Locatelli Seals First Career Win on Thrilling Day at Assen

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Race 2 Recap: Locatelli Breaks Through with First WorldSBK Victory at Assen

After 153 attempts, Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finally reached the top step of the podium in WorldSBK, claiming his maiden race win in a dramatic Race 2 at the TT Circuit Assen. The 2020 World Supersport Champion has been a consistent front-runner since stepping up to the premier class, and this weekend was a testament to his resilience and determination.

It wasn’t just a stroke of luck. Locatelli had already demonstrated strong form across the weekend—bagging a podium in Race 1 and finishing fourth in the tricky Superpole Race. His victory came as a result of a clean, composed ride in a chaotic race that saw one of the favorites falter late.

Bulega’s Misfortune Opens the Door

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) looked set to take the win after charging through the pack from the fourth row. By Lap 11, the Italian had hit the front and appeared unstoppable. But fate had other plans. Just one lap shy of the finish, Bulega’s Ducati suffered its second mechanical failure of the day—an agonizing end to what had been a commanding performance.

The incident echoed his issues earlier in the Superpole Race, and with both DNFs happening in one day, it’s a brutal blow to his momentum in the championship fight.

Bautista and Gardner Round Out the Podium

With Bulega out, the battle behind heated up. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), the reigning double World Champion, managed to emerge from a tight scrap with Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) to claim second place. Bautista crossed the line nearly three seconds adrift of the winner but had enough in hand to keep Gardner at bay.

The two had been locked in a fierce duel throughout the 21-lap contest, trading places and pushing each other to the limit. Gardner’s third-place finish capped off a solid weekend and marked another step forward in his WorldSBK progression.

Razgatlioglu Struggles in the Dry

After clinching a stunning victory in wet conditions during the Superpole Race, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) couldn’t carry the same form into Race 2. The Turkish star looked strong in the opening laps, mixing it with the lead group, but as the race progressed, he began to lose pace and positions.

Eventually, Razgatlioglu slipped to eighth, having been overtaken by both Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) in the final stages. It was a disappointing end to what had started as a promising day, and a reminder that BMW still has work to do to consistently challenge for wins in dry conditions.

Championship Standings After Assen

The drama on Sunday has shaken up the standings. Despite a double DNF, Nicolo Bulega still holds onto the top spot in the championship with a 21-point lead over Razgatlioglu.

Andrea Locatelli’s breakthrough win catapults him into third place in the overall standings. He now trails Bulega by 29 points—firmly in contention as the season begins to gather momentum.

In the Manufacturers’ standings, Ducati continues to lead the way with a 48-point cushion over BMW. Yamaha sits a further 10 points back, 58 behind the leaders.

Rider Reactions: Post-Race Quotes

🏁 P1 – Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha)

“It’s an amazing day! I still can’t quite believe it, but I want to enjoy this moment. I have great memories from Assen—my first podium in 2021, and now my first win. Maybe this place just suits me. We’ve worked really hard, and we were strong in all conditions throughout the weekend. It’s only the third round of the season, but we already have three podiums and now a win. We’ll keep pushing, take a small break, then reset and go again. Hopefully, I can fight for the podium and maybe even another win at Cremona in front of the Italian fans.”

🏁 P8 – Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)

“The Superpole Race in the wet went well, and it felt really good to finally win in the rain on a Superbike. But for Race 2, which was dry, things didn’t work as we hoped. We went with a different setup and chose the harder SC0 rear tyre because yesterday’s tyre dropped off in the final laps. But even with the new tyre, I had the same problem. At one point, I thought about coming into the pits—but then I focused on just scoring points. Finishing seventh or eighth doesn’t mean much to me, but the championship is long. We need to improve the bike, and I hope we come back stronger at the next round.”

🏁 DNF – Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)

“Honestly, I don’t know what to say. We had a problem in the Superpole Race, but I came into Race 2 feeling strong and confident. I was leading with a good gap, but with two laps to go the bike stopped again—exactly like it did earlier. The team is investigating because both failures felt the same. For now, I’m just thinking about everything I did today and trying to stay positive. I’ll do everything I can to bounce back and recover some points at Cremona.”

Race 2 Results
1. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha)
2. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.968s
3. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +4.396s
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +4.803s
5. Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +7.380s
6. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +12.109s

Tissot Superpole Race Recap: Toprak Clinches First Wet-Weather Win

The ten-lap Tissot Superpole Race delivered plenty of drama under shifting conditions at Assen. A damp track greeted riders at the start, but as the race unfolded, the surface gradually dried, making grip and tyre management key.

Starting from the front row, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) controlled the race with authority, leading all but one lap to take his first-ever Superbike victory in wet conditions. It was a composed and confident ride from the Turkish star, who looked comfortable throughout despite the tricky surface.

Championship leader Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) got off to a strong start, leading the opening lap. However, his race soon unravelled due to a technical issue that pushed him out of podium contention. Bulega eventually dropped back and was unable to recover, meaning he would have to start Race 2 from 10th on the grid—a frustrating turn after his strong early pace.

It was a landmark day for Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) as well. The British rider, starting from pole, slipped to eighth at the end of the opening lap but staged a determined comeback. By lap three, he had fought his way back into podium contention and ultimately secured his first career WorldSBK podium, finishing second and proving once again that his adaptation to the class is well on track.

