Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed first blood as the WorldSBK finale fired up at the all-new Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia on Friday.
Razgatlioglu claimed the standings on 1’34.230 pace having controlled the times across the opening day’s two free practice sessions. Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea completed Friday second in the times, just 0.174 off his title rival having regrouped from a difficult morning while GRT Yamaha’s Garett Gerloff matched the Ninja on pace for third.
Friday saw the title race split in half as Razgatlioglu dominated the inaugural practice at Lombok’s Mandalika International Street Circuit, with defending champion Rea down in just 11th by the close of the first 45-minute session.
The Pata Yamaha challenger hit the front and controlled from the outset as the only rider to set repeated fastest laps before commanding the times by 1.5 seconds over second-best Alex Lowes, thanks to his blistering 1’34.985 lap. The Kawasaki rider seemed to be on fine form after recent surgery on the wrist injury that had plagued the latter part of the season, with Lowes passed fit to continue for the remainder of the weekend action.
His KRT teammate, however, was facing opposing fortunes as he acquainted himself with the Indonesian layout. Forced to sit out of the majority of the session due to technical issues, Rea completed just 10 - compared to the average 18 - laps of the 4.3km track, running 2.5 seconds adrift of Friday’s fastest after the first session and 11th in the times.
Gerloff rivalled Lowes for pace as the morning came to a close, sitting just half a tenth back on the Brit with Aruba.it Ducati’s Scott Redding and Orelac Racing’s Issac Viñales in touch in the top five.
As the afternoon action fired up, Lowes was back at the top before he slid out at turn two, Rea taking over in the times before Toprak arrived once again. Gerloff and Redding battled for runner-up honours as the practice action continued with three-tenths covering the top five after the initial 15 minutes.
The pace increased as the green track bedded in, Razgatlioglu continuing to refine the times with 1’34. 651 the target at the halfway stage. Ducati’s Michael Ruben Rinaldi joined the fight with 20 minutes to go, finding second thanks to a 1’34.9 to sit four-hundredths ahead of his soon-to-depart teammate Redding.
Andrea Locatelli got up to speed on the second Pata Yamaha in the final third as he became the next to challenge for second, his teammate advancing the gap once again with a 1’34. 230 to retain dominance out front.
Rea found his rhythm as the session counted down, striking for second with a 1’34.4 and circulating two-tenths behind his title rival as the end of day push began. Locatelli and Rinaldi continued to fight for best of the rest as Lowes retained his grip on the top five.
Axel Bassani found late-session pace on the Motocorsa Ducati as he made his way to fourth, demoting both of the factory Panigales in the process, before Gerloff and Leon Haslam bettered as the clock counted down. Lowes tailing the pair for fifth with four minutes to go.
Alvaro Bautista showed promise on his last weekend in Honda colours by advancing the Fireblade into the top four, two-tenths adrift with just over two minutes remaining. Redding pushing hard late on to move from 11th to seventh before improving next time around back into the top five.
As the chequered flag called time on the opening day in Indonesia, Razgatlioglu remained firmly in control thanks to his earlier 1’34.230 effort, from championship rival Rea. Gerloff headed the late-charging duo of Bautista and Redding with Haslam bettering Lowes in the top seven. Locatelli led BWM’s Michael van der Mark and Bassani in the top 10 while Rinaldi and Viñales circulated just seven-tenths off Friday’s fastest time.
