The race action in The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship got underway on Saturday afternoon, as twenty-four riders lined up onto the gird for the 21-lap race. Despite a pole position start, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was unable to hold onto first at lights out, as Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed the hole shot into Turn 1of Italian rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) who had a rocket start off the line. Toprak followed through in third position on the opening lap, but it was the Yamaha bikes that were strong from the outset as Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) overtook the title leader into third.
#54 CLEARS FIELD: Toprak wins with 9 second gap
Locatelli demonstrated his early race pace as he took the lead from Petrucci on lap 2, whilst further back, stable mates Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) battled for fifth. It was a four-way fight for the podium spots out in front as Locatelli, Petrucci, Razgatlioglu and Rea exchanged positions. Bulega ran wide out onto the circuit with 19 laps remaining, falling to eighth position, and undoing his work earlier in the race.
BULEGA RECOVERS: 8th to 2nd
With 17 laps race distance remaining, Razgatlioglu made his move into first place ahead of the #55, whilst Bautista rode into third ahead of Petrucci and Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). Bautista demonstrated some strong race pace, with spectators hoping a battle for first with the #54 may unfold, however the BMW rider responded to the pressure, managing to gap the field as the race progressed. Meanwhile Ducati’s Bulega made his way back up through the pack, chasing Locatelli for a podium position.
PETRUCCI, BAUTISTA, LOCATELLI, GARDNER OUT: Riders crash out of contention
An early race crash for Australian Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) resulted in the rider being declared unfit due to a left wrist fracture. A crash at Turn 7, on Lap 7 for #9 Petrucci ended his streak of 12 races in the top five, and there was more drama as four laps later Bautista low sided on the entry to turn 9, meaning his Championship hopes are no more. His teammate, Bulega moved into second shortly before Locatelli took a fall out of his rostrum position with 7 laps to go.
55 WINS FOR TOPRAK: BMW take first win in Estoril
It was Razgatlioglu who stormed to victory at the Portuguese track, as Bulega held onto second, whilst an impressive ride from Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) put Honda back on the podium, the first time since Mandalika last year. British rider Alex Lowes secured fourth place ahead of Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) who rounded off the top 6. The afternoon’s Race 1 witnessed the first race with five different manufacturers in the top 5 since last year.
The top six from WorldSBK Race 1, full results here:
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +9.221s
3. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +11.020s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +11.973s
5. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +14.018s
6. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +17.727s
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’37.149s
