Andrea Iannone claims maiden WorldSBK win in dramatic Aragon Race 1 as Nicolo Bulega suffers mechanical issues.
Iannone’s return to the World Superbike Championship reached a thrilling climax at the 2024 Aragon Race 1, where he celebrated a remarkable maiden WorldSBK win after edging BMW duo Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Garrett Gerloff.
The race held at the picturesque Motorland Aragon circuit unfolded with drama amid intense competition and unpredictability that characterizes the World Superbike Championship series.
The race weekend began with high expectations, especially after Iannone’s impressive performances leading up to this event. Qualifying saw Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega clinch pole position with a record lap time of 1:47.840, showing his potential as a serious championship contender.
Iannone, riding for Team GoEleven, started alongside him on the front row eager to capitalize on his momentum. Alvaro Bautista also qualified strongly, setting the stage for an exhilarating race.
However, the excitement took a sudden turn during the warm-up lap when Bulega encountered technical issues that forced him to retire before the race even began. This unexpected twist altered the dynamics of the race significantly, leaving Iannone and Razgatlıoğlu as key players in what would unfold.
As the lights went out, Iannone made an exceptional start to take the holeshot into Turn 1 closely followed by Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Danilo Petrucci, both eager to challenge for the top spot.
The first lap saw fierce battles among a tightly packed group of nine riders, all battling for position and trying to assert their dominance early on. However, it wasn’t long before the race was abruptly halted on Lap 2 due to a crash involving Marc VDS’ Sam Lowes.
The incident happened after Lowes lost control of his bike at Turn 5 after it began spewing smoke and fluids onto the track resulting to a crash. The incident necessitated a red flag as medical personnel attended to Lowes, who was later diagnosed with a left shoulder contusion.
After approximately ten minutes of cleanup and safety checks, officials announced a restart for a 17-lap sprint and when racing resumed Iannone once again demonstrated his prowess by quickly reclaiming his lead.
However, the Italian rider faced stiff competition from Razgatlıoğlu, who had been particularly aggressive in his overtaking maneuvers. Throughout the middle stages of the race, Iannone and Razgatlıoğlu exchanged positions multiple times each displaying masterful skills in braking and cornering.
As they approached the halfway mark, Iannone began to find his rhythm after initially appearing to struggle with tire grip but gradually improved his pace lap by lap.
By Lap 10, Iannone had regained control after briefly losing his lead to Petrucci and subsequently reasserted himself at the front as the race evolved into an exhilarating duel between him and Razgatlıoğlu with the duo trading places repeatedly in what could only be described as a tactical chess match on two wheels.
With just a few laps remaining, Iannone managed to pull away slightly from Razgatlıoğlu and Garrett Gerloff, who had been quietly moving up through the field.
As the trio entered the final lap, Iannone had established a lead of over one second—a comfortable margin that seemed to secure his victory. However, drama unfolded as he experienced a fuel scare; he ran out of fuel just before crossing the finish line.
In an extraordinary display of skill and luck, Iannone coasted across with no engine power—his clutch pulled in—relying solely on momentum to secure his place at the front.
Razgatlıoğlu crossed the line in second place marking a remarkable return from recovery after suffering injuries at Magny-Cours. His performance solidified his position in the championship standings while providing valuable points as he continues to extend his lead over Bulega.
Garrett Gerloff rounded out the podium in third place after starting from further back on the grid. His consistent pace throughout the race showcased his capability as a serious contender in WorldSBK this season.
Alvaro Bautista finished fourth after struggling with tire performance during critical moments of the race as Danilo Petrucci finished fifth. The top Honda rider was Iker Lecuona in sixth place in what was an amazing race for Honda.
Kawasaki could only manage a seventh-place finish at MotorLand Aragon in the hands of Alex Lowes who finished ahead of the second Team HRC rider Xavi Vierge in eighth-place.
Michael van der Mark took his BMW to ninth-place as Yamaha’s Andrea Locatelli rounded out the the top ten.
