Rinaldi, Razgatlioglu Share
Misano WorldSBK Wins
M
ichael Ruben Rinaldi (Ducati)
and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Ya-
maha) shared the wins at the Mi-
sano World Circuit Marco Simon-
celli, June 12-13, where six-time
WorldSBK Champion Jonathan
Rea (Kawasaki) struggled.
Rea was strong podium fin-
isher at Misano, of course—three
thirds from three races—but after
winning Superpole with a new
track record of 1:33.416, Rea
was soundly beaten in all the rac-
es by two of the slightly younger
riders in the pile of possible con-
tenders to his WorldSBK crown.
In the first two races of the
weekend, the local boy, Rinaldi,
(who resides 15 miles away from
the track) scored truly determined
and assured front-running victo-
ries over Razgatlioglu and Rea.
Razgatlioglu noticed some-
thing in that race following Rinaldi
that he wanted to key onto in the
Sunday afternoon's longer race,
which he won.
Things may, just may, have
been different for Rinaldi in the
long race one as Rea, trying the
new and softer front tire Pirelli
brought to Misano, was right with
Rinaldi until he started pushing
the front.
He pushed it all the way into
Marc Marquez territory with a
front-end save the likes of which
he had never experienced
before. He dug the front in as
he was almost sure to fall, and it
lifted for him, although he lost a
place to Razgatlioglu and would
never get it back.
It made the win that much
sweeter for Rinaldi, that unlike his
first-ever win in weird conditions
at Motorland Aragon last season,
this was a straight fight.
IN
THE
WIND
P52
Michael Ruben Rinaldi
(21) was scorching at
Misano, taking two
wins and his first for the
factory Ducati team.
PHOTOS: GOLD & GOOSE
