Toprak Razgatlioglu looked to secure his first clean sweep for Pata Yamaha in France taking Sunday’s second WorldSBK race in dominant style.
The Turk crossed the line three-seconds ahead of his title-rival - and former Kawasaki mentor - Jonathan Rea after an intense race-long battle, with the podium reflecting the championship standings as Aruba Ducati’s Scott Redding took third.
A late-afternoon protest, however, deemed the young pretender had touched the green on the last lap of the morning's Superpole battle, with Rea reinstated as victor, thus removing the full-set from the Yamaha's clutches.
The 21-lap feature race saw Razgatlioglu head the KRT’s on the front row. The track recording the hottest temperatures of the weekend so far, as the lights released for the final contest. The Yamaha maintained control as the opening lap unfolded, Alex Lowes bettering his teammate in the early stages after challenging for the lead as Redding slotted in to fourth.
Rea was back to second at the Imola chicane next time around, as Andrea Locatelli sat on the wheels of the Ducati on the edge of the top-five. Lowes suffering a second fall from podium contention as he bowed out at turn six.
Rea took charge after two laps of action, the Kawasaki immediately pulling a gap before the Pata Yamaha regrouped, Redding joining the podium party ahead of Michael van der Mark and Locatelli.
Chaz Davies was running strongly in sixth as the third lap concluded, Razgatlioglu challenging for the lead before the Northern Irishman struck back.
The trio continued to circulated two-seconds ahead of the pack, but almost inseparable from each other. Leon Haslam replicating Lowes’ crash on lap five.
The top-five battle fired up as the race continued, Davies honing in on Locatelli with Michael van der Mark and Michael Rinaldi challenging behind. Alvaro Bautista heading Garrett Gerloff and Tom Sykes to round out the top-10.
The lead changed again with 12 to go, Razgatlioglu forcing his way through but only for a couple of corners before the reigning champion returned the move. The battle continuing to rage throughout the mid-race distance as the determined pair matched each other at every turn.
Bautista was on the move with eighth laps to go, sitting sixth ahead of Rinaldi as van der Mark dipped to eighth.
The late-braking Turk continued to get the better of the six-time champion as the race neared its end, Rea repeatedly getting within a tenth of the R1 before the move was denied. Redding circulating over five-seconds adrift of the duelling duo but safe on the podium.
The penultimate lap saw Rea settle for second, Razgatlioglu pulling three-seconds clear as the flag approached with Redding completing the top-three. Locatelli securing fourth as Davies completed his best finish since Assen, in fifth as top Independent rider with GoEleven.
