2022 World Superbike Misano, Italy - Race Results (1)

Alvaro Bautista extends his World Superbike championship lead after dominating race one at Misano, while Toprak Razgatlioglu was forced to retire with an apparent technical issue.

After securing his first World Superbike pole since 2019, with a new lap record no less, Bautista was bettered on the run to turn one by Toprak Razgatlioglu. 

As Bautista attempted to fight back heading into turn 8, Rea saw the Spaniard moving to the outside as an opportunity to take not just second, but the lead. 

However, poor drive on corner exit for the Kawasaki rider allowed Razgatlioglu and Bautista to remain ahead. 

On lap three, Rea produced a brilliant double overtake as he first got through on Bautista at turn four, before making that P1 six corners later. 

With Rea starting to break clear of Razgatlioglu on lap four, Bautista knew he had to pounce, which he did at turn 10. 

Now in clean air, Bautista started to reel in Rea as he set his fastest lap of the race. With Ducati looking ominous in the hands of Bautista, and to a lesser extent Axel Bassani and Michael Rinaldi - both riders were comfortably inside the top five - Philipp Oettl was unable to find similar speed as he instead crashed out on lap six.   

Looking ragged behind the top two, Razgatlioglu was given a track limit warning after running off track at turn 12.

With Razgatlioglu doing everything to remain in the fight, it was becoming apparent that straight-line speed was an issue, forcing the reigning world champion to recover lost ground on the brakes. 

Lap 10 and Bautista attempted to take the lead from Rea [turn 8], but the Aruba.it Ducati rider ran wide, thus allowing the six-time Superbike champion to remain ahead. 

Joining Oettl and Christophe Ponsson as riders to suffer crashes, Gabriele Ruiu was next to go down. 

After failing to overtake Rea at the same turn eight with nine to go, Bautista eventually made a very brave move stick at Curvone [turn 11].

After a quiet start to his second season in World Superbike, Bassani put in a brilliant opening Misano race. 

Fourth for much of race one, Bassani was showing the type of pace that could see him challenge Rinaldi for his Aruba.it Ducati ride in 2023.

But Rinaldi, who is also facing rumours linking Danilo Petrucci with his seat, began to find more late race pace than the young Italian before making a move stick for P4.

Misano World Superbike Records

Fastest ever lap - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 1:33.416s (2021)

Fastest Race lap - Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.it Ducati 1:34.356s (2021) 

2021 Race Winners 

Race 1 - Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.it Ducati

Superpole Race - Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.it Ducati

Race 2 - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha

Razgatlioglu’s World Superbike title defence suffers devastating blow

As Bautista began to drop Rea, drama soon followed for Razgatlioglu as he began to slow coming out of turn 16. 

Yet to win a race so far in 2022, the Pata Yamaha rider seemed to suffer a technical issue as he was forced to stop opposite of pit lane. 

Back at the front, Bautista was still on lap record pace as he gapped Rea to the tune of three seconds. 

Sunday World Superbike Misano schedule 

08:00-08:15 Warm-up 

10:00 Superpole Race 

14:15 Race 2