Gordon Ritchie | April 24, 2022
Sunday
WorldSBK Race Two
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) winning the final Assen WorldSBK race was big enough news in its own right, especially on a weekend when Jonathan Rea looked like he would probably be a triple winner. But the nature of Bautista’s clear win, and eventual 18 point championship lead, will be spoken of long and often.
Once again Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) lost an important result after a collision with a rival, but this year it was Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) involved with the 2021 champion.
On Lap six Rea took advantage of Razgatlioglu outbraking himself and then running wide into Turn One. As Rea went for the ideal line on the exit, Razgatliolgu had the same idea. Although completely missed by the wide-angle TV cameras, it appeared they simply hit and then fell. They blamed each other.
Bautista picked up the pieces left by Rea and Razgatlioglu and took the race two win.
The remarkable happenings up front allowed Bautista to finally make a clear line for himself – although lucky not to crash himself – and he took advantage to record his third win of 2022.
Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) shadowed Bautista and was only run down to lose second place to Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) late in race, settling for a still remarkable third in his sixth WorldSBK race ever.
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made a great recovery from tough times earlier in the weekend and in the race itself, as he fought hard to finish fourth.
Sixth on track at the flag but finally fifth placed, Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had a strong race after his early season woes, looking like his old self for the first time on a white bike and recording the best BMW finish of the season.
Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) was a fighting fifth but took to the green paint too often in the race and suffered a three second penalty, leaving him sixth in the official results.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) placed seventh.
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) had his own battling ride for BMW, leading a three rider home at his home circuit, in eighth place.
Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda) and Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) completed the Race Two top ten.
Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha) retired with a technical issue, Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha) crashed early and broke a finger.
Leon Haslam (TPR Kawasaki) was 13th.
In the championship standings Bautista has 109 points, Rea 91 and Razgatlioglu 64.
2022 Dutch WorldSBK Results—Race Two
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Duc) |
|
| 2 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Yam) |
+ 8.770s |
| 3 |
Iker Lecuona |
(Hon) |
+ 11.580s |
| 4 |
Alex Lowes |
(Kaw) |
+ 13.329s |
| 5 |
Scott Redding |
(BMW) |
+ 14.672s |
WorldSBK Superpole Race
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) scored his second victory of the Assen weekend and reached another new high point in his astounding career – 100 race wins for Kawasaki. His team even gave him a celebration cake in the winner’s circle.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) led from pole position but first Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and then swiftly afterwards Rea overhauled him, relegating him to third place at the flag – if only just.
Rea passed Bautista on the final lap and held him off with some legendary choices of line and braking points, leaving Bautista 0.220 seconds back, and almost caught by Razgatlioglu at the flag.
Rea (65) came away with the Superpole race win.
Bautista was finally dropped one place by the stewards as he exceeded the track limits on the final lap, in an echo of 2021’s race when Razgatlioglu and Locatelli were penalised for touching the green on the final lap.
The top three covered by 0.267 seconds – and finishing almost seven seconds up on the fourth placed rider Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) – is the main takeaway from another 2022 race.
The contest was over nine laps, not ten, after a delayed start.
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was on schedule for fourth place until he slowed, then dropped back and finally dropped out with a technical issue.
Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) headed a long seven-rider freight train in fifth place, with Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) sixth and Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha) seventh.
The top ten was rounded out by Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) and Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati). Scott Redding was 11th.
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took a point for 15th place. Leon Haslam (Outdo TPR Kawasaki) placed 17th.
2022 Dutch WorldSBK Results—Superpole Race
| 1 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kaw) |
|
| 2 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Duc) |
+ 0.220s |
| 3 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Yam) |
+ 0.267s |
| 4 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Yam) |
+ 6.959s |
| 5 |
Iker Lecuona |
(Hon) |
+ 11.997s |
WorldSSP Race Two
A rude pass in the first corner put eventual Race Two WorldSSP winner Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) down the order but he would reclaim his lead and then extend it to win by 2.606 seconds from his new sparring partner, Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha).
Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was the rider who ran Aegerter wide, but his front-running pace was soon matched then exceeded by the two best Yamaha riders.
A first corner crash saw Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) and Race One podium finisher Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Yamaha) out of the 18-lap race.
Another race, another win for Aegerter at Assen.
Off podium, Nicolo Beluga (Aruba Racing Ducati) was just behind Öncü, but the fifth place rider, Hannes Soomer (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) was almost 18 second away from the top-four battle.
