Toprak Razgatlioglu Sweeps Donington to Take Championship Lead

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A crowd of over 52,000 fans packed into Donington Park for the UK Round of the 2025 WorldSBK Championship—and they were treated to a weekend of masterful racing. None shone brighter than Toprak Razgatlioglu, who clinched a sensational hat-trick of wins to leap into the championship lead for the first time this season.

Race 2 Recap: Toprak Unstoppable From the Front

Starting from pole position, Razgatlioglu made his intentions clear from the drop of the flag. He grabbed the lead into Turn 1 and never looked back, dictating the pace over the entire 23-lap contest. By the time a third of the race had passed, he had built a gap of more than two seconds and managed the remainder with surgical precision.

Behind him, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was battling the limitations of his softer-compound SCX rear tyre. A sluggish launch dropped him to fifth on Lap 1, but he made up ground swiftly, moving into second by Lap 4. Though Bulega kept Razgatlioglu in his sights for much of the race, his grip began to fade late on, opening the door for teammate Alvaro Bautista to launch a dramatic late-race charge.

The pair fought tooth and nail through the final sector, and although Bautista momentarily drew alongside in the last corner, Bulega clung to second place. Bautista’s spirited ride from behind was arguably his best effort of the weekend, salvaging a podium after a tough opening day.

Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) secured a strong fourth-place finish, keeping his streak of top-five results alive—six races and counting. He maintained a comfortable buffer over Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team), who were locked in a battle for fifth throughout the second half of the race.

Local favourite Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) was riding high after his podium in the Superpole Race and started from the front row. However, his Sunday ended in heartbreak, crashing out at Redgate in the early laps after initially challenging Razgatlioglu for the lead.

Championship Standings: Toprak Takes the Lead

With six consecutive race wins now under his belt, Toprak Razgatlioglu has moved to the top of the WorldSBK standings for the first time this year. Former leader Nicolo Bulega, who had held the advantage since Round 1, now trails the Turkish star by four points with five rounds remaining.

In the Manufacturers’ Championship, BMW’s clean sweep at Donington has significantly narrowed Ducati’s margin at the top—cutting it to just 29 points.

Podium Rider Reactions – Race 2

Toprak Razgatlioglu (1st – ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team):

“This weekend started off rough on Friday, but the team kept pushing, and we made big steps—especially with the electronics and our feeling in the final sector. I really wanted this hat-trick, especially since this is my last WorldSBK race at Donington. I’m proud of how we performed. We gave everything.”

Nicolo Bulega (2nd – Aruba.it Racing – Ducati):

“The first part of the race didn’t go well—I messed up the start and had to work hard to regain positions. I tried to chase Toprak, but he was just too quick early on. Then, I had to fight with Alvaro in the closing laps. I could hear him behind me and just did my best to hold him off. Second place is still a solid result.”

Alvaro Bautista (3rd – Aruba.it Racing – Ducati):

“I felt stronger as the race went on—especially once the fuel load dropped and the bike felt more agile. This track is tough with its high-speed corners, but I was able to close in on Nicolo. I tried to overtake in the final chicane, but I ran a little wide and lost the time I needed. Still, I pushed to the end and I’m satisfied with what we achieved.”

Race 2 – Final Results

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.946s
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.135s
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +10.724s
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +12.401s
Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) +13.419s
Fastest Lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) – 1’25.961s

Superpole Race Recap: BMW Reaches 100 Podiums

Sunday morning’s Superpole Race saw Razgatlioglu once again command proceedings. From pole, he sprinted into the lead and pulled a 1-second gap by Lap 2, which he doubled on the following lap. From there, it was another clinical performance as he secured BMW’s 100th WorldSBK podium finish—a major milestone for the German manufacturer.

Bulega initially dropped behind Yamaha’s Jonathan Rea and Andrea Locatelli, but quickly regained second place by Lap 3. However, he was already two seconds behind the Turkish leader and had no answer for Razgatlioglu’s pace.

Sam Lowes, nursing a shoulder injury, delivered a courageous ride to claim third—his second WorldSBK career podium. He fended off a determined Alvaro Bautista by just half a second in a nail-biting finish.

Further back, Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) claimed the final points-paying position in the ten-lap sprint, securing a third-row grid spot for Race 2.

Superpole Race – Final Results

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) – 1’25.666
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.804s
Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +3.874s

Oncu Triumphs as Manzi Minimizes the Damage in Supersport Race 2

After winning Race 1, Stefano Manzi lined up on pole position for the second Supersport contest of the weekend, looking to extend his lead in the championship. The Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing rider got off the line cleanly, but his lead was immediately taken by Can Oncu, who slipped up the inside at Turn 1.

Drama unfolded just moments later. At the Melbourne Hairpin, Manzi lunged up the inside in an aggressive bid to reclaim the top spot. The two riders made contact—a pivotal moment in the race. While Manzi miraculously stayed upright, the incident sent him tumbling down the order. He ended Lap 1 in 16th place, just outside the points.

Undeterred, Manzi began a methodical comeback. He returned to the points on Lap 2 and was inside the top 10 by Lap 6. But from there, his charge stalled. With the front runners too far up the road and tyre wear setting in, he could climb no higher than seventh by the chequered flag. While not the result he was aiming for, it could have been far worse given how his race began.

Oncu Hunts Down Booth-Amos for the Win

The early contact with Manzi cost Oncu valuable time, and he spent the majority of the race chasing down Tom Booth-Amos of PTR Triumph Factory Racing. Booth-Amos, who had finished second in Race 1, was riding with renewed purpose in front of his home fans and looked poised to take a memorable home victory.

For 15 laps, Oncu shadowed him relentlessly. The Turkish rider waited patiently before striking with just over four laps to go. Once ahead, he never looked back. Booth-Amos did his best to mount a response but had to concede defeat, crossing the line 0.816s behind in second place.

Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) rode a measured race to complete the podium in third. While not involved in the lead battle, the experienced Frenchman avoided any trouble and quietly maintained pace just behind the leaders. In the early laps, he had a spirited scrap with his teammate Roberto Garcia, who ultimately dropped to fifth after being overtaken by Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing Verdnatura) in the second half of the race.

Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) rounded out the top six after a consistent run.

Championship Implications

While Can Oncu’s victory didn’t completely shake up the top of the table, it did bring him closer to the leader. With ten races remaining, the Yamaha rider has closed the gap to Stefano Manzi to 45 points, reigniting the title fight.

Meanwhile, Tom Booth-Amos solidified his grip on third in the standings, now holding a 10-point advantage over Masia. He also reduced his deficit to Oncu to 17 points, putting second place within reach.

In the Manufacturers’ Championship, Yamaha continued its dominant run and now holds a commanding 120-point lead over Ducati. Triumph, thanks in part to Booth-Amos’ podium form, has narrowed its gap to Ducati to just 16 points, creating an intriguing battle for second place as the season progresses.

Post-Race Reaction – Winner Can Oncu

“I’m really happy—honestly, I’m lost for words. Yesterday was a tough day. We struggled a lot and couldn’t understand what was wrong. The whole team worked until midnight to fix it. Today, the bike felt completely different, and we got the result we were hoping for. Huge thanks to the team and everyone who supported me. And congratulations to all the Turkish riders—my brother in Moto2, and of course Toprak. It’s been an amazing weekend for us.”