Rac🧔e 1 of the Catalunya WorldSBK round was another dominant showing from Alvaro Bautista, after the reigning world champion led every 🌊lap and won by over eight seconds.

However, Razgatlioglu and Rea were once again best ꧋of the rest as they fought until🍰 the final corner.

• Rinaldi: Bassani an ‘aver﷽age rider, ran into me on purpose to make me crash’ 
• Catalunya World Su🅠perbike Race (1) Results: Rampant Bautista wins again

Rea had been ahead of Razgatlioglu for the entire ra🌺ce before the Yamaha rider finally got close enough to challenge the six-time champion into turn one.

Despite ൩being out of shape on entry to turn one, Razgatlioglu managed to bring his R1 to the apex and hold off Rea for the remainder o🎶f the lap.

"In the race, I 𝕴enjoyed it as we’re not riding on the limit to keep the rear tyre," said Razgatlioglu. "I am very happy to be riding with the legend, and this is good as we forget about Alvaro as he’s very strong at this track. 

"I enjoyed it with Jonny and I was waiting until the last lap, but also I was on the limit on the last ඣlap as the tyres had a big drop. I just tried to get the best position. 

"I got ahead of Jonny on the last lap and tried to take th🐻e best line. I am happy with P2. I tried hard braking but with t𝓰he strong winds, it wasn’t easy to get the bike to stop. 

"The front tyre didn’t have good grip in the final lap, but I tried my best like in every race. We didn’t feel good at the start of the weekend, but I am happ𝐆y now."

For Rea, Race 1 in Catalunya was one of his strongest performances of the season as tyreඣ life was not an issue unlike previous rounds. 

And while his ZX-10RR was ‘turning on a sixpence’ in qualifying when using the softer Pirelli t꧑yre, Rea is hoping a step can be made with🙈 regards to stopping ahead of Sunday’s double-header.

Rea added: "It’s alwa෴ys difficult when you see ‘0.1 Toprak’ on the pit board! Not just onꦺe lap but every lap! 

"In the be🐠ginning, I was happy behꦐind Bassani and Rinaldi but as soon as they lost track position, I was on my own at the front and it’s difficult to understand a strategy race like that. 

"When you’re at the front, I was trying to set a rhythm, pulling away from those behꦓind but not pushing too hard to kill my tyre. Toprak came by on the final lap but I could turn insi♔de him at Turn 3 and Turn 4. 

"I have to thank the guys at KRT as we have good rear traction, we just need to improve in the stopping area in the latter stages with the front tyre. In Superpole, witไh the softer option front, the bike felt amazing and it was turning on a sixpence."