The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship descended on the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve for the Pirelli Portuguese Round and it was honours even on Sunday as Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) shared one win apiece in Portugal. Sunday’s action involved three incredible battles between Bautista and Razgatlioglu as the title fight intensified with three rounds remaining.

In the Tissot Superpole Race, Razgatlioglu emerged victorious after ten laps of non-stop action as the pair battled constantly throughout the race. Bautista was usually able to get alongside, or ahead of, Razgatlioglu heading down the main straight but the reigning Champion responded on the brakes, keeping his position at the front of the field. At the end of the ten lap race, the pair were separated by 0.123s.

Race 2 was a case of ‘same but different’ as the Razgatlioglu and Bautista once again battled it out, joined in the first half of the race by Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The similar aspect came from both Rea and Razgatlioglu having to defend into Turn 1 to resist Bautista’s Ducati power, but eventually the Championship leader was able to get past to take the lead. For the next few laps, Razgatlioglu stayed with him and made a move on Lap 14 of 20, but Bautista responded on Lap 15 down into Turn 1 before pulling a gap with Ragatlioglu second and Rea third.

Discussing his races on Sunday, Bautista said: “For sure, it has been three amazing races with a lot of fighting at the front. Yesterday, I needed the last six laps of the race to get to Toprak and fight for victory. In the Superpole Race, I knew it was maybe difficult to beat Jonathan and Toprak because they were very fast. I think they were a bit better than us at this track with these conditions. This morning, I was very determined, and my plan was to stay with them because I can finish with them, that means I have the chance in the afternoon to fight for the victory. In the end, I was quite fast in the morning as well. I could be with them, especially with Toprak.

“He had a really incredible pace in the morning. In the afternoon, I had a better position on the grid. I made a normal start and I lost position to Jonathan, but I was there. When Jonathan was in front, Toprak was behind him just saving the tyre life. I think Jonathan was struggling a little bit more than Toprak to push. I decided to take the lead and increase the pace, make the others force their tyre. I’m happy because the last laps, even if Toprak tried to overtake me a couple of times, he was struggling more so in the last few laps he stayed away.”

The results left Bautista with a 53-point margin at the top of the standings as he looks to become Ducati’s first Champion since Carlos Checa in 2012, while Rea is a further 26 points back with three rounds remaining in the 2022 season. It leaves Bautista in a prime place to secure his first WorldSBK title but, as seen throughout 2022 so far, anything can happen as WorldSBK heads to three flyaway races in Argentina, Indonesia and Australia.

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