How Portimao WorldSBK Race 2 red flag cost Andrea Locatelli a podium chance

Pata Yamaha rider Andrea Locatelli says he could have fought for the podium in WorldSBK Race 2 at Portimao last weekend, but the red flag on lap eight was costly.

Both Locatelli and Michael van der Mark were keeping pace with Alvaro Bautista in Race 2’s original start, but their contention for third place with the Spaniard was ended on lap eight when the red flag was brought out for a crash for Jason O’Halloran at turn one.

Locatelli said after the race that he had a vibration with the new rear tyre he fitted for the restart, and this cost him a chance of fighting for a second podium of the weekend at World Superbike's second round of 2025.

“Honestly, the red flag in this moment was a tricky point,” Locatelli told WorldSBK.com after Race 2.

“For sure we lost the possibility, because especially before the red flag I was feeling much better.

“I don’t know what happened after the red flag – we changed the tyre and probably something happened and I [had] a big vibration on the rear.

“So, it’s a race, sometimes everything is really perfect, so it was just a bit of a shame because I think if we didn’t lose time with Mickey [Michael van der Mark] and we could stay close to [Alvaro] Bautista, and the race wasn’t stopped, then probably we could fight for the podium.”

Despite missing out on the Race 2 podium, Locatelli was pleased, in general, with his weekend.

“I think we did an amazing job during this weekend,” Locatelli said.

“We were always there, close to getting two more podiums. So, basically I think we did a positive weekend; we are working really well on the base setup and we found some good fine-tuning in the end.

“In every condition, in every situation in the race we were quite strong. So, I was always believing because we have many possibilities and this weekend to finish always in the top-five is amazing, but I don’t want to stop believing because I want to get more.

“But I think we did an amazing job, we did another step around myself, around the work that we did with my guys.”