Submitted by Jared Earle on Sat, 2022-07-16 13:51

World Superbike started at Donington Park and all these years later still hosts exciting races. Twenty three laps under an uncharacteristically scorching English sun, with the air at 24ºC and the track at 42ºC, the English crowds had something to enjoy. Tyre choice would be important, with Rea, Lowes, Redding and Bautista all taking the development SC1 front tyre and the SCX rear while Razgatlioglu and Rinaldi chose the same front but an SC0 rear. Philip Oetll would start the race three places further back because of dangerous and irresponsible riding in Free Practice Two.

The race started with Toprak Razgatlioglu getting the jump on the Kawasakis and taking the lead into turn one. Jonathan Rea tried to take the lead in to the Fogarty Esses but suffered from a bit of a wobble. On lap two, Alex Lowes took second place from Alvaro Bautista with Rea in fourth place behind them only for Bautista to take second back.

Lap four, and Jonathan Rea took third place from his teammate, leaving him to fend off Scott Redding, making the most of his new swingarm in fifth place. As Razgatlioglu escaped at the front, almost a second clear of Bautista by lap five, Rea almost lost the rear exiting the Esses, fishtailing the rear coming off the kerbs as he tried to take second place in a duel that would continue for lap after lap.

On lap eight, Razgatliogli led by by over a second and a half as Rea leaned on Bautista exiting the Melbourne Hairpin and the pair duelled through the first third of the track with Rea looking for a way past. On lap nine, Rea tried on the inside of turn eleven and made a tight pass into Goddards, the treacherous final turn, as Bautista missed the apex. Rea got past and stared down a two and a half second gap to Razgatlioglu in the distance. 

A lap later, the gap was still over a second and a half. Two seconds behind third-placed Alvaro Bautista, Scott Redding battled with Alex Lowes for fourth place, over a second clear of Iker Lacuna and Axel Bassani. 

At half race distance, Toprak Razgatlioglu led Jonathan Rea and Alvaro Bautista by over three seconds. At the start of lap thirteen, that gap was three and a half seconds as Razgatliuoglu lapped two tenths of a second quicker than Rea who was defending against an onslaught of passing attempts from Bautista. A lap later, Razgatlioglu's lead was over four seconds. Scott Redding, two seconds behind Rea and Bautista, had broken free of Alex Lowes and led him by over a second. At the end of lap fifteen, Rea overshot the entry into the final corner, his bike suffering over the tiny bumps of Goddards, and Bautista pounced on his chance to take second place back. A lap later, Bautista lots the front in the same corner and he crashed out, letting Rea charge into second place and putting Scott Redding into a podium place. 

Alvaro Bautista recovered in last place, pitting in, as his championship rivals escaped, Razgatlioglu leading Rea by almost six seconds with six laps to go. Alex Lowes in fourth place closed up to Scott Redding, two and a half seconds off Rea, and the pair nearly touched in the Melbourne Hairpin as Lowes unsuccessfully tried to pass. With four laps to go, Lowes made a pass into the Esses stick but Redding struck back into the hairpin. Lowes passed into GHoddards, but Redding took third place back into turn one. Lowes took third place into the Craner Curves and held it for the remainder of the lap.

With two laps to go, Toprak Razgatlioglu led Jonathan Rea by over seven seconds, with Alex Lowes and Scott Redding over three seconds further back. Razgatlioglu started the last lap with a clear chance for his first feature race victory and ticked off every corner neatly, checking to see if he had showboating time as he turned the last corner. Seeing nobody behind him, he hoiked his Yamaha into a stoppie and crossed the line in true Toprak style, on his front wheel.

Toprak Razgatlioglu won the race convincingly, with Jonathan Rea second and Alex Lowes third. Alex Lowes and fourth-placed Scott Redding had their best results of the year in front of their home crowds. Axel Bassani was the highest placed independent rider and highest placed Ducati, finishing ahead of sixth-placed Michael Ruben Rinaldi.

Toprak Razgatlioglu's victory, with Alvaro Bautista's DNF, closed the world champion to within fifty four points of the leader and only thirty eight behind second-placed Jonathan Rea. Rea's second place meant he is only sixteen points behind the championship leader. 

(Still trying to get through Summer break evidently)

Wow, thank you Jared! This race offers lots to take in and appreciate. Interesting in many ways, eh?

I’ve never been so hot at a UK circuit before! And forecast to be even hotter tomorrow. Not as hot as the racing, though. Today was a corker - can’t wait to see if Toprak cleans up in the next two races or if Rea or Bautista can come back at him. Wonderful to see WSBK so vibrant again.

^ If you get downtime later and are inclined, getting your perspectives and standout thoughts would be wonderful. What are you noticing? Anyone else at Donington feel like chiming in for hungry TV bound mutterrers? 

How was that Lowes/Redding battle looking? People talking about it? Are locals finding Redding's riding to their liking? The BMW? Noticing his complaints? The BMW electronics used to be a strength at their onset. 

Are things "back to normal" or are things odd/different? 

Bautista going down, how did that go over? 

Toprak and Yamaha getting praise? He Lorenzo'd!!

What of the various bikes and how they are getting around the track? 

Noticing the Wildcards? Any insight on changes in their bikes from BSB? Comparison w WSBK? 

30 min "buildup" to SBK race 1

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=zG-yY-s8na4

Race 1 Highlights 15 mins, choppy, english

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=B0_tml4fdVc

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dUspA3QbCQE

Hi Motomatters Man Steve English, thanks for not golfing today!

v Ape, swingarm, or Redding being at his English track? How is drive grip in heat?

