WorldSBK Estoril Preview: Can Rea, Razgatlioglu bounce back?

[weeksy]

https://www.crash.net/wsbk/feature/1003 ... ounce-back

Here are the five key storylines to follow ahead of round three of the 2022 WorldSBK championship at Estoril, Portugal.

Following an exciting opening round in Aragon, Assen played host to one of the most drama-filled WorldSBK weekends we’ve seen in a long time.

Jonathan Rea and Toprak Razgatlioglu coming-together in race two led to both riders crashing out, which in-turn handed Alvaro Bautista the chance to claim his third win of the season.

So what does that mean for Estoril which makes its third appearance in as many years on the Superbike calendar?

Here are the top five storylines to follow…

Will Honda continue to be best of the rest?
Iker Lecuona’s podium in race two at Assen was just Honda’s fourth since the Japanese manufacturer returned to WorldSBK as a full factory outfit.

And while the 2022 rookie was fortuitous given the events that unfolded between Rea and Razgatlioglu at the front, it’s a result that highlights the impressive pace he’s shown throughout testing and round one.

Lecuona has been both fast and consistent, the latter was a major problem during his time in MotoGP, but with Honda and its 2022 CBR1000RR-R having made significant improvements compared to 2020 and 21, Lecuona fighting for top five results in Estoril would not be a surprise despite this weekend marking his first-ever visit to the Portuguese circuit.

Can Redding, BMW find pace after Portimao test?
Without doubt the biggest disappointment of the season so far, Redding together with BMW has proved to be a combination that’s well off the pace.

Just one point was scored in Aragon, and although Assen was much better, Redding was still a long way from the podium

Race runs along with improving the base setting were at the forefront of Redding’s testing plan earlier this week, which comes after the team spent considerable time reducing how much power was available to Redding aboard his M 1000 RR.

Estoril marks a venue that’s been both kind and frustrating for Redding - took victory in race one last season, before crashing out in race two following a lengthy battle with Rea.

Bautista ‘very charged up’ as he leads the championship for the second time
Would Bautista have won race two in Assen without contact between Rea and Razgatlioglu? That’s a question we’ll never know the answer to, however, what is for definite is that Bautista leads the championship standings by 18 points.

While some feared that Bautista might never find the form of 2019 again after his return to Ducati was announced, those concerns are no longer valid after winning three of the first six races.

Speaking ahead of the weekend, Bautista said: "We are all very charged up for this race. After the round in the Netherlands, where the feeling with the bike was really excellent, there is a great desire to get back on track and try to get that feeling back right away.

"The Estoril circuit is a bit of a special track: lots of very demanding braking areas, several stop and go corners, and a long last corner.

"I've done some good results in the past even though I've never ridden on this circuit with the Ducati. As always we'll try to get the most out of every race."

[weeksy]

Interesting Stat..

10 years ago, MotoGP went to Estoril, fastest lap was Jorge Lorenzo with a 1:36.9

Last year Rea did a 1:35.8

So 10 years of development and your WSB bike beats the GP times...

[weeksy]

POS RIDER NAT TEAM TIME
1 Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team 1:36.572
2 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +0.204s
3 Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +0.583s
4 Andrea Locatelli ITA PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +0.804s
5 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +1.049s
6 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +1.170s
7 Eugene Laverty IRL Bonovo Action BMW +1.309s
8 Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +1.329s
9 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +1.334s
10 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +1.376s
11 Scott Redding GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +1.378s
12 Lucas Mahias FRA Puccetti Kawasaki +1.472s
13 Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati +1.543s
14 Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +1.587s
15 Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +1.872s
16 Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motor Sport Yamaha +1.948s
17 Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha +2.129s
18 Isaac Vinales SPA Pedercini Kawasaki +2.788s
19 Marvin Fritz GER Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team +2.988s
20 Leandro Mercado ARG MIE Honda Racing +3.171s
21 Luca Bernardi SM Barni Spark Ducati Team +3.199s
22 Hafizh Syahrin MAL MIE Honda Racing +3.979s
23 Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki +4.726s
24 Michael Van Der Mark NED BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team +7.344s

[wull]

That’s Jorge’s lap record and I think Toprak has the lap record which is 36:5

JR’s 35:8 was the qualifying time.

[lostboy]

Interesting Stat..

10 years ago, MotoGP went to Estoril, fastest lap was Jorge Lorenzo with a 1:36.9

Last year Rea did a 1:35.8

So 10 years of development and your WSB bike beats the GP times...

And then the current GP bikes come along.......

[weeksy]

Interesting Stat..

10 years ago, MotoGP went to Estoril, fastest lap was Jorge Lorenzo with a 1:36.9

Last year Rea did a 1:35.8

So 10 years of development and your WSB bike beats the GP times...

