WorldSBK Catalunya: Bautista blitzes race one as Gerloff podiums

Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Batista dominated the opening WorldSBK race at Circuit Barcelona-Catalunya on Saturday.

A lights to flag victory saw the Spaniard meet the flag almost nine seconds clear with KRT’s Jonathan Rea and GRT Yamaha’s Garrett Gerloff completing the podium celebrations after a fight through the field.

The first Superbike race of the Catalan weekend saw home hero Iker Lecuona command the grid for the first time in his WorldSBK career. The Honda rider set for 20 laps around the 4.7km Montmeló circuit as just one of two riders on the hard option Pirelli tyre - Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani the other - with Kawasaki’s Alex Lowes and Rea alongside on the front row. Title-rivals Bautista and Toprak Razgatlioglu were missing from the front row in a break from 2022 tradition with the Ducati rider sitting fifth ahead of the eighth-placed Yamaha.

Lights out and it was Bautista who stormed to the lead with Lowes and Andrea Locatelli in hot pursuit. Razgatlioglu through at the first corner to slide into second as Michael Rinaldi attempted a look at the Brit. Rea dropped to the back of the top ten before the Northern Irishman began his comeback, BMW’s Scott Redding initially behind before the duo moved in opposing directions in the standings.

Rinaldi’s Panigale powered down the start-finish straight to take the advantage over Lowes for third, the Kawasaki hitting back as the opening sector of lap two played out. Lecuona was running fifth from Bassani and Rea as the Motocorsa attempted his own move on the Fireblade. Redding crashing out from 12th on lap three.

Rea was up to sixth as Rinaldi dropped to ninth. Bassani continuing to hassle the HRC machine ahead with the Spaniard defending hard for fourth.

Bautista held a