WorldSBK Argentina SP Race Results | Razgatlioglu wins but title down to wire

Toprak Razgatlioglu shuffles ever closer to the 2021 WorldSBK Championship title with a 14th win of the year in the San Juan Villicum Superpole Race

Toprak Razgatlioglu - Pata Yamaha R1 WorldSBK 2021
Toprak Razgatlioglu - Pata Yamaha R1 WorldSBK 2021

Toprak Razgatlioglu put another finger on the 2021 WorldSBK Championship title trophy with a second victory of the weekend at San Juan Villicum in Argentina, but third for Jonathan Rea means the title will go down to the wire in Indonesia next month.

The Turkish rider maintained his flawless form around the Andes Mountain backed circuit with a lights-to-flag victory that strengthens his advantage at the summit of the standings and on the cusp of peaking as World Champion.

Having enjoyed a sizeable advantage over Rea in Race 1, Razgatlioglu had to contend with Scott Redding for company this time around, the Ducati rider unable to make pole position count entirely but at least avoiding the pitfalls of the opening encounter when he fell at the first corner.

Keeping Razgatlioglu honest over the 10 lap sprint, Redding attempted to save his for the last lap but would ultimately settle for second position. Victory means Razgatlioglu has the honour of achieving Yamaha’s 350th WorldSBK podium. 

Rea, meanwhile, was again gulfed in third place, some three seconds off the front. Though it was enough to keep the title fight alive to the finale at the new Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia next month, the six-time World Champion is increasingly staring down the barrel of his first overall defeat since 2014 with a margin of 34 points splitting himself and Razgatlioglu.

Axel Bassani recovered from a poor start to work his way back to fourth position on the Motocorsa Racing Ducati, ahead of Michael van der Mark, the Dutchman - a race winner in the last Superpole Race at Portimao - prevailing in a swinging chasing pack to get the better of Andrea Locatelli and Garrett Gerloff.

Issues for Michael Ruben Rinaldi and Alex Lowes saw them slip back during the second-half of the race, even if they secured their spots on the front three rows for Race 2 in eighth and ninth.

2021 WorldSBK Argentina | San Juan Villicum | Superpole Race RESULTS

2021 WorldSBK Argentina | San Juan Villicum | Superpole Race RESULTS | Round 12 / 13
Pos Rider Nat. WorldSBK Team Superbike Timing
1 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha by BRIXX Yamaha YZF-R1 10 Laps
2 Scott Redding GBR Aruba Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4 R +0.046
3 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team KawasakI ZX-10RR +3.419
4 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R +5.407
5 Michael van der Mark NED BMW Motorrad WorldSBK BMW M1000RR +8.556
6 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha by BRIXX Yamaha YZF-R1 +9.608
7 Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Yamaha YZF-R1 +9.821
8 Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10RR +10.415
9 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4 R +12.063
10 Leon Haslam GBR Team HRC Honda Honda CBR1000RR-R +15.170
11 Alvaro Bautista ESP Team HRC Honda Honda CBR1000RR-R +15.685
12 Tito Rabat ESP Kawasaki Puccetti Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +18.017
13 Chaz Davies GBR Team GoEleven Ducati Panigale V4 R +18.470
14 Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Yamaha YZF-R1 +20.327
15 Eugene Laverty GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK BMW M1000RR +20.341
16 Leandro Mercado ESP MIE Racing Honda CBR1000RR-R +21.262
17 Isaac Vinales ESP Orelac VerdNatura Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +21.534
18 Samuele Cavalieri ESP Barni Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4 R +26.152
19 Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motorsport Yamaha YZF-R1 +27.693
20 Luciano Ribodino ARG TPR Team Pedercini Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +47.417
21 Marco Solorza ARG TPR Team Pedercini Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +51.079

Sponsored Content