Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1480014
Bautista Rules Catalunya WorldSBK M any teams had earlier this year tested in a hot weather at Catalunya for round eight of the WorldSBK Championship, September 23-25, but there was only one red hot winning throttle- hand all weekend—Alvaro Bau- tista's. The only blip for Bautista over the weekend, however, came in Superpole qualifier, where local man Iker Lecuona had the winning time. It was the first time a Honda had been top pre-race bike since 2016, and the first-ever WorldSBK pole for the rookie, Lecuona. RACE 1 Bautista challenged the rest to go with him early on and only Toprak Razgatlioglu was willing and al- most able to do it in race one. Unable to set a fast time in Superpole as his electronics and maps were introducing too much traction control in readiness for the race, Bautista was still the leader across the start/finish line on every lap—in every race, as it turned out. Rea had been pinged out wide by Michael Ruben Rinaldi, and was down in seventh early on after so many following riders passed him. He would bide his time to get the best non-Bautista result, because Razgatlioglu's desire to stay with Bautista had cost his rear tire dearly, and he started to lose pace—then drop very suddenly at a track that is always hard on tires. As Razgatlioglu started to slip back, Rea was making up places simply because those in front were falling back to him, and he took their positions one by one. He nearly lost second at the end, as the resurgent Garrett Gerloff moved forward, after also saving his tires like Rea had done. Intelligence trumped impetuousness as Gerloff settled for a podium place that seem equally unlikely as Rea's in the first few tense laps. Rinaldi was fourth. Bautista should have won by over 10 seconds, but even slowing up was 8.665 seconds ahead of Rea. Lecuona, Lowes and most sig- nificantly Razgatlioglu were the big tire wear losers, with Toprak only fifth. SUPERPOLE Bautista was to repeat his front- running prowess but this time he had two KRT Kawasakis keeping him honest behind. Surprisingly to many, the most effective one for almost all race distance was Alex Lowes, with Rea sitting behind and unable to make any progress past his teammate. Unsurprisingly, given the state of the championship, as Bautista is starting to stretch his lead, Rea passed Lowes at the end, with the final podium order being Bautista, Rea and Lowes. Razgatlioglu was fourth, but over five seconds from Bautista after winning a sharp battle with Rinaldi. No true factory riders chose the front Q tire (new this round) but Philipp Ottl (GO Eleven Ducati) did and he moved rapidly forward from IN THE WIND P48 It was all Alvaro Bautista at the Catalunya round of the WorldSBK Championship. He won everything in sight to extend his points lead. PHOTOS: GOLD & GOOSE