300 race was an absolute cracker, like many before! Cameron Swain was the pacesetter through the practice and qualifying sessions from South Australian Brodie Gawith but come race time he had to fight every millimetre.
From lights out, Marcus Hamod gained the initial advantage heading into turn two but by the time the field reached turn four, he had been relegated to fourth by Swain as well as Henry Snell, Brodie Gawith with series leader Brandon Demmery right on the rear of the pack. The quartet soon gapped the rest of the field but as is the norm in the production 300 classes the positions in the leading bunch were constantly changing at every corner.
The Supersport 300 field was as close as ever in the opening race of the weekend
As the last lap board was displayed any one of the leading pack could’ve taken the win, but Swain stretched the throttle cable in the run from turn two to four and had a five-bike length lead as they headed to turn six. The four following attempted to close the gap but in a typical tiddler battle, the last corner played a part. It was Gawith who was the victim, as he tried to make a move in the final chicane and crashed out after he set a new lap record on the eighth lap of ten.
It was enough of a buffer to ensure Swain his third win of the year in the class…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup
The opening race of the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup was another typical extension of the 300s. The race was the last one of the day and was shortened by a lap because of the setting sun infiltrating riders’ vision as they headed up the hill to turn three but the shortened distance only added to the intensity.
As with the 300 class the usual suspects were at the front of the pack for the seven-lap dash but their intensity lifted as the little champions realised there were three kilometres less to make a move.
From lights out it was Swain, Gawith, Demmery, Hamod and Snell who again set the pace. With the nature of the racing to give a lap-by-lap report of proceedings would be extremely difficult to follow as the lead changed so often from corner to corner, let alone who led each lap. As the pack charged across the line, it was Hamod, Swain and Snell with the timing screen giving the race-winning distance as 0.000 between Swain and Hamod….
Read More on ASBK.com.au
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
Bodie Paige claimed a decisive race one victory in the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup to make it four wins in a row.
As the lights went out, a typical OJC race began. Chopping and changing, dicing and diving, the positions changed frequently as the contenders established themselves at the front. Riley Nauta couldn’t capitalise on his qualifying pace as he progressively slipped down the order to fifth…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Texan Mikey Lou Sanchez, age 13, won MIR Racing Finetwork Cup Promo3 Race One Saturday at Circuito de Navarra, in Spain. Sanchez won the eight-lap race by 2.4 seconds.
Spaniard Alvaro Bautista won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday afternoon at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Bautista won the 19-lap race by 3.672 seconds. It was Bautista’s 13th consecutive full-length race win and his 17th overall race win in 2023.
Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu rode his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1 to second place, and Northern Irishman Jonathan Rea was third on his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff finished 13th on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
WSBK R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bautista triumphs in intense battle with Razgatlioglu to secure Race 1 victory at Imola
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased his dominance in WorldSBK Race 1 at Imola, clinching his 17th win of the season and inching closer to the record for most victories in a single campaign. The race witnessed a thrilling battle, with Bautista emerging victorious ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who celebrated his 100th WorldSBK podium and extended his impressive streak of 16 consecutive rostrum finishes. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured a solid third place, further adding to his extensive collection of 252 career podiums.
Meanwhile, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) put up a remarkable performance, leading the race initially and eventually finishing in fourth place. The Italian rider displayed excellent pace, battling against fierce competition. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased his tenacity as he fought his way to fifth place while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) demonstrated resilience and skill, crossing the line in sixth position after a hard-fought race.
With his triumph, Bautista not only solidified his lead in the championship standings with 382 points but also equaled the record for most wins in a season, tying with Doug Polen in 1991 and Jonathan Rea in 2018 and 2019. Bautista’s performance highlights his unwavering determination to etch his name in WorldSBK history.
Read the full report from Race 1 on worldsbk.com
Bautista dominated at Imola, securing his first victory at the circuit. With a strong performance, he solidifies his position at the top of the championship standings with 382 points, extending his lead over his rivals.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to win. It was only my second time here at Imola. Today, we made a small change to the bike, and I felt much better in the morning. It started to feel like it did at the other tracks. The race was really tough because it was hot and very slippery. In the beginning, I didn’t feel much confidence to push in the opening laps. I saw several riders with more confidence than me. I started to, step by step, push more. We were missing some grip. I thought it was maybe because I don’t have clean air and the front is struggling a bit. I had some laps with clean air. The feeling with the front was improving so I tried to stay in front and, at least, the front was better.”
