Bulega Sets the Benchmark on Day One at Assen
The 2025 WorldSBK action got underway in Assen with a busy Friday of free practice sessions, and it was Aruba.it Racing – Ducati’s Nicolo Bulega who ended the day on top. The rookie sensation continues to impress in his debut Superbike season, showing pace and maturity beyond his years.
After six races and six podiums so far this year, Bulega arrived in the Netherlands with momentum—and he didn’t disappoint. His afternoon session featured a string of fast laps that ultimately placed him atop the timesheets, reinforcing his status as one of the riders to beat this weekend.
Bulega Reflects on a Strong but Challenging Start
Despite leading the field, Bulega admitted there was still work to do.
“I feel quite good on my bike. We made an improvement from FP1 to FP2 and even though I don’t feel 100%, we are OK. We can still improve—not so much the lap time, but my comfort on the bike,” he said.
“I’m struggling a little too much today, but in general, it was a good Friday. We improved a lot from FP1, and that’s encouraging. Hopefully, we can make another step tomorrow to feel more comfortable and go even faster.”
His fastest lap, a 1’33.731, held off stiff competition, with several big names snapping at his heels.
Bassani Shines in Green: Second Fastest for Bimota-Kawasaki
One of the standout performances came from Axel Bassani, now riding for the bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team. After a low-key start in FP1 that saw him down in 14th, Bassani and the team made the right adjustments heading into FP2.
“We didn’t start in a really good way—we were P14—but it was OK,” Bassani explained.
“The feeling with the bike was really good. For FP2 we tried different tyres and the bike worked well. I’m happy. It’s only Friday, but we have to be pleased with what we did. We know we’re losing time on the straights, but the rest of the bike is strong. Tomorrow we’ll try to improve the race pace and give our best.”
His best lap of 1’33.844 slotted him into second place, just over a tenth of a second behind Bulega and ahead of some of the championship’s biggest names.
Razgatlioglu Quick in Sector 1, Searching for More Overall
Toprak Razgatlioglu rounded out the top three for the day, finishing with a fastest lap of 1’34.045. Riding for the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team, the reigning World Champion looked particularly sharp through the first sector—he was the fastest there all day—but admitted the rest of the lap still needed refining.
“I’m not feeling perfect on the bike, so we haven’t started as strongly as I would like,” Toprak said.
“I’m always trying my best and we’re working to improve. The bike isn’t giving me what I need yet—it doesn’t help me when I’m riding. But we’ve got one more session tomorrow before Superpole, and we’ll try a different setup. If we can improve the bike, I think I’ll enjoy riding it more. Then I’ll focus on qualifying because I need a good lap time for a strong grid position.”
Locatelli and Bautista Round Out the Top Five
Andrea Locatelli, riding the upgraded Yamaha with Super Concession chassis updates, continued his solid form with the fourth-fastest time of the day. Fresh off a podium at the previous round in Portugal, Locatelli looked confident again and well in the mix at the front.
Alvaro Bautista, Bulega’s teammate and the defending WorldSBK Champion, settled into fifth. While not at the very top on Friday, Bautista is known for ramping up his pace when it matters most, and he’ll be another key player as the weekend unfolds.
What’s Next?
With Friday’s action wrapped up and the timesheets giving a glimpse into each team’s early weekend form, all eyes now shift to Saturday’s Superpole and Race 1. There’s a lot left to be decided—and with Bulega leading the charge, the competition is heating up fast.
Stay tuned.
Combined Results after FP2
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 1’33.592
2. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +0.252s
3. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.319s
4. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +0.422s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.433s
6. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.543s
Pole Streak Continues: Oncu Clinches Another Top Spot
Oncu Strikes Again: Back-to-Back Poles for the Rising Star
After waiting until his 52nd Superpole session to claim a maiden pole position, Can Oncu wasted no time in doubling down. Just two weeks later, the Yamaha bLU cRU Evan Bros rider delivered another standout performance, grabbing pole position by a commanding 0.550 seconds—his second career pole and back-to-back P1 starts.
Oncu, still riding high from his breakthrough in Barcelona, continued to build momentum in Assen with a best lap of 1’36.184, confirming his status as a real threat in the 2025 WorldSSP season.
