Estoril next up for WorldSBK as intense 2022 title fight continues

• It will be Bautista’s first-time racing at Estoril with Ducati.
• His best result at the Portuguese track in WorldSBK was fifth place in 2020 with Honda, although he won at Estoril in 2006 when competing in the 125cc World Championship.
• So far this season, he has been on the podium at every race, including three wins.
• He leads the Championship standings by 18 points over Rea.

“In Assen, I recovered good sensations with the bike, and I think these modifications could help us to be more competitive. Estoril is a track with a long straight and this suits the Ducati well. We will need to work to have a bike stable in braking. I go there with the same idea, wanting to enjoy and improve day by day.”
 
Championship P2 – 91 points
Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “We’ll start from zero with the expectation to be competitive…”

• In 2020, he won his sixth WorldSBK Championship in Estoril.
• Back in 2021, Rea won two races out of three, finishing third in Race 1.
• Rea arrives to Estoril after two wins in Assen, having claimed his 100th win with Kawasaki.
• Race 2 at Estoril could be a milestone for Rea: he is just three race starts away from 350 in WorldSBK.

“The first races of the season have been really positive for us. I had a good feeling with the bike and the team are working an incredible way so step by step we are building good confidence. About Estoril, I like the challenge of the circuit, I like the layout of the circuit. In 2020, I won the World Championship there, but it was a mixed weekend there, I wasn’t competitive. But in 2021, I was able to win, and I felt much better with our bike. Like every weekend, we’ll start from zero with the expectation to be competitive, but we need to work really hard on Friday to create a good base. Hopefully we can make it a really nice race.”

Championship P3 – 64 points
Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK): “From Estoril onwards I expect to be able to be more competitive…”

• In 2021, the Reigning WorldSBK Champion scored three podiums at Estoril.
• Toprak Razgatlioglu took his first pole position in WorldSBK at Estoril in 2020.
• He arrives 45 points behind the Championship leader – which is bigger for Toprak than at any point in 2021 (37 points after Assen R2, coincidentally).

“I’m not looking at the championship standings now. After the Assen crash, I focus race by race and my goal is to fight for the win. Aragon and Assen were not very good tracks for us, but from Estoril onwards I expect to be able to be more competitive.”

Championship P4 – 55 points
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK): “We’ll try to get another podium in Estoril…”

• He claimed his career-best result with second place in Assen Race 2.
• His best result in Estoril was a fifth place in 2021.
• Locatelli claimed two podiums, including one win, in 2020 in WorldSSP at Estoril.

“Last year in Estoril we finished in the top five in Race 2. I hope we can have a good weekend again this season and that we can finish the weekend with a good result. We need to make a step forward to be fighting at the front. We need to improve in some areas like electronics and the bike set-up.”

Championship P5 – 50 points
Iker Lecuona (Team HRC): “Our target is to keep working hard, step by step and see what will happen…”

• The Spanish Rookie claimed his first WorldSBK podium in Assen Race 2.
• He is one of the two riders to have scored points in every race in 2022 so far.

“I’ve never been at Estoril so with VideoPass, I’ll study onboard videos and old races to have a first idea. When I will arrive there, my idea is to do one or two laps walking trying to learn all the details so that FP1 will be easier. Our target is to keep working hard, step by step and see what will happen.”

Championship P6 – 43 points
Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Ducati Racing): “I hope we can fight for the podium…”

• His best result at the Estoril venue is a fifth position in 2021.
• He will aim for his first podium there, his first one of the season.

“I like the track and we go there with the experience from the first two races. I hope there we don’t face the same issues and that we can fight for the podium”
 
To keep an eye on:
 
Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) “I hope we can continue from Assen…” 

•  Redding tested the BMW M1000RR for the first time in Estoril back in December 2021.
• He claimed his first top five with BMW in Assen Race 2.

“I hope we can continue from Assen. I know Estoril is a better track for BMW but I hope that what we found in Race 2, we can take onto Estoril and try grow from that.”

Championship standings (after Race 2 – Round 2)

1. Alvaro Bautista (ESP) Ducati (109 points)
2. Jonathan Rea (GBR) Kawasaki (91 points)
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (TUR) Yamaha (64 points)