WorldSBK Race 1: More history made: Rea claims 13th victory at Assen in curtailed Race 1

Rea prevails in WorldSBK title fight as he becomes the first rider in history to win at one track 13 times

As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship returned to the TT Circuit Assen, a titanic three-way battle for the podium welcomed fans back to the circuit as Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) continued to make history with his 13th victory in Race 1 at the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round.

It means Rea becomes the first rider in WorldSBK history to win 13 times at a single circuit. Challenged by his nearest rivals, the six-time world champion converted pole position into a win to set more WorldSBK history. The race was red flagged with just a few of the scheduled 21 laps to go, following a crash for Jonas Folger (Bonovo MGM Action) between turns 6 and 7. The German rider was on course for a career best WorldSBK result. Taken to the medical centre for a check-up, Folger was transported to Assen Hospital for further assessments and has been declared unfit for the remainder of the round.

LIGHTS OUT AND A BATTLE FROM THE OFF

Polesitter Rea lost the start to Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK), with the championship leader able to jump Rea on the run down to turn 1. The Turkish star then ran wide through turn 4, allowing Rea back through but the star unable to break away.
Rea’s start and Razgatlioglu running wide allowed Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) to challenge the leaders but his race soon came to an end after he crashed on lap 3, forcing the Italian to retire from the race. It was the same corner, turn 8, that Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) had a crash at a lap earlier also putting the Spanish rider out of the race.
It allowed Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who had shown glimpses of strong pace throughout the weekend, to close in on Razgatlioglu and Rea, before Rea made his move on Razgatlioglu on lap 5. Three laps later, Redding made the move on Razgatlioglu at the same corner, the fast right-hander of turn 6, demoting Razgatlioglu to third.

AN ONGOING TITANIC BATTLE

There was nothing to separate the lead trio as the race entered the second half of the 21-lap encounter. A mistake from Redding allowed Razgatlioglu through for second place, but it also allowed Rea to make a decent break on the battling duo, with Razgatlioglu and Redding in a fight until the end. Redding finished the race in second place ahead of Razgatlioglu after passing the Turkish star on lap 16.
Home hero Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed a stunning fourth after battling his way up from ninth on the grid, taking advantage of the crashes to Rinaldi and Bautista – as well as Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who crashed at turn 5 on lap 3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) equalled his best WorldSBK result to date with fifth. Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) finished in sixth place after starting from 21st; the American did not set a lap time in the Tissot Superpole Session. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) started one position ahead of Gerloff, after a technical issue in Superpole, but finished one place behind the American in seventh. Leon Haslam (Team HRC) claimed eighth place with Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) and Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) claiming ninth and tenth respectively.

COMPLETING THE POINTS

Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) claimed his best WorldSBK result to date with Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) returning to the points after him and MIE Racing opted to miss some rounds to focus on improving the bike. Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) claimed his first WorldSBK points with 13th place, taking advantage of wildcard Andrea Mantovani (Vince64)’s double long lap penalty being converted into a ride through penalty after he did not take his long lap penalties.

TO NOTE

Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) was a late-race retirement after he brought his Ducati machine back to the pitlane. Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) crashed out of the final chicane while Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) also crashed out, at Turn 15; both Nozane and Mahias crashed on Lap 13.

WorldSBK Race 1 Podium

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.093s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) +3.214s

 

Tissot Superpole Race: Rea takes dominant Superpole Race victory at Assen, late penalties provide podium drama

Six-time Champion Jonathan Rea held off the early challenge from Michael Ruben Rinaldi to claim his second consecutive victory at Assen

The Tissot Superpole Race for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen was won by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) after battling past his nearest rivals on track before building a gap to win the 10-lap race by almost three seconds at the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round.

SECURING A FRONT ROW START FOR RACE 2

Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got the jump at the start and found himself in the lead of the Superpole Race in the early stages, but Rea was able to pass the Italian to move into the lead. From there, Rea was able to pull a gap to the five riders behind him as they battled for the podium. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) claimed second place after both Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) and teammate Andrea Locatelli exceeded track limits at Turn 18 on the final lap, with both demoting one place. Razgatlioglu finished in third place, behind Rinaldi.

COMPLETING THE TOP NINE

Locatelli claimed his best ever WorldSBK result with fourth place in the confirmed standings, taking a second row start for Race 2, although he had crossed the line in third place. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) will start Race 2 from fifth with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in sixth.

Like in Race 1, both Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) battled from the back of the grid to claim a points finish with Sykes in seventh and Gerloff in eighth, starting from the third row in Race 2. Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) claimed ninth and the final point in the Superpole Race to secure a third row start for Race 2.

