Catalunya WorldSBK Superpole Results: Iker Lecuona takes maiden pole

Results from Superpole, round eight of the 2022 WorldSBK Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Iker Lecuona, Team HRC Honda WorldSBK Catalunya, Spain 2022
Iker Lecuona, Team HRC Honda WorldSBK Catalunya, Spain 2022

Iker Lecuona secured his maiden WorldSBK pole after bettering both factory Kawasaki riders Alex Lowes and Jonathan Rea

Following a damp FP3 that was topped by Loris Baz, who recently agreed to a new WorldSBK deal with Bonovo Action BMW for 2023, very light rain was again beginning to fall at the start of Superpole.

There was drama for Michael Ruben Rinaldi before even setting a flying lap, as the Ducati rider had a big slide on the rear tyre which led to him running into the gravel and crashing at turn one.

On-track, Lecuona set a brilliant time of 1:41:330s to go quicker than Toprak Razgatlioglu, before Lowes split the pair by going second.

Lowes looked set to take over at the top after posting three red sectors on his second time attack attempt, however, the Kawasaki rider lost out in sector four as Lecuona kept hold of provisional pole by just 0.011s. 

Honda’s stunning performance - Lecuona was also fastest on day-one - continued when Xavi Vierge joined Lecuona in the top four as he moved ahead of Alvaro Bautista and Rea.

2022 World Superbike Barcelona, Spain - Superpole Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBK1:40.766s
2Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.023s
3Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+0.217s
4Andrea LocatelliITAPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK+0.225s
5Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati+0.382s
6Garrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+0.442s
7Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+0.828s
8Toprak RazgatliogluTURPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK+0.872s
9Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+0.917s
10Michael RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati+1.070s
11Lucas MahiasFRAPuccetti Kawasaki+1.171s
12Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+1.262s
13Scott ReddingGBRBMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+1.272s
14Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+1.618s
15Kohta NozaneJPNGRT Yamaha+1.703s
16Eugene LavertyIRLBonovo Action BMW+1.703s
17Luca BernardiSMBarni Spark Ducati Team+1.707s
18Roberto TamburiniITAMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+1.743s
19Michael Van Der MarkSPABMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+2.150s
20Christophe PonssonFRAGil Motor Sport Yamaha+2.239s
21Oscar GutierrezSPAPedercini Kawasaki+2.309s
22Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+2.416s
23Leandro MercadoARGMIE Honda Racing+3.362s

With the Q tyre fitted for the second and final run, Andrea Locatelli was the first rider to overhaul Lecuona as he set a first sub 1m 41s lap of the weekend, however, Lecuona responded immediately to regain pole. 

Rea slotted in third but the six-time world champion, Bautista and Razgatlioglu had no answer for the former MotoGP rider. 

Jonathan Rea, Catalunya WorldSBK, 23 September
Jonathan Rea, Catalunya WorldSBK, 23 September

Despite getting a good tow from team-mate Locatelli coming out of the final corner, Razgatlioglu’s best lap was only good enough for eighth. 

WorldSBK Catalunya Records

Lap Record - Tom Sykes GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team 1:40.408s

2021 Race Winners

Race 1 - Scott Redding GBR Aruba.it Ducati 

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team 

Race 2 - Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba.it Ducati 

After failing to complete a lap during Friday practice, Hafizh Syahrin was ruled out prior to FP3 getting underway.

2022 WorldSBK Catalunya Weekend Schedule

Saturday

Free Practice 3 - 08:00-08:30

Superpole - 10:10-10:25

Race One 13:00

Sunday 

Warm-up - 08:00-08:15

Superpole Race - 10:00

Race Two - 13:00

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