Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista claimed a sensational victory in WorldSBK race one having overcome a two second deficit at Circuit Estoril on Saturday.
Bautista claimed the spoils, his 20th in the class, by a mere 0.126s after a dramatic battle with Yamaha’s defending champion Toprak Razgatliolgu. KRT’s Jonathan Rea settling for third in the closing stages after an electric fight as the race fired up.
Cooler than expected conditions greeted the Superbike class ahead of the first 21-lap race in Portugal. Rea lined up on pole after a successful, and record-breaking, morning’s work with race-lap holder Razgatlioglu in second. The KRT rider opting for the development front and harder Pirelli rear compared to the softer option favoured by his rivals.
Razgatlioglu claimed the holeshot as the lights released the action, Bautista maintaining his third place start in the initial corner before Andrea Locatelli came through as the Ducati ran slightly wide. Alex Lowes made a similar move through on the Honda of Iker Lecuona on his way to fifth with Scott Redding running sixth as the opening lap played out. A poor start found Eugene Laverty heading backwards on the Bonovo BMW as he dropped to 12th from his third row start. Tati Mercado crashing out.
Redding was on the move on the lime-green BMW, to fifth, as lap two began and Lowes dropped to seventh. Lecuona splitting the Brits with his HRC teammate Xavi Vierge running behind the trio, in eighth.
Razgatlioglu and Rea were battling hard as lap three concluded. The pair making contact as they circulated a second clear of Locatelli in third with Bautista looking for a way through on the R1, less than a tenth off his wheel.
Bautista made the move stick down the home straight as lap five began. The gap already three-tenths through the opening corner as he powered towards the leading battle - with over two seconds the task to bridge.
Loris Baz entered the top ten on the BMW one lap later, as Rea took charge after a mistake from the leading Turk. The Kawasaki rider managing to salvage his own mistake moments later as he continued his command.
Vierge was through on Lowes to join his teammate in the top seven. Axel Bassani the next rider with the Brit in his sights, two-tenths bahind.
Razgatlioglu was back on the wheels of the Ninja as lap seven fired up, just 0.022s splitting the duo across the line before the attack arrived at turn one. Redding initially coming under pressure from Lecuona in the opening sector before the Spaniard settled into a half-second gap.
The leading battle mirrored next time around as the pair swapped places multiple times. Rea taking charge at the start of lap ten with the two bikes almost inseparable as Bautista began to pick up pace and reel them in from third.
The lead changed again at half distance as Laverty lost out to Go Eleven’s replacement rider Xavi Fores and Kohta Nozane on the GRT Yamaha at the edge of the points. Rea returning to the head of the pack as Bautista halved the deficit to a second at the close of lap 12.
A near-contact move saw the reigning champion gain the advantage through turn one once again, before Rea took it back on the next revolution. The battle having little impact on their dominance over the rest of the field as the gap to fourth sat at over eight seconds with eight laps to go.
Bautista had the duo in his sights as lap 15 concluded, less than half a second separating him from the victory fight as they crossed the line. Razgatlioglu taking the advantage through the first corner with Bautista through to second as Rea ran wide.
Toprak released, he pulled a six-tenth gap on his R1 with five laps to go. Rea circulating over half a second off the Ducati as the race counted down and his tyre gamble failed to pay dividends, with Redding similarly struggling on the M1000RR as he dropped to seventh behind the double Hondas.
Late race pace looked to bring the Fireblades into contention in the battle for fourth as Locatelli struggled 12 seconds adrift of his teammate. Vierge running just half a second adrift off Lecuona, with a second to bridge to the Pata Yamaha ahead.
Two to go and Bautista had the lead after the Panigale powered down the straight, Razgatlioglu hitting back through the first corner on the brakes and maintaining the charge as the lap played out. Rinaldi and Baz bickering for the final top ten positions as Luca Bernardi bettered Laverty at the back of the points.
Lowes took Redding for seventh as the final lap counted down, Razgatlioglu holding his nerve as the victory approached but as the flag came out the Ducati stormed out of the final corner. 0.126s denying the Turk his maiden win of the season with the Spaniard sealing the spoils across the line.
Rea completed the podium over four seconds adrift of the battle at the flag with Locatelli fourth, a further twelve seconds back. Vierge won out on the Honda honours with Lowes leading Redding in the top eight. Rinaldi, Baz and Fores heading Bassani, Bernadi, Nozane and Laverty in the final points positions.
