2022 WorldSBK Misano Race 2 Result: Getting A Grip On The Situation

By David Emmett | Sun, 12/06/2022 - 14:12

Alvaro Bautista has taken his sixth win of the season, dominating the second Superbike race at Misano to extend his lead in the championship. Bautista was made to work for the win in the early part of the race, with Toprak Razgatlioglu getting the holeshot and rebuffing Bautista's advances through the early laps. Bautista used the superior speed of the Ducati to pass the Yamaha on the run through Curvone but Razgatlioglu was able to counter at Turn 14 by turning tighter and cutting off the Ducati's exit to slow Bautista up.

Eventually, Razgatlioglu was forced to relent. Bautista got through very early, well before Curvone, and had enough of a gap to prevent Razgatlioglu from attacking. The Pata Yamaha rider held onto the back of the Ducati, but the searing track temperatures and greasy track conditions meant he was having to take too many risks to try to stay with Bautista, and after one big slide too many, had to let the Ducati go, and settle for second.

Michael Ruben Rinaldi took the last spot on the podium, making a pass early on Jonathan Rea, the Kawasaki rider never really making an impression on the second race. Rinaldi made it two Aruba.it Ducatis on the podium, while Rea's fourth place was the first time he finished a race off the podium in 2022.

Iker Lecuona brought the Honda home in fifth place, breaking the big group battling for fifth in the final laps of the race. Andrea Locatelli finished sixth on the second Pata Yamaha, ahead of Axel Bassani on the Motocorsa Ducati and Alex Lowes on the second Kawasaki, Lowes having been handed a Long Lap Penalty for exceeding track limits. He was not the only rider to struggle with track limits, Toprak Razgatlioglu and Axel Bassani also getting warnings for running wide and onto the green.

Results:

Pos No. Rider Bike Gap
1 19 A. BAUTISTA Ducati Panigale V4R  
2 1 T. RAZGATLIOGLU Yamaha YZF R1 7.194
3 21 M. RINALDI Ducati Panigale V4R 3.925
4 65 J. REA Kawasaki ZX-10RR 14.901
5 7 I. LECUONA Honda CBR1000 RR-R 18.774
6 55 A. LOCATELLI Yamaha YZF R1 1.443
7 47 A. BASSANI Ducati Panigale V4R 21.149
8 22 A. LOWES Kawasaki ZX-10RR 23.533
9 45 S. REDDING BMW M1000RR 29.638
10 76 L. BAZ BMW M1000RR 38.831
11 5 P. OETTL Ducati Panigale V4R 40.881
12 2 R. TAMBURINI Yamaha YZF R1 41.588
13 29 L. BERNARDI Ducati Panigale V4R 43.353
14 50 E. LAVERTY BMW M1000RR 43.833
15 37 I. MYKHALCHYK BMW M1000RR 43.889
16 3 K. NOZANE Yamaha YZF R1 44.697
17 53 T. RABAT Kawasaki ZX-10RR 49.375
18 36 L. MERCADO Honda CBR1000 RR-R 1'02.448
19 52 O. KONIG Kawasaki ZX-10RR 1'22.808
RET 97 X. VIERGE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 10 Laps
RET 35 H. SYAHRIN Honda CBR1000 RR-R 7
RET 25 A. DELBIANCO Kawasaki ZX-10RR 7
RET 16 G. RUIU BMW M1000RR 3
RET 31 G. GERLOFF Yamaha YZF R1 2
2022
4
World Superbikes
Misano, Italy
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Comments

If Bautista wins the WSBK Championship, it will well deserved.

Afterall he was on his way to winning the 2019 championship, but I heard on a podcast, with motorcycle journalists, that Ducati reneged on his win bonus payments, therefore Bautista through his displeasure with Ducati's attitude towards him, sabotaged his and Ducati's chance of the 2019 championship!

I recall him crashing a lot in the second half of the 2019 season, which might be false memory, but if not, that would be a hell of a way to sabotage their effort. For sure he’ll deserve it, but it does look like that bike runs on rails this year.

I heard Scott Smart saying the ‘authorities’ do some kind of rpm review after 6 events, taking the average results of all those on the same machine so far, with a knowing look suggesting Ducati might be required to dial it back a bit? If that’s true, mightn’t the team fiddle with Rinaldi’s setup a little to have him offset Bautista’s results? Especially as the commentators are saying Rinaldi is toast already for 2023.

Illia Mykhalchyk takes another point, Slava Ukraine!

Another beaut ride by Bautista, fast and fairly smooth. Didn't loose his cool during the early attacks.

Jonathan off the podium for the first time this season!

Xavi Vierge and Alex Bassani? Does anyone know what happened there? Looked like a BIG one! Good to see X.V. walking.

Honda plenty fast top speed wise and doing quick lap times as well.

Ducati haven't won the championship since Carlos Checa won in 2011.

If A.B.19 wins, pay the man! Don't quibble Gigi.

"Ducati haven't won the championship since Carlos Checa won in 2011"

If Ducati hadn't messed with Bautista's head, regarding contract details and bonus payments, Ducati and Bautista would have maybe had at least 3 WSBK Championships on the way to a fourth!

I think Ducati has realized they messed up letting AB19 get away from them, as his size and riding style suits the Pangale. His stature and riding style is very similar to DP26 and EB23!

 

Bautista looks a lot different on that bike now than 2019—he’s not backing it in with the same enthusiasm, that’s for sure. 

I loved watching Toprak drift both tires into that turn 8. He certainly puts in the effort! 

It was my understanding that Ducati let Bautista go because they didn’t want to pay out so many bonuses, not that they refused to pay them. I doubt he would have come back otherwise.