WorldSBK Indonesia: Razgatlioglu dominates for pole with new lap record

Pata Yamaha’s Toprak Razgatlioglu was firmly in command on Saturday at Mandalika after securing WorldSBK pole with a new lap record.

It was the reigning champion’s third all-time record of the day which secured the Superpole, a 1’31.371 to claim the standings by over a second from the rest of the class. Kawasaki’s Jonathan Rea and Yamaha teammate Andrea Locatelli completed the front row for the afternoon race action with KRT’s Alex Lowes best of the rest in fourth.

Superpole qualifying kicked off with Razgatlioglu the early favourite having already topped final practice with a new all-time lap record. The Turkish rider beat his own previous effort by over half a second on the newly resurfaced layout and Locatelli by a full second as his teammate sat second in the session standings.

It was the same again on his first strike as Razgatlioglu set a 1’31.945 on his opening lap. Locatelli once again trailing on the second R1 and six tenths adrift, with Rea and Aruba.it Ducati’s Alvaro Bautista one second back as they circulated third and fourth respectively.

GoEleven’s Philipp Oettl claimed fifth after the first five minutes of action before Aruba’s Michael Rinaldi bettered for the position. Lowes seventh on the second ZX-10RR ahead of BMW’s Scott Redding with Axel Bassani and Xavi Fores rounding out the top ten on the Motocorsa and Barni Ducatis.

Xavi Vierge promoted the sole remaining Honda up to fifth as the second runs began. Iker Lecuona out of action after suffering a fractured vertebrae in Friday practice. Razgatlioglu continued to dominate the field with a 1’31.371 to clear his teammate by over a second, Locatelli himself still over half a second ahead of the rest of the pack as Rea remained in third.

The Northern