World Superbike Mandalika, Indonesia - Superpole Qualifying Results
World Superbike championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu has claimed the first ever pole position at Mandalika after bettering title rival Jonathan Rea.
The early stages of Superpole qualifying saw the championship’s top three riders cover first, second and third with Razgatlioglu leading from Rea and Scott Redding.
Andrea Locatelli, who put himself between Razgatlioglu and Rea on-track, was fourth - four tenths down on his team-mate following the opening run.
At the start of his second run, six-time world champion Rea went into provisional pole, however, a stunning 1:32.877s from Razgatlioglu was enough to better Rea by over three tenths.
Razgatlioglu’s effort was also the first sub 1m 33s lap of the weekend thus far. Garrett Gerloff replaced Locatelli at the head of row two thanks to a final lap that put him six tenths behind Razgatlioglu.
Alex Lowes was declared unfit after suffering an AC joint injury following a highside crash in FP3.
| World Superbike Mandalika, Indonesia - Superpole Qualifying Results | ||||
| Pos | Rider | Nat | Team | Time |
| 1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | TUR | PATA Yamaha | 1:32.877s |
| 2 | Jonathan Rea | GBR | Kawasaki Racing Team | +0.324s |
| 3 | Scott Redding | GBR | Aruba.It Ducati | +0.379s |
| 4 | Garrett Gerloff | USA | GRT Yamaha | +0.688s |
| 5 | Andrea Locatelli | ITA | PATA Yamaha | +0.711s |
| 6 | Tom Sykes | GBR | Motorrad BMW WorldSBK Team | +0.795s |
| 7 | Axel Bassani | ITA | Motocorsa Ducati | +0.898s |
| 8 | Alvaro Bautista | SPA | Team HRC | +1.174s |
| 9 | Michael Van Der Mark | NED | Motorrad BMW WorldSBK Team | +1.203s |
| 10 | Leandro Mercado | ARG | MIE Honda Racing | +1.277s |
| 11 | Chaz Davies | GBR | GoEleven Ducati | +1.550s |
| 12 | Christophe Ponsson | FRA | Gil Yamaha | +1.554s |
| 13 | Isaac Vinales | SPA | Orelac Racing Kawasaki | +1.561s |
| 14 | Michael Rinaldi | ITA | Aruba.It Ducati | +1.622s |
| 15 | Samuele Cavalieri | SPA | Barni Ducati | +1.700s |
| 16 | Kohta Nozane | JPN | GRT Yamaha | +1.783s |
| 17 | Tito Rabat | ITA | Kawasaki Puccetti | +2.381s |
| 18 | Oliver Konig | CZE | Pedercini Kawasaki | +2.987s |
Free Practice Three
Just like FP2, Alex Lowes suffered an early crash after being caught out in sector one - it was a highside for the British rider.
Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu was last to set a flying lap after needing work done to his Yamaha R1 during the opening stages.
Razgatlioglu headed out for an installation lap along with the rest of the grid, but was forced to return to pit lane immediately.
With Razgatlioglu still in pit lane, it was Axel Bassani who led the way from fellow WorldSBK rookie Andrea Locatelli.
The two Italians were just ahead of Jonathan Rea before Ducati rider Scott Redding went second. However, all three riders remained over five tenths down on Bassani.
With nearly half the session complete, Razgatlioglu finally completed a flying lap, a lap that immediately put him fourth.
Despite two flying laps, Razgatlioglu then returned to pit lane once again, while title rival Rea went fastest after gaining over two tenths on Bassani in sector four.
With under ten minutes left of FP3, GRT Yamaha rider Garrett Gerloff went fastest, however, Rea responded just a lap later to regain top spot.
Not to be denied, Gerloff jumped back to the top of the timingsheets with a 1:34.038s - half a tenth quicker than Rea.
Redding set a stunning lap with just two minutes to go as he went top by half a second, which was also enough to set the first ever sub 1m 34s lap.
Despite having just one qualifying simulation lap at the end of the session, Razgatlioglu went less than a tenth behind Redding to finish P2.
WorldSBK FP3 took place without Team HRC rider Leon Haslam after it was confirmed that the British rider would take no further part in his final weekend as a world championship rider due to a shoulder injury.
