Bautista clinches victory at Imola

Ducati showcased his dominance in an exhilarating Race 1 of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, clinching his 17th victory in the 2023 season in remarkable fashion.

The Autodromo Internazionale Enzo e Dino Ferrari di Imola bore witness to an electrifying battle as Bautista emerged victorious, leaving Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) trailing behind and reaching a milestone of 100 podium finishes with a second-place finish.

The opening laps treated the passionate Italian fans to an intense showdown as two local riders led for the first time this season.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) snatched the holeshot from second position and maintained his lead until the final chicane on Lap 2, when compatriot Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) overtook him. However, Bassani's fortunes swiftly turned sour on Lap 3 when a major wobble through Tamburello dropped him to fourth, allowing Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) to seize the opportunity and pass him at the Variante Alta on Turn 4.

On Lap 3, the 2021 Champion, Razgatlioglu, executed one of the most impressive overtakes of the season by skilfully maneuvering around the outside of Bautista on the entry to the Variante Alta, securing the second position behind Locatelli. This set the stage for a captivating battle for first place among Locatelli, Razgatlioglu, and Bautista.

Taking advantage of Locatelli's wide run into the final chicane, Razgatlioglu made his move into Turn 1, securing second place and defending from Bautista. The Spaniard swiftly overtook the local hero on the following lap at the Variante Alta, setting his sights on Razgatlioglu.

Razgatlioglu and Bautista built a gap over Rea, who surpassed Locatelli at the final chicane on Lap 5, as they engaged in a fierce contest for victory. Although Bautista briefly surrendered second place to the six-time Champion after a momentous incident on the run to the Variante Alta on Lap 8, he swiftly reclaimed his position.

Throughout the first two-thirds of the race, there was little to separate the leading duo. However, a mistake by Razgatlioglu allowed Bautista to overtake him on the way down to Rivazza 1, propelling the Spaniard into the lead. While Bautista ran slightly wide at the final chicane, Razgatlioglu failed to capitalise, remaining in second place. From that point onward, the reigning Champion extended his lead, securing his 49th WorldSBK victory. Razgatlioglu settled for second place, and Rea claimed third.

Bautista's triumph equalled the record for the most wins in a single season, matching the achievements of Doug Polen in 1991 and Jonathan Rea in 2018 and 2019.

Another victory at any point in the season will grant Bautista the all-time record of 18 wins in a single campaign. Razgatlioglu's second-place finish marked his 100th WorldSBK podium and his 16th consecutive appearance on the rostrum—a joint sixth-longest streak of all time. Rea notched his 252nd podium finish, and together with Razgatlioglu, they have now shared the podium 75 times.

WSBK Race 1 results at Imola:

1 Alvaro Bautista SPA Racing Ducati 19 Laps

2 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha WorldSBK +3.672s

3 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +7.847s

4 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha WorldSBK +13.543s

5 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Racing Ducati +15.898s

6 Danilo Petrucci ITA Barni Spark Racing Team +18.551s

7 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Ducati +20.633s

8 Loris Baz FRA Bonovo Action BMW +21.727s

9 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK +22.082s

10 Scott Redding GBR ROKIT BMW WorldSBK Team +26.052s

11 Remy Gardner AUS GYTR GRT Yamaha +36.865s