Gordon Ritchie | October 29, 2023
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Race Two
WorldSBK Race Two at Jerez was rated as an even better battle than the solid gold classic Race Two at Portimao recently. By Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) no less, the eventual winner of a race that was only decided in his favor after the first rider across the line, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team), had accidentally put his sliding rear tire on the green paint at the final corner of an epic race.
The ecstasy of all in blue and most of the neutrals was suddenly frozen into agony as the result was changed in Bautista’s favor. It was his 27 win of this incredible season, as he drew himself level with Carl Fogarty in terms of career race wins, on 59.
As well as his gold helmet and boots on Sunday, he and his team-mate raced in the same bright yellow colors they debuted in Misano in high summer.
Race two was one for the ages as WorldSBK farewelled 2023.
The soon-to-be-Yamaha-riding Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) is the record holder for wins but his all-time total of 119 did not get any bigger despite finding a radical new set-up that took him into a clear lead of Race Two – for four laps. On lap five he crashed, ending his dream of a final race with KRT before he heads on.
He finished 17th, with his Superpole race trophy for third place in the morning at least some tangible reward for his fast final day of work in green.
Third was Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha), with his team-mate Remy Gardner (GRT Yamaha) just behind. A remarkable final race for a team who lost its owner Mirko Giansanti in August of this year.
Behind those three Yamahas there were three Ducatis.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) was fifth. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was on for a podium until he tweaked his right shoulder during a ‘moment’ on track, and he barely made the finish.
Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati) was seventh.
Scott Redding (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was lead BMW rider in eighth place, with Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) just behind.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) was tenth.
In the final championship points, Bautista has 628, Razgatlioglu 552, Rea 370, Locatelli 327, Rinaldi 251 and the luckless Bassani finally sixth overall, on 249.
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Race Two
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
|
| 2 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
+0.018s |
| 3 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+0.321s |
| 4 |
Remy Gardner |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+1.370s |
| 5 |
Danilo Petrucci |
(Barni Spark Racing Team) |
+2.602s |
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Race Two
After podium-probable rider Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) had an accident so fast that his machine punctured the airfence, the WorldSSP Race on Sunday at Jerez was restarted and ran to only seven laps.
The intensity of the short race didn’t prevent runaway new champion Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing Ducati) from winning yet again for his 16th win of a 24-race season.
Bulega rounded out his WorldSSP career in style with another win.
Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was a predictable but all-action second, but the last podium rider was a huge surprise.
Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) is still showing the signs of the damage done to his left arm in a crash at Assen in April, but he performed a superhuman feat to take third place, even in a seven lap race.
In fourth place Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) had his last ride in green, with Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati) fifth and Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) sixth.
Series regular Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Yamaha) had a great scrap with wildcard rider Yeri Ruiz (MDR Offitec Yamaha) and secured seventh place.
Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros WorldSSP) and another wild card, Simone Corsi (Altogo Racing Team Yamaha rounded out the top ten).
In the final championship rankings, Bulega leaves WorldSSP behind with 503 points, Manzi has 408, Schrötter 294 and Caricasulo 258.
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Race Two
| 1 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) |
|
| 2 |
Stefano Manzi |
(Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) |
+1.478s |
| 3 |
Can Oncu |
(Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) |
+2.459s |
| 4 |
Adrian Huertas |
(MTM Kawasaki) |
+3.709s |
| 5 |
Federico Caricasulo |
(Althea Racing Team) |
+4.287s |
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Superpole Race
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) overcame a messy and sometimes scary WorldSBK Superpole race at Jerez to eventually run clear, in what was finally a restarted eight lap race after a red flagged first attempt.
On lap two of the first start front row qualifier Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha) had his bike blow up, leaving a vast screen of smoke in his wake. When two riders, Iker Lecuona and Loris Baz, crashed behind him the race was red flagged.
On the restart, Bautista was in some hard early fights but he got clear to win.
Remarkably, Aegerter got out again in the restarted race and secured his first WorldSBK podium.
Win number two of the weekend for Bautista.
