Razgatlioglu wins thrilling WSBK opener at Portimao
SuperSport
Toprak Razgatlioglu won a highly eventful opening race World Superbike race of the weekend at Portimao, as Jonathan Rea suffered a big crash.
Yamaha rider Razgatlioglu came out on top following a race-long duel with Ducati's Scott Redding, who eventually had to settle for second place.
Kawasaki's Rea was also challenging for top spot in the first third of the race but suffered a major crash at the high-speed Turn 15 right-hander on lap 5, with initial reports suggesting he had sustained multiple contusions and a left elbow abrasion.
Rea now trails Razgatlioglu by 45 points with only eight races in the season remaining.
Rea and Razgatlioglu had been battling for the top spot up to that point, swapping the lead several times and even making contact on one occasion.
Their battle allowed Redding to take advantage and grab the lead on lap four, with Rea having just retaken top spot when he went down.
That left Redding leading Razgatlioglu to duke it out with the remainder of the race, with the lead again changing hands several times before Razgatlioglu made his advantage stick once and for all with a strong response on the penultimate lap after Redding made his move at Turn 1.
It's the Turkish rider's 11th win of the season and third in succession, with Rea now looking in real danger of giving his WSBK crown.
The battle for third was also an exciting one, eventually going to Go Eleven Ducati's Loris Baz ahead of Honda's Alvaro Bautista, after the Spaniard suffered an almost identical crash to Rea on the final lap.
Aruba.It Ducati's Michael Ruben Rinaldi was fourth ahead of Leon Haslam for Honda and GRT Yamaha's Garrett Gerloff.
Axel Bassani was seventh for Motocorsa Ducati ahead of MIE Honda's Leandro Mercado, who secured his best finish of the season.
Eugene Laverty, standing in for Tom Sykes at BMW, was ninth ahead of the Gil Yamaha of Christophe Ponsson.
Toprak Razgatlioglu won a highly eventful opening race World Superbike race of the weekend at Portimao, as Jonathan Rea suffered a big crash.
Yamaha rider Razgatlioglu came out on top following a race-long duel with Ducati's Scott Redding, who eventually had to settle for second place.
Kawasaki's Rea was also challenging for top spot in the first third of the race but suffered a major crash at the high-speed Turn 15 right-hander on lap 5, with initial reports suggesting he had sustained multiple contusions and a left elbow abrasion.
Rea now trails Razgatlioglu by 45 points with only eight races in the season remaining.
Rea and Razgatlioglu had been battling for the top spot up to that point, swapping the lead several times and even making contact on one occasion.
Their battle allowed Redding to take advantage and grab the lead on lap four, with Rea having just retaken top spot when he went down.
That left Redding leading Razgatlioglu to duke it out with the remainder of the race, with the lead again changing hands several times before Razgatlioglu made his advantage stick once and for all with a strong response on the penultimate lap after Redding made his move at Turn 1.
It's the Turkish rider's 11th win of the season and third in succession, with Rea now looking in real danger of giving his WSBK crown.
The battle for third was also an exciting one, eventually going to Go Eleven Ducati's Loris Baz ahead of Honda's Alvaro Bautista, after the Spaniard suffered an almost identical crash to Rea on the final lap.
Aruba.It Ducati's Michael Ruben Rinaldi was fourth ahead of Leon Haslam for Honda and GRT Yamaha's Garrett Gerloff.
Axel Bassani was seventh for Motocorsa Ducati ahead of MIE Honda's Leandro Mercado, who secured his best finish of the season.
Eugene Laverty, standing in for Tom Sykes at BMW, was ninth ahead of the Gil Yamaha of Christophe Ponsson.
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