Redding: I believe I was faster, but it’s not easy to overtake Toprak

After taking the lead four laps from the end, Scott Redding ultimately had to play second best to Toprak Razgatlioglu in Jerez World Superbike race two. 

Redding, who was third in the opening feature race, made further improvements in the hotter temperatures of race two to close the gap to Razgatlioglu and therefore battle with the current championship leader for the win. 

After spending several laps at around three/four tenths behind Razgatlioglu, Redding made his move at turn ten after the Turkish rider ran slightly wide. 

However, Redding made an identical mistake a lap later at the Jorge Lorenzo corner (final turn) to allow Razgatlioglu back through. 

"The main thing was the battle at the end. I was waiting, waiting, waiting. Time was ticking. It’s not easy to overtake Toprak because he’s so late on the brakes and if you cannot be alongside him, you don’t have a chance to pass him," said Redding after the race.  

"You have to wait for a mistake but he’s riding very well with a lot of confidence, so the mistakes become minimal. 

"There was a small one and I was there. It was good. I believe I was the faster rider, but around this circuit with the Yamaha working well, it’s difficult to set up and overtake and execute one. 

"One corner leads to the next and they turn very well. I had a good try. I just went a little bit late into the last corner because you know he’s going to try. 

"When you have a guy behind you who you know is going to try, you need to try to pull them into a mistake with you. Again, he brakes better than me, so it didn’t work this time and he came back."

While chances are slim with just three rounds to go, Redding remains a threat in the championship - 54 points down.