WorldSBK Indonesia: Bautista back on top as Vierge podiums

While Aruba.it Ducati looked odds on for the WorldSBK race two victory at Mandalika, Alvaro Bautista wasn’t the obvious choice until Sunday’s final stages.

The Spaniard picked off teammate Michael Rinaldi on the penultimate lap to clinch his fifth win of six races in 2023 amid a rollercoaster Sunday afternoon in Indonesia. Superpole winner Toprak Razgatlioglu and a jubilant Xavi Vierge completed the podium with the Honda rider celebrating for the first time in his Superbike career.

The final race of the Indonesian weekend lined up without Bonovo BMW’s Loris Baz. The Frenchman having sustained a fractured right proximal fibula and right ankle during the morning’s Superpole sprint. MIE Honda’s Eric Granado also missing from proceedings due to ongoing sickness.

An earlier crash for Bautista left the Aruba rider tenth on the grid for the concluding action with Razgatlioglu back on pole. Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli and Kawasaki’s Alex Lowes alongside on the front row.

Lights out for 21 laps and Razgatlioglu took the holeshot as Jonathan Rea swapped positions with his Kawasaki teammate. Motocorsa’s Axel Bassani splitting the pair from fourth as Vierge advanced to sixth.

Lowes was back in fourth as Rea took a look at Locatelli at the conclusion to the opening lap. Bassani hitting back at the number 22 before he lunged at Rea. The aftermath disrupting the two Yamahas with Razgatlioglu down to fifth, Locatelli seventh, as Bassani claimed the lead from the Kawasaki pairing.

An advancing Michael Rinaldi found the Ducati rider quickly in podium contention before he dispatched both ZX-10RR’s for second position. Bautista struggling to make the same progress from eighth as his teammate took charge out front.

Lap five kicked off