WorldSBK Race 2 Results | Redding wins, Rea shows fighting spirit

Scott Redding notches up his seventh WorldSBK win of the 2021 season; Toprak Razgatlioglu takes 30 point lead over Jonathan Rea into Indonesia finale 

Scott Redding - Aruba.it Ducati
Scott Redding - Aruba.it Ducati

Scott Redding returned to the top of the WorldSBK podium in the final race of the 2021 season’s penultimate round at San Juan Villicum, as Jonathan Rea proved he won’t cede his title crown without a fight by succeeding in an entertaining tussle with main rival Toprak Razgatlioglu.

Ending a mixed weekend on a positive note, the Aruba.it Ducati rider bounced back from a disappointing Saturday to reel off a podium in the Superpole Race before prevailing in an enjoyable three-way tussle for victory in Race 2.

Demonstrating a refusal not to give up after his Race 1 fall led to a determined fightback to ninth place, Redding was in fine form in the 21 lap encounter, duking it out with Rea and Razgatlioglu early on before getting his head down and pulling clear to take the flag by just over two seconds.

Sprinting clear of fierce duel between two title-fighting titans, Rea and Razgatlioglu gave fans plenty of value with their to-and-fro of momentum, with the championship leading Yamaha rider getting caught out by sporadic errors that enabled a resurgent Rea to keep him within his sights.

With the title battle guaranteed to be decided in Argentina in just over a month’s time, Razgatlioglu perhaps for the first time played it a little safer when it mattered, with Rea dutifully holding onto second place to claw back four points in the standings.

With three races and 62 points up for grabs, Razgatlioglu and Rea head into the finale - held at the new Mandalika Circuit in Indonesia - split by 30 points in the Turkish rider’s favour.

Behind the podium-winning trio, Axel Bassani consolidated a superb weekend of results in fourth position, the Italian rookie getting the better of factory counterpart Michael Ruben Rinaldi in fifth position, while Michael van der Mark completed his brace of strong points-scoring outings aboard the BMW M 1000 RR, seeing off Andrea Locatelli and Garrett Gerloff in seventh and eighth.

Chaz Davies’ comeback event concluded with ninth position, the Welshman now turning attention to what will be his swansong event as a motorcycle racer before he hangs up his helmet. 

Following its strong podium-challenging exploits in Barcelona, Jerez and Portimao, Honda endured a tougher weekend in Argentina, with Alvaro Bautista its leading representative in Race 2 back in tenth, ahead of team-mate Leon Haslam and Puccetti Kawasaki’s Tito Rabat.

Isaac Vinales, Kohta Nozane and local hero Leandro Mercado completed the points’ paying positions in 13th, 14th and 15th.

2021 WorldSBK Argentina | San Juan Villicum | Race 2 RESULTS

2021 WorldSBK Argentina | San Juan Villicum | Race 2 RESULTS | Round 12 / 13
Pos Rider Nat. WorldSBK Team Superbike Timing
1 Scott Redding GBR Aruba Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4 R 21 Laps
2 Jonathan Rea GBR Kawasaki Racing Team KawasakI ZX-10RR +2.428
3 Toprak Razgatlioglu TUR Pata Yamaha by BRIXX Yamaha YZF-R1 +3.834
4 Axel Bassani ITA Motocorsa Racing Ducati Panigale V4 R +5.390
5 Michael Ruben Rinaldi ITA Aruba Racing Ducati Ducati Panigale V4 R +5.845
6 Michael van der Mark NED BMW Motorrad WorldSBK BMW M1000RR +8.147
7 Andrea Locatelli ITA Pata Yamaha by BRIXX Yamaha YZF-R1 +12.040
8 Garrett Gerloff USA GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Yamaha YZF-R1 +12.352
9 Chaz Davies GBR Team GoEleven Ducati Panigale V4 R +19.409
10 Alvaro Bautista ESP Team HRC Honda Honda CBR1000RR-R +20.183
11 Leon Haslam GBR Team HRC Honda Honda CBR1000RR-R +23.993
12 Tito Rabat ESP Kawasaki Puccetti Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +25.138
13 Isaac Vinales ESP Orelac VerdNatura Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +27.407
14 Kohta Nozane JPN GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Yamaha YZF-R1 +28.568
15 Leandro Mercado ESP MIE Racing Honda CBR1000RR-R +36.415
16 Eugene Laverty GBR BMW Motorrad WorldSBK BMW M1000RR +39.213
17 Christophe Ponsson FRA Gil Motorsport Yamaha YZF-R1 +40.746
18 Samuele Cavalieri ESP Barni Racing Team Ducati Panigale V4 R +56.034
19 Luciano Ribodino ARG TPR Team Pedercini Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +1m 36.692
20 Marco Solorza ARG TPR Team Pedercini Racing KawasakI ZX-10RR +1m 36.776
DNS Alex Lowes GBR Kawasaki Racing Team Kawasaki ZX-10RR

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