Third was Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team), making a happy sign off in the first part of his final Kawasaki raceday at least, especially as he held Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) off to take the final rostrum place.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) finished fifth, ahead of Remy Gardner, who was declared fit after his first race accident on Saturday.
Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati) was a strong seventh in a midfield close fight that featured Michael van der Mark (ROKit BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in eighth place, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) in ninth and Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda) tenth.
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) had a horrid looking crash when a passing manoeuvre from Razgatlioglu gave him just not quite enough space at the T1 apex. He touched Razgatlioglu’s rear with his front tyre and fell – with his visor being ripped off by Ragatlioglu’s rear tyre, snapping his head back and causing eyelid and facial trauma. Lowes was declared unfit to ride in the final race of 2023.
Axel Bassani (MotoCorsa Racing Ducati) became Independent Champion again after this race, despite a second fall in two days, and GRT Yamaha were declared Independent Team’s champions.
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Superpole Race
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
|
| 2 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+1.487s |
| 3 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) |
+3.124s |
| 4 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
+3.581s |
| 5 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
+5.716s |
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Race One
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took his second World Championship title in perfect fashion. He secured the Superpole win, then went on to ease himself away from his tenacious challenger Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) from the halfway mark, easing up across the line to take his 25th win of the year and a vary race second championship in succession.
The last Ducati rider to achieve this feat was Carl Fogarty, back in 1999 – a whole millennium away from 2023.
Bautista joined the greats as a double WorldSBK title winner.
Bautista put on a full gilded leather suit and multicolored new Number One sticker on his bike on the trackside before heading back into pitlane to take the plaudits from the local fans – his own fans – at the Paddock Show.
Razgatlioglu chased hard, and drew himself right into Bautista’s slipstream. He was unable to get past given how well Bautista was riding – and how much ground the Ducati could make up on the short straights at Jerez. Toprak therefore had to settle for second in this race and runner-up spot in the championship overall.
Eventual third place rider was Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) who chased down both KRT riders and held Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) off by almost a second at the end of a 20-lap race full of swings and roundabouts.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) placed fifth after overhauling the motivated and rapidly advancing Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati).
Bautista held off a charge from Razgatlioglu.
In the podium places for a time, Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team) was finally seventh, just behind Öttl.
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) placed eighth and the top ten was rounded out by Honda duo, Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda) and Xavi Vierge (HRC Honda).
Tito Rabat (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), on a factory-supplied bike this weekend, was 11th.
Two more races to come on Sunday 29th October, even if the championship was decided – decisively – in Bautista’s favor today.
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Race One
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
|
| 2 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
+1.195s |
| 3 |
Andrea Locatelli |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
+9.071s |
| 4 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) |
+10.065s |
| 5 |
Danilo Petrucci |
(Barni Spark Racing Team) |
+10.661s |
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Race One
New World Champion Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing Ducati) underlined his credentials with an imperious first-race win at Jerez, beating Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) by almost five seconds. Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati) was right with Manzi across the line as the final podium rider, just 0.039 seconds from Manzi.
Bulega set an early and intense pace, and he and would end up with a new lap record of 1’41.875, which he set on lap two.
Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) fell from a strong podium position early on.
Easy done for Nicolo Bulega in race one.
Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) had another strong ride to fourth place, with Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) another top R6 riding contender that this round.
Adrian Huertas (MTM Kawasaki) was top Kawasaki runner in sixth place at his home race, replicating his qualifying position.
Seasoned campaigner Raffaele De Rosa (Ducati Orelac Racing VerdNatura) finished well ahead of eighth placed Lorenzo Dalla Porta (Evan Bros WorldSSP), with Niki Tuuli (PTR Triumph) ninth and Glenn van Straalen (EAB Racing Yamaha) tenth.
Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati) crashed and is undergoing medical checks.
Oli Bayliss (D34G Racing Ducati) placed 18th on his comeback race after a long term injury.
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Race One
| 1 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) |
|
| 2 |
Stefano Manzi |
(Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) |
+4.892s |
| 3 |
Federico Caricasulo |
(Althea Racing Team) |
+4.931s |
| 4 |
Jorge Navarro |
(Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) |
+8.335s |
| 5 |
Valentin Debise |
(GMT94 Yamaha) |
+8.390s |
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Superpole
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got his pre-coronation off to a perfect start by taking the fourth Superpole ‘win’ of the season at his home round in Spain. He finished 0.210 seconds up on surprise second-place rider, Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha).