Both Triumphs improved greatly in this race, with Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) sixth, leading the top MV of Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) and the second official Kawasaki of Yari Montella (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing).
Kyle Smith (VFT Racing Yamaha) was the last of the second level chasing group in ninth with Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) tenth in his rookie season already.
Oliver Bayliss (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati) was 11th.
In the championship points Aegerter has 95, Baldassarri 65 and Bulega 56.
2022 Dutch WorldSSP Results—Race Two
| 1 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(Yam) |
|
| 2 |
Lorenzo Baldassarri |
(Yam) |
+ 2.606s |
| 3 |
Can Oncu |
(Kaw) |
+ 4.618s |
| 4 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Duc) |
+ 4.965s |
| 5 |
Hannes Soomer |
(Tri) |
+ 17.982s |
Saturday
WorldSSP Race One
Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) won a red-flagged and shortened race at Assen after a close fight with long-time leader Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Yamaha).
Van Straalen was looking forward to a winning weekend on home soil until a fortunately timed pass from Aegerter saw him ahead at just the right moment when the red flags came out, and the results were counted back in what turned out to be his favour.
A crash involving Tom Booth-Amos (Prodina Racing Kawasaki) and Marcel Brenner (VFT Racing Yamaha) brought the race to its early halt, with the results classified from the 13th lap plus one sector. Booth-Amos was ruled out of Sunday’s action after suffering an injured – but not fractured, lower leg.
It was another win for Aegerter in Holland.
Van Straalen lost by just 0.081 seconds, as the red flag came out at exactly the wrong time for him.
Nicolo Beluga (Aruba Racing Ducati) was an early leader but finally finished third, 1.7 seconds behind the winner Aegerter.
Proven Assen WorldSSP race winner Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) was fourth, with his old team-mate Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati) fifth.
Niki Tuuli (MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) took his triple to sixth.
One sector behind, given the red flag rules, Hannes Soomer (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) was the top Triumph rider, after Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) had crashed out. Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was another faller, having qualified second behind pole man Aegerter.
Patrick Hobelsberger (Kallio Racing Yamaha), Raffaele De Rosa (Ducati Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Leonardo Taccini (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) completed the top ten.
Tom Edwards (Yart Yamaha WorldSSP) was disqualified for not starting from the back of the grid, then ignoring a ride-through penalty.
Race Two starts at 12.30 local time in Assen on Sunday 24 April.
2022 Dutch WorldSSP Results—Race One
| 1 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(Yam) |
|
| 2 |
Glenn Van Straalen |
(Yam) |
+ 0.081s |
| 3 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Duc) |
+ 1.796s |
| 4 |
Jules Cluzel |
(Yam) |
+ 5.725s |
| 5 |
Federico Caricasulo |
(Yam) |
+ 7.896s |
WorldSBK Race One
As in Race One at Motorland during the opening round Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) used all his racecraft to hold off a determined Race One challenge from Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the final corner.
Rea held his inside line as Bautista tried to pass on the inside of the Geert Timmer chicane, winning by just 0.103 seconds after another Assen thriller.
Rea held off Bautista for a thrilling win at Assen.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) led the race more than once, after his pole position start, but he just faded from final winning contention. He was third and just over 1 second from Rea after 21-laps of in-fighting from the three main championship musketeers. Front tire drop at the end was his issue once again, as it had been in Motorland.
A top-six had formed in the early laps, but one by one the potential podium riders fell by the wayside to leave the ‘new normal’ Big Three in 2022.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was finally fourth, 9.7 seconds from Rea, despite being well in the early podium fight.
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was forced to retire with a technical issue just at half race distance, having been inside the podium battle until that point.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was another looking set for a top six at least until he fell, restarting but finally retiring in the pits.
Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) benefitted from the issues of riders up front to finish fifth, 17 seconds from the win. In the absence of Eugene Laverty 9due to his ongoing arm injury) Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) was not only top rider for his team but also BMW’s most potent force in Race One, in sixth place.
Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati) finished seventh on his privateer Panigale, with Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha) winning a late fight with Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) was tenth.
Rea retook the championship lead by two points from Bautista before the final two Assen races take place on Sunday.
Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) scored points for his brave rides with a recently broken right lower leg, in 13th place.
