Locatelli: Broken oil radiator puts an end to “one of the best races of my life”

Locatelli made a stunning start as he took over the race lead from Jonathan Rea on lap two, and although Alvaro Bautista came back past, the Yamaha rider was more than a match for Razgatlioglu.

The Turkish rider has usually held the advantage over Locatelli, however, the 2020 Supersport champion was able to comfortably defend from his teammate for much of the race.

• Bassani: "I want to battle for the podium, not top five", Oettl under "pressure” 
• Rinaldi: “I don’t know if my future depends on Marquez, news in Portimao”

Razgatlioglu, who didn’t have his normal confidence under braking, got alongside Locatelli on a couple of occasions but could not force a move. 

In what was arguably his best ride ever as a Superbike rider, Locatelli said: "Honestly, it was fun. It’s probably one of the best races of my life! Just a bit unlucky. We had a broken oil radiator and lost something. 

"When I saw the oil was a bit on my leg, it was unfortunately only with three laps to go. I could do nothing. 

"We have always been lucky without problems and sometimes this happens. It’s a strong weekend in the end. 

"We showed our potential and I think this is the best thing to do. We will see what we can do in Portugal at Portimao but I’m feeling really confident."

A gutted Locatelli made his way back to the pits with four laps remaining as he lost out on what would have been seventh podium of 2023.

"I understood a lot during the race, and I tried to find a bit more grip on the rear," added Locatelli when discussing his battle with Razgatlioglu. "We worked a lot on the setup of the bike, especially after the Superpole Race. We found a good solution. 

"We had a bit of an advantage on the exit of corners, and it was also great under braking. 

"When Toprak overtook at Turn 7, I felt something at Turn 5, and it was probably because the radiator started to break. I lost the rear grip a bit many times and, in the end, I needed to stop the bike."