Very hot sunshine greeted Superbike this Sunday morning in Donington, with the Superpole Race opening the last day of the weekend. In the sprint race, when it comes to giving everything without thinking about strategies, Toprak Razgatlioglu wins, who takes the first position as soon as the lights go out so as not to leave it until the checkered flag. The reigning world champion prevails on Jonathan Rea, who follows up with just over a second behind.
The Kawasaki rider never manages to worry the Yamaha rider, who still gnaws a few points in the general classification, while the multiple world champion has to “settle” for second position on his home track, but still earns 3 points over his direct rival Alvaro Bautista, still leader but with 13 points ahead.
In the last few laps it is the fight for the last step of the podium between Scott Redding and Alex Lowes. The British BMW rider, who started from the front row, managed to maintain third position throughout the race, keeping behind his compatriot from Kawasaki. Lowes, however, breaks the delay with three laps to go, launching the attack that brings him to third position. The two engage in a duel, but the BMW standard bearer manages to close all the doors and defend himself in order to keep third place until the finish line. For Redding it is the first podium with BMW, an important result in a weekend in which the Monaco manufacturer has brought several innovations that seem to be effective.
After the leap, Lowes appears submissive and in the last lap suffers the overtaking of an Alvaro Bautista in pain compared to direct rivals in the championship. Only fifth for the whole race, he concludes a great overtaking on the Kawasaki rider in the last lap, going to take the fourth position against one of the home idols. The Spaniard from Ducati remains at the foot of the podium, but maintains the lead in the overall standings. Lowes is queued up instead, fifth at the checkered flag.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi is the second of the Ducati riders and closes the Superpole Race in sixth position ahead of Iker Lecuona, seventh and more in difficulty. A tiring race especially for his teammate Xavi Vierge, who remained in the rear and the protagonist of an accident, fortunately without consequences, with Tarran Mackenzie, then put under investigation.
Andrea Locatelli, after having given a show in the early stages of the race with a duel with Lecuona, does not go beyond the eighth position, while Loris Baz is ninth and first of the independent drivers. The other independent Garrett Gerloff closes the top 10, tenth with the Yamaha of the GRT team. Difficult Superpole Race for Axel Bassani, who fails to be effective and remains in 12th position, behind Philipp Oettl, 11th. The other Italian Roberto Tamburini, 21st, also struggles a lot.
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