It was a Sunday of contrasting feelings in a scorching Imola that saw Race 2 shortened by five laps due to the prohibitive temperatures. Alvaro Bautista was the protagonist of a thrilling battle with Razgatlioglu (Yamaha) in the Superpole Race (P2), but in Race-2,  he made a mistake at the first chicane and crashed out. Michael Rinaldi gritted his teeth to finish both races in the top 5 to bring home precious points for the overall standings eventually. These were the highlights of the WorldSBK Italian Round held at the Autodromo Enzo and Dino Ferrari in Imola.  

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #1) “There is little to say. I made a trivial mistake passing on the white line on the first lap. It can happen, and the important thing is to know what happened. It’s a shame because the feeling has grown a lot over the weekend, and that’s a positive thing anyway. See you in Most”.

Michael Rinaldi (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #21) “I gave it all and am happy to have brought some precious points home. Today was tough, I tried to push, but I felt I was at 50% of my potential. From tomorrow I’ll be able to resume training with consistency to arrive in the best possible conditions at Most”.  

WorldSSP
Nicolò Bulega took his second podium of the weekend with the Ducati Panigale V2 of the Aruba.it Racing WSSP team. The Italian rider got off the line well and built a small gap in the first three laps. However, Manzi’s (Yamaha) race pace was more incisive, allowing him to attack Bulega midway through the race successfully.

Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing WSSP #11) “I am satisfied with this weekend anyway, especially because the feeling since Friday has not been excellent as in the previous rounds. We still gained important points. When we cannot fight for victory, it is crucial not to make mistakes”.