TO NOTE

Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) just missed out on a top-nine start by two tenths of a second while Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) had been running in the top seven during the 10-lap race, but lost out to Sykes, Gerloff, Davies and Bassani as the race went on.

Michael van der Mark’s (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) Superpole Race came to an early end after he crashed at Turn 12 on the opening lap after highsiding from his BMW machine, while Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) crashed at the final chicane on the opening lap, with the Spanish rider re-joining the race and finishing 18th.

Tissot Superpole Race Podium

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.542s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) +3.600s

WorldSBK Race 2: Hat-trick for Rea at Assen to reclaim championship lead, as Locatelli claims maiden WorldSBK podium

Jonathan Rea battled back from eighth place after turn one to claim his 15th victory at Assen while Andrea Locatelli came home third for his first ever WorldSBK podium.

A dramatic race two at the Assen in the fifth round of the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship saw Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) clinch his third win of the Dutch round – and the fourth hat-trick of his career – despite finding himself in eighth place after turn one, after starting from pole. Behind him, Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) came home in second with rookie Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) claiming his maiden podium.

LIGHTS OUT AND RAZGATLIOGLU’S OUT

Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) got a good start but found himself out of the race after American Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) made contact with the Turkish rider at turn one, with the American placed under investigation for the incident by the FIM WorldSBK Stewards and given a ride-through penalty for the incident. The crash forced Razgatlioglu out of the race.
The incident forced Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) into eighth place while Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK), running the SCX tyre, found himself leading a WorldSBK race for the first time in his short career. It took until the fourth lap for Rea to be back in second place, as he looked to secure a hat-trick at Assen.

Locatelli led the first half of the race as Rea closed the gap to Locatelli with the six-time champion able to take the lead on lap 12 of 21 on the run to turn one, with Rea on the SC0 tyre. Rea’s victory means he is now on 199 WorldSBK podiums, one away from a historical 200 podiums.
Locatelli was able to stick with Rea for the next few laps, but Rea soon extended his lead over the rookie. Next, Locatelli had Ducati’s Scott Redding, running third, to contend with. On the final sector of Lap 19, Redding made his move into second place, with Locatelli coming home in third for his maiden WorldSBK podium.

COMPLETING THE TOP TEN

Chaz Davies (Team GoEleven) missed out on his 100th WorldSBK podium on his 200th start for Ducati – finishing in fourth after charging through the field, fending off the challenge from Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) by just one second with the Spanish rider claiming his best result of the season so far.
Behind Bautista, there was a titanic battle for sixth place that culminated with Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crashing out at the final chicane while battling with teammate Michael van der Mark, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati); Rinaldi falling down the order as he selected the SCX tyre. Dutchman van der Mark claimed sixth ahead of Lowes and Rinaldi. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) claimed another top ten finish with ninth, as Leon Haslam (Team HRC) rounded out the top ten.

ROUNDING OUT THE POINTS

Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) claimed 11th place in race two at Assen with Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) securing another points-paying position with 12th. Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team) was 13th on his return to the Championship after undergoing a testing programme with the team. Isaac Viñales (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) finished in 14th place, ending a run of results for the Spanish rider of finishing in odd-numbered positions, while Sykes claimed 15th after his crash.

Andrea Mantovani (Vince64) missed out on a second points finish of the weekend with 16th place, with Loris Cresson (OUTDO TPR Team Pedercini Racing) the last of the classified runners. Gerloff’s race came to an end after he had taken his ride-through penalty after he crashed at turn nine on his Yamaha machine, joining Razgatlioglu as a retirement from race two.

WorldSBK Race 2 Podium

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK)
2. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.605s
3. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) +3.431s

Jonathan Rea: “My team did an incredible job. We changed the base setup of the Kawasaki Ninja ZX-10RR to be honest. Wheelbase wise, I could make the bike much more nimble, changing direction was better. I was using less track than usual, preserving the tyre. We won yesterday with the SCX tyre and today we went with the SC0 and I was still able to have a good result. That’s all testament to the good work going inside the KRT box. We just changed the length of the wheelbase quite a lot. From the front header pipe position to the rear swingarm length but the combination worked really well, and we were able to work calmly through the weekend. We made a long run on Friday; we knew all the information we needed for the races.”

WorldSBK Championship Standings After Round 5

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 243 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with BRIXX WorldSBK) 206 points
3. Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 162 points

WorldSSP Race 1: It was all yellow: Aegerter claims historic victory on Ten Kate Racing’s home soil at Assen

The special Ten Kate Racing Yamaha livery enjoyed a successful first race outing at the TT Circuit Assen as Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed his fourth consecutive FIM Supersport World Championship victory after a thrilling three-way battle at the front of the field in Race 1 for the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round.