Oncu: Confidence Building, Thanks to Kenan
Speaking after the session, Oncu credited his mentor, Kenan Sofuoğlu, for the turnaround:
“I’m happy because I’ve been working very hard to get here. I’m on pole position again and I wasn’t expecting that this morning. It was very difficult in Free Practice but then Kenan arrived and like magic he watched some laps and said, ‘OK, I think you can do more.’ I did it, and I’m very happy. I just need to thank Kenan a lot, and Yamaha, and everyone who is working so hard. The race is always different but tomorrow the rhythm will show. I want to do a very good job in the race too.”
Booth-Amos and Bendsneyder Complete the Front Row
British rider Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) put in a stellar lap of 1’36.734, earning his second front row start of the campaign. Booth-Amos has looked increasingly sharp this season and will be one to watch when the lights go out.
Rounding out the front row was local hero Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who gave the Dutch fans something to cheer about with a strong qualifying run. He’ll start third on the grid, aiming to convert home advantage into a podium push.
Stacked Second Row Featuring Title Contenders
The second row features a trio of fast and focused riders:
- Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse), who continues to be a consistent front-runner this season.
- Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura), showing impressive pace in his rookie WorldSSP year.
- Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing), the current championship leader, who remains right in the mix heading into Sunday.
Red Flag Drama in Closing Minutes
Qualifying was brought to a premature end by a red flag after a crash at Turn 5 involving Loris Veneman (EAB Racing Team) and Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing). De Rosa was transferred to Assen Hospital for further medical evaluation. His condition will be assessed again ahead of Sunday’s warm-up to determine if he’ll be fit to race.
Looking Ahead: Can Oncu Convert Pole into Victory?
With the second pole of his career now under his belt, Oncu has the chance to translate qualifying speed into race-day success. But with a fiercely competitive grid lining up behind him—and the likes of Manzi and Masia breathing down his neck—the race promises to be a thriller.
The question now is: can Oncu go from back-to-back poles to back-to-back wins?
Stay tuned. Assen rarely disappoints.
Superpole Results
1. Can Oncu (Yamaha bLU cRU Evan Bros Team) – 1’36.184
2. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) – +0.550
3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) – +0.581
4. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) – +0.710
5. Jaume Masià (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) – +0.968
6. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) – +0.995
Garcia Shines Bright to Take Superpole Honours
Garcia Grabs Second Career Pole After Eventful Superpole at Assen
A brief delay to the Superpole session at Assen didn’t dampen the action, as 18-year-old Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) emerged as the rider to beat in a session filled with drama and determination.
Early Pace and Red Flag Interruptions
The session kicked off under slightly disrupted circumstances, with a short delay pushing back the start. Garcia wasted no time once the lights went green, immediately setting the benchmark in the opening minutes. However, just as the action began to heat up, a crash at Turn 5 involving Giacomo Zannini (Kawasaki GP Project) brought out a red flag, halting proceedings.
Thankfully, Zannini was able to walk away from the incident, and after a brief pause, the session resumed with riders eager to make up for lost time.
Garcia Seals the Deal
When the track went live again, Garcia picked up right where he left off. The young Spaniard showed composure beyond his years, calmly delivering a rapid 1’48.112 lap that no one could better. The performance earned him his second career pole position—an important statement as the 2025 season continues to build momentum.
“Today was really good because I had a good feeling in FP1,” Garcia said after the session. “The bike felt great and we could go into Superpole feeling good. I’m really happy to take pole position. My feeling is really good and I think it’s possible to push in the race tomorrow.”
Front Row Lineup: Kawasaki Dominance and a Home Hero
Garcia won’t be alone on the front row. Fellow Kawasaki rider David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) secured second place, making it a strong day for the Japanese manufacturer. Rounding out the front row is Dutch rider Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing), who gave the home crowd something to cheer about with a solid third-place effort.
With Kawasaki locking out the top two spots and a local favorite ready to strike, the stage is set for a thrilling showdown come race day.
Superpole Results
1. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) 1’48.112
2. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.364s
3. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) +0.539s
4. Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki) +0.613s
5. Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) +0.689s
6. Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing) +0.830s
