The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola hosted the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship again and the four-year wait was rewarded with thrilling battles and a huge surprise in the title fight. There were plenty of ups and a few downs throughout the Prometeon Italian Round as riders went in search of their first win and a first feature-length victory of the season came to one while some riders struggled throughout the weekend.
PATA YAMAHA CELEBRATE: Razgatlioglu wins Race 2, Locatelli returns to the rostrum
After three Tissot Superpole Race wins in 2023, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) made it clear his next goal was to win a feature-length race. That came on Sunday afternoon in Race 2 when he fended off Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) in a shortened 15-lap encounter. The gap in the Championship closed thanks to his rival’s opening lap crash. The Turk also celebrated his 100th WorldSBK podium with second in Race 1. On the other side of the garage, Andrea Locatelli led his first races since his rookie campaign in Race 1 and the Superpole Race. His reward was just a single podium, with third in the Sunday morning race, but three top-four finishes means he remains third in the Championship standing.
A HOME HERO ON THE PODIUM: celebrations all round for Bassani
Bassani usually has a habit of coming good in races after a slow start in practice and Superpole, but Imola was different for the #47. In the top four in Friday’s combined timesheets, the Feltre-born star was on a mega Superpole lap that would’ve moved him into provisional pole as he carved his way through traffic in the second half of the lap before a tumble at Rivazza 1. He was seventh in Race 1 after a huge save shortly after he took the lead, and sixth in the Superpole Race. However, in Race 2, he fought with Razgatlioglu and led as he went in search of an emotional maiden win. It wasn’t to be this time, but there was plenty to cheer about for the top Independent rider as he finished as the lead Ducati and returned to the rostrum.
IN THE TOP SIX: Ray takes best WorldSBK result to date
Another rider quick out of the blocks was rookie Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team). After a clear step forward at Donington Park, the reigning British champion finished Friday in 11th in the combined timesheets. He stunned in Superpole to take sixth but dropped back to 15th in Race 1. He was 16th in the Superpole Race which cost him a top-nine slot on the grid for Race 2, but this was no problem for the Kent-born rider. He battled his way back through to take P6; comfortably his best result to date. Will his fine form continue heading to Most?
A MIXED BAG FOR THE CHAMPION: Race 1 win, Race 2 tumble
Alvaro Bautista’s (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) made a habit of winning in 2023 with 17 wins in 21 races. He’s been beaten twice on track by Razgatlioglu – in the Superpole Races at Donington and Imola, while the other two defeats came when he crashed – but he gave up 25 points to his rival in Race 2. After getting the holeshot, Bautista led into the Tamburello chicane but clipped the inside white line at Turn 3, sending him and his Panigale V4 R into the gravel. His Race 1 win and Superpole Race podium helpoed limit the damage but he now leads the #54 by 70 points heading into Round 8. How crucial could this crash be in the title race?
THE IMOLA DOWNS: Petrucci not in the podium fight, Honda struggle
After a huge step forward at Misano and repeating that at Donington with his first podium, there were high hopes for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) at his second home round. He was fast on Friday, finishing in the top ten, and was tenth in the Superpole session. In Race 1, he battled his way up to sixth and finished around 11 seconds off the podium, while he was eighth in the Superpole Race. In Race 2, the Italian could only manage ninth as he lost ground to Bassani in the Independent Riders’ Championship. It was a challenging weekend for Team HRC, too, who made only one appearance in the top ten. Xavi Vierge was fourth in FP1 and 15th in the combined times, with Iker Lecuona in 16th, while the #97 took 13th in Superpole and his teammate 17th. Lecuona was 10th in Race 2 for Honda’s highlight, their first top-ten since Misano Race 2 when Vierge was fifth. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) ended his weekend in the gravel with a Turn 7 crash after taking ninth and seventh while teammate Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was challenging for podiums.
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Source: WorldSBK.com