WSBK weekend in Misano

05.06.2023
It’s been an extraordinary Saturday for the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team as Alvaro Bautista triumphed in Race-1, conquering his twelfth win of the season, and Michael Rinaldi climbed on the second step of the podium. It was a fantastic one-two on the day that Ducati payed homage to its history in racing with a special livery that features the return of the Ducati Yellow. The colour dates back to the first half of the 1970s but reached its greatest popularity in the 1990s. Bautista, who started from pole position, took the lead at the first corner. His race pace was dominant, and after two laps, he could already create a gap that allowed him to manage the race until the chequered flag. Starting from third position, Rinaldi immediately moved into second place. The Italian rider was the protagonist of a spectacular first lap in which he defended himself brilliantly against the attacks of Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). Rinaldi’s race pace was also incisive and allowed him to control second position easily. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #1) "First and second in our home race! It was a perfect Saturday for Ducati and the team, and I am pleased about it. It was scorching, but despite that, I got positive feedback from the bike. The feeling was incredible, allowing me to have a consistent and fast pace from the very first lap. From the outside, it may look easy, but in reality, I had to push as hard as I could to create the gap between the rest of the rivals. I really enjoyed every lap and every corner, and I hope I can continue like that tomorrow". Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #21) "It was a positive day for me, but above all, for the team with Alvaro's win and my second place. In front of our fans, it was important to get a good result, and it was really great. We raced in a special yellow livery, which brought us luck! I am satisfied with my performance: I didn't expect to be able to sustain such a pace for more than half the race. Alvaro really made the difference: he is riding the bike in a unique way right now, and he deserved the win. Now we'll look at the data and try to take a step forward. The goal is to try to close the gap that separates us from him and try to fight for the win." Alvaro Bautista was unbeatable as he took his third consecutive hat trick of the season, conquering his 14th victory in 15 races, a new record in WorldSBK history. On the other hand, Michael Rinaldi crashed with six laps to go after a good battle with Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha). After winning Race 1, Bautista took the win in the Superpole Race and dominated Race 2 as well, taking the lead at the first corner and passing under the chequered flag with a wide margin. The Spanish rider is now firmly at the top of the Superbike World Championship standings with 298 points and an advantage of 86 points over Razgatlioglu. Rinaldi finished third in the Superpole Race, and in Race-2, he was the protagonist of a good duel with Razgatlioglu. However, Six laps from the end, the Italian rider made a small mistake that compromised his race. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #1) "It was a special weekend not only for Ducati but also for me. After so many years with this brand, I now feel half-Italian. Right now, my feeling with the bike is incredible, allowing me to take it to the limit on every track and in every situation. The season is still long, and the goal is to continue like this. I thank the Aruba.it Racing - Ducati team for the great work done again this weekend!" Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati #21) "The regret is great, and it is useless to deny it, but it was a very positive weekend in terms of performance. In Race 2, the feeling wasn't what it was on Saturday, but I still managed to stay firmly in the podium zone with a big advantage over the chasers. The crash? I was sucked into Toprak's slipstream, and he braked hard. The combination of these two factors led me to make a mistake. It's a pity, but I come out of this round with great confidence".

Race results

Pos.	Nr.	Driver	Bike	Time-gap to Leader
1	1	A. Bautista	Panigale V4R
2	54	T. Razgatlioglu	YZF R1	8.446
3	47	A. Bassani	Panigale V4R	18.368
4	65	J. Rea	ZX-10RR	20.174
5	97	X. Vierge	CBR1000 RR-R	22.344
6	55	A. Locatelli	YZF R1	23.307
7	9	D. Petrucci	Panigale V4R	23.552
8	31	G. Gerloff	M1000 RR	24.905
9	5	P. Oettl	Panigale V4R	25.255
10	87	R. Gardner	YZF R1	27.253
11	77	D. Aegerter	YZF R1	27.529
12	76	L. Baz	M1000 RR	36.856
13	66	T. Sykes	M1000 RR	38.066
14	45	S. Redding	M1000 RR	52.235
15	35	H. Syahrin	CBR1000 RR-R
16	32	I. Vinales	ZX-10RR
RET	28	B. Ray	YZF R1	4 Laps
RET	21	M. Rinaldi	Panigale V4R	6 Laps
RET	34	L. Baldassarri	YZF R1	7 Laps
RET	70	L. Vitali	ZX-10RR
RET	22	A. Lowes	ZX-10RR
RET	88	R. Mizuno	CBR1000 RR-R
RET	53	T. Rabat	ZX-10RR

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