LIGHTS OUT

Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) got the holeshot into Turn 1 to take the lead but soon found himself down in third place on the opening lap as both Aegerter and Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). As seen before in 2021, the lead group contained plenty of riders all looking to break Aegerter’s winning streak.

After five laps, the lead trio of Aegerter, Oettl and Odendaal were the leading trio and all set fastest laps of the race to start pulling away from the chasing pack, with Aegerter continuing to lead the race despite Odendaal, in third, being the fastest rider of the three. Oettl had been in the lead of the race before falling back behind Aegerter and Odendaal, with the pair running the SCX tyre while Oettl used the SC0.

THREE-WAY BATTLE FOR VICTORY

As the race entered the second half of the race, the lead trio kept extending their lead over Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) in fourth, who was at the front of the chasing pack, although the gaps at the front tended to be a couple of tenths, although on Lap 10 Odendaal had a look at passing Aegerter before the final chicane, with Aegerter able to hold on.

Oettl was dropped by Aegerter and Odendaal as the race went on with Aegerter, riding a special livery for the Ten Kate Racing team, able to withstand the challenge from Odendaal as the Swiss rider extended his Championship lead over the South African, with Aegerter consistently on lap record pace including setting a new record of 1’37.688s. After 18 laps, Aegerter finished three seconds clear of Odendaal with Oettl claiming third.

ROUNDING OUT THE TOP TEN

Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) and Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) engaged in a battle for fourth place in the closing stages of the race, with Cluzel able to pass the 2019 WorldSSP Champion on the last lap; Krummenacher’s fifth the best result of his 2021 campaign. Gonzalez ended the race in sixth place after losing out to both Cluzel and Krummenacher in the closing stages. Gonzalez has now secured 22 consecutive points finishes in WorldSSP, equalling the third-longest all-time streak and just three away from the longest streak of 25 races, held by Roberto Rolfo. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) claimed seventh place after a strong race for the Turkish star, with Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) and Sheridan Morais (Wojcik Racing Team) completing the top ten; Morais returning to the Championship in place of Christoffer Bergman.

THE POINTS SCORERS

Peter Sebestyen’s (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) return to the Championship culminated with 11th place and a points finish, holding off the challenge from Sammarinese rider Luca Bernardi (CM Racing) who came home in 12th place; today’s race the first time Bernardi has not finished second when Aegerter has claimed victory.

Michel Fabrizio (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) claimed 13th place as the Italian continues his comeback with Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) in 14th and Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team) completing the points with 15th place and the highest-placed WorldSSP Challenge competitor.

TO NOTE

Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) narrowly missed out on WorldSSP Challenge honours, finishing 16th and just over a tenth behind Manfredi. Federico Fuligni (VFT Racing) was 17th with Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse), Eemeli Lahti (HRP Suzuki), Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing) and Eduardo Montero Huerta (DK Motorsport) completing the classified runners.

Hannes Soomer (Kallio Racing) was declared unfit with a left distal tibia fracture following a crash in the Tissot Superpole session, while Shogo Kawasaki (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) crashed in Free Practice 2 and was declared unfit after he was diagnosed with concussion. Pawel Szkopek (Yamaha MS Racing) was the first retirement of the race after the Polish rider crashed his Yamaha machine at Turn 4. Daniel Webb’s (WRP Wepol Racing) return from injury came to a premature end when he came off his bike at Turn 9 on Lap 8, while Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) had a high side crash as he looked to pass Krummenacher at the final chicane; forcing the Finnish rider to retire. Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) retired from the race on Lap 14 at Turn 11, an incident for which Bernardi was given a Long Lap Penalty, while Mattia Casadei (VFT Racing) was out a lap later. WorldSSP Challenge competitor Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing) brought her Yamaha machine into the pitlane on Lap 16 of 18 to retire from the race.

WorldSSP Race 1 Podium

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
2. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +2.846s
3. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +8.871s

WorldSSP Race 2: Aegerter doubles up at Assen as Krummenacher returns to the WorldSSP rostrum

Dominique Aegerter dominated the race to make it five victories in a row as 2019 Champion Randy Krummenacher claimed his first podium since returning to the Championship.

Racing for the FIM Supersport World Championship at the TT Circuit Assen came to a thrilling conclusion in the Prosecco DOC Dutch Round as Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) claimed his fifth consecutive victory and his second in his team’s home race, while Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) battled his way to the podium for the first time since 2019.

