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Impressive! Toprak Razgatlioglu wins the first Superbike race of the year in a four-game duel to the finish
Impressive! Toprak Razgatlioglu wins the first Superbike race of the year in a four-game duel to the finish

Video: Impressive! Toprak Razgatlioglu wins the first Superbike race of the year in a four-game duel to the finish

Video: Impressive! Toprak Razgatlioglu wins the first Superbike race of the year in a four-game duel to the finish
Video: BEYOND THE LIMITS BATTLE: Bautista vs Razgatlioglu in head-to-head thriller ⚔️ | #PRTWorldSBK 🇵🇹 2024, March
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There was a lot of anticipation for the premiere of the Superbike World Championship and it has not disappointed. Toprak Razgatlioglu claimed victory in a passionate four-way battle with his partner Michael Van der Mark, Scott Redding and Alex Lowes. We finally had three different brands on the podium, with the Kawasaki second and the Ducati third.

As to Jonathan Rea, his career was ruined on the first lap, after a touch with Tom Sykes. The champion dropped to last position, and then fell two laps later while coming back. Great debut of the Honda CBR1000RR-R, with Leon Haslam fifth, and holding most of the race in the leading group, and Álvaro Bautista sixth, climbing nine places.

Jonathan Rea fell at the beginning and Álvaro Bautista went back nine places

Sykes Phillip Island Sbk 2020
Sykes Phillip Island Sbk 2020

The bombshell in qualifying gave it Tom Sykes, making the first pole position with the BMW. Next to him were Scott Redding and Jonathan Rea. Toprak Razgatlioglu was fourth and disaster for Álvaro Bautista and Chaz Davies, who had to start fifteenth and last respectively. It was time to come back.

At the start Redding lost some ground and Rea was in the first position, although a brave Sykes tried to regain the place. The theatrical coup came in the middle of the first round. The champion, Jonathan Rea, he was going off the track, doing Motocross on the gravel after a touch with Sykes. It did not fall, but it fell to the last position.

Rea Phillip Island Sbk 2020
Rea Phillip Island Sbk 2020

Redding was making his way between the Yamaha and reached the second position. The Briton was already behind Sykes, although the bikes with the tuning forks were still in his slipstream, with Leon Haslam close behind. From behind, Rea was on fire, recovering positions and setting the fastest lap, and approached Álvaro Bautista.

Rea was too fired up. He played with Federico Caricasulo and shortly after he went straight to the ground at full speed. This is how the races are: Rea last year did not drop from fifth position and made 37 podiums in 40 races, but he begins 2020 without scoring and with a sharp fall in the debut.

Baptist Phillip Island Sbk 2020
Baptist Phillip Island Sbk 2020

Ahead the group did not finish breaking. Six pilots formed the head of the race, with Sykes up front and Haslam and Alex Lowes doing the rubber at the end. In the middle Redding, Michael Van der Mark and Razgatioglu. The Yamaha was harassing the Ducati. Bautista was already seventh behind, overtaking formidable rookie Garrett Gerloff.

Bad news behind. Xavi Forés crash when he was doing a good race. Ahead the cocktail shaker was shaking. Redding took the lead, and on the same lap the Yamaha reacted and also overtook Sykes, who quickly dropped to fourth place. But Redding's change of pace was evident.

Van Der Mark Phillip Island Sbk 2020
Van Der Mark Phillip Island Sbk 2020

A suicidal overtaking of Lowes on Sykes finished breaking the group. Redding, Van der Mark and Razgatlioglu were at the forefront, quite far from the other three. However, the one from Ducati also made a mistake and lost both positions with the Yamaha. Lowes and Haslam were closing in again, Sykes off the hook.

From behind Álvaro Bautista chased Sykes and got into sixth position. The five heads were more compressed than ever, anything could happen. Razgatlioglu was in front five laps from the end, but with the whole peloton glued to the slipstream. The first Van der Mark, his partner, who was beginning to lose respect for him.

Redding Phillip Island Sbk 2020
Redding Phillip Island Sbk 2020

As the end of the race approached Redding was losing momentum and It was Alex Lowes who grew as a threat to the Yamaha. Leon Haslam was definitely hanging down from the battle. The Kawasaki tried, but the Yamaha duo defended themselves and consolidated the first position of Razgatlioglu before starting the last lap.

The last turn was being smooth until the last corner. In an exciting maneuver, Alex Lowes overtook Van der Mark and took second place, which Redding also took advantage of to get third. Fantastic victory for Toprak Razgatlioglu and the two Honda CBR1000RR-R in fifth and sixth position.

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