Before the start of the Phillip Island weekend, the greatest unknown was represented by the weather and, if the sun made everything easy on Friday’s free practice, on Saturday’s race the rain peeped out to shuffle the cards. However, the weather pardoned the riders, who took to the track for the first heat without the rain but with the track still damp. In these conditions, Jonathan Rea came out on top, who was able to take advantage of the hustle and bustle created in the middle of the race, when the track dried and the riders returned to change tyres.
The veteran didn’t let himself be taken by surprise and in Australia he put an end to a fast of victories that lasted 24 races, the longest of his career. The Northern Irishman was determined to get back on the top step of the podium and took advantage of a track that suited him and a particular condition, in which experience proves him right. With this triumph, Rea gives a great show of strength, as does all of Kawasaki, which puts both factory riders on the podium. Alex Lowes is the author of a solid performance and closes Race 1 with a third place, despite paying 15 seconds from his teammate.
Between the two is Toprak Razgatlioglu, who started from the second row and author of an excellent start which allows him to be constantly in the fight for victory. This didn’t arrive, but the Yamaha rider, unhappy with the performance of his R1 on Friday’s free practice, can be satisfied with his second place. Andrea Locatelli also did well, remaining close to the podium, but managed to close the first heat of the weekend with an excellent fourth position.
The absence of Ducati from the podium is surprising. However, Alvaro Bautista’s fifth place is enough for the Rossa di Borgo Panigale to win the constructors’ and teams’ world title. Aruba.it Racing – Ducati is world champion and thus crowns a practically perfect year. It wasn’t the best race of the season for the fresh reigning champion, but the party is still great. For Ducati it is the first constructors’ title after 11 years and the 18th overall.
Not only Aruba, Motocorsa also definitively closes the games in Race 1 at Phillip Island and conquers the title of best independent team. Axel Bassani finished in seventh position and it was enough for him to stay behind his direct rival Garrett Gerloff, sixth, to be able to bring the title to the team. Ducati therefore does the en plein. The negative note of Race 1 is Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who can’t go beyond 11th place.
Excellent race for Honda, which defends itself despite the absence of the starting rider Iker Lecuona: Xavi Vierge is eighth ahead of Tetsuta Nagashima. An important match for the Japanese, called to replace the injured Spaniard and author of an incredible performance. Between the two Honda standard bearers Loris Baz, better than the BMW representatives: on the other hand, a forgettable Saturday for the two official standard bearers, Scott Redding is only 16th and Michael van der Mark ends up in the gravel at turn 4 a few laps from the end.
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