Red-flagged opening session at Misano on Day 2; Razgatlioglu remains top despite crash

rennie · March 16, 2021

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The sun was beating down once again at the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” in Italy as the 2021 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s stars took to the circuit for a second day of testing. With innovative new technology, new team line-ups and the competition level getting higher, testing has never been so important. Despite three Red Flags in the morning, it was Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) who was on top once again.

Fastest on the first day ^[1], Toprak Razgatlioglu continued setting the pace aboard the Yamaha YZF-R1, getting down to 1’34.305 after just an hour and a half of being on track. Testing a new fairing and working with the Brembo front brake calipers he first tried at Jerez in November, the 24-year-old Turkish star was busy throughout the morning on his way to first place, although he did suffer a Turn 2 crash just before the midday break but was OK. On the other side of the garage, after doing a staggering 94 laps on day one, Andrea Locatelli was back in the saddle as he continued his adaptation to the WorldSBK class. His first feeling was good, and he highlighted that the bike now lifts less courtesy of the front air-intake. Locatelli was fifth after an impressive morning session.

After being the first rider to try out the new Brembo front brake calipers at Misano, Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was back on track in the morning session as he continued to work on himself and his feeling with the Ducati Panigale V4 R. The 2020 runner-up said that the shakedown on day one was good and that the initial feeling with the new calipers was good, but hard to tell how effective they were in the cooler temperatures; Redding was second after the morning session. Michael Ruben Rinaldi also adapted to his new team and was on track, trying out the new Brembo technology ^[2]. Not looking for an outright lap time, Rinaldi’s methodical approach saw him in third as the paddock went for lunch.

Dusting himself off from yesterday’s Turn 15 crash in the morning, American Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) seemingly “surprised” Yamaha Motor Europe Road Racing manager Andrea Dosoli ^[3]with his quick adaptation to Misano, a track he’d never seen. His primary aim was getting back into the rhythm of things, whilst teammate Kohta Nozane was also at Misano for the first time and trying to work it out. Both Nozane and Gerloff were also using the new Brembo front caliper, with both having plenty to adapt to. After the morning session, Gerloff and Nozane were fourth and ninth come midday, with Gerloff just 0.144s from the top.

2014 Moto2™ World Champion and WorldSBK rookie Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) continued to get to grips with his Ducati Panigale V4 R at a circuit he knows well. Rabat was inside the top six throughout the morning, ending up in sixth. Impressive on day one and once again featuring well on day two was Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), with the youngest rider on the grid making his jump to WorldSBK rather seamlessly. Seventh after the first session of the day, the Italian rider wasn’t the only Ducati rookie improving throughout. Team GoEleven opted not to take part today with Michele Pirro.

Getting back to work with new crew chief Mick Shanley, 2017 WorldSSP Champion Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) was back on track and continuing to get up to speed with WorldSBK machinery. Still with the 2020 Kawasaki ZX-10RR but with some 2021 parts, the Frenchman suffered a small crash at Turn 14 which caused a brief Red Flag but was OK and finished eighth. He was joined by fellow countryman Christophe Ponsson (Alstare Yamaha) as he continued his preseason testing schedule, but suffered a crash just before lunch, bringing out the third Red Flag of the day, finishing tenth before lunch.

In World Supersport, four riders took to the circuit with Steven Odendaal (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Team), Philipp Oettl (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) and teammate Can Öncü being joined by 2019 WorldSSP Champion Randy Krummenacher (EAB Racing Team). Oettl was on top by just 0.041s ahead of Odendaal whilst Krummenacher was half a second further back in third. Öncü suffered a fast crash which brought out the first Red Flag and finished in fourth.

1 Toprak Razgatlioglu (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’34.305, 30 laps
2.) Scott Redding (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’34.361, 32 laps
3.) Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’34.365, 24 laps
4.) Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’34.449, 32 laps
5.) Andrea Locatelli (PATA Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’35.173
6.) Tito Rabat (Barni Racing Team) 1’35’324, 56 laps
7.) Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) 1’35.942, 22 laps
8.) Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) 1’35.943, 18 laps
9.) Kohta Nozane (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) 1’36.135
10.) Christophe Ponsson (Alstare Yamaha) 1’36.392

Watch all of the drama of the 2021 racing season unfold with the WorldSBK VideoPass!^[4]