WorldSBK Estoril SP Race Results | Rea pounces on late Razgatlioglu error to win

Jonathan Rea scores surprise WorldSBK Superpole Race win in Estoril after Toprak Razgatlioglu error cedes his comfortable lead with four corners remaining

Jonathan Rea, Toprak Razgatlioglu

Jonathan Rea scored a dramatic last gasp victory in the WorldSBK Superpole Race at Estoril after a mistake on the final lap by defending champion Toprak Razgatlioglu cost him a comfortable success.

Eager to make amends for Race 1 when he lost his win after being out-dragged to the chequered flag by Alvaro Bautista, Razgatlioglu seemed on course to get that elusive first win of the year on the board in the short ten lap sprint at an overcast Estoril.

However, the damp, tricky conditions would ultimately catch the Turk out after he lost the front of the Yamaha R1 at the slow left-right uphill complex towards the end of the very final lap. 

Lucky to keep the Yamaha upright as it skated on its fairing before popping back onto its wheels, it was enough of a wobble to allow Rea to pounce, the Kawasaki man leaving little room for error as he sliced across the front of his rival coming around the following right-hander.

Indeed, Rea looked to be out of victory contention after coming off second best in a firm but clean overtake by Razgatlioglu at the start of lap seven. Seeing the Turk pull in front of his rival into the braking area, Rea’s inability to lean into the corner forced him out wide, ceding a second and appearing to decide the result there and then prior to the late revival..

Completing the podium, championship leader Alvaro Bautista once again paid for a slow getaway from the front row but never appeared to have the speed that took him to a last gasp victory on Saturday.

He was pushed all the way by an inspired Iker Lecuona, the ex-MotoGP rider making good use of his cut front tyre to be the quickest rider on track early on. Despite fading as the circuit dried, the Honda rider held onto fourth at the finish.

Andrea Locatelli completed the top five, ahead of Alex Lowes, with Scott Redding unable to make a bright start count as he eventually slipped to seventh. Michael Ruben Rinaldi and stand-in Xavi Fores completed the points’ paying positions for this race to secure their spots among the front three rows in Race 2.

In a race of high attrition, Xavi Vierge - top five in race one - was an early faller, while Bonovo BMW riders Loris Baz and Eugene Laverty fell separately within seconds of one another while running inside the points.

2022 WorldSBK Championship | Estoril, Portugal | Superpole Race RESULTS

2022 WorldSBK Championship | Estoril, Portugal | Superpole Race RESULTS | Round 3 / 12
PosRiderNat.WorldSBK TeamSuperbikeTiming
1Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing TeamKawasaki ZX-10RR10 Laps
2Toprak RazgatliogluTURPata YamahaYamaha R1+0.174
3Alvaro BautistaESPAruba Racing DucatiDucati Panigale V4 R+4.925
4Iker LecuonaESPTeam HRCHonda CBR1000RR-R+7.050
5Andrea LocatelliITAPata YamahaYamaha R1+8.240
6Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing TeamKawasaki ZX-10RR+8.684
7Scott ReddingGBRBMW MotorradBMW M 1000 RR+10.293
8Michael Ruben RinaldiITAAruba Racing DucatiDucati Panigale V4 R+29.516
9Xavi ForesESPTeam GoElevenDucati Panigale V4 R+29.541
10Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa RacingDucati Panigale V4 R+32.114
11Kohta NozaneJPNGRT Yamaha TeamYamaha R1+32.141
12Christophe PonssonFRAGil Motor SportYamaha R1+52.258
13Isaac VinalesESPTPR Pedercini RacingKawasaki ZX-10RR+53.209
14Leandro MercadoARGMIE Racing TeamHonda CBR1000RR-R+55.481
15Luca BernardiSMRBarni Spark RacingDucati Panigale V4 R+1m >
16Hafizh SyahrinMALMIE Racing TeamHonda CBR1000RR-R+1m >
17Oliver KonigCZEOrelac VerdNaturaKawasaki ZX-10RR+1m >
DNFEugene LavertyIRLBonovo Action BMWBMW M 1000 RR 
DNFLoris BazFRABonovo Action BMWBMW M 1000 RR 
DNFXavi ViergeESPTeam HRCHonda CBR1000RR-R 
DNFMarvin FritzGERMotoxracing TeamYamaha R1 
DNFLucas MahiasFRAPuccetti RacingKawasaki ZX-10RR 
DNSMichael van der MarkNEDBMW MotorradBMW M 1000 RR 
DNSGarrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha TeamYamaha R1