Pole for Bautista ahead of his date with destiny in race one.
A turnaround in their bleak early fortunes on Friday saw KRT Riders Alex Lowes and Jonathan Rea third and fourth respectively, with another Independent Yamaha rider, Remy Gardner (GRT Yamaha) fifth. The second row of the grid for Race One will be completed by Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati). Half of the top six are Independent riders.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) was only seventh, with the factory BMW of Scott Redding (ROKit BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) eighth. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was ninth and the second factory Yamaha rider, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team), tenth. The top Honda rider was Iker Lecuona (HRC Honda).
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Superpole
| 1 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
1:38.635s |
| 2 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+ 0.210s |
| 3 |
Alex Lowes |
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) |
+ 0.270s |
| 4 |
Jonathan Rea |
(Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) |
+ 0.272s |
| 5 |
Remy Gardner |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+ 0.326s |
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Friday
On an opening day when available WorldSBK track time was cut in half by a wet FP1 and a more useable dry FP2, Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) rose highest in the combined time sheets to lead second placed Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha) by 0.244 seconds.
World Champion elect Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was third quickest, recovering from a T6 crash in the still not perfect track conditions of FP2. His team-mate, Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), placed fourth in a session plagued by riders losing their potential best times to yellow flags.
Toprak Razgatlioglu plans to bow out of Yamaha in style with a couple of wins in Spain.
Dominique Aegerter (GRT Yamaha) was fifth fastest on what a was plainly a more than decent day for the bikes in blue.
Philipp Öttl (Team GoEleven Ducati) was sixth, early FP2 faller Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) was finally seventh and yet another Independent rider, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) placed eight. Five of those top eight riders compete for Independent Teams.
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK Team) placed ninth on the other official Yamaha, with the top ten completed by Scott Redding (ROKit BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
In a tough first day of the final Kawasaki round for Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) he was only 13th, complaining of a lack of acceleration out of the corners.
2023 Spanish WorldSBK Results—Friday Times
| 1 |
Toprak Razgatlioglu |
(Pata Yamaha Prometeon WorldSBK) |
1”40.312s |
| 2 |
Remy Gardner |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+ 0.244s |
| 3 |
Alvaro Bautista |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
+ 0.320s |
| 4 |
Michael Ruben Rinaldi |
(Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) |
+ 0.398s |
| 5 |
Dominique Aegerter |
(GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) |
+ 0.511s |
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Friday
Recently crowned new WorldSSP champion, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba Racing Ducati) took the fastest qualifying time of the opening day at Jerez, in a day when only the afternoon conditions allowed any meaning ful track action.
The wet and overcast start to the first day of the final round of the season saw only six riders go out, setting lap times over 2 minutes in duration.
On a dry track in the afternoon times dropped to the 1’40s, with Bulega setting a 1’43.171 to keep himself 0.628 seconds ahead of Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team Ducati).
Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) was third quickest, Marcel Schrötter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) fourth and double podium man at Magny Cours, Valentin Debise (GMT94 Yamaha) fifth.
Top Kawasaki rider was Can Öncü (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), in sixth place, with another privateer Ducati rider Federico Caricasulo (Althea Racing Ducati) in seventh position. Wildcard rider Melvin Van Der Voort placed eighth on his SWPN Yamaha, with Bahattin Sofuoglu (MV Agusta Reparto Corse F3 800 RR) ninth and Jorge Navarro (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) 10th.
2023 Spanish WorldSSP Results—Friday Times
| 1 |
Nicolo Bulega |
(Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) |
1:43.171s |
| 2 |
Yari Montella |
(Barni Spark Racing Team) |
+ 0.628s |
| 3 |
Stefano Manzi |
(Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) |
+ 0.841s |
| 4 |
Marcel Schroetter |
(MV Agusta Reparto Corse) |
+ 0.939s |
| 5 |
Valentin Debise |
(GMT94 Yamaha) |
+ 0.952s |
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