Australia WorldSBK: Toprak Razgatlioglu beats Rea to second in championship after ‘very strange race’

Despite lacking pace compared to Jonathan Rea throughout the Phillip Island WorldSBK round, Toprak Razgatlioglu managed to hold on for second in the championship after an impressive performance particularly in the 10-lap sprint.
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Phillip Island
Toprak Razgatlioglu, Yamaha World Superbike Phillip Island

Razgatlioglu officially secured second thanks to finishing Race 2 in fourth place, but the 2021 World🔥SBK champion managed to get the better of Rea in the Superpole Race which was not expected. 

Razgatlioglu was on the backfoot compared to both factory Kawasaki riders and world champion 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alvaro Bautista after Friday practice, however, a well timed pit stop in Saturday’s flag-to-fl♕ag Race 1 and another strong showing during the Superpole Race left Rea needing a miracle in order to claim second in the standings.

While second is not the type of result Razgatlioglu is usu🍸ally content with, the Superpole Race was a great recovery from the Turkish star after stru🌠ggling on Friday.

In the final race Razgatlioglu looked set to challenge 168澳洲幸运5官方开奖结果历史:Alex Lowes for the podium during the f♐inal few l🐼aps before a red flag ended proceedings.

Speaking about his race, Razgatlioglu said: "We tried in every session to find good grip. We tried our best. In Race 2 it was very strange, after 10 laps, I felt a big drop wℱith the rear tyre. 

"I ෴saw Alex pushing a lot, and after two laps I saw him starting ﷺto spin a lot. I thought 'ok in the last two laps, I'll pass him' and I saw the red flag. 

"But I'm really happ꧋y for him. He needed a bonus because he has two babies! [laughed Razgatlioglu]. 

"He's a very good guy and he was very strong this weekend.🐻 We finished the last race of the season in fourth position. Anyway, we're second in the Championshi✱p standings."

Razgatlioglu comes within a lap of surprise victory

Toprak Razgatlioglu , Race 1, Australian WorldSBK, 19 November
Toprak Razgatlioglu , Race 1, Australian WorldSBK, 19 November

At the start of the Superpole Race, Bautista wꦬas one of two riders to switch from full wets to dry tyres, while Razgatlioglu and Rea were on intermediates.

But even after the Ducati rider dropped out of the points on the first lap, a rapidly drying track allowed Bautista to move back up the order and eventually pass Razgatlioglu, w🎃ho was the race leader, with just over a lap remaining. 

Withꦑ nothing to lose given the championship has already been won by Bautista, Razgatlioglu admitted it was a good gamble from the Spaniard.

"For Alvaro it was a good gamble. He is world champion and for him the season is finished,"&nb🅠sp;added the Ya🐻maha rider. 

"He tried to gamble and also we had a little bit of stres🎶s because we were fighting for second in the cha♍mpionship. I saw that Jonny [had the] same tyre. 

"I saw him re🌳ally slow in some corners because of the front tyre. Wet tyres [on a dry track] there is no♓ grip."

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