WSBK Argentinean Round: One hand on title for Razgatlioglu, but fight is on

The title decision will come down to the final round with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) and Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) separated by 30 points after the Argentinean Round. Razgatlioglu took two victories but had to settle for third in Race 2 while Rea bagged three podiums.

Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) bounced back from a crash in Race 1 to claim an emphatic win in Race 2. Still, at a 66 points disadvantage to Razgatlioglu in the standings and only 62 still on offer, his championship chances are over.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a positive weekend with a podium finish while marque colleague Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) impressed again. Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) displayed the potential of the BMW but narrowly missed out on a top 5.

RACE 1

Razgatlioglu stole the holeshot ahead of Redding and Rea. Redding’s race, however, came to a halt before it properly began when he went down through the opening turn. Rea inherited second and he and Razgatlioglu instantly pulled away from the field.

A gap opened between the two frontrunners and was up to over a second at the end of Lap 2. Razgatlioglu ran superior pace and with only the opening stages completed, the race was already his to lose.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team), Bassani and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) contested third with the Ducati coming out best of the three. Lowes was chasing in fourth while Locatelli lost touch and dropped behind Rinaldi into the clutches of van der Mark.

Rinaldi was making up ground and swiftly overtook Lowes to eye up his Ducati colleague Bassani. He utilised his bike’s corner exit speed to accelerate past and into a podium spot at halfway distance.

Out front, his metronomic rhythm had taken Razgatlioglu far out of reach. When taking the chequered flag, his advantage was up to more than five seconds over Rea who had to settle for second. Rinaldi had established himself in third and brought the podium home.

Lowes made his way back past Bassani in the final laps and held the Ducati behind him to the line. Redding had re-joined the race after his early crash and picked his way up the order, the comeback ending in ninth.

SUPERPOLE RACE

Razgatlioglu again led through T1 from polesitter Redding and Rea. The trio instantly gained some breathing space, but Rea lost ground due to a moment through T1. Lowes and Bassani contested P3 with the Ducati taking the early advantage.

Redding ran wide at T15 on the third lap and as Razgatlioglu simultaneously set the fastest lap, a one second gap opened at the front. The Ducati rider held Rea behind him with relative comfort but struggled to reel back in on P1.

The major battle of the race was for sixth between Rinaldi, Locatelli and van der Mark. The riders were locked together and exchanged punches with Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) edging ever closer.

With half the race to go, Redding started to find pace and gradually chipped away on the gap. Going into the final lap, the pair were separated but just over a tenth.

Redding capitalised when Razgatlioglu left the door open and swept past down the inside. However, he himself ran wide at the next turn to allow his opponent back through. The race came down to a drag to the line where Razgatlioglu narrowly prevailed. Rea completed the podium in third.

RACE 2

Razgatlioglu prevailed at the lights chased by Rea and the duo exchanged positions twice on the opening lap. Redding slotted in at third with Bassani behind him who overtook his Ducati colleague on Lap 2.

Rea capitalised to snatch P1 when Razgatlioglu ran wide on the second lap. His lead was short-lived though as positions swapped and changed in a breakaway four. Van der Mark was on the pace and edged closer to the group, dragging Rinaldi and Locatelli with him.

The top bunch was swiftly up to seven riders, led again by Razgatlioglu who was under pressure from Rea. Despite the duo exchanging punches, Redding was the only rider able to match the pace and a gap gradually opened to Bassani.

Razgatlioglu stepped up the tempo and Redding slotted in as first chaser, accelerating into P2 down start/finish. The Ducati rider went one better on the back straight, sweeping past the Yamaha with the Panigale’s top speed. Behind, Rinaldi had claimed van der Mark for fifth while Locatelli had dropped away significantly.

Redding pulled the pin and set fastest laps to edge out a comfortable advantage. Rea shadowed Razgatlioglu and momentarily overtook only to be repeatedly outhorsepowered on the straights.

The defending champion finally sustained P2 with six laps to go but could not shake Razgatlioglu off easily. Rea put his head down and steadily gained some breathing space although his opponent kept up the pressure.

Redding was up and away and stormed to an emphatic victory. Rea kept Razgatlioglu behind him to keep his title challenge alive.