Razgatlioglu secured second place in Race 1 and reached a milestone with his 100th career podium in WorldSBK.
Jonathan Rea claims third place in Race 1, reducing the gap to Andrea Locatelli to 13 points in their battle for third position in the WorldSBK championship standings.
Andrea Locatelli finished fourth and maintaining his position ahead of Jonathan Rea in the WorldSBK championship standings.
Kawasaki Racing Team React To New Rev Limits In WorldSBK
Following the announcement by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) that rev limits will be changed following analysis of the relative performance of the machines over the most recent six rounds, the maximum rev limit for Kawasaki will be increased by 250 rpm more from the Imola round onwards; a total of 500 rpm since the season started.
According to point 2.4.3.1 of the FIM rules that define functionality of “Concession and Super Concession” Points – and according to the list of Concession parts allowed 2.4.3.3 c – KRT asked for 250 rpm in the 2 check points (500 rpm in total), after the Motorland race and the Donington race according to the parts nominated in point 2.4.3.3.c.iii in the rule book.
KRT are currently not using those 500rpm and are waiting to introduce at the third check point the items nominated in point 2.4.3.3.c.i
From the beginning of the season, Kawasaki is the manufacturer with less rpm allowed as per how the rules are constructed around mass production machinery. (1,500 rpm less than Ducati for example).
The set of items requested by KRT using concession points, are the same items the FIM did not allow Kawasaki to homologate in the 2021 ZX-10RR iteration due to a difference in interpretation of a “redesigned engine”.
KRT hopes this clarifies the situation and any doubts of the many people not deeply involved in this complex rule, created to help manufacturers improve the performance of their bike during the season.
Italian Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race One Saturday afternoon at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Manzi won the 16-lap red-flag-shortened race on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
German Marcel Schroetter was the runner-up on his Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 RR 800, and Italian Nicolo Bulega, the Championship point leader, was third on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Former MotoAmerica regular Valentin Debise, who ride a GMT94 Yamaha, retired from the race and DNF.
WSS R1
Toprak Razgatlioglu was fastest in World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish rider lapped the 3.0-mile track in 1:45.959 to top the field of 25 riders.
Razgatlioglu’s Italian teammate Andrea Locatelli was second-best with a 1:46.017, and Axel Bassani, another Italian, earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:46.062 on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
American Garrett Gerloff qualified 14th with a time of 1:47.241 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Many riders in the session had lap times cancelled due to waving yellow flags.
WSBK SP Qual
Texan Mikey Lou Sanchez, age 13, placed second in MIR Racing Finetwork Cup Promo3 Race Two Sunday at Circuito de Navarra, in Spain.
Sanchez actually crossed the finish first, but according to a social post by his family, he was penalized one finishing position for weaving too aggressively on the run to the finish line.
Toprak Razgatlioglu won World Superbike Race Two Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Razgatlioglu won the 15-lap race by 1.966 seconds on his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1.
It was Razgatlioglu’s first full-distance race win of the season, breaking a streak of 13 consecutive full-length race wins so far in 2023 by Alvaro Bautista.
Bautista, the defending World Champion, crashed his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R early in the race and DNF.
Italian Axel Bassani thrilled the home crowd by taking second on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, just ahead of six-time World Champion Jonathan Rea and his factory Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff placed 13th on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
WSBK R2
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Toprak Razgatlioglu secures Race 2 win as Alvaro Bautista crashes
In Race 2 at the Autodromo Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) emerged victorious after an intense battle with Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing). The race took a surprising turn as Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) suffered a crash in Tamburello on the first lap. Razgatlioglu capitalised on Bautista’s misfortune to claim the lead, ultimately securing his first feature-length race win of 2023.
Axel Bassani finished in second position whilst Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured a well-deserved third place. The race also witnessed a strong performance from Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) who finished in fourth place, adding valuable points to his Championship campaign. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured fifth place as he looks to retain his seat in the team for 2024. Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) achieved a career-best sixth-place finish.
After Race 2, Alvaro Bautista maintains his lead in the WorldSBK Championship standings with 391 points, but Toprak Razgatlioglu’s victory reduces the gap to 70 points.