The final step on the podium went to Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who put in a solid performance in the changing conditions to bring home third place.

Further down the order, Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) grabbed the final point-paying position in ninth—an important result for both rider and team in their ongoing development.

Superpole Race Results

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +3.798s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.895s

Oncu denies Manzi

WorldSSP Race 2: Can Oncu Claims Emotional Victory in Thrilling Assen Battle

In a dramatic and closely contested Race 2 at Assen, Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) returned to the top step of the podium with a sensational victory in WorldSSP. The Turkish rider delivered a composed and intelligent ride, taking full advantage of the late-race developments to secure the win—his first of the season.

Oncu led home a Yamaha one-two, with Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) initially crossing the line just ahead. However, a track limits infringement at the final chicane on the last lap saw Manzi handed a post-race penalty, demoting him to second and awarding Oncu the win.

The two riders had been locked in a fierce battle throughout the 18-lap race, with little separating them in the closing stages. Ultimately, it was discipline and timing that made the difference as Oncu kept his lines clean and consistent in the final corners.

Bendsneyder Battles Grip Issues to Secure Third

Rounding out the podium was Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse), who had to dig deep after struggling with grip for much of the race. Despite the challenges, the Dutchman managed to hang on for third, earning valuable championship points in front of his home crowd.

For the majority of the race, the lead group featured up to ten riders, showcasing just how competitive the WorldSSP field is this season. As the race progressed, the pack began to splinter slightly, but the intensity remained high through to the final lap.

Crashes Shake Up the Order

Unfortunately, not everyone in the leading pack made it to the end unscathed. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) and Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) both crashed out late in the race.

Mahias was caught up in an incident with Phillip Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team), while Booth-Amos went down at Turn 10 on Lap 16. The British rider remounted his Triumph and managed to cross the line in 15th place, salvaging a single championship point from a difficult race.

Championship Standings Update

Despite being relegated to second in the race, Stefano Manzi retains the lead in the WorldSSP Championship standings. He now holds a 14-point advantage over Bendsneyder, who’s been building a consistent campaign. Tom Booth-Amos, despite his crash, remains third in the standings.

In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Yamaha continues to dominate, with this being their fourth win of the season. They now hold a 24-point advantage over MV Agusta, reaffirming their strength across teams.

P1 – Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)

“I’m very happy. I was a little bit disappointed yesterday because we had the red flag and all the chaos. It was a tough day, but I told myself this morning, ‘Let’s race smart.’ Before the race, Kenan [Sofuoglu] and the whole team spoke to me and reminded me to be careful. I listened to them.
I want to thank my team, because last night they worked like crazy, and today they gave me an incredible bike. It was very emotional for me. I placed the Turkish flag in the gravel because I wanted to say, ‘Now I’m back.’ I can finally say that all the bad memories are behind me.”

Race 2 Results

1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.012s
3. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +3.150s
4. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +3.422s
5. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +5.131s
6. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +5.997s

Double Dutch for Buis

WorldSSP300: Buis Wins Assen Thriller by 0.001s in Sensational Photo Finish

The TT Circuit Assen delivered yet another heart-stopping moment in WorldSSP300, as Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) claimed an electrifying victory in a race that went right down to the wire. In a stunning photo finish, Buis edged out David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) by just 0.001 seconds—the narrowest winning margin possible.

Buis, who was a strong presence throughout the 12-lap contest, led the pack for six laps. The Dutch rider showcased his trademark racecraft and cool head under pressure, holding on in a nail-biting sprint to the line that had the crowd on its feet.

Mogeda Back on the Podium After Smart Final-Lap Move

Capitalizing on a chaotic final chicane, Daniel Mogeda (Pons Motosport Italika Racing) navigated the traffic cleanly to snatch third place and celebrate his first podium of the season. The Spaniard, who won twice at Assen last year, showed great awareness and timing, emerging from the scrap with another memorable result at the Dutch circuit.

Fernandez Fights Back from Penalties to Finish Fifth

Pole-sitter Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) had one of the standout rides of the day despite being hit with two Long Lap Penalties stemming from an incident in Race 1. The Spaniard posted the fastest lap of the race during his comeback charge and was a genuine podium contender in the closing laps. In the end, he came home in fifth, just narrowly missing out on the top three but proving he’s a serious title threat.

Championship Picture: Buis Edges Ahead

With three wins from the opening four races of the season, Jeffrey Buis now leads the World Championship standings by 13 points. The battle for second is heating up, with both Benat Fernandez and Julio Garcia tied in the runner-up spot.

In the Manufacturers’ Championship, KTM now holds a 9-point lead over Kawasaki, thanks to Buis’ double win in Assen.

P1 – Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing)

“I’ve never experienced something like this; it’s incredible. To take a double victory here in Assen is something that I couldn’t have even dreamed about.
In the final corner, I made a mistake with my shifting and that’s why the other rider came very close. Luckily, I managed to stay in front and that’s what matters. For the next round, the goal is to score as many points as possible. Sometimes it’s a double win, sometimes it’s a fifth place—but my aim is always to stay in the points and avoid getting taken out by other riders, even if that can happen.”