World Superbike Portimao, Portugal - Superpole Qualifying Results

Results from Superpole qualifying, round 11 of the 2021 World Superbike Championship at Portimao, Portugal. 
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Portuguese WorldSBK, 1 October 2021
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Portuguese WorldSBK, 1 October 2021
© Gold and Goose

Toprak Razgatlioglu has claimed his second consecutive pole position of the 2021 World Superbike season thanks to a stunning new lap record in Portimao. 

Rea, who had led every session so far this weekend, looked on course to do so again following his first and second runs, however, the six-time world champion was then bettered by over three tenths by Razgatlioglu. 

There was a bizarre moment early on as several riders including championship leader Razgatlioglu concluded laps, but the Algarve International Circuit transponder failed to pick up their lap times. 

After a slight delay to those times showing up, Razgatlioglu was eventually shown as second - just under three tenths off of provisional pole sitter Rea. 

Leon Haslam then split the two title contenders after being the last rider to set a time. 

As the second and final runs began, Eugene Laverty became the lone crasher of qualifying due to a spill in sector three, while Rea went even faster. 

Then came Razgatlioglu’s sensational final effort which was also good enough to take the circuit lap record away from Rea. 

Heading off from the start of row two will be Scott Redding who momentarily got up to third, while Michael Van Der Mark’s impressive weekend continued as he claimed fifth. Alvaro Bautista will line up sixth on the second factory Honda.  

World Superbike Portimao, Portugal - Superpole Qualifying Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Toprak RazgatliogluTURPATA Yamaha1:40.219s
2Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team+0.305s
3Leon HaslamGBRTeam HRC+0.561s
4Scott ReddingGBRAruba.It Ducati+0.655s
5Michael Van Der MarkNEDMotorrad BMW WorldSBK Team+0.754s
6Alvaro BautistaSPATeam HRC+0.794s
7Andrea LocatelliITAPATA Yamaha+0.927s
8Garrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha+1.069s
9Loris BazFRAGoEleven Ducati+1.165s
10Michael RinaldiITAAruba.It Ducati+1.186s
11Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+1.374s
12Leandro MercadoARGMIE Honda Racing+1.380s
13Eugene LavertyIRLMotorrad BMW WorldSBK Team+1.652s
14Isaac VinalesSPAOrelac Racing Kawasaki+1.690s
15Samuele CavalieriSPABarni Ducati+1.948s
16Kohta NozaneJPNGRT Yamaha+1.989s
17Loris CressonBELPedercini Kawasaki+2.712s
18Christophe PonssonFRAGil Yamaha+2.719s
19Jonas FolgerGERBenovo BMW+3.045s
20Tito RabatITAKawasaki Puccetti+3.781s
21Lachlan EpisAUSPedercini Kawasaki+4.536s
22Gabrielle RuiuITAB-Max Racing Team+4.617s

Free Practice Three

Jonathan Rea remains fastest at World Superbike Portimao as he bettered title rival Toprak Razgatlioglu by less than a tenth in FP3

After finishing second overall on day one, Alex Lowes will take no further part in the weekend after being ruled out due to injury early Saturday morning. 

On-track, Razgatlioglu laid down an early marker by setting his best lap of the weekend on just his first flying lap of the session. 

A time of 1:40.761s was a full second quicker than he managed on day one, which also put him over four tenths clear of Rea.

Razgatlioglu continued to churn out laps quicker than Rea’s personal best, while Garrett Gerloff moved to within two tenths of his fellow Yamaha rider after following the championship leader out on track

At the beginning of Rea’s final run, the six-time world champion managed to better Razgatlioglu’s time by two tenths of a second. Andrea Locatelli, who was fourth before his final stint also improved to get ahead of Gerloff and into P3. 

Locatelli did suffer a late crash in sector three, however, the Italian rider was unhurt and back on his feet immediately. 

The top Ducati for much of the session was once again Loris Baz. The Frenchman was sixth before being dropped to seventh by factory team rider Scott Redding who jumped to fifth. 

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