Scott Redding takes WorldSBK lead for Ducati

In just his second outing, reigning British Superbike champ and WorldSBK rookie Scott Redding (aruba.it Ducati) celebrated victory in both 20-lap races in Jerez over the weekend, with reigning champ Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team) claiming the 10-lap sprint race.

Rea lead for the majority of the first race of the weekend when, with six laps to go, pole man Redding took the lead and put his head down to eke out a gap which was well over a second by the time he reached the flag. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Team) got a great start fifth on the grid into second, before Redding made a pass stick on lap 11 before setting his eyes on Rea.

Razgatlioglu won the fight for the last podium spot from Redding’s factory Ducati teammate Chaz Davies, with fifth-placed Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) finishing the race half a second further back. Redding’s maiden win means it is the first time in 16 years the series can boast four different winners in the opening four races.

Rea fought back in the 10-lap sprint race to take the win 0.522s ahead of Redding and Pata Yamaha’s Michael van der Mark. The Dutch rider needed to see the flag to make up for a mechanical DNF suffered in the opening race while running in podium contention. However it was at the expense of his Pata Yamaha teammate Razgatlioglu who suffered his own DNF in the sprint race while also running in third. Baz, Davies and Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) rounded out the top five.

Rea took the early lead in the third and final race of the Spanish round before Redding pounced early, taking the lead on just the second lap. The class rookie kept his focus and was never headed, while a battle for the remaining podium spots unfolded behind.

A rejuvenated Davies passed Rea, as did Razgatlioglu and his KRT teammate Alex Lowes with the latter running wide and Rea taking advantage to dive back up the inside. Ducati privateer Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GoEleven Ducati) – who finished a strong sixth in the opening race – made his move, leaving the two Kawasaki teammates to fight it out for sixth place.

Up ahead, Redding crossed the line well over three seconds clear of his teammate – the first time since 2012 the Bologna team celebrated a 1-2 in the class. While Davies tried to reduce the gap to Redding in the latter stages of the race, Razgatlioglu rode a somewhat lonely race to third with privateer Rinaldi a further three seconds behind when he crossed the line in fourth.

Alex Lowes won the Kawasaki battle to fifth place, moving himself to within just two points of his teammate after his Round 1 overall win at the Aussie curtain raiser earlier this year.

Redding’s performance moves him 24 points clear of Rea in the title chase, 98 points to Rea’s 74, with Lowes (72), Razgatlioglu (66) and Davies (57) rounding out the top five.

World Supersport 

The World Supersport category was all about Andrea Locatelli (BARDAHL Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha), who celebrated two wins from two starts after claiming pole position on Saturday.

In 40ºC temperatures which saw parts of the track hit well above 60ºC, it was Locatelli versus Jules Cluzel (GMT94 Yamaha) in the first 17-lap race, the Frenchman finishing three seconds down on Locatelli, while class rookie Philipp Öettl put his Puccetti Racing Kawasaki on the podium in just his second attempt.

Australia’s Lachlan Epis (MPM Routz Racing Team) crossed the line last in 16th place, though a far better result than the seven riders who didn’t see the line in the punishing conditions.

Early drama between Axel Bassani (Soradis MotoXracing Yamaha) and Raffaele De Rosa (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) bought out a red flag and a restart saw the second race shortened to an 11-lap sprint.

Once again it was Locatelli from Cluzel, while Lucas Mahias put his Puccetti Racing Kawasaki on the last step of the podium ahead of teammate Öettl in fourth.

Lachie Epis crossed the line in 17th from 19 finishers.

Locatelli leads the standings on 75 points from Cluzel (60), Mahais (42), GMT94 Yamaha’s Corentin Perolari (35) and Öettl (29). Epis is yet to score points.

WorldSSP300

Briton Tom Booth-Amos (36) leads the WorldSSP300 standings from Turkey’s Bahattin Sofuoglu (35), Spain’s Unai Orradre (35) and Ana Carrasco (29). The two Aussie Toms had a less than ideal weekend. Tom Bramich (RT Motorsport SKM Kawasaki) failed to qualify within the required 107 percent of the fastest time, while Tom Edwards put his Kawasaki ParkinGO Team 12th on the grid, but retired after just two laps in the opening race and finished 25th in the second.