SBK | Misano, Race 1: Toprak beats Bulega and Bautista and becomes leader

Race 1 at Misano didn’t offer a great show on the track, but it was certainly a historic moment: Toprak Razgatlioglu brought BMW back to the top of the world championship. The Turk triumphed in Saturday’s heat, overcoming the two Ducatis of Nicolò Bulega, second, and Alvaro Bautista, third. With Razgatlioglu’s victory, BMW returns to dominate a ranking for the first time in 2012. Starting from first place, the Turk was outwitted at the start by an explosive Remy Gardner. The Australian took the lead only to be overtaken by the BMW rider, who took off and also managed to contain the Ducatis, who immediately moved into podium position, displacing the GRT rider.

With Razgatlioglu on the run, Bulega tried to nibble away a few tenths only to then have to watch his back from his teammate. The rookie of the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati team attempted an approach halfway through the race, then having to “settle” for second place, more than a second and a half behind the winner, Toprak. However, Bulega managed to contain Bautista, who closed the podium in third place. The reigning world champion was slower, crossing the finish line three seconds behind his direct rival in the championship, also losing the lead by 3 points.

At the foot of the podium we find Andrea Locatelli, fired up in the early stages of the race, but then very distant from the group of the first three. The Bergamo native was the first of the Yamaha riders to reach the finish line, an important result if we think about the complicated Saturday for the Iwata manufacturer. In fact, his teammate Jonathan Rea fell in the initial stages and, getting up with a limp, went to the medical centre. Dominique Aegerter also retired due to a technical problem on his R1, which emitted white smoke. Remy Gardner was sixth, leading the race on the first lap, but then outside the top 5 at the finish line.

Alex Lowes was inserted between the two Yamaha riders (Locatelli and Gardner), who managed to bring the Kawasaki to fifth position, while his teammate Axel Bassani fought for the top 10 with Iker Lecuona, being overtaken at the end and finishing 11th. Seventh position for Andrea Iannone, author of a more opaque performance than usual. The Goeleven team driver was unable to be as incisive as his brand mates and preceded Michael van der Mark, eighth with BMW.

Stoic Danilo Petrucci, who in the first race after the bad injury managed not only to cross the finish line, but to conquer a top 10 with a ninth position. The Barni team driver fought against the pain, competing in a defensive race but gaining precious points and the satisfaction of having reached the end. The race of the other Ducati rider Michele Pirro was more complicated, present as a wild card and only 13th at the finish line, Michael Ruben Rinaldi is the last of the Ducati riders with 14th position at the checkered flag. Sam Lowes fell instead.

Another complicated race for Honda, which despite Iker Lecuona’s good starting position, concluded the first heat of the weekend outside the top 10: rider #7 did not go beyond tenth position, while Xavi Vierge crashed in the initial stages of competition. It didn’t go any better for team mates Adam Norrodin and Tarran MacKenzie, with the former only 20th and the latter withdrawing due to a technical problem.