Indonesian World Superbike Race (1) Results: Bautista a class apart, Rea shocker

Results from Race 1, round 2 of the 2023 World Superbike championship at Mandalika, Indonesia.
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Mandalika 2023
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Mandalika 2023

Alvaro Bautista keeps 100% win record intact with a dominant performance in Race 1 of the Indonesian World Superbike round.

As the lights went out Toprak Razgatlioglu made a brilliant start as he led from pole into turn one, however, drama ensued directly behind the Yamaha rider.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi appeared to clip the rear of Axel Bassani’s Ducati, while also nearly taking out teammate Bautista.

Rinaldi suffered an immediate fall after the contact was made, which was enough to end his race on the opening lap. 

With Razgatlioglu unable to break clear of Bautista, a group of seven riders including Rea, who was at the back of the lead group, remained in contention. 

Keen to join the party at the front, Rea got stuck in as he made quick passes on Alex Lowes and Danilo Petrucci

Then came a change for the lead on lap five as Bautista hit the front thanks to a move at the very quick turn 15.

Looking to respond, Razgatlioglu was instead bumped down to third by Bassani, with the Italian making his overtake stick under braking at turn ten.

Axel Bassani , Indonesian WorldSBK, 3 March
Axel Bassani , Indonesian WorldSBK, 3 March
 

As Bautista began to break clear of Razgatlioglu after the Turkish rider got back ahead of Bassani for second, Rea was losing touch with Locatelli in fourth.

A move that looked inevitable then took place as Lowes pounced on his teammate for P5. 

Lowes’ progress then continued as he made a brilliant move on Bassani for fourth between turns 11 and 12. 

Enduring a nightmare race, Scott Redding eventually pulled into pit lane to retire as he hit the bike in frustration. 

Rea’s race went from bad to worse as Petrucci relegated the six-time world champion down to seventh on lap 15.

2023 World Superbike Mandalika, Indonesia - Race (1) Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati21 Laps
2Toprak RazgatliogluTURPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+4.809s
3Andrea LocatelliITAPata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK+6.586s
4Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+8.871s
5Danilo PetrucciITABarni Spark Racing Team+11.667s
6Michael Van Der MarkNEDROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+12.685s
7Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+13.610s
8Dominique AegerterSWIGYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+13.961s
9Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+14.454s
10Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+14.590s
11Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+16.431s
12Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+16.793s
13Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+26.167s
14Garrett GerloffUSABonovo Action BMW+30.580s
15Lorenzo BaldassarriITAGMT94 Yamaha+35.520s
16Hafizh SyahrinMALPETRONAS MIE Racing HONDA Racing+1'02.195s
17Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+1'09.875s
18Tom SykesGBRPuccetti Kawasaki+4 Laps
19Michael Ruben RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing DucatiDNF
20Scott ReddingGBRROKIT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK TeamDNF

Another mistake under braking at turn one from Rea then gifted eighth to Xavi Vierge, while Michael Van Der mark was next up to line up a pass.

A mistake from Lowes in sector one also relegated him by a position as Petrucci moved up to fifth. 

Contact was then made between Van Der Mark and Rea, as the latter put in a late move in response to the Dutch rider getting through at turn 10, which resulted in the BMW rider being pushed wide. 

A late flurry from Van Der Mark saw him get through on Lowes and Vierge for sixth, while Aegerter took eighth away from Rea after a bold move from the Kawasaki rider on Lowes pushed them both wide.

At the front, Bautista took a dominant win ahead of Razgatlioglu and Locatelli. 

Joining Remy Gardner in missing Race 1 was Eric Granado, after the Brazilian rider was also ruled out due to acute gastroenteritis.

Read More