2024 Estoril World Superbike Race Two Result: Will He, Won't He?

By Jared Earle |

Race two is Toprak Razgatlioglu's chance to take the title, and a 25ºC day removed the weather from the equation.

Razgatlioglu changed to the softer tyre for this race, joining everyone else on the same tyre. Alvaro Bautista took the lead from third place ahead of Andrea Locatelli, Nicolo Bulega and Razgatlioglu whose bad start put him in the clutches of Jonathan Rea who took fourth off Razgatlioglu. After a lap, Bautista led Locatelli, Bulega, Rea, Razgatlioglu and Danilo Petrucci. Xavi Vierge made an ambitious attempt to pass Petrucci but he overshot the apex and let Petrucci back through.

Bautista set a 1'37.516 fastest lap as Buklega passed Locatyelli into turn one of lap three. Razgatlioglu made the same move on Rea to take fourth place. Tax Mackenzie crashed out further back.

Under a second covered the leading five riders as Vierge set a 1'37.296 in sixth place, trying to join the leading five bikes. Sam Lowes crashed out at turn twelve. On lap four, Razgatlioglu set a 1'36.974 as he took third place from Locatelli and closed on the Ducatis of Bautista and Bulega ahead of him. Razgatlioglu passed Bulega on the brakes into turn seven and he fended off a counterattack from Bulega and he held second place by two thousandths from Bulega over the line to start lap six, a quarter of a second off Bautista. Garrett Gerloff retired. Bautista covered a turn seven pass attempt and kept Razgatlioglu from passing into turn one of lap seven.

Razgatlioglu looked for a way past Bautista and when Bautista took the turn six exit slightly wide, Razgatlioglu snuck under and defended the line through turn seven to take the lead.

With no bikes in front of him, Razgatlioglu got about setting a 1'36.802 fastest lap, over half a second quicker than the Ducatis behind. A lap later, Razgatlioglu led Bautista and Bulega by a second and Bulega shook his head at his team down the straight as he sat behind Bautista. Bulega used turn seven to pass Bautista as Locatelli crashed out behind them and he carried his Yamaha's wings out of the gravel trap.

At the start of lap ten, Bulega had over a second of air between himself and Razgatlioglu's lead. Behind Bautista, Lecuona crashed out at turn six while Bulega had as massive wobble trying to catch Raztalioglu. Jonathan Rea sat in fourth place, two seconds behind the Ducatis.

At half race distance, Razgatlioglu led Bulega and Bautista by two and a half seconds with Rea over two seconds behind. Three seconds further back, Michael van der Mark led a scrapping duo of Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Iannone.

By lap thirteen, Razgatlioglu's lead approached three seconds as Bautista sat loyally behind Bulega, and a lap later, it was over three and a half seconds. Tito Rabat pulled into the pits, leaving seventeen riders contesting points and two thirds of the race were completed shortly after. Razgatlioglu's lead was four seconds.

Alvaro Bautista remained in third place, making no moves on Nicolo Bulega in second place, just letting the Ducati team know he could pass him if he wanted, and Bautista then levelled his pace, letting Bulega manage his own pace without pushing him. Jonathan Rea was almost five seconds behind the Ducatis.

With three laps left, Razgatlioglu led Bulega and Bautista by a comfortable five seconds, lapping over a tenth quicker than Bulega every lap. Three and a half seconds behind Jonathan Rea, Michael van der Mark and Andrea Iannone swapped places back and forth.

Last lap, Toprak Razgatlioglu led Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista by over five and a half seconds with Jonathan Rea over seven seconds further back. Behind Rea, Michael van der Mark held off Xavi Vierge, Danilo Petrucci and Andrea Iannone after Iannone ran wide into turn one.

Toprak Razgatlioglu won by under four seconds after running the entire length of the straight on the rear wheel. Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista rounded out the podium with Jonathan Rea missing out by eight seconds. Danilo Petrucci finished in seventh place and secured the top independent rider title. Petrucci was joined by a cardboard Nicholas Spinelli in parc fermé as he celebrated his and his team's independent titles.

Toprak Razgatlioglu pulled up alongside some of his pals who swung a skipping rope for him to skip over and do a few leaping pushups in full race gear after twenty one hard laps. Yeah.

