Razgatlioglu breaks new Portimão circuit record and with the standard SC0 rear tyre wins Race 1 of the WorldSBK MOTUL Portuguese Round
The Y0449-spec Superpole tyre favours a new all-time record of the Portuguese track and allows the five manufacturers of the WorldSBK class to occupy the top five grid positions before Race 1. In WorldSSP, seven riders on rear SC0 tyres break the category’
Less than a week after the action in Jerez de la Frontera, the first day of races for the MOTUL Portuguese Round, the eleventh round of the MOTUL FIM World Superbike Championship, has just come to an end at the Autódromo Internacional Do Algarve of Portimão in Portugal.
Toprak Ragzatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1) wins a hard-fought WorldSBK Race 1 on standard SC1 front and standard SC0 rear tyres. The podium was completed by Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) and a deserved third place for the wild card Loris Baz (Team GOELEVEN / Ducati Panigale V4 R).
From a tyre point of view, there is great satisfaction at Pirelli for the choice and performance demonstrated by the tyre solutions available at the MOTUL Portuguese Round on the new resurfaced circuit. In free practice on Friday and Saturday morning, the riders used the standard and development solutions in SC0 soft compound, thanks to which they achieved extremely low times, even lower than the 2020 Tissot Superpole Race, where the entire grid was on SCX tyres. Saturday morning ended with a thrilling Tissot Superpole session, which placed five different manufacturers in the factory derivative world championship on the first five spots of the starting grid for Race 1.
In addition, in WorldSSP Race 1, seven riders broke the race record of the category, with a pace below the previous record of 1’45.180 set by Michele Pirro. Of these seven riders, it was Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6) the fastest of them all, setting a sensational time of 1’44.783 on the last lap of the race.
WorldSBK Race 1:
It was Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1) who had the best start, moving into the lead ahead of defending World Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR), Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R), Leon Haslam (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R). It was a less than perfect start for Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW M 1000 RR), who got sucked up by the group, continuing the race in eleventh place. Rea wasted no time attempting an attack for the leadership, overtaking Razgatlioglu multiple times during the early laps of the race. His efforts, however, were never decisive and it was Ducati rider Scott Redding who exploited them, moving into the race lead during the fifth lap. The Kawasaki rider crashed out on the sixth lap, edning his race early, whereas the leading couple broke away at the front and the gap ahead of the second group, battling for the last podium position, was more than five seconds. Loris Baz (Team GOELEVEN / Ducati Panigale V4 R), Álvaro Bautista (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R) and his teammate Haslam battled it out for third, whereas the leading duo continued to thrill spectators with back-and-forth overtaking and contact. Razgatlioglu never missed a beat, holding onto his position ahead of Redding all the way to the chequered flag to finish on the top step of the podium ahead of the Ducati rider (second) and a well-deserved third place for French rider Loriz Baz, filling in for Chaz Davies in Portimão.
WorldSBK Race 1 Standings:
- T. Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
- S. Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
- L. Baz (Team GOELEVEN / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
- M. Rinaldi (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
- L. Haslam (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R)
- G. Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
- A. Bassani (Motocorsa Racing / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
- L. Mercado (MIE Racing HONDA Team / Honda CBR1000 RR-R)
- E. Laverty (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW M 1000 RR)
- C. Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R1)
- I. Viñales (ORELAC Racing VERDNATURA / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
- S. Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team / Ducati Panigale V4 R)
- T. Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
- K. Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1)
- J. Folger (Bonovo MGM Racing / BMW M 1000 RR)
- L. Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
- Rt. J. Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
- Rt. A. Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1)
- Rt. Á. Bautista (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R)
- Rt. M. van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW M 1000 RR)
- Rt. L. Epis (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing / Kawasaki ZX-10RR)
- Rt. G. Ruiu (B-Max Racing Team / BMW M 1000 RR)
WorldSSP Race 1:
It was Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6) who had the best start and placed himself at the head of the group, but was immediately attacked by Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R), who started from fifth on the grid, by poleman Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6), and by Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team / Yamaha YZF R6). The Spanish rider Gonzalez manages to get the better of the group and take the lead for the first part of the race, until the ninth lap when he falls back several positions due to an error. Cluzel takes the lead, followed closely by Aegerter and the Kawasaki of Raffele de Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-6R). Four laps from the finish line, Manuel Gonzalez returns to the charge and challenges Cluzel for the top step of the podium, both followed by Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti / MV Agusta F3 675) battling the Swiss championship leader for third place. The action continues until the last corners and the last lap of the race is admitting yet another race record by the French rider. It will be Jules Cluzel to emerge among the opponents and conquer the top step of the podium, followed by Manuel Gonzalez and Dominique Aegerter.
