The 2022 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship’s final European round has well and truly ignited with Tissot Superpole from the Autodromo Internacional do Algarve. In what was another record-breaking affair and once again, it was a majestic Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) who rocketed to another Portimao pole, this time setting a new pole lap record.

OPENING ENCOUNTER: straight down to business

The first runs were electric as Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) once again stole the show with a new lap record, setting a 1’39.887, although not as quick as his FP3 time. He was phenomenal on his first run and left everyone else in his wake, with a trio of Brits directly behind him. Jonathan Rea was just over half a tenth ahead of teammate Alex Lowes, whilst Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) was up in fourth, a slight surprise given the BMW M1000RR’s form at Portimao so far.

Championship leader Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) had been fifth all weekend so far and whilst those ahead of him had made big steps forward, Bautista had only found a couple of tenths and was stuck in fifth, ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK). Headlines down the field were that the fastest rider on Friday, Garrett Gerloff (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) was only tenth whilst top Independent in the overall standings, Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing), was only 12^th.

FRONT ROW: Rea leads the pack

As the second stint got underway, there were yellow flags due to a crash for Kohta Nozane (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), with the Japanese rider off at Turn 1. However, Razgatlioglu was already ahead of that point on the circuit and slammed in a stunning lap time, although there was something even more special behind for Jonathan Rea, with the Ulsterman setting a 1’39.610s, an all-time lap record for WorldSBK at Portimao. On pole at Portimao, it’s a familiar feel for Rea, who pips Razgatlioglu for a 40^th pole position, with those two keeping their lap times as they were clear of the yellow flags for Nozane. Alex Lowes made it onto the front row and will hope to play wingman for teammate Rea.

SECOND ROW: can a surprise come?

Heading up the second row will be Alvaro Bautista, who originally had a lap cancelled for yellow flags before it was later re-instated following a post-Superpole meeting. Andrea Locatelli is fifth and he’ll look to get in the fight for the podium and try and help Razgatlioglu if he can. Behind him, another rider who had a lap time cancelled and then re-instated, with Bassani completing the second row of the grid and taking top Independent honours as well.

ROW THREE: BMWs leading the charge

The first BMW rider with Loris Baz (Bonovo Action BMW) snatching the top Independent honours and securing a spot to head off the third row. Scott Redding (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) took eighth place on the grid to back up a decent Superpole for BMW, whilst Michael Ruben Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) took ninth, having missed out on track action in FP3 due to a technical issue. Completing the top ten, having originally been scheduled for sixth, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) loss the gains he took when the yellow flag infringements came.

OUTSIDE THE TOP TEN: work to do for Rinaldi and Bassani

Garrett Gerloff goes from 11^th place whilst Philipp Oettl (Team Goeleven) starts from 12^th ahead of Xavi Vierge (Team HRC), whilst Roberto Tamburini (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) starts from a joint-best 14^th place for his final round of the year, one place ahead of Lucas Mahias (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing). On his return to action, Jake Gagne (Attack Performance Yamaha Racing) clinched a solid 16^th, ahead of Eugene Laverty (Bonovo Action BMW) and Kohta Nozane.

COMPLETING THE ORDER: van der Mark only P19

Luca Bernardi (BARNI Spark Racing Team) took 19^th but there was major news behind with Michael van der Mark (BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) slumping to 20^th place, just one place ahead Hafizh Syahrin (MIE Racing Honda Team). Leon Haslam (TPR Team Pedercini Racing) returned with 22^nd ahead of Marvin Fritz (IXS – YART – Yamaha), Leandro Mercado (MIE Racing Honda Team), Christophe Ponsson (Gil Motor Sport-Yamaha) and Oliver Konig (Orelac Racing VerdNatura).

UPDATED: Top six after WorldSBK Tissot Superpole at Portimao, full results here:

1. Jonathan Rea (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) 1’39.610s

2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.162s

3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.249s

4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.336s

5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha with Brixx WorldSBK) +0.390s

6. Axel Bassani (Motocorsa Racing) +0.585s

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