There was drama from the start in Sunday’s Tissot Superpole Race at the Circuit de Barcelona-Catalunya for the inaugural Acerbis Catalunya Round where the 10-lap race was won by Dutchman Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team) in dramatic finish with van der Mark claiming his first victory since Jerez Race 2 in 2019 and claiming Yamaha’s 80th victory in WorldSBK.

Van der Mark started the race from fourth place and moved up to second from the start, slotting in behind Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) on the opening lap. The order stayed the same throughout the opening two laps but Alvaro Bautista (Team HRC) moved passed both of them on Lap 3 to take the lead.

Bautista’s lead would not last long as he had a massive highside at the right hander of Turn 4 which forced the Spaniard out of the race; Bautista taken to the medical centre for a check-up following the accident. Both van der Mark and Rea avoided being collected in the accident with the Dutchman taking the lead and building his lead throughout the race. It meant van der Mark was joined on the podium by Rea and Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha); the trio completing the front row for Race 2.

Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) finished in fourth place after fighting from tenth on the grid while Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) was in fifth after battling with Davies throughout the race; the pair separated by just 0.056s at the line. Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN), one of three riders not to use the SCX tyre in the race, finished in sixth to complete the second row for Race 2.

Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) was seventh with Scott Redding (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) in eighth; Redding not using the SCX tyre in the Superpole Race. Tom Sykes (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was in ninth after starting from the front row to secure a third row start in Race 2.

There was a collision between Leon Haslam (Team HRC) and Federico Caricasulo (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) with the British rider taken to the medical centre for a check-up. Samuele Cavalieri (Barni Racing Team) also did not finish the race after a crash at Turn 5.

Top six following the Tissot Superpole Race, full results here:

1.) Michael van der Mark (PATA YAMAHA WorldSBK Official Team)

2.) Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +2.372s

3.) Loris Baz (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) +2.923s

4.) Chaz Davies (ARUBA.IT Racing – Ducati) +3.929s

5.) Garrett Gerloff (GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Junior Team) +3.985s

6.) Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Team GOELEVEN) +6.487s

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