2022 World Superbike Assen, Netherlands - Race Results (1)

Jonathan Rea wins a World Superbike classic at Assen to regain the championship lead from Alvaro Bautista.

As the lights went out it was pole sitter Toprak Razgatlioglu who got the holeshot down to turn one, while team-mate Andrea Locatelli made a stunning start to leapfrog Rea around the outside. 

Rea repaid the favour in equally impressive fashion as he went around the outside of Locatelli at turn six. 

With Bautista stuck behind Alex Lowes in fifth, Razgatlioglu and Rea began edging away from the chasing pack.

Doing everything in his power to get through on Razgatlioglu, Rea set a new all-time race lap record on lap two. 

After getting a poor exit out of the final corner, Razgatlioglu subsequently lost drive and was overtaken by Rea to start lap four.  

While Rea was now leading, the six-time world champion was unable to break clear as Locatelli, Lowes and both Aruba.it Ducati’s closed back in, making it a six-way battle at the front.

Rea did begin to stretch his legs on lap six, however, Razgatlioglu delivered a brilliant end to the lap to keep touch.

There was an issue for BMW rider Gabriele Ruiu on lap eight as he stopped in the gravel (final corner). 

Looking to join Rea and Razgatlioglu at the front, Bautista was now the fastest rider on the track. The Ducati rider began his rise by claiming fourth off Lowes with 13 laps to go. 

Bautista was then up to third following a lovely late-braking move on Locatelli at the Geert Timmer chicane. 

Lowes suffered a huge blow up with ten laps to go which resulted in him returning to pit lane. 

Out front, Bautista was showing more and more pace as he closed a nine tenth deficit to just three in one lap. 

Feeling the pressure from Bautista, Razgatlioglu made a lunge for the lead but ran slightly wide at turn one, thus giving Rea the switch back. 

Razgatlioglu made his move for the lead stick one lap later after getting through on the brakes at the final corner.

Sticking to the world champion, Rea began to challenge Razgatlioglu, which he did at turn one with six laps to go.

Bautista then took second off Razgatlioglu, which allowed Rea to momentarily build up a six tenth lead. But as he did earlier on, Bautista started to reel the Kawasaki rider back in. 

Michael Rinaldi suffered a late crash, and despite getting his Ducati back up-and-running, the Italian had to retire with five laps remaining.  

Bautista made a first attempt at the lead with four to go, but Rea was able to superbly get back around the outside of the Ducati man.

After trying everything on the final lap, Bautista had to settle for second as Rea held on brilliantly for the win. Razgatlioglu claimed yet another third place finish.

Toprak Razgatlioglu on fire as he sets new outright World Superbike lap record at Assen

Pushing from the outset of Superpole, Rea and Lowes led a Kawasaki 1-2 after the opening flurry of laps, however, that soon changed…

WorldSBK champion Razgatlioglu blasted to the top of the leaderboard by over three tenths. 

Moments later and a huge crash ensued for Rinaldi. Following team-mate Bautista closely, Rinaldi elected to jump off his Panigale V4 R after getting the penultimate corner all-wrong. 

Rinaldi carried too much speed into the left-hander as his bike headed straight towards the barrier. Luckily for the Italian he was unhurt from the fall. 

More frustration was shown by Scott Redding as he ran off-track at turn eight. Similarly to Aragon the former MotoGP and BSB rider was seen shaking his head and hitting a sideboard in anger.

Subdued for much of the opening two rounds, Motorcorsa Ducati rider Axel Bassani began showing his true potential as he went fourth with two minutes remaining. 

While Rea looked set to go top, which he did momentarily, Razgatlioglu set an unbelievable time of 1:32.934s - seven tenths clear of Rea.

The reigning world champion’s effort was easily a new all-time lap record, while Rea was surprisingly pipped to second by Lowes. 

Assen World Superbike Records

All-time lap record - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Yamaha 1:32.934s (2022)

Fastest Race lap - Alvaro Bautista SPA Ducati 1:34.564s (2019)

Most wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki (15)

2021 Winners 

Race One - Jonathan Rea 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea 

Race Two - Jonathan Rea 

Round two of the 2022 World Superbike championship is taking place without Belgian rider Loris Cresson, as Pedercini Kawasaki announced an immediate split before the weekend due to a failure to fulfil financial agreements on Cresson’s side. 

Cresson, who was initially signed through to the end of 2022, was set for a second full season in Superbikes before the termination of his contract on Wednesday. 

It means BSB rider Leon Haslam, who was already scheduled to take part in four wildcard rounds with the team this season was drafted in for FP1 and thus, the remainder of the Assen event. Haslam and Pedercini have already agreed to increase his participation in the 2022 championship, but exactly how many rounds Haslam will do is yet to be confirmed. 

Eugene Laverty will officially take no further part in the weekend after suffering a big highside in FP1. The Bonovo Action BMW rider attempted to ride in FP3 before missing Superpole. 

Updated 2022 Assen WorldSBK Weekend Schedule

Sunday

08:00-08:15 - WorldSBK Warm-up

10:00 - WorldSBK Superpole Race

14:00 WorldSBK Race Two