Alvaro Bautista consolidated his lead in the World Superbike championship with a dominant victory in the opening race in Barcelona on Saturday.
The Ducati rider started in the middle of the second row, immediately took the lead, and held on to it for the entire 20-lap race to clinch his ninth win of the season.
The victory sees the Spaniard increase his championship lead to 44 points, ahead of Toprak Razgatlioglu, who finished fifth on the day.
Razgatlioglu started in 10th position but quickly shot into second position early in the race. Unfortunately for him, his pace dropped in the latter half of the race.
Meanwhile, it was Jonathan Rea who surged up the field from seventh to take second place behind Bautista, who was comfortable ahead.
Garrett Gerloff was the surprise package and secured his first podium of the season thanks to passing Razgatlioglu on the 18th lap.
RACE 1 RESULTS
1. Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.It Racing Ducati 21 Laps
2. Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +8.665s
3. Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team +9.289s
4. Michael Rinaldi ITA Aruba.It Racing Ducati +10.783s
5. Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +13.568s
6. Iker Lecuona SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +13.655s
7. Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +14.013s
8. Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +14.839s
9. Andrea Locatelli ITA PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK +29.775s
10. Eugene Laverty IRL Bonovo Action BMW +30.094s
11. Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +30.390s
12. Xavi Vierge SPA Team HRC WorldSBK +31.755s
13. Roberto Tamburini ITA Motoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team +33.055s
14. Lucas Mahias FRA Puccetti Kawasaki +35.962s
15. Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motor Sport Yamaha +37.498s
16. Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha +45.108s
17. Oscar Gutierrez SPA Pedercini Kawasaki +46.958s
18. Leandro Mercado ARG MIE Honda Racing +55.315s
19. Oliver Konig CZE Orelac Racing Kawasaki +57.534s
20. Michael Van Der Mark SPA BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team DNF
21. Philipp Oettl GER GoEleven Ducati DNF
22. Scott Redding GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team DNF
23. Luca Bernardi SM Barni Spark Ducati Team DNF