Phillip Island World Superbike Superpole Race: Bautista wins again, Rea P7
Alvaro Bautista led Ducati’s first 1-2 finish of the season, while it was a race to forget for World Superbike rookies Remy Gardner and Dominqiue Aegerter after the pair collided at turn 4.
After winning Race 1 in wet conditions, Bautista continued his stunning form by taking victory in the first Superpole Race of the 2023 season.
- Petrucci given one-place penalty for last-lap collision with Vierge
- Bautista ‘couldn’t see anything’ due to spray, ‘was riding on ice’
Bautista had very little pressure to contend with as Toprak Razgatlioglu made an early move for the lead on lap one, before the world champion responded on lap two.
From there, Bautista remained in the lead until the checkered flag while teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi recovered from his horror show in Race 1 to claim second by six tenths from Razgatlioglu.
Talking of horror shows, that’s exactly what happened for six-time champion Jonathan Rea, with the Kawasaki rider only finishing seventh.
Rea was beaten to P6 by Phillip Oettl who continues to impress aboard the GoEleven Ducati.
| 2023 World Superbike Phillip Island, Australia - Superpole Race Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | 10 Laps |
| 2 | Michael Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Racing Ducati | +2.462s |
| 3 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK | +3.060s |
| 4 | Alex Lowes | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +3.833s |
| 5 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | PATA Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK | +3.893s |
| 6 | Philipp Oettl | GER | GoEleven Ducati | +4.215s |
| 7 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK | +4.952s |
| 8 | Iker Lecuona | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +7.140s |
| 9 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +11.295s |
| 10 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +11.843s |
| 11 | Danilo Petrucci | ITA | Barni Spark Ducati Team | +13.480s |
| 12 | Xavi Vierge | SPA | Team HRC WorldSBK | +13.888s |
| 13 | Loris Baz | FRA | Bonovo Action BMW | +14.413s |
| 14 | Scott Redding | GBR | BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team | +16.795s |
| 15 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | Bonovo Action BMW | +17.891s |
| 16 | Lorenzo Baldassarri | ITA | GMT94 Yamaha | +26.122s |
| 17 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +32.457s |
| 18 | Eric Granado | BRA | MIE Honda Racing | +32.739s |
| 19 | Hafizh Syahrin | MAL | MIE Honda Racing | +32.949s |
| 20 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Puccetti Kawasaki | +3 Laps |
| 21 | Remy Gardner | AUS | GRT Yamaha | DNF |
| 22 | Dominique Aegerter | SWI | GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team | DNF |
The most dramatic moment of the race came with 5 laps to go as rookie teammates Gardner and Aegerter crashed at turn four.
Gardner attempted an ambitious move which involved diving down the inside, the problem however, was that Aegerter had already made the apex and was clearly ahead.
Gardner was given a Long Lap penalty for his mistake, while a small consolation for Aegerter is that he ended the race with the fastest lap.
