Misano WorldSBK: Bautista blitzes race two

Alvaro Bautista utterly dominated the final WorldSBK race at Misano on Sunday with a seven-second lead on the Aruba.it Ducati.

Defending champion Toprak Razgatliolgu split a second double Ducati podium as Michael Rinaldi joined the celebrations for another third at home.

The final Italian race of the weekend fired up with Razgatliolgu in command of the grid following his first victory of the season. The R1 headed the usual trio with Bautista and Jonathan Rea alongside, while Honda locked out the start of row two from the second Pata machine of Andrea Locatelli.

The hottest temperatures of the weekend greeted the pack as the lights released the action with 57℃ registered on the grid as Razgatlioglu stormed for the holeshot with Bautista bettering Rea for second. Alex Lowes initially getting a better start before himself being bogged down by the group alongside Locatelli at turn one with the pair running eighth and ninth.

Michael Rinaldi recovered five positions on the Aruba Ducati as the opening lap developed before capturing fourth from Xavi Vierge next time around. Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani following suit for the top five as Vierge was demoted into the path of teammate Iker Lecuona. The Italian was on the podium by lap three as he scalped Rea at turn ten. Garrett Gerloff sliding the GRT Yamaha out at the last corner having run inside the top ten in the opening stages.

Razgatlioglu maintained his lead from a duo of pursuing Ducati’s before Bautista made a move, the Yamaha hitting back almost instantly and looking to break free with the leading quartet covered by just over half a second with five laps done.

Bassani was on the back of the front group as the next lap played out, the Hondas, Lowes and Locatelli stretching out