Read the full report from Race 2 on worldsbk.com
Toprak Razgatlioglu secured a well-deserved victory in Race 2, marking his 4th win of the season.
P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK
“I’m very happy that this year, finally, I’ve won! I waited for this moment, so thanks to my team who did an incredible job this weekend. Every session, we improved the bike but I am also sorry for Alvaro but this is racing, and you try and do your best. It’s the first time he’s crashed. After, I made a plan and didn’t want to risk. I followed Axel and in the last three laps I passed him and took a good pace. In general, I’m very happy this weekend! It’s the first time that Yamaha have won at Imola this weekend and I love this track too. It was very hot this weekend and congratulations to everyone because of this. I think it’s been a very good weekend as everybody’s watched real racing! The Championship is not over; I am riding like before, I’m focusing just on winning.”
Axel Bassani finished second and equaling his best result, as he narrowly missed out on his maiden victory.
Jonathan Rea claimed a solid third-place finish in Race 2 at Imola, reducing the gap to Andrea Locatelli in the championship standings.
Bradley Ray showcased his potential and achieved a career-best sixth-place finish in Race 2.
Alvaro Bautista takes the holeshot but crashes out at Turn 3, bringing an end to his streak of feature-length wins in 2023.
DNF | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“We decided to make the race shorter… and I made it even shorter! I made a mistake. I had a good start and kept a good line, but I just touched the inside white line at Turn 3. Maybe in other laps I touched it without problems but perhaps, on the first laps, the tyres were not 100%, I made a mistake. Next time, I have to be more careful. A pity because we were quite competitive this weekend. We were quite strong in Race 1 and in the Superpole Race. We had a nice battle with Toprak. we were stronger than I expected this weekend. I have to be positive, look forward and try to learn from the mistake.”
Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race Two Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Imola. Riding his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha YZF-R6, the Italian won the 17-lap race by 7.188 seconds. It was Manzi’s third win of the season.
Nicolo Bulega, the current Championship point lead, was the best of the rest on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Yari Montella finished third on his Barni Spark Racing Panigale V2.
Only 16 of the 30 starters finished the race, which was run in dry conditions.
WSS R2 Results
Toprak Razgatlioglu won the World Superbike Superpole Race Sunday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish rider won the 10-lap race by 0.244 second. It was Razgatlioglu’s third Superpole Race win of the season.
Defending Champion Alvaro Bautista was the runner-up on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
Razgatlioglu’s teammate Andrea Locatelli finished a close third.
American Garrett Gerloff DNF the race, pulling his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR into the pits and retiring.
WSBK SP Race
More, from a press release issued by ASBK:
Jones Obliterates Morgan Park Lap Record for Superbike Pole as Hayden Nelson Stars in Michelin Supersport
Alpinestars Superbike
After starting every race of the 2023 mi-bike Motorcycle Insurance Australian Superbike Championship presented by Motul (ASBK) race from the front row, Defending ASBK champion, Mike Jones on his Yamaha Racing Team YZF-R1 M went one better, as he continued his recent resurgence in the Alpinestars Superbike category to claim his first pole position of the year and the vital championship point that accompanies the feat to start at the front of the field for tomorrow’s two, 16-lap races.
It was neck and neck throughout the two qualifying sessions with Q1 deciding the top 12 that moved through to the second stanza to define the top four rows of the grid.
Arguably, Jones has done more laps around the Morgan Park layout than most of the field combined and he put his local circuit knowledge to good use as he led the morning’s fourth practice session and backed it up to do the same in both qualifying sessions.
After the first 20-minute qualifying session Jones led Herfoss with Cru Halliday on the way back to the top in third. The session was halted after a few minutes when Glenn Allerton’s BMW had a mechanical problem and there was a chance that some fluid had leaked on the track surface. The session was soon resumed although the leading four riders of Jones, Herfoss, Halliday and Pearson remained in the garage for the remainder of the session.
It was a lot more frantic in the main qualifying session, but no one could unseat Jones…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Michelin Supersport
The Michelin Supersport Championship qualifying again proved it will be one of the closest fought tiles in recent years with the leaderboard changing numerous times during the two sessions today.
In the first part, defending champion, John Lytras, who was in the top slot in the three-practice sessions yesterday, sat out the session quietly confident that he had the pace to be able to lead the field heading into Q2. Without recording a time, the rest stepped up to the plate with class rookie, Hayden Nelson, slotting into the top spot from early series championship leader, Ty Lynch on Michelin tyres second fastest from JJ Nahlous, Cameron Dunker third with championship leader Olly Simpson fourth.
