Catalunya WorldSBK Superpole Race Results: Bautista completes home double

Results from the Superpole Race, round eight of the 2022 WorldSBK Championship at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya.
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Catalunya
Alvaro Bautista, Ducati WorldSBK Catalunya

Alvaro Bautista makes it back-to-back WorldSBK wins at Catalunya after another dominant performance in the Superpole race. 

Like race one, Bautista made a sensational start from fifth to lead into turn one, however, the same was not true for Toprak Razgatlioglu, who instead lost two positions. 

In a surprising turn of events, Alex Lowes made an early move on team-mate Jonathan Rea for P2. 

The top three of Bautista, Lowes and Rea were given a huge advantage at the end of lap one after Iker Lecuona and Andrea Locatelli had a coming-together which saw both riders crash and thus split the group up. 

After four laps of staying close to Bautista, Lowes slowly started losing ground to the Ducati rider, which in-turn put him into the clutches of Rea.

Further back, Razgatlioglu lost close to one second trying to get through on Michael Ruben Rinaldi

2022 World Superbike Barcelona, Spain - Superpole Race Results
PosRiderNatTeamTime
1Alvaro BautistaSPAAruba.It Racing Ducati10 Laps
2Jonathan ReaGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+1.185s
3Alex LowesGBRKawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK+1.377s
4Toprak RazgatliogluTURPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK+5.088s
5Michael RinaldiITAAruba.It Racing Ducati+9.016s
6Philipp OettlGERGoEleven Ducati+10.506s
7Xavi ViergeSPATeam HRC WorldSBK+10.637s
8Scott ReddingGBRBMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team+10.947s
9Loris BazFRABonovo Action BMW+14.575s
10Garrett GerloffUSAGRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team+14.601s
11Lucas MahiasFRAPuccetti Kawasaki+17.326s
12Luca BernardiSMBarni Spark Ducati Team+17.644s
13Kohta NozaneJPNGRT Yamaha+19.942s
14Eugene LavertyIRLBonovo Action BMW+20.672s
15Roberto TamburiniITAMotoxracing Yamaha WorldSBK Team+20.723s
16Axel BassaniITAMotocorsa Ducati+20.886s
17Christophe PonssonFRAGil Motor Sport Yamaha+23.918s
18Oscar GutierrezSPAPedercini Kawasaki+25.744s
19Leandro MercadoARGMIE Honda Racing+25.759s
20Oliver KonigCZEOrelac Racing Kawasaki+37.666s
21Andrea LocatelliITAPATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK+45.370s
22Michael Van Der MarkSPABMW Motorrad WorldSBK TeamDNF
23Iker LecuonaSPATeam HRC WorldSBKDNF

In the middle of a big group battling for sixth, Axel Bassani had to take avoiding action at turn one after nearly running into the back of Scott Redding. The mistake proved to be a costly one as it dropped the Italian from eighth to 19th. 

As Bautista’s lead grew to over one second, the battle to watch was for second as Rea was clser than at any other point with just one lap remaining.

And after getting great drive off the final corner, Rea attacked Lowes in turn one and completed the move.

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 

2022 Race Winners 

Race 1 - Alvaro Bautista SPA Aruba.it Ducati 

After his lap one incident with Luca Bernardi in race one, Michael Van Der Mark was handed a Long Lap penalty for the Superpole race.

Van Der Mark's day then got even worse as he crashed after nearly running into the back of Kohta Nozane.  

2022 WorldSBK Catalunya Weekend Schedule

Sunday 

Warm-up - 08:00-08:15

Superpole Race - 10:00

Race Two - 13:00

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