Assen WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea blames Toprak Razgatlioglu; 'he hit my hip'

Rea’s hopes of complet🔥ing a second consecutive Assen WorldꦰSBK hat-trick were dashed, as was Razgatlioglu’s efforts of winning a first race this season, by contact that has often been made between the two, but never resulted in the two riders crashing out.
Attempting to stop the recent trend which has been losing out on victoryﷺ to Rea and Bautista, Razgatlioglu appeared even more determined to keep the two 2022 race winners behind him.
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That meant using his late braking prowess to keep ahead of Bautista🐲 at the Geert Timmer chicane on lap three, and once again at turn one against Rea.
But with Rea and his ZX10-RR making significant improvements over the winter regar🦹ding traction coming out of corners, it was at that same turn one where Rea was immediately on the Yamaha ♋rider’s case.
Razgatlioglu, who got a poor exit out of the final chicane, was compromised for speed as Rea got alongside him. However, the Turkish star somehow kept his R1 on-t꧒rack and therefore avoided missing the corner, but the reigning world champion had to c♍ompromise his speed once again on the approach to turn two, which allowed Rea to get alongside.
But that’s as far🌠 as the attempted overtake went as Rea and Razgatlioglu made contact before the pair simultaneously hit th𝕴e deck.
Speaking about the crash which followed a Superpole race in which he made history with Kawasaki, Rea added: “With the ♚crash in race two, from my point of view, I drew alongside Toprak on the start-finish straight. He braked 15 metres later than normal. He then stopped th🎀e bike on the kerb before going off and sacrificed so much speed and my normal apex racing line was so much faster.
“In this situation at Assen normally the guy on the outside gives way, because someone is coming on the🎃 inside.

“Like I did in turn one, in the 💮first lap of the race with Lecuona. I went deep - an🍒d I understand that you can’t come back onto the track. You cannot make sudden movements into the racing line.
“I was committed to my line going into T2 later in the race. I was in front when we came together b𒁏ecause he hit my hip on the rear side. Unfortunate, as it really soured our week🤡end. My team gave me an incredible bike for the race.”
Rea believes fans were robbed of a WorldSBK classic!
“I am frustrated for myself, but also Toprak and the fans. We were deprived of a good race. Two into one 🌠when that happens doesn’t work,” added the six-time world champion.
“We have to be happy with taking 100 race wins for K🐷awa♍saki in the Superpole Race. It was a great morning for us! It didn’t finish in the best way but I think we can take a lot of confidence that our package is working really well.”
While Rea suggested Raz🌟gatlioglu was 🍷more at fault, Razgatlioglu believes it was a racing incident due to never leaving the track.
Razgatlioglu added: “I tried to brake hard at the first corner and𝄹 I ran a litt💫le bit wide, but I didn’t go outside the track. I’m turning also onto the racing line.
“I touched the kerb but I stayed on the racing line, I didn’t come back inside. I saw Jonny and he wa🐓s very fast. After, we crashed. I think for me this is a racing incident.
“I think Jonny needs to look at me. I go a little bit wide, I stay on the track, but he’s not looking. He’s just o😼pened the gas and we crashed together.”
Bautista the big winner from Rea-Razgatlioglu drama; ‘I was so lucky’

Of course, the big winner from today’s clash was Alvaro Bautista who has regained the cha⛦mpꦚionship lead thanks to a dominant race two win.
Aft🔥er the two 🐈leaders went down, Bautista was briefly relegated to second by Iker Lecuona as the Ducati rider had to take avoiding action.
In fact, Bautista could easily have been caught up as he missed Razgatlioglu’s bike by just a few inches: “I ꩵwas fighting with Toprak and Jonathan, I had some fun. But in the first corner Toprak went a bit out and Jonathan went very fast in the same line that Toprak was trying to recover and they touched. I was so lucky because I didn’t touch their bike for just a few millimetres.”
However, the Spaniard quickly responded before opening up a nine second lead come the checkered flag. It means Bautista’s lead over Rea is 18 points headi♚ng to 🔯Estoril next month