Nelson is an extremely fast learner and has adapted to the 600cc category with aplomb while for the championship leader, Olly Simpson it is his first visit to Morgan Park since he was a junior some 12 years ago, so for the South Australian he had to learn the track all over again. As for Nelson who happens to be a cousin of the Bayliss family, he has put in a few days there realising how critical it is to know the best line that is well known for its braking and acceleration, bumps around the back of the circuit requiring precision to find that sweet spot of the track.
For the second qualifying session, Nelson took a tip from Lytras’ lead to sit out the session, saving his energy and tyres as well as staying out of trouble in the final moments…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Supersport 300
The opening Supersport 300 race was an absolute cracker, like many before! Cameron Swain was the pacesetter through the practice and qualifying sessions from South Australian Brodie Gawith but come race time he had to fight every millimetre.
From lights out, Marcus Hamod gained the initial advantage heading into turn two but by the time the field reached turn four, he had been relegated to fourth by Swain as well as Henry Snell, Brodie Gawith with series leader Brandon Demmery right on the rear of the pack. The quartet soon gapped the rest of the field but as is the norm in the production 300 classes the positions in the leading bunch were constantly changing at every corner.
The Supersport 300 field was as close as ever in the opening race of the weekend
As the last lap board was displayed any one of the leading pack could’ve taken the win, but Swain stretched the throttle cable in the run from turn two to four and had a five-bike length lead as they headed to turn six. The four following attempted to close the gap but in a typical tiddler battle, the last corner played a part. It was Gawith who was the victim, as he tried to make a move in the final chicane and crashed out after he set a new lap record on the eighth lap of ten.
It was enough of a buffer to ensure Swain his third win of the year in the class…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Yamaha Finance R3 Cup
The opening race of the Yamaha Finance R3 Cup was another typical extension of the 300s. The race was the last one of the day and was shortened by a lap because of the setting sun infiltrating riders’ vision as they headed up the hill to turn three but the shortened distance only added to the intensity.
As with the 300 class the usual suspects were at the front of the pack for the seven-lap dash but their intensity lifted as the little champions realised there were three kilometres less to make a move.
From lights out it was Swain, Gawith, Demmery, Hamod and Snell who again set the pace. With the nature of the racing to give a lap-by-lap report of proceedings would be extremely difficult to follow as the lead changed so often from corner to corner, let alone who led each lap. As the pack charged across the line, it was Hamod, Swain and Snell with the timing screen giving the race-winning distance as 0.000 between Swain and Hamod….
Read More on ASBK.com.au
bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup
Bodie Paige claimed a decisive race one victory in the bLU cRU Oceania Junior Cup to make it four wins in a row.
As the lights went out, a typical OJC race began. Chopping and changing, dicing and diving, the positions changed frequently as the contenders established themselves at the front. Riley Nauta couldn’t capitalise on his qualifying pace as he progressively slipped down the order to fifth…
Read More on ASBK.com.au
Texan Mikey Lou Sanchez, age 13, won MIR Racing Finetwork Cup Promo3 Race One Saturday at Circuito de Navarra, in Spain. Sanchez won the eight-lap race by 2.4 seconds.
Spaniard Alvaro Bautista won FIM Superbike World Championship Race One Saturday afternoon at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R, Bautista won the 19-lap race by 3.672 seconds. It was Bautista’s 13th consecutive full-length race win and his 17th overall race win in 2023.
Turkish rider Toprak Razgatlioglu rode his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1 to second place, and Northern Irishman Jonathan Rea was third on his Kawasaki Racing Team Ninja ZX-10RR.
American Garrett Gerloff finished 13th on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
WSBK R1
More, from a press release issued by Dorna:
Bautista triumphs in intense battle with Razgatlioglu to secure Race 1 victory at Imola
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased his dominance in WorldSBK Race 1 at Imola, clinching his 17th win of the season and inching closer to the record for most victories in a single campaign. The race witnessed a thrilling battle, with Bautista emerging victorious ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK), who celebrated his 100th WorldSBK podium and extended his impressive streak of 16 consecutive rostrum finishes. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) secured a solid third place, further adding to his extensive collection of 252 career podiums.