And then the current GP bikes come along.......

Yeah but look how many GPers crash in a weekend/race compared to how many WSBers...

[Skub]

Bloody shame about Micky VDM. Guy needs some good luck.

[Bigyin]

Interesting Stat..

10 years ago, MotoGP went to Estoril, fastest lap was Jorge Lorenzo with a 1:36.9

Last year Rea did a 1:35.8

So 10 years of development and your WSB bike beats the GP times...

Interesting listening to JT on commentary today that although the braking looks amazing for the WSB guys at the end of the straight , the MotoGP bikes are braking 20m later from higher speed and carrying more corner speed due to carbon brakes, prototype engines and stiffer chassis.

As development continues everything gets faster .........until the bosses try and introduce measures to slow things down

[Yorick]

Just about to have a nap then saw race 1 is just starting

[weeksy]

And start it did, cracking battles! Most enjoyable.

Will Alvaro implode again this season?

[Yorick]

And start it did, cracking battles! Most enjoyable.

Will Alvaro implode again this season?

I like him. And good to see Scotty's bike improving.
Would love to see a 4 way scrap for wins.

[wull]

And start it did, cracking battles! Most enjoyable.

Will Alvaro implode again this season?

Hopefully, that was a cheeky win, there’s no denying how quick the bike is down the straights, nowt you can really do when you’ve got a ridiculously fast bike and a ridiculously light rider aboard.

What a race, JR up to his usual tricks, Toprak putting on a show, nobody can ride and control a bike like he can, he’s a joy to watch.

[weeksy]

And start it did, cracking battles! Most enjoyable.

Will Alvaro implode again this season?

Hopefully, that was a cheeky win, there’s no denying how quick the bike is down the straights, nowt you can really do when you’ve got a ridiculously fast bike and a ridiculously light rider aboard.

What a race, JR up to his usual tricks, Toprak putting on a show, nobody can ride and control a bike like he can, he’s a joy to watch.

Did Toprak miss a gear? He never lost that much ground on other laps

[wull]

And start it did, cracking battles! Most enjoyable.

Will Alvaro implode again this season?

Hopefully, that was a cheeky win, there’s no denying how quick the bike is down the straights, nowt you can really do when you’ve got a ridiculously fast bike and a ridiculously light rider aboard.

What a race, JR up to his usual tricks, Toprak putting on a show, nobody can ride and control a bike like he can, he’s a joy to watch.

Did Toprak miss a gear? He never lost that much ground on other laps

Front lifted a bit more than usual so maybe electronics cut in a little to reduce the wheelie. The previous two laps the Ducati was catching and going by ridiculously fast but on the last lap the front lifting probably helped Alvaro and I think Alvaro got it absolutely spot on with his drive out of the last corner.

[Skub]

The 300 s/s was a good,action packed watch,right down to the wire.

I bet Bautista is rubbing his hands at the antics of Raz and Rea. How hard are those two riding. If they keep that up they'll gift him the championship.

Good show from Redding,but I wonder if the result came because he likes the place,or has the bike improved. Time will tell.

[wull]

The 300 s/s was a good,action packed watch,right down to the wire.

I bet Bautista is rubbing his hands at the antics of Raz and Rea. How hard are those two riding. If they keep that up they'll gift him the championship.

Good show from Redding,but I wonder if the result came because he likes the place,or has the bike improved. Time will tell.

Tbf with how that Ducati is going it’s going to be tough to beat him, if he doesn’t make an arse of it like 2019 then he’ll more than likely win the championship.

[Couchy]

Toseland calls it with Rea saying how he goes for gaps he shouldn’t, point proved when he hit Raz again. Luckily both stayed on. But apart from that awesome race

[ChrisW]

Hopefully, that was a cheeky win, there’s no denying how quick the bike is down the straights, nowt you can really do when you’ve got a ridiculously fast bike and a ridiculously light rider aboard.

What a race, JR up to his usual tricks, Toprak putting on a show, nobody can ride and control a bike like he can, he’s a joy to watch.

Did Toprak miss a gear? He never lost that much ground on other laps

Front lifted a bit more than usual so maybe electronics cut in a little to reduce the wheelie. The previous two laps the Ducati was catching and going by ridiculously fast but on the last lap the front lifting probably helped Alvaro and I think Alvaro got it absolutely spot on with his drive out of the last corner.

Yep - that's where it was lost. I think you could see Toprak shaking his head just after too.

[Couchy]

Can’t see WSB on the tv schedule today apart from highlights tonight. Anyone know any more ?

[ChrisW]

Eurosport 2 has them live from the looks of it:

https://www.eurosport.co.uk/watch/schedule.shtml