Alvaro Bautista opens season with win at Phillip Island

Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) has started the 2023 Superbike World Championship in the best possible waytook a commanding victory in Race 1 of the Grand Ridge Brewery round in Australia in the wet.

Bautista passed Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team World SBK) in the final third of the test It was his sixth win at Phillip Island and the 33rd of his WorldSBK career after a hard-fought battle with Northern Irish riders.

After the rain that fell during the World Supersport race, all riders wore rain compounds for the first race of the year in previously untestable conditions. Pole sitter Toprak Razgatrioglu (Pata Yamaha Prometheon World SBK) fell to the ground as the lights went out.

Bautista took command, but it was Rea who overtook the Ducati for the lead after a cautious first lap by the whole group.

At the beginning of lap 4, Razgatriol passed Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) to take 3rd place. At the front, the six-time champion Rea settled in first place, but he already had two great rivals on his heels.

Bautista caught up with the Kawasaki on lap 10 and passed him brilliantly on the exit of the high-speed Stoner corner to take the lead.

The Northern Irish and Spaniards continued to run together as far as the wet asphalt would allow. Bautista had a tremendous scare at Turn 8 When rear wheel skidding threatened to throw him out of the Ducati, the Toledo man was able to control the situation and stay in front.

Razgatlioglu held onto third place but lost tenths of a second each lapAt that stage, his pursuer, Alex Lowes, was out of the race and crashed in Turn 2 just after the start of lap 15. Due to the elimination, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha Prometheon World SBK) moved up to 4th place.

Facing the final stages of the race, Ray also brushed off a fall after skidding on the slippery surface of the Australian track.and on the next lap Bautista was able to extend his lead over the #65 Kawasaki and get the win on track.

The World Champion crossed the finish line 3.4 seconds ahead of Rea.Razgatlioglu signed for third, just over six seconds behind the winner.

Talavera’s rider won six of the seven races held by Ducati on this stage.This is the second time that Ducati has won the WorldSSP and WorldSBK on the same day, an achievement of special significance for the Italian brand. To find a precedent, Brands has to go back to his 2000 with his hatch.

Spanish Iker Lecuona (Honda) and Xabi Bierge (Honda) finish 6th and 7thEach.

This Sunday Race 2 will also be held at the same circuit.

Australian Grand Prix

Classification Race 1

1. Alvaro Bautista (Ducati)
2. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki) +3.471s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) +6.168s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Yamaha) +16.789s
5. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +20.918s
6. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +27.015s

Australian Grand Prix

schedule

Sunday
00:30-00:45 WorldSBK-WUP
00:55-01:10 World SSP – WUP
03:00 WorldSBK – Super Pole Race
04:30 WorldSSP – Race 2
06:00 WorldSBK – Race 2

live tv: DAZN, Telesport, Eurosport