The title chase continues for another week, with Razgatlioglu's lead increased to forty six points, giving him a good chance of taking the title in race one next weekend, but Ducati's thirty five points in the manufacturer's championship will likely earn them the title once more. BMW might not be able to get the manufacturer title, but they proved all of us wrong with Toprak being more than a mere PR dream signing.

Results:

Pos No. Rider Bike Gap
1 54 T. RAZGATLIOGLU BMW M 1000 RR  
2 11 N. BULEGA Ducati Panigale V4R 3.866
3 1 A. BAUTISTA Ducati Panigale V4R 3.998
4 65 J. REA Yamaha YZF R1 12.005
5 60 M. VAN DER MARK BMW M 1000 RR 15.209
6 97 X. VIERGE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 15.792
7 9 D. PETRUCCI Ducati Panigale V4R 16.914
8 29 A. IANNONE Ducati Panigale V4R 17.371
9 21 M. RINALDI Ducati Panigale V4R 19.129
10 47 A. BASSANI Kawasaki ZX-10RR 19.966
11 45 S. REDDING BMW M 1000 RR 22.007
12 22 A. LOWES Kawasaki ZX-10RR 22.067
13 77 D. AEGERTER Yamaha YZF R1 31.487
14 28 B. RAY Yamaha YZF R1 31.882
15 75 I. LOPES Honda CBR1000 RR-R 41.552
16 5 P. OETTL Yamaha YZF R1 42.305
17 91 L. BERNARDI Yamaha YZF R1 1'06.825
RET 53 T. RABAT Kawasaki ZX-10RR 12
RET 7 I. LECUONA Honda CBR1000 RR-R 12 Laps
RET 55 A. LOCATELLI Yamaha YZF R1 13 Laps
RET 31 G. GERLOFF BMW M 1000 RR 17 Laps
RET 14 S. LOWES Ducati Panigale V4R 2
RET 95 T. MACKENZIE Honda CBR1000 RR-R 2
2024
11
World Superbikes
Estoril, Portugal
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Comments

Anyone else still really appreciative that Toprak is ok after that big crash a bit ago? Has anyone not seen it? Did you wince as hard as I did?! That looked REALLY bad and scary. 

Plus, he actually was pretty hurt! Collapsed lung, right? Broke some bones. 

Damn. Glad you are ok Turkalien. Video at 1 min in. Ouch!! 

https://youtu.be/IE-YLW5MtP8?si=_eeRHJUXUOeAYNvN

Dropping this here - looks like Gresini just ended their relationship with Chinese QJMotors in Moto2. That escalated quickly!

The Chinese motorcycle manu's have really made strides. I have been watching for them to get in racing. Expected CFMoto to be 1st, but QJMotors did both sponsoring Moto2 and running their 800cc inline 4 CBR650 rip off in Supersport.

I've sincerely tried to support them. Really! But...can't.

Shite bikes, mostly stolen knockoffs underpowered for their displacement but w pretty electronics. And China has fanned and fueled the flames of a horrible trend that risks stability of norms that make international collaboration including MotoGP happen. Looks to be escalating faster. The QJ micro reminds of a disconcerting macro.

Perhaps QJMotors already wanted out of Moto2 collaboration with Europeans in favor of putting more funds into their own racing? Betting on it. And, good riddance? You can be either backmarkers or jerks, but not both and endear yourselves.

News, USA (and perhaps others?) last week announced plan to BAN a bunch of Chinese vehicles for hackable software, plus doubling the tarrifs on others. Plus, Navy ships and troops on both sides escalating posturing around vulnerable countries in their contested/threatened areas. Related?

2025 Yamaha R9 released. 890cc Triple. 430lbs with a red line around 10,500. 119hp, 93nm torque stock, "MotoGP developed aero." Adjustable KYB suspension developed alongside the R1 and R6's, Brembo brakes. Lots of electronics incl launch, TC and slide control. Ergos are a touch more aggressive than the R7 and a good bit less than the R6. Engine state of tune is low - same as the MT-09.

Been anticipating this a long time, back into conjecture. How impressed are we? Not tremendously here, jury out re in race trim. It better go on a diet and get a few revs?

The matter of "displacement creep" continues to stick out. Both for better and for worse - 675cc WAS the Supersport Triple, and it was a bit outgunned by the 600cc inline 4's. But it is such a gorgeous powerplant! Now we have this 890cc? The GSXR-750 is homologated and matches the almost 1000cc Ducati twin. Kawasaki just went 636cc. Honda just went, uhm, nowhere still except for their Chinese knockoff going to 800cc inline 4?