I have been a Hickman fan. He is of course a Roads guy and good to see him here too. 

Did you anticipate Axel Bassani  coming forward this year like me? Kid holds promise, he is YOUNG. If you factor out Bautista and his fuse-braids like today Axel looks good eh? "It sucks to share a bike w an Astronaut." I think of the inverse being Duc MotoGP, great flattering kit, everyone Earth bound. Seems like we can "see" Axel today.

Enjoy riding, I'm doing yard work and finishing a small outbuilding "hut" by the shop w music. It is getting a bed and a 55 gal race fuel drum fire barrel (angle grinder!) - nearly started a brush fire.

Heck yes for Tarran Mackenzie, holding fast and he is as SCOTTISH as they come. Don't let the B of BSB fool you. His father Niall? Born in Stirling, central Scotland. Don't say English, nor even British please and thanks. The National Wallace Monument tower overlooks the site of the 1297 Battle of Stirling Bridge, where William Wallace won an important race with privateer kit as a Wildcard. 

T Mac 10 second gap over Haslam, racing for 10th in strong company today. Not exactly "his" R1 either, ask Steve English here at Motomatters:

https://motomatters.com/blog_entry/2019/04/22/steve_english_blog_bsb_vs_...

Excellent ride for his first time on a WSBK-spec bike; he'll do well if he gets a move to WSBK full-time -- especially since he's been injured this year. Some good racing up front and for the podium, but ... still huge gaps between riders as things go on, not great for the series. The WSS racing was better today, as it has been all year.

^ If you had funding and an adaptive rider, what bike would you run in your WSS team Larry?

Based on who's winning, you'd still have to consider the series a bit of an R6 Cup, wouldn't you? My heart says Ducati, though.

Since you put the question, I would run a Ducati V2 Panigale. Had my first ride on one over the weekend a 959. Good fun, I need to get more familiar with the brakes. Hate that hi/low beam switch! Otherwise all good.

Warm English summer with hot track action!

Congratulations to Toprak! A champion's dominant win at the circuit where Razgatlıoğlu took his first podium in WSBK. yours truly was there. TR 1 is still only 25 years old.

Jonathan made a good race & took the maximum points he could.

Alvaro made a big mistake on the bumps down into Goddard's. Not Happy! That's racing, I am hoping AB19 can keep it together for the rest of the weekend & the remainder of the season. We'll see.

Congratulations Scott Redding! Guess the new swingarm works alright.

Well done Axel Bassani, first Ducati, beat Michael Ruben Rinaldi! Both factory Duc riders in fact.

Good result for Tarran Mackenzie to. In his first World SBK ride. Seems he will do 3 races this weekend. I guess he will get 2 more wildcards, but that's not clear. BSB at Brands Gp circuit next weekend, then TM95 could do Most a week later. Portimao in October might work for Mackenzie as well. Looks like T.M.95 would like to move to SBK full time next year.

https://www.visordown.com/news/racing/bsb/tarran-mackenzie-confirms-thre...

Yes Motoshrink it was a good race. I will watch the WSS race next, then a winter ride if all goes well.

Superbike race 1 utterly unimportant notes.

White bikes/leathers are bad luck. Can't BMW bring the German flag? Redding has room on his right arm for more tattoos. I like the bike in Superstock. The chassis is lovely! Into SBK? Electronics are better. Grip of soft slicks may point out a soft bit on drive. Swingarm says most. Redding at Donington says me. But drive out matters, is it electronics, mechanical grip, or riding style? Redding has been constantly adapting his style here this wknd where he has strong proprioceptic memory at speed. Yesterday he looked quite different from outing and corner to outing. 

Redding complains alot, but BMW is listening. Sometimes a strong rider can drag a bike fwd. Quartararo is currently. Rea is trying to. So, BMW has a chassis, electronics are in flux, the ENGINE isn't well accounted for. This generation bike started its go on a Superstock motor.

I eagerly awaited the full fat wick up 2nd Superbike motor! Asked everyone about it. Couldn't read the tea leaves. Still watching the drag race - this motor should be coming! Watch BMW, they could be about to take a step.

Approaching this wknd? Thinking of the Championship. Redtista brings concern. The Kawi bike is seen as ready to grow. Toprak has become a focal rider, and his style on the Yamaha is transcending SBK. Braking like an Alien. Our Turkish friend has the goods. Does his periodically anemic Blue ride meet what is just for a paddock Alien?

Scott Redding's mustache, sunglasses and basic countenance? Sex offender. Having to assess and diagnose them, must suggest Redding consult a "makeover." No, no braids. Clean-cut, and stop complaining about your bike unless your audience is your employer. Methinks they can bring you a step more bike. That project has more on tap than actualized. Get drive grip, and podiums. 

Toprak practices long stoppies. You needn't downshift, it is all brake feel. Squeeze it up, feather it to stay there. The gears are in the sky mate. Every nose wheelie is seamless. Me? I like neutral from 2nd. Have to grab the left bar. 

Cut me slack. The only thing I use? One finger on my phone text box. You cannot blame it on me that Redding looks like a sex offender. I am in support of both BMW and Redding. For a Brit. More the bike.

Gerloff? I'm American suitably, albeit Scottish spending time in Canada.

Gerloff is doing just fine. Lecuona, the Honda steed is getting very well showcased under  this young man. Good pace! Please mind as per FP, the Kawi is easy to run at solid pace.

... guy should be looking for a new job for next year, I think. His performance has appeared to be getting poorer since he first appeared on the scene. Consistently qualifying 15th or so and struggling to make the top 10 doesn't match his early promise.

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