The seventh round of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is banked and what a round it was. We knew Imola was going to be special but nobody could’ve predicted how it’d shake out come the close of the weekend. From the biggest mistake by the Championship leader, a long-awaited full race win and rev limits talking, this week’s hot headlines are more speziato than usual.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducat): “I was a bit stupid… maybe I got to Race 2 with too much confidence”
A first race crash of 2023 down to his own error, Championship leader Alvaro Bautista cited a possible touch of over-confidence as the reason why: “I touched the white line. I did many laps touching the white line but maybe not on the first lap. It was my mistake because I made a good start, and I defended the first corner very well. When I did the change of direction, I went more inside and maybe I trusted it a lot on the first lap. I crashed. It was my fault. I have to learn from that. No drama but I was a bit stupid because I think it was a bit of a combination of everything. I fought with Toprak in the Superpole Race so maybe I got to Race 2 with too much confidence. Sometimes, this isn’t good. Sunday has been a good lesson to show me that I can improve as a rider and I can improve my management of the situation.”
Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing): “I tried… but Toprak is Toprak!”
A valiant effort from home-hero Axel Bassani, who led for most of Race 2, but was denied: “I tried! I had a good feeling, so I tried to manage the race, do my pace but Toprak is Toprak! I tried to beat him but we’ll see next time. The bike of Toprak was a little bit better, it was my first time at the front, so it’s not easy to manage the race. Toprak did his job, his 100%, he put some distance between us but it’s normal, it’s racing. I tried to stay in front of Jonny and it’s OK to be P2 here at Imola. It’s a really difficult track for me but I am happy to arrive to as first Ducati. I think we did our job today! It’s not easy when you have Jonny behind but now, I feel good with him there because we’ve battled a lot in the past. The same for Toprak; I enjoy battling with them.”
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “Finally! I’m surprised Alvaro crashed… the Championship isn’t finished”
Winning a feature race for the first time in 2023, the monkey is now off Toprak Razgatlioglu’s back: “This year, finally! I’ve waited for this moment for many weekends! I am surprised Alvaro crashed at Turn 3, it was a strange crash. He touched the white line because after two laps, I did the same and the feeling was that I lost the front and rear, but I didn’t crash. I am happy as I’ve waited every weekend for this, I tried to ride alone after Alvaro crashed but Axel was very strong. I kept the rear tyre, started to follow him and then passed him in the last three laps. I didn’t take any risks because for me, it was a very important race.”
However, his Superpole Race win was more memorable in his words, whilst he’s not giving up on title #2 just yet: “I had a better win in the Superpole Race because Alvaro is very strong and had very good pace. I caught him and passed him at Turn 9, where he wasn’t as strong. He rode the last lap very well and into the last chicane, I felt him very close and coming out of Turn 19, there’s a big screen and I saw him very close! I tried hard braking into the final chicane and didn’t stop easy! I took the win; it’s very special because after 0.5s gap, I closed to up to him and passed him. 70 points is a lot but the Championship is not finished; I’m focused race by race like 2021, just trying to win.”
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “I don’t understand my team or Kawasaki’s direction…”
Speaking about Kawasaki’s rev limit increase that they’re not using and a potential engine upgrade later in the year, Jonathan Rea was slightly confused by his team’s strategy regarding the situation: “I have no idea, technically, you’ll have to speak with my team. 500rpm helps as you can be more aggressive with the final gearing, be much shorter with the acceleration as you have more over-rev. I guess with the camshaft, this will be a better spec so maybe we’ll generate more power but I don’t know. I’m surmising now, so speak with the team. I don’t understand my team or Kawasaki’s direction with this is though, because obviously, we need to get concession points first before we can get this final piece, but the idea is to be on the podium and trying to fight for race wins which doesn’t get the concession points needed; we need to be competitive. I hope we don’t get it because I hope that means we’re doing a good job and don’t need them. It’s a strange one.”
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “Alvaro is doing a great job… we, as Ducati, are paying the price”
Three top five results for a consistent Michael Ruben Rinaldi, who also touched on the rev limits topic: “I think that Alvaro is doing a great job and he deserves what we’re achieving. We, as Ducati, are paying that price by getting the revs reduced. We’ll keep working and see if we can fight for the podium in the next race.”
Brad Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team): “We’re able to fight with the top guys!”
One of the stand-out riders of the round was Brad Ray, with the British rookie taking a stunning P6 in Race 2: “I think it’s been coming from round to round. We’ve been getting stronger. On paper, it hasn’t looked great. There’s always been little things that have been happening that have hindered the progress throughout the weekend. We seem to have come to a really strong track for me and it’s first time here. This weekend, we worked in a bit of a different way with the team. I understood a bit more about how I need to ride the bike and what I need from the bike. We’ve made a very good step and the Superpole helped a lot to be able to be in that top ten group. I’m super happy for the team and myself to prove that the pace is there and that we’re able to fight with the top guys. It’s all come together this weekend and when it does, then we’re able to be competitive.”
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK): “Sometimes, it’s difficult to speak with them to explain what I want to do”
Speaking of his weekend, Andrea Locatelli wasn’t happy with a mistake on tyre choice: “We need to understand why I can’t always stay with the front guys. Race 2 was more difficult. Sometimes, it’s difficult to speak with them to explain what I want to do. The real story from Race 1 was the soft on the front and the 800 rear. It was wrong on the front and good on the rear. On Sunday, we went the opposite: SC1 on the front, SCX on the rear. The rear feeling wasn’t good. Every time, especially with tyres, we maybe choose the wrong one. Maybe I was a little bit unlucky. We lost something and we need to know why, especially for the future. When we have the opportunity to be in front and pushing, we are so close. I want to understand with my crew chief and team what we lost, especially in Race 2, and prepare for Most. I’d like to be more competitive and try to win a race.”
Watch round highlights from our return to Imola here and enjoy 2023 with the WorldSBK VideoPass!
Source: WorldSBK.com