WorldSBK Mandalika Superpole Results | Razgatlioglu on pole for title decider

Toprak Razgatlioglu remains well placed to clinch the 2021 WorldSBK CHampionship title after taking a dominant pole over rival Jonathan Rea for a crucial opening race of the weekend later today at the new Mandalika Circuit.

The Turkish rider is considered the champion-elect with his comfortable 30 point advantage over Rea ahead of this weekend’s trio of season-concluding races around the new beachside Indonesian circuit.

Having been faster than Rea in all three practice sessions,. Razgatlioglu was again in scintillating form over a single lap, powering to a benchmark 1m 32.877secs, almost four tenths quicker than Kawasaki’s Rea.

With a maximum 62 points still up for grabs this weekend, Razgatlioglu can be crowned champion today if he wins and Rea fails to join him on the podium. Should the Yamaha rider fail to finish though, a win for Rea would see the margin close back up to five points. 

Despite the time margin, Rea was able to keep up the pressure by landing a spot alongside him on the grid in second, while Ducati’s Scott Redding maintained his presence among the two title contenders with third on the grid.

Following a run of indifferent form of late, Garrett Gerloff looked back to his best for fourth on the grid aboard the GRT Yamaha, ahead of fellow R1 rider Andrea Locatelli and leading BMW rider Tom Sykes in sixth.

Axel Bassani gets underway from seventh, ahead of the sole remaining factory Honda of Alvaro Bautista. Michael van der Mark and Leandro Mercado complete the top ten for BMW and MIE Honda, the latter scoring its first-ever top ten grid position.

Elsewhere, only 18 riders will start Race 1 after Alex Lowes was ruled out through injury and Leon Haslan withdrew to focus on his recovery from a recent surgery.

2021 WorldSBK Indonesia | Mandalika Circuit | Superpole Qualifying RESULTS