After a sensational start and a first part of the race where both Michael Rinaldi and Scott Redding were protagonists, Race-2 ends in a very disappointing way for the Aruba.it Racing – Ducati Team on the Circuito Estoril.
Gerloff (Yamaha) hits Rinaldi on the second lap; Redding loses the front with 8 laps to go, after a fight with Rea (Kawasaki) to take the victory.
- Superpole Race
Scott Redding starts the race very well but a mistake on lap 3, when he was in second position behind Razgatlioglu (Yamaha), allows Rea and Gerloff to overtake him. Scott remains focused and with four laps to go, he recovers the third position trying to make a final attack on Razgatlioglu.
As in Race-1, Michael Rinaldi’s start in Superpole Race is excellent too. Nonetheless, at the first corner, he is forced to widen his trajectory losing some meters. In the last two laps, Rinaldi fights with Lowes (Kawasaki) defending the fifth position.
- Result Superpole Race
P1 – J. Rea (Kawasaki)
P2 – T. Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) +0.690
P3 – S. Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.180
P4 – G. Gerloff (Yamaha) +2.059
P5 – M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.583
- Race-2
Scott Redding immediately takes the lead (even though he will be penalized for an imperceptible jump start). The English rider’s race pace is incisive but from mid-race Rea (Kawasaki) begins to reduce the gap. Between the 12th and the 13th lap the two riders fight an intense duel which ends with Redding crashing at turn 4. Despite the crash, Scott returns to the track to finish the race. Unfortunately, the two points gained are nullified by the penalty that came after the end of the race.
Rinaldi’s start is once again remarkable and in a few corners, the Italian rider successfully attacks Gerloff (Yamaha), Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) and Rea (Kawasaki) to take the second position. Halfway through the second lap, however, at turn 6 Rinaldi is hit by Gerloff who completely loses control of his bike after a braking over the limit.
- Race-2 result
P1 – J. Rea (Kawasaki)
P2 – C. Davies (Ducati)
P3 – T. Razgatlioglu (Yamaha)
P16 – S. Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
DNF – M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
- WorldSBK Standings
P1 – J. Rea (Kawasaki) 110
P2 – T. Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) 75
P3 – S. Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 72
P4 – A. Lowes (Kawasaki) 62
P5 – C. Davies (Ducati) 48
P10 – M. Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 25
Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #45).
“I am very sorry for the team. I was having a good race, the strategy we had studied was perfect and things were going well. Maybe the feeling with the front tire was not the best but without a doubt, I made a mistake. It’s a pity because I felt I could have had a good race and fight until the end for the victory”.
Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21)
“It’s a real shame. This weekend we worked very hard with the team and the feeling with the bike has been growing steadily. I felt very good today, I had a great start and the feeling was very positive. Unfortunately, I was hit by another rider who, considering the level of this competition, made a serious mistake. Anyway, we have to focus on Misano now, with the aim of keep working in this direction”.
