Racing News |
Race Win And Podiums For KRT Riders
Jonathan Rea (KRT) was ultimately awarded the win in the Tissot-Superpole Race at Magny Cours and took second place in Race Two. Alex Lowes (KRT) was a strong third in the Superpole Race but an unlucky faller in Race Two.
Fantastic entertainment on the final lap of the Tissot-Superpole race saw Rea pass Toprak Razgatlioglu but then get re-passed as each rider risked all into the final Lycée section. Rea was second, just 0.352 seconds from Razgatlioglu as he crossed the line.
Rea was awarded the Superpole Race win after all, as his rival had strayed onto the green ‘trackside limits’ painted area. On the final lap of the race this brings about a penalty, in this case dropping Toprak one place to second, making Rea the winner.
Lowes scored his fifth podium of the season with third place in the Superpole Race, after a strong and assured ride throughout.
Race Two, held in hot ambient conditions of 28°C, provided some more classic toe-to-toe fighting between Rea and Razgatlioglu, with the two championship rivals in close company for the majority of the race. When an increasing gap developed to eventual race winner Razgatlioglu Jonathan consolidated his safe second place and scored 20 more points.
The final race started well for Lowes but finished too early as he fell on lap two, while sitting in a confident third position.
In the championship points table Rea is second overall, seven points behind Razgatlioglu. Alex is now fifth, just ten points from fourth place.
The KRT team’s home circuit of Barcelona-Catalunya will host the next round of the championship, between 17-19 September.
Jonathan Rea, stated: “It seems like we are having some issues to stop the bike as soon as the grip of the rear tyre drops. When the tyre is fresh for ten laps I feel quite confident, quite good. I knew if I was going to have a solid chance to have a race win then it would be the Superpole race. We made some big set-up changes, so massive kudos to the guys in the garage because we never give up. We just wanted to keep improving the bike. We could see in the cooler conditions I could use the SC1 tyre, but as soon as the temperature comes up it moves too much for my riding style. I need that extra stability that the 508 tyre brings. We are a so over-geared for the exit of the first gear corners and the final chicane. I was losing too many metres.”
Alex Lowes, stated: “I probably should have been on the podium yesterday, crashing so close to the end, but I knew I had good pace around here so it is nice to get back on the podium in the Superpole Race. I have been struggling in the last few months with some issues. Such a shame after the Race Two crash. Disappointed on one hand as honestly it’s the best I’ve been riding all year and yet this is my worst points haul of the year. Racing is like that sometimes. I had an issue with the brake which didn’t allow me to enter T7 like I wanted and that caught me out, unfortunately. Anyway, my speed was there so now I’ll take the positive points and turn my focus to the next race which is the home race of the team at Montmelo.”
