Dutch WorldSBK Superpole results | Razgatlioglu breaks lap record for Assen pole

The early pace was set by Toprak Razgatlioglu, but almost immediately after he set the first 1’33 of the weekend, the session was somewhat interrupted by yellow flags at the Ramshoek for a crash for Michael Ruben Rinaldi. 

It was a costly crash for Rinaldi, who was on a personal best lap, sitting behind his teammate Alvaro Bautista, when he crashed. Of course, the ‘one bike rule’ for WorldSBK meant there was no chance for Rinaldi to get back out in the session to compete for the top positions on the grid for the first two races of the weekend. 

But the headlines were made by the reigning champion, Razgatlioglu, who obliterated the lap record with a 1’32.934, taking pole position by almost half-a-second ahead of Alex Lowes. 

The front row was completed by Jonathan Rea, while Andrea Locatelli and Alvaro Bautista will start the first two races of the weekend ahead of Garrett Gerloff on the second row. 

Loris Baz reassumed his now traditional position as top BMW in seventh place, ahead of Iker Lecuona and Axel Bassani on row three. 

Lucas Mahias completed the qualifying top 10, and will start alongside Philipp Oettl and the aforementioned Rinaldi on the fourth row. 

Scott Redding’s BMW adaptation continued to suffer, as he showed visible frustration throughout the session, and ended up two seconds off the pace in 13th. 

Full Assen Superpole times are below.

2022 WorldSBK Championship | Assen, Netherlands | Superpole RESULTS