REVIEW: ROUND 1, PHILLIP ISLAND - Bautista’s triple, Toprak and Rea on back foot
Way back in FEBRUARY – can you believe that? – the WorldSBK season kicked off and the pattern was different to how we’d seen it in year’s previous
Phillip Island, Australia. It seems a long time ago, doesn’t it? Well, that’s where the story of the 2023 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship started. Down Under, back to our traditional starting point at the majestic Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit and it was a topsy-turvy weekend to say the absolute least. Here, we have a look back at Round 1 and all those unmissable moments. To get Race 1 and 2 in review, click here, whilst enjoy (and subscribe to) our YouTube channel with the the Superpole Race here!
It was a fine triple by the #1 of Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who won a wet Race 1, the titanic trio of Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) completing the opening podium of the year. Behind them, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team WorldSBK) got his elbows out with Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) and the two collided, with ‘Petrux’ losing a place, whilst Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) didn’t even see the finish after crashing hard at Turn 8. On a dry Sunday, Razgatlioglu crashed with Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) in Race 2. whilst six-time World Champion Rea struggled, and he dropping to P8 by the end of Race 2, whilst Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had a double P2. Bautista led ‘Loka’ by 28 points ahead of Indonesia.
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