The Turkish from Yamaha, reigning world champion, scored a double on Sunday between Superpole Race and second heat. The World Cup returns to reopen. The Spaniard, leader of the World Championship, limits the damage and stretches on the direct rival
Federico Mariani
July 31
Notice to seafarers of Superbike: the Toprak Razgatlioglu shark is scary again. The world champion resumed driving quickly after a not very exciting start to the season, as demonstrated by the amazing Sunday in Most, home of the Czech Republic GP. After accusing Alvaro Bautista’s comeback in the first heat, the Turkish rider from Yamaha redeems himself winning race 2. The Spaniard from Ducati limits the damage and remains the leader of an increasingly open World Championship: behind him Jonathan Rea and his Kawasaki are struggling, 31 points away, while Razgatlioglu is getting closer and closer. Now the gap of the former king is only 38 lengths. A few months ago the gap was over 70 points.
race 2
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At the start the best shot is that of Alex Bassani, but soon the magic trio composed by Razgatglioglu, Rea and Bautista recomposes. Initially I am the reigning world champion and the former world champion to challenge each other for the primacy. The Turk responds blow for blow to the opponent’s attacks. In the meantime, the Spaniard approaches and in the second part of the race he tries the draw. The wait-and-see strategy that he had paid yesterday, thanks to the wet track, does not pay off this time, because Razgatglioglu takes the lead six laps from the end and places the decisive draw. Bautista’s fast lap in the penultimate passage is of little use. Toprak is now impregnable. Rea closes more detached, confirming the impression that the agreement with Kawasaki seems to be slightly in decline.
the order of arrival
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This is the top 10 of the second heat:
6 Andrea Locatelli +17.644
8 Philipp Oettl +26.436
10 Luca Bernardi 30.857
superpole race
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It was assumed that Razgatglioglu was on the ball since the morning. The Superpole Race, in fact, offered a revival of the leitmotif 2021, with the rustic duel between Toprak and Rea, with Ducati watching. The reigning world champion and the six-time world champion have exchanged the first position several times in the last steps. To break the balance we thought the mistake in braking of the Kawasaki rider on the final lap, complete with an excursion in the grass off the track. Victory in Toprak, while Rea managed to finish ahead of Bautista. Followed by the three Italians Michael Rinaldi, Axel Bassani and Andrea Locatelli, respectively fourth, fifth and sixth. In the points and in the top 10 also Iker Lecuona, Scott Redding, Gerloff and Xavi Vierge.
drivers standings
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This is the world championship situation after the Czech Republic GP:
1 Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) 298
2 Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) 267
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) 260
4 Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha) 148
5 Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati) 134
July 31, 2022 – 3:56 pm
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