Meanwhile, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) put up a remarkable performance, leading the race initially and eventually finishing in fourth place. The Italian rider displayed excellent pace, battling against fierce competition. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) showcased his tenacity as he fought his way to fifth place while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) demonstrated resilience and skill, crossing the line in sixth position after a hard-fought race.
With his triumph, Bautista not only solidified his lead in the championship standings with 382 points but also equaled the record for most wins in a season, tying with Doug Polen in 1991 and Jonathan Rea in 2018 and 2019. Bautista’s performance highlights his unwavering determination to etch his name in WorldSBK history.
Read the full report from Race 1 on worldsbk.com
Bautista dominated at Imola, securing his first victory at the circuit. With a strong performance, he solidifies his position at the top of the championship standings with 382 points, extending his lead over his rivals.
P1 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Honestly, I didn’t expect to win. It was only my second time here at Imola. Today, we made a small change to the bike, and I felt much better in the morning. It started to feel like it did at the other tracks. The race was really tough because it was hot and very slippery. In the beginning, I didn’t feel much confidence to push in the opening laps. I saw several riders with more confidence than me. I started to, step by step, push more. We were missing some grip. I thought it was maybe because I don’t have clean air and the front is struggling a bit. I had some laps with clean air. The feeling with the front was improving so I tried to stay in front and, at least, the front was better.”
Razgatlioglu secured second place in Race 1 and reached a milestone with his 100th career podium in WorldSBK.
Jonathan Rea claims third place in Race 1, reducing the gap to Andrea Locatelli to 13 points in their battle for third position in the WorldSBK championship standings.
Andrea Locatelli finished fourth and maintaining his position ahead of Jonathan Rea in the WorldSBK championship standings.
Kawasaki Racing Team React To New Rev Limits In WorldSBK
Following the announcement by the Federation Internationale de Motocyclisme (FIM) and Dorna WSBK Organization (DWO) that rev limits will be changed following analysis of the relative performance of the machines over the most recent six rounds, the maximum rev limit for Kawasaki will be increased by 250 rpm more from the Imola round onwards; a total of 500 rpm since the season started.
According to point 2.4.3.1 of the FIM rules that define functionality of “Concession and Super Concession” Points – and according to the list of Concession parts allowed 2.4.3.3 c – KRT asked for 250 rpm in the 2 check points (500 rpm in total), after the Motorland race and the Donington race according to the parts nominated in point 2.4.3.3.c.iii in the rule book.
KRT are currently not using those 500rpm and are waiting to introduce at the third check point the items nominated in point 2.4.3.3.c.i
From the beginning of the season, Kawasaki is the manufacturer with less rpm allowed as per how the rules are constructed around mass production machinery. (1,500 rpm less than Ducati for example).
The set of items requested by KRT using concession points, are the same items the FIM did not allow Kawasaki to homologate in the 2021 ZX-10RR iteration due to a difference in interpretation of a “redesigned engine”.
KRT hopes this clarifies the situation and any doubts of the many people not deeply involved in this complex rule, created to help manufacturers improve the performance of their bike during the season.
Italian Stefano Manzi won FIM Supersport World Championship Race One Saturday afternoon at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Manzi won the 16-lap red-flag-shortened race on his Ten Kate Racing Yamaha YZF-R6.
German Marcel Schroetter was the runner-up on his Reparto Corse MV Agusta F3 RR 800, and Italian Nicolo Bulega, the Championship point leader, was third on his Aruba.it Racing Ducati Panigale V2.
Former MotoAmerica regular Valentin Debise, who ride a GMT94 Yamaha, retired from the race and DNF.
WSS R1
Toprak Razgatlioglu was fastest in World Superbike Superpole qualifying Saturday at the Imola circuit, in Italy. Riding his Pata Yamaha Prometeon YZF-R1, the Turkish rider lapped the 3.0-mile track in 1:45.959 to top the field of 25 riders.
Razgatlioglu’s Italian teammate Andrea Locatelli was second-best with a 1:46.017, and Axel Bassani, another Italian, earned the third and final spot on the front row with a time of 1:46.062 on his Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R.
American Garrett Gerloff qualified 14th with a time of 1:47.241 on his Bonovo Action BMW M 1000 RR.
Many riders in the session had lap times cancelled due to waving yellow flags.
WSBK SP Qual
