WorldSBK Donington: Razgatlioglu secures the dream with perfect weekend

Despite having the 2021 title under his belt, a hat-trick in WorldSBK had eluded Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu until Sunday at Donington Park.

Three from three at one of his favourite tracks on the Superbike World Championship calendar was the icing on the cake for Razgatlioglu after the Turk converted a difficult Friday into a treble celebration at the UK venue, and his team’s home event. Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista put his Saturday disappointment firmly behind him with a determined fightback to second while Jonathan Rea completed his full set of podiums, in third.

McAMS Yamaha’s Tarran Mackenzie began his final wildcard race from 19th after a five-place grid penalty from his Superpole crash. Temperatures rising to 43℃ on track in the 30 degree sunshine as Razgatlioglu lined up on pole for the 23-lap race.

The reigning champion maintained his advantage as the lights went out with Bautista advancing on BMW’s Scott Redding for third before the second Aruba Ducati did likewise. Rinaldi with KRT’s Alex Lowes narrowly behind as the trio battled hard on the fringes of the podium.

Rea briefly hit the front before the Yamaha struck back, with Bautista half a second adrift of the action. Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani was up to eighth by lap three as he bettered Honda’s Iker Lecuona with Andrea Locatelli the next in his sights.

The lead switched and switched again as lap four fired up. The Ducati closing in on the traditional rivals with Redding seven-tenths back from Bautista and Lowes repeatedly taking a look at Rinaldi for fifth.

Further back, Leon Haslam held the final points scoring position from fellow wildcard Mackenzie. Loris Baz into the top ten on the Bonovo BMW with Philipp Oettl and Garett Gerloff just adrift.

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