WorldSSP Race 1 Standings:
- J. Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- M. Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
- D. Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- R. De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
- N. Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti / MV Agusta F3 675)
- S. Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
- R. Krummenacher (CM Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- C. Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
- P. Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
- Y. Montella (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- P. Sebestyen (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
- P. Hobelsberger (Bonovo MGM Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- H. Soomer (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- F. Caricasulo (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- O. Vostatek (IXS-YART Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- L. Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
- F. Fuligni (VFT Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- M. Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- M. Brenner (VFT Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- B. Van Eerde (IXS-YART Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- V. Takala (Kallio Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- H. Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6)
- S. Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse / Yamaha YZF R6)
- L. Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- P. Barbosa (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti / Kawasaki ZX-6R)
- U. Orradre (Yamaha MS Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
- Rt. G. van Straalen (EAB Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
- Rt. K. Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team / Yamaha YZF R6)
- Rt. E. Montero (DK Motorsport / Yamaha YZF R6)
- Rt. D. Martinez (WRP Wepol Racing / Yamaha YZF R6)
WorldSSP300 Race 1:
Race 1 of the FIM Supersport 300 World Championship closed out the first day of the weekend at Algarve. Taking the win was Samuel Di Sora (Leader Team Flembbo / Kawasaki Ninja 400) ahead of Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki / Kawasaki Ninja 400) and Yuta Okaya (MTM Kawasaki / Kawasaki Ninja 400).
With 230 points, 56 ahead of runner-up Jeffrey Buis (MTM Kawasaki / Kawasaki Ninja 400), the Spanish rider Adrian Huertas conquers the first World Title of the season, the of World Champion in the WorldSSP300 class.
The Pirelli solutions chosen by the riders for WorldSBK Race 1 and WorldSSP Race 1:
In WorldSBK Race 1, for the front, most of the riders on the grid opted for the A0674 development solution (option A), whereas the remaining nine riders – including pole man Toprak Razgatlioglu Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK / Yamaha YZF R1), Michael Ruben Rinaldi (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R), Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team / BMW M 1000 RR), and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team / Yamaha YZF R1) – preferred the standard SC1 (option C). As for the rear, the grid was split in two with the standard SC0 solution (option B) and the A0415 development solution (opzione C) used in equal parts by the riders.
In WorldSSP Race 1, for the rear all riders used the available solution standard SC0 (opzione A), while for the front the grid split between the development SC1 A0460 (opzione A) and the standard SC1 (opzione B).
Pirelli statistics for WorldSBK Race 1:
- Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing - Ducati / Ducati Panigale V4 R) in 1'41.507 on the 7th lap
- Most used front solution: A0674 SC1 development (13 out of 22 riders)
- Most used rear solution: A0415 SC0 development (11 out of 22 riders)
- Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 314,1 km/h, by Álvaro Bautista (Team HRC / Honda CBR1000 RR-R) on lap 8
- Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Superbike class: 5 front and 7 rear
- Number of tyres available for each Superbike rider: 68, including 33 front and 35 rear
- Air temperature: 25° C
- Asphalt temperature: 39° C
Pirelli statistics for WorldSSP Race 1:
- Winner of the PIRELLI BEST LAP AWARD: Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha / Yamaha YZF R6), in 1'44.783 on lap 17
- Most used front solution: development SC1 A0460 and standard SC1 (15 each out of 30 riders)
- Most used rear solution: standard SC0 (30 out of 30 riders)
- Maximum race speed reached by Pirelli DIABLO™ Superbike tyres: 277,8 km/h, by David Sanchis Martinez (WRP Wepol Racing / Yamaha YZF R6) on lap 2
- Number of solutions (dry, intermediate and wet) for the Supersport class: 5 front and 4 rear
- Number of tyres available for each Supersport rider: 43, including 21 front and 18 rear
- Air temperature: 25° C
- Asphalt temperature: 44° C