LIGHTS OUT AND A BATTLE FROM THE START

In a typical 2020 WorldSSP race start, the lead group were battling nose-to-tail and elbow-to-elbow throughout the opening few laps, with Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) able to take the lead on the opening lap despite Aegerter getting a good start from pole position into Turn 1.

German Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was able to take the lead of the race as he did in Race 1 on Saturday, but soon found himself behind Aegerter when the Swiss rider passed Oettl on the fifth lap, having passed Odendaal the lap before to move into second place as he looked to make it two wins in his special yellow livery.

TOP TWO BREAK AWAY

After Aegerter passed Oettl, Aegerter was able to drag the German rider away from the chasing pack as they looked to secure their places on the podium. Odendaal’s race came undone on Lap 9 of 18 when he crashed at Turn 5, falling down to 20th place and had to battle his way through the field, eventually finishing in 13th.

Like in Race 1, Aegerter was able to start pulling away from everyone as he ramped up the pace to start pulling away from Oettl, leading by almost two seconds as Lap 13 got underway. Oettl was able to take advantage of the chasing group to claim second place and his second podium of the weekend.

THE BATTLE FOR THIRD…

The final podium place battled raged on throughout the 18-lap race between Luca Bernardi (CM Racing), Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team), Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha), Manuel Gonzalez (Yamaha ParkinGo Team) and Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). Krummenacher had been running third before Sammarinese rider Bernardi passed the 2019 WorldSSP Champion, although the Swiss rider was able to respond later on in the race.

On Lap 15, Gonzalez made his move on Bernardi to move into fourth in the hunt for his first WorldSSP podium before setting his sights on Krummenacher, but Bernardi soon made a return to fourth with an aggressive move on the 2019 WorldSSP300 Champion. Bernardi then made his move on Krummenacher at Turn 8 to move into third with two laps to go, but Krummenacher responded ay Turn 15; an error at the chicane meant Öncü was able to move into fourth. At the end, Krummenacher finished in third place to return to the podium in WorldSSP, with Bernardi in fourth. Krummenacher’s podium means it’s the first time two Swiss riders have stood on the rostrum in WorldSSP, while Switzerland now has as many wins as Germany in WorldSSP with 11.

ROUNDING OUT THE POINTS

Despite dropping to the back of the lead group, Cluzel was able to take fourth place after Bernardi was penalised with a one-place demotion for exceeding track limits on the final lap. Gonzalez claimed sixth place with Öncü in seventh after he was on the receiving end of an overtake by Bernardi which forced him wide.

Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Corse Clienti) finished in eighth place with Marco Alcoba (Yamaha MS Racing) in ninth and Vertti Takala (Kallio Racing) completing the top ten; Tuuli and Alcoba around four seconds back from the group chasing down the podium.

Kevin Manfredi (Altogo Racing Team) was the highest placed WorldSSP Challenge rider with 11th place, while Peter Sebestyen finished in 13th place ahead of teammate Odendaal. Sheridan Morais’ (Wojcik Racing Team) secured another points finish with 14th place as he stood in for the injured Christoffer Bergman, with Michel Fabrizio (G.A.P. MOTOZOO Racing by Puccetti) completing the points.

TO NOTE

WorldSSP Challenge rider Leonardo Taccini (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) missed out on a points finish by just 0.017s as he chased down Fabrizio, with Eemeli Lahti (HRP Suzuki) in 18th place. Stephane Frossard (Moto Team Jura Vitesse) was just 0.053s behind Lahti in 18th place, with Luigi Montella (Chiodo Moto Racing), Maria Herrera (Biblion Iberica Yamaha Motoxracing), Eduardo Montero Huerta (DK Motorsport) and Pawel Szkopek (Yamaha MS Racing) the last of the classified finishers.

The first lap was an eventful affair in WorldSSP with Indonesian rider Galang Hendra Pratama (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) a Lap 1 retirement following a crash, while Raffaele De Rosa (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Federico Caricasulo (GMT94 Yamaha) came together at Turn 10, with both retiring from the race. Daniel Webb (WRP Wepol Racing) was also a retirement from the race, as was Mattia Casadei (VFT Racing). Federico Fuligni (VFRT Racing) retired from the race in the closing stages of the 18-lap race.

WorldSSP Race 2 Podium

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha)
2. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +7.697s
3. Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team) +8.119s

WorldSSP Championship Standings After Round 5

1. Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 169 points
2. Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) 125 points
3. Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 108 points

Words courtesy of worldsbk.com and photos courtesy of worldsbk.com and GeeBee Images.