2022 Dutch WorldSBK Results—Race One
| 1 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kaw) |
| 2 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Duc) |
| 3 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Yam) |
| 4 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Yam) |
| 5 |
Iker Lecuona |
(Hon) |
WorldSBK Superpole
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) scored the Assen WorldSBK Superpole win with a record lap time of 1:32.934, not only smashing the previous best but going 0.478 seconds faster than the second placed rider, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team).
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) placed third.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will lead the second row for Race One and the Superpole Race on Sunday morning after going fourth fastest in Superpole. He was, however, almost a second slower than his team-mate Razgatlioglu.
Toprak Razgatlioglu takes pole position at Assen.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had to work hard to get fifth place on the grid despite his fast pace until Superpole. A rejuvenated Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha) completed the second row, in sixth place.
Once again the top BMW rider was Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW), seventh, with Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) eighth – and the top Honda rider.
Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) and Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) completed the top ten.
Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was 13th, injured returnee at his home race Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 15th and Leon Haslam (TPR Pedercini) 17th.
Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) was not allowed to ride again because of an ongoing right arm functional impairment caused by his big Friday crash.
2022 Dutch WorldSBK Results—Superpole
| 1 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Yam) |
1:32.934s |
| 2 |
Alex Lowes |
(Kaw) |
+ 0.478s |
| 3 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kaw) |
+ 0.687s |
| 4 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Yam) |
+ 0.954s |
| 5 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Duc) |
+ 1.084s |
| 6 |
Garrett Gerloff |
(Yam) |
+ 1.241s |
Friday
WorldSBK
Arriving with two Motorland race wins in his pocket Ducati’s prodigal son Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fastest rider on day one for the 2022 Dutch WorldSBK round at Assen, 0.084 seconds faster than 2021 world champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team). Toprak was one of the few riders to not improve on their morning time in FP2.
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) was third overall at his statistically most successful circuit. His team-mate Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) made a great improvement from FP1 to finish fourth, 0.390 seconds from Bautista’s best Friday time.
Bautista looks like the rider that stormed the first half of 2019 right now. He went top on Friday at Assen.
Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) had strong pace in the morning but after an early crash that brought out the red flags in FP2 for a short time, he could not improve on his FP1 best. He was, however, a positive fifth overall in the Friday rankings, one place up on top Independent Team rider Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha).
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was seventh and top BMW rider was Independent Rider Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) ended his Assen return in eighth place.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was ninth and the top ten was rounded out by Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati).
Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) ended up top factory M1000RR rider, 11th, with the still injured Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) declared fit for today but 20th from 25 riders.
Late call-up Leon Haslam (Outdo TPR Kawasaki) was 14th, improving his best lap time by over a second from FP1 to FP2.
2022 Dutch WorldSBK Results—Friday
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Duc) |
1:34.382s |
| 2 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Yam) |
+ 0.084s |
| 3 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kaw) |
+ 0.298s |
| 4 |
Alex Lowes |
(Kaw) |
+ 0.390s |
| 5 |
Iker Lecuona |
(Hon) |
+ 0.502s |
| 6 |
Garrett Gerloff |
(Yam) |
+ 0.617s |
WorldSSP
Dominique Aegerter (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was just over 0.2 seconds faster than the next rider, Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), after the first day of practice action at the 4.542km long Assen circuit.
Close behind the leading two – both of them on 600cc four-cylinder machinery – was the top twin in the Next Generation era, the 955cc Ducati of Nicolo Beluga (Aruba Racing). The next three places were filled with Yamaha riders.
Aegerter charged for the home Ten Kate team with P1 in WorldSSP on Friday at Assen.
Strong Motorland debutant Lorenzo Baldassarri (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha) was fourth overall, local man Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Yamaha) was fifth and Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) ended up sixth.
The MV Agusta WorldSSP resurgence in its 800cc guise took Niki Tuuli (Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) to seventh place, just 0.026 seconds ahead of Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati).
V2 convert Raffaele De Rosa (Ducati Orelac Racing VerdNatura) was ninth on the opening day and the top Triumph of Stefano Manzi (Dynavolt Triumph Street Triple RS) was tenth in a field of 32 entrants at this round.
2022 Dutch WorldSSP Results—Friday
| 1 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(Yam) |
1:37.753s |
| 2 |
Can Oncu |
(Kaw) |
+ 0.205s |
| 3 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Duc) |
+ 0.282s |
| 4 |
Lorenzo Baldassarri |
(Yam) |
+ 0.390s |
| 5 |
Glenn van Straalen |
(Yam) |
+ 0.483s |
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