Bad news, the Supersport bikes are getting more displacement in a lower tune bike w more relaxed ergos and lots of rider aids. Good news? The same, as Superbikes have gotten nutso for mortals. Blessings and curses? Supersport is just the old Superbike formula, basically. The old Ninja 250 class is now Middleweight Twins (the Aprilia is a great bike w suspension upgrades!). Unfortunately the new KTM big twin, while GORGEOUS, falls short of the power needed for Supersport! It plops itself firmly in racing's no mans land. Exception, USA's Superhooligans, which unfortunately took a crap on its rulebook to far favor the two American pigs on the grid. I wrote organizers and Roland Sands and got an auto reply. (Sigh).

Still very curious and interested in where Supersport is going. You too?

"New Generation of Supersport" brief promo video

https://youtu.be/HMpEe4_Gnd4?si=AO2Ph-WV52CTI0lE

v Steve Apical, greetings old friend! Nice to see you still here in Krop's virtual hangout. Wishing you well, enjoy the racing and riding! Off road E-moto has been fun here. Used to love mountainbike descents. Now, the climbs are super cool! Shhh! Silent. Fire lane access two track mostly so as not to disturb folks nor hurt trails. Adventure!

:)

Cheers

Yes Motoshrink I'm very appreciative of the fact that Toprak is still with us. Razgatlioglu is doing the business, demonstrating that he is the Alien in SBK. I caught a glimpse of the crash through sleepy eyelids. Didn't rewatch it. Big crash I believe. Watching carnage isn't my thing. Could have been worse. We are lucky. Toprak is young, very fit & also lucky. To be back winning races again so soon is remarkable.

Magny-Cours is not a favourite, never has been. The super slow final turn etc. Non!

Once there were three aliens in SBK. Alvaro Bautista looks like a mere mortal this season.

Jonathan Rea changed bikes and isn't doing as well this year. He still wants to win, we can see that.

Toprak changed manufacturer to BMW and has done surprisingly well in a short time. Having seen good riders struggling on the bimmer. I think this shows, again, how good Toprak is.

China? I don't know. There is a different culture. I wonder what is their motivation to go racing? What do they hope to gain from competing? If QJMoto were hoping to prove Chinese superiority they may have to wait a few years. Some Chinese seem to think that they are exceptional. Results this year suggest otherwise.

The Japanese weren't impressive when they first started racing at the Isle of Man.

To be in Jerez again for the final round would be sweet.

R9, seems somewhat disappointing after waiting all this time for a sports bike with that engine. The triple is a lot heavier than the four cylinder R1 & R6. Why, why, why?

Oh well. KTM own MV Agusta now I hear. Maybe KTM will make an exciting 3 cylinder with real race potential. The current MV AGUSTA 800 is almost competitive.

We won’t be at PI this weekend. Saving for a Euro MotoGP next year. We’ll be hunkered in front of the TV for the whole weekend. Looks like a typical PI forecast too but not as bad as last year so enjoy.     Shrink….you’ll be upset but I have forsaken the MV Dragster 800 triple (and the 1090RR) for a 2022 MV Brutale 1000RS. It has insane power, looks and sounds wonderful and I love it. Probably my last fling of the dice at 74 years young. Let’s hope for a great weekend of racing. By the way, watch the last championship deciding race of BSB. Maybe the best race you’ll ever see.

I love corners that have names. It's not turn 9, it ain't the Hook, the name is Gancho Goddammit!

... with that bike, play it like an instrument, move it like an extension of his body!  All I could think was,

Yamaha MotoGP
You 
Absolute
Morons.

Anyhow, Yamaha and MotoGP's loss is our win, as he remains on a 'normal' motorcycle rather than a weird fusion of F1 and fly-by-wire fighter plane that MotoGP has been allowed to become.  We can enjoy him wringing everything from whatever he is on, it is an amazing sight.

Fingers crossed that the next round goes smoothly and he confirms the very worthy second championship.  I am certainly among those who doubted his move to BMW and am very happy to have been proven wrong.

^ Where is eveybody?

 

Is this too obscure a spot? Is none of that provocative? Ever wonder where the old school Mutterrers go? Here, rotting. JINX, Cloverleaf, Brick Top, PittBull, et al. Aren't we all here for unusual community??!

(Used to spend HOURS on posts, just to see them languish)