Toprak Razgatlioglu blasts the Aragon World Superbike lap record to take the first 🍒pole of 202🍌2 by just -0.006s from Alvaro Bautista.

A highly-anticipated first Superpo♓le of the 2022 World Superbi🐼ke Championship got underway with Scott Redding tucked up behind Jonathan Rea. 

The six-time world champion secured the most poles in 2021 (8), making him the perfect rider to follow. 𒁃;

• Rea in dominant form at Ara🐼gon, Razgatlioglu lamentsও lack of 'grip' with front
• Aragon Worl𒁏dSBK: Iker Lecuona conc🀅edes 'we are a few tenths short'

Like in FP3, Loris Baz started Superpole quickest after finding a break🍷through in performance overnight. 

The🌳 Bonovo Action BMW rider was soon dethroned by Toprak Razgatlioglu as the Yamaha man set an unbelievable lap. 

Razgatlioglu broke into the 1m 48s barrier with a first sub 🎉1m 49s lap of the weekend, before Alvaro Bautista and Rea joined him by going second and third. 

On Rea’s second flying lap the Kawasaki rider looked set to challenge Razgatlioglu🎃’s top time, however, the day-one pacesetter lost time in sector four. 

Razgatlioglu’s time of 1:48.666s was so fast that only five rid♊ers managedꦅ to get within a second of the world champion.

At the start of the second run Team HRC’s Iker Lecuona jumped up to sixth with a𝐆n impressive lap, however, the pace at the front began to really heat up.  

Rea went quickest by just 🐬under two tenths before his Aragon lap record was smashed by Bautista.&n🥀bsp;

A time of 1;48.273s put him two tenths clear ofꦯ Rea - also two tenths 💝under the lap record - but it wasn’t enough as Razgatlioglu came across the line -0.006s quicker. 

A stunnওing level of performance from bꦡoth Razgatlioglu and Bautista. 

Who’s the favourite for victory in Race 1?

Based on Friday’s performance it was Rea who look🅘ed strongest, however, Razgatlioglu’s pole time is a clear indication he’s ready to challenge for a first win at Aragon. 

Razgatlioglu, who promised toꩵ make improvements following day-one, has seemingly done so which♏ is why the reigning world champion is our favourite to hold off Rea and Alvaro Bautista.

In order for him to do 🐼that, keeping tyre life, especially with regards to the front will be crucial for the Turkish star, something Rea has not struggled with as much so far this weekend.  

Bautista was equally as strong during qualifying, and after winning🍸ﷺ all three Aragon races in 2019, a podium is the very least we expect. 

Official Aragon WorldSBK Records 

Fastest Lap - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki 1m 48.458s. 

Most Wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki (8) 

2021 Aragon WorldSBK Race Winners 

Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki

Race 2 - Scott Redding GBR Ducati 

Free Practice Three round-up

FP3 began wiওth big hitters Rea and Bautista choosing to remain in pit lane, while Baz went quickest aboard his Bonovo Action M 1000 RR. 

Baz’ time was then bettered by close to siꦍx tenths as reigning world champion Razgatlioglu went qui🦩ckest on a 1:50.062s. 

Joining the Turk♉ish💞 sensation in the low 1m 50s was Michael Rinaldi as the Italian instead pipped his former Stock 600 rival by -0.054s. 

As the battle continu🐎ed, Razgatlioglu looked set to jump back to the top courtesy of g💮oing quickest in sector three. 

However, the Pata Yamaha rideꦆr lost time in S4, thus allowing Rinaldi to remain fastest. 

Bautista, who was n🐷ow out on-track, as was six-time World Superbike champion Rea, went third with just his first flying lap. 

The Spaniard’s next lap around was supremely quick as he se🐓t a time of 1:49.644s - +🍷0.344s in front of team-mate Rinaldi. 

Despite being out on-track with the rest of the field, Rea was unable to make a hot start like in FP1 and FP2. The Kawasaki rider went seventh after the initial flurry oꦏf laps - +1.127s off Bautista. 

Ahead of Rea was Endurance World Champions෴hip rider Ilya Michalchik, as the Ukrainian made an impressive start to the first day. 

Stunning throughout pre-season, rookie Philipp Oettl then made it a Ducati ಞ1-ඣ2-3 as he split the two factory riders. 

Not prepared to push in the slightly cooler 🔯conditions, Rea dropped down to eighth Garrett Gerloff went fifth. 

After fitting a new rear tyre 💛Baz regaine🅠d top spot, while Bautista suffered a first crash of the weekend at turn nine. It was a typical front-end washout at the corkscrew for the former MotoGP man.

Bautista was then given a black flag due to not returning to pit lane the next lap, a rule that is implemented in WorldSBK for practice, but not under race circumstan꧃ces.

After looking c♔omofortable without setting a quick lap, Rea chose to do exactly that as he went P3. 

Weekend Schedule - 2022 Aragon WorldSBK

Saturday 

13:00 - WorldSBK Race 1 (UK)

Sunday 

08:00-08:15 - WorldSBK Warm-up (UK)

10:00 - WorldSBK Superpole Race (UK) 

13:00 - WorldSBK Race 2 (UK)