Petrucci joins the WorldSBK winners circle!
Superpole Session
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) secured his second pole position of the season, despite a crash at Turn 2 that left him in the gravel towards the end of the Tissot Superpole session. His lap time of 1’27.953 was still quick enough to earn him pole, edging out the competition by a tenth of a second.
Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) qualified second, while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) posted the third-fastest time. However, Petrucci was handed a three-place grid penalty, pushing him back to the second row for the start of Race 1.
Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who had started on the front row in the previous three rounds, set the fourth-fastest time but also crashed in the closing stages.
For the first time this season, Team HRC placed both riders inside the top ten. Xavi Vierge secured seventh, with teammate Iker Lecuona just a tenth of a second behind in eighth.
Race 1
The inaugural WorldSBK Race 1 ended early due to a red flag, but not before Danilo Petrucci secured a memorable win. The 33-year-old Italian became the 18th rider to claim victories in both WorldSBK and MotoGP. Petrucci seized the lead on Lap 5 and never looked back, crossing the finish line before the race was prematurely halted due to safety concerns.
At the start, a group of five riders vied for control. Petrucci, starting from the second row, followed Bulega and Iannone closely. Iannone briefly took the lead on Lap 3 but crashed out at Turn 7 on Lap 8. Alex Lowes, also in podium contention, was another casualty at Turn 7.
As the race progressed, Bulega chased Petrucci but couldn’t close the gap. Before the red flag, Petrucci had established a 2.2-second lead over Bulega.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), starting from the fifth row, made a remarkable recovery to claim the final spot on the podium. The reigning World Champion, still nursing injuries from a crash at the French Round, steadily worked his way up through the pack.
Iker Lecuona achieved his best result of the season, finishing fourth, while Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) also claimed a season-best fifth, having fought his way up from 12th on the grid.
Championship Standings
With championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) sidelined due to injury, Bulega narrowed the points gap to just 35 points. If he wins both races tomorrow, Bulega could regain the championship lead.
Danilo Petrucci is now in contention for third in the standings, moving up to fifth and just 44 points behind Bautista.
In the Manufacturer Standings, Ducati has overtaken the competition, leading by six points after their Race 1 victory.
Key Points
- Pole Position: Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) – 1’27.953
- Race 1 Winner: Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)
- Fastest Lap: Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) – 1’29.397
Rider Reactions
P1 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“Winning this race is unbelievable for me. It was completely unexpected, especially after the three-place grid penalty. But after a few laps, I realized my pace was strong, so I focused on maintaining it without pushing too hard. When I saw the red flag, I wasn’t sure if two-thirds of the race had been completed. When I realized I had won, I couldn’t believe it. This victory takes a big weight off my shoulders, and I feel more confident moving forward.”
P2 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“These 20 points are very important for the championship. I’m happy with second place, even though it was tough trying to follow Danilo—he had something extra today. I wasn’t completely comfortable with my bike, so I decided that second place was better than taking unnecessary risks. We’ll go back to a setup that I’m more familiar with and aim to improve for tomorrow.”
P3 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“Today was incredibly tough. I felt okay yesterday, but in Superpole, I lacked strength and couldn’t push hard. The first few laps of the race were painful, and I honestly considered retiring. But lap by lap, the pain eased, and I regained my rhythm. To finish on the podium, starting from the fifth row, is more than I expected. Now, I just need to recover for tomorrow’s race.”
Looking Ahead
With Bulega closing in on the championship lead and Petrucci rising in the standings, the battle for WorldSBK supremacy is heating up. Race 2 promises more thrilling action as the championship unfolds.
WorldSBK Race 1 Results
1. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +2.590s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.383s
4. Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) +7.583s
5. Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +10.125s
6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +10.211s
Championship Standings
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 365 points
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 330 points
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 259 points
WorldSSP Race 1 Lights to flag win for Huertas
Race 1: Supersport Weekend Opener
Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) dominated the first Supersport race of the weekend, starting from pole and leading every lap to secure his ninth victory of the season. The Italian rider grabbed the holeshot, set the fastest lap, and never looked back, demonstrating his superior pace throughout the race.
In the early stages, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) tried to challenge Huertas but quickly found themselves locked in a race-long battle for second place. The duel was finally decided on Lap 15 when Manzi overtook Montella, pulling away to finish nearly three seconds ahead of his rival. It was Manzi’s eighth second-place finish of the season.
Further back, Marcel Schrotter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) returned to form, finishing fourth—his best result since Round 2 in Catalunya. Tom Booth Amos (PTR Triumph) rounded out the top five. Schrotter’s result marked the end of a tough run of races where he had consistently finished outside the top six for the last four rounds.
The race was also marked by several incidents at Turn 10, where seven riders crashed. Among them was Federico Carisuolo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), who was running comfortably in fourth before his fall six laps from the end.
Thanks to his fastest lap, Huertas will start from pole position for Race 2. He will be joined on the front row by Stefano Manzi and Yari Montella. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing), who crashed on Lap 1 at Turn 10, rejoined the race and set a personal best lap on Lap 15, securing a spot on the second row for Race 2.
Championship Standings
With a few races left in the season, Adrian Huertas now leads the championship by 23 points over Yari Montella.
Meanwhile, Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Marcel Schrotter are in a tight battle for fourth place, separated by just one point.
Key Points
- Pole Position: Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
- Race 1 Winner: Adrian Huertas
- Fastest Lap: Adrian Huertas – 1’32.213
Rider Reactions
P1 | Adrian Huertas | Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team
“I’m super happy with this race! I’ve been working so hard to get back to winning, and we may have tried a little too hard in the last two races, but today was different—I really enjoyed it. My pace was strong, and I’m very happy with what we’ve achieved. This victory is really important, and we’ll aim to do it again tomorrow. I’ve learned not to focus on the championship too much. My team told me before the race to focus on enjoying it, and that’s what we’re doing this season—racing hard and having fun.”
With Huertas extending his championship lead and the competition heating up, the second race promises another thrilling battle on the track.
WorldSSP Race 1 Results
1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) +4.665s
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +7.597s
4. Marcel Schroetter (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +13.000s
5. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) +13.682s
6. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +17.818s
Championship Standings
1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 314 points
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 291
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Prometeon Ten Kate Racing) 259
WorldSBK action resumes on Sunday with Warm Up from 9:00 (Local Time), followed by Tissot Superpole Race at 11:00 and Race 2 at 14:00 while WorldSSP action continues on Sunday with Race 1 from 9:40, and Race 2 at 15:15