2022 World Superbike Aragon, Spain - Race (2) Results

Alvaro Bautista takes over the 2022 World Superbike championship lead following a Sunday double in Aragon. 

Following his success in the Superpole race, Bautista started from pole for the first time since 2019. 

However, it was the early-season championship leader Jonathan Rea who led into turn one. 

• 2022 World Superbike Aragon, Spain - Superpole Race Results 
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Continuing their epic duel from the Superpole race, Michael Rinaldi got through on Razgatlioglu at turn four, before the reigning world champion responded one turn later. 

Rinaldi regained third at the beginning of lap two, while Rea fought back to take the lead from Bautista. 

Attempting to stay with the top four, Andrea Locatelli suffered an early fall at turn nine.

Just what the doctor ordered; Bautista took the lead as Rinaldi also came through on Rea for second.

To Bautista’s advantage, Rinaldi ran wide at turn one which also pushed Rea off-track, thus allowing Razgatlioglu into P3. 

Behind the top six of Bautista, Rinaldi, Razgatlioglu, Rea, Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani, both factory Honda riders were battling hard as Xavi Vierge went through on Iker Lecuona. Loris Baz then split the two Team HRC riders with a late move at turn 10. 

As Bautista pushed on the pace, Rinaldi was equal to it as he instead began to close in on the former MotoGP rider. Behind the top two was Rea who finally got through on Razgatlioglu. 

Down in 23rd place, Scott Redding’s weekend went from bad to very, very, worse after missing turn nine (lap eight) and turn one on the next lap around. 

On both occasions Redding slowed right down and began shouting at the bike in what was a visible sign of frustration.

Not to put the entire lack of performance on his shoulders, Redding did seem to have a problem with the front-end of his M 1000 RR.

After beginning to lose pace, Rinaldi ran on at turn one which allowed Rea back through and a chance at closing down Bautista. 

Doing everything in his power to close in on Bautista, Rea ran off-track at turn one which was enough to let Bautista’s lead grow to two seconds.

Redding then brought his day to an early end as technical issues continued to hamper the 2020 runner-up.

Kohta Nozane suffered a late fall in what was another disastrous weekend for the ex-Japanese Superbike champion.

In a repeat of the sprint race final lap, Razgatlioglu and Rinaldi made small contact as the Yamaha man made his way up to third at turn one.

Razgatlioglu then pulled clear of Rinaldi, as did Bautista continued to do the same out front. 

Official Aragon WorldSBK Records 

Fastest Lap - Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha 1m 48.267s. 

Most Wins - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki (9) 

2021 Aragon WorldSBK Race Winners 

Race 1 - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki

Superpole Race - Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki

Race 2 - Scott Redding GBR Ducati

Bautista Wins the first World Superbike Superpole Race of 2022 in style!

After a lap one scrap with Razgatlioglu, Bautista took off at the front as he built a five second gap come the end of the ten-lap race. 

The battle for second was incredibly close as Rea, Razgatlioglu and Rinaldi battled hard throughout. 

Rinaldi led the group with two laps to go, but after small contact with both Rea and Razgatlioglu, the Italian had to settle for fourth, ahead of Andrea Locatelli who narrowly got the better of Alex Lowes. 

BMW continued to struggle as Scott Redding was only 12th - one place behind Eugene Laverty - who pre-race said the latest version of the M 1000 RR has a lot of potential, but that ‘we need to move quicker’ in the development process. 

Update: Michael Van Der Mark looks set to return for his home round at Assen on April 22-24.