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PATA YAMAHA SCORES SCINTILLATING DOUBLE PORTIMÃO PODIUM

  |   News Racing

The Pata Yamaha WorldSBK Official Team with Rizla duo of Toprak Razgatlıoğlu and Michael van der Mark fought to second and third positions respectively in Race 1 of the third round of the FIM Superbike World Championship today.
Van der Mark provided a big dose of excitement at the Autódromo Internacional do Algarve. Starting from fifth on the grid at one of his favourite circuits, the 27-year-old became embroiled in a thrilling four-way battle for the remaining podium position.

 

If not for a missed gear-shift which forced him to run wide at Turn 14 which relegated him to sixth in the early stages of the race, Van der Mark could potentially have also challenged with his teammate at the front. Instead the Dutchman provided the bulk of the entertainment this afternoon, with a masterful “two for the price of one” overtake on Alex Lowes and Loris Baz at the start of lap nine, followed by a smooth pass on the inside of Scott Redding to ultimately take third position on lap 12.

 

Michael van der Mark: P3: “I must be happy to be finally back on the podium in normal conditions! This morning felt okay, and we made a good step with the bike and in Superpole, P5 was okay for me. In the race, to be honest, I struggled a little bit already at the beginning with the front feeling. I couldn’t brake as late as others did, and then I hit neutral and ran off track. After that I tried to stay calm, but with the temperature going up the bike changed quite a lot and I didn’t have the same good feeling like I had in the morning.”

 

“But step-by-step I got closer to the front again, and you know in the end it’s good to be back on the podium and it’s good to have Toprak there as well. If you look at the results, the Yamaha bikes are doing a fantastic job, we are fast but we’re not quite winning yet – we need to find some more traction and front feeling, especially when the temperature goes up. That’s the main area where we need to improve but I am sure we will find something to make a step and fight for victory.”