WSBK: Razgatlioglu Leads Historic Yamaha 1-2-3 in Estoril Superpole Race

Toprak Razgatlioglu stormed to another dominant victory in the Estoril Superpole Race and led a Yamaha 1-2-3 over the line.

Razgatlioglu hit the front at the lights and never looked back from there. Garrett Gerloff brought home a comfortable second place while Michael van der Mark came out top of a feisty duel to secure the first-ever Yamaha podium lockout in WorldSBK history.

The top 3 championship finishers are already decided with Jonathan Rea, Scott Redding and Chaz Davies. On a different table, Michael Ruben Rinaldi wrapped up the Independent Riders’ Championship.

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team) had a blistering start from pole and led the field into Turn 1. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) was in close pursuit with Leon Haslam (Team HRC) following in third.

Razgatlioglu wasted no time and started to make a break immediately. Gerloff was soon out of touch to his fellow Yamaha, but held a comfortable advantage over the rest of the field. Haslam, however, suffered early in the race as he lost positions first to Chaz Davies (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) subsequently followed by Michael van der Mark (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team).

Following their crashes in qualifying, Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing Ducati) again had to start the race from way down the order. By Lap 3, Rea had made his way up to P5 while Redding had broken into the top 10.

While Razgatlioglu kept setting fastest laps out front, punches were exchanged in the field. Davies and van der Mark engaged in a feisty battle for third with Rea hot on their case. Behind, a big group of riders with Haslam, Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC), Redding, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GoEleven) and Xavi Fores (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was fighting for positions.

Redding took charge on Lap 6, moving into sixth with his sight set on Rea ahead of him. The Kawasaki rider had not managed to reel in Davies and van der Mark, despite the pair swapping paint numerous times.

The duo made contact through Turn 3 on Lap 7, but both managed to stay on their bikes and the battle lost none of its intensity. Van der Mark executed a crucial move on the penultimate lap and while Davies had previously always found an answer to his opponent, he was unable to retaliate this time.

Razgatlioglu was only fighting the clock and took the chequered flag with a two second advantage. Gerloff came home in second and van der Mark held Davies at bay to secure a historic first Yamaha podium lockout.

Rea kept Redding behind him for fifth while Bautista and Haslam had broken away from the pack to finish seventh and eight respectively. Rinaldi secured the final point on offer and crucially wrapped up the independent riders title that he fought over with Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) the entire season.

Fores just missed out in 10^th but held Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) narrowly behind him. Jonas Folger (Bonovo Action by MGM Racing) was 13^th from Leandro Mercado (Motocorsa Racing) and Matteo Ferrari (Barni Racing Team).

Eugene Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished 16^th ahead of the MIE Racing Honda Team machines of Takumi Takahashi and Eric Granado. Sheridan Morais (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) and Loris Cresson (Outdo Kawasaki TPR) were the last riders to finish the race. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) and Baz did not see the chequered flag following crashes at the Parabolica and Gancho respectively.