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The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season is done and dusted and in the history books, and it will live long in the memory after an incredible campaign. With the 12 rounds and 36 races done, we can revisit the teammate head-to-head battles at the five factory teams in WorldSBK. Some teams are harder to have a full picture at, such as BMW and Honda, due to injuries impacting riders and forcing them to sit rounds out, but the data at all teams has enough to compare the two full-time riders.

THE CHAMPION ON TOP: Bautista beats Rinaldi 34-2 in races

Newly-crowned Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) came out on top against teammate Michael Ruben Rinaldi by a 34-2 score line, with Rinaldi coming out on top when Bautista had crashes at Donington Park and Magny-Cours. In the Tissot Superpole, things went Bautista’s way again with an 11-1 margin over his teammate. Bautista averaged a huge 50.08 points per round in the 2022 season, with Rinaldi averaging around half that. Bautista also took the best average position honours for 2022, with 1.82, while Rinaldi’s was fifth best on the grid at 6.29.

RAZGATLIOGLU BEATS LOCATELLI: 32-4 for the 2021 Champion

2021 Champion Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) had the edge over teammate Andrea Locatelli, coming out on top in races on 32 occasions. Like at Ducati, Locatelli was able to finish ahead when his teammate had misfortune such as at Misano or when he crashed at Assen in Race 2. It also went Razgatlioglu’s way in Superpole, coming out on top by an 11-1 margin, with the average gap between the two 0.569s in Razgatlioglu’s favour. Razgatlioglu’s average position in both racing and Superpole was remarkably similar; averaging 2.62 in races and 2.42 in Superpole. In terms of points per round, Bautista and Razgatlioglu picked up the most points in a round on five occasions this season, while Razgatlioglu averaged 44.08 points per round; slightly more than the 43.38 in his 2021 title winning campaign (when there were 13 rounds).

REA ON TOP: a 33-3 advantage to the six-time Champion

Six-time Champion Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) won the battle at the KRT squad ahead of teammate Alex Lowes, with Rea on top on 33 occasions compared to Lowes’ three. In Superpole, Rea took a 10-2 advantage over his teammate but it was the closest, on average, battle in factory teams with Rea ahead by 0.320s. A late surge from Lowes at the end of the season, including two podiums, meant his average finishing position dipped to 5.94, the fourth best on the grid, while Rea’s was 3.09; the third highest, matching his Championship position.

ENDED EARLY: Lecuona and Vierge's fight comes to an early end

With Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) not racing in the final two rounds of the season, the stats remain the same at Honda. It was the closest battle at factory teams this season, although in Superpole, Lecuona had a 9-1 advantage over his teammate. Interestingly, Vierge won by a 6-4 advantage when looking at only Race 2, while both Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race went in Lecuona’s favour by 7-3. Matching the theme of a close battle, their average position when finishing races: Lecuona’s average position is 7.85 while Vierge’s is 9.21 including the Indonesia and Australian Rounds for Vierge.

REDDING ON TOP AGAINST VAN DER MARK: a disrupted campaign for BMW…

It was a disrupted campaign for the BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, with Michael van der Mark missing five of the 12 rounds through two separate injuries. He came back for the second half of the season to fight with teammate Scott Redding, with Redding winning the head-to-head battle 16-4 in the 20 races they both competed in and at least one finished (this excludes Race 1 at the Catalunya Round as both recorded retirements). Redding’s average position throughout 2022 was 8.03s, in races where he finished, while van der Mark’s was 12.13. Both riders had a higher average race position than Superpole: Redding’s was 8.50 in Superpole while van der Mark recorded 15.57.

Superpole head-to-head

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati: Alvaro Bautista 11-1 Michael Ruben Rinaldi

Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK: Toprak Razgatlioglu 11-1 Andrea Locatelli

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea 10-2 Alex Lowes

Team HRC: Iker Lecuona 9-1 Xavi Vierge

BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: Scott Redding 7-0 Michael van der Mark

Race head-to-head

Aruba.it Racing – Ducati: Alvaro Bautista 34-2 Michael Ruben Rinaldi

Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK: Toprak Razgatlioglu 32-4 Andrea Locatelli

Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK: Jonathan Rea 33-3 Alex Lowes

Team HRC: Iker Lecuona 18-12 Xavi Vierge

BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team: Scott Redding 16-4 Michael van der Mark

Look back on an unforgettable 2022 campaign using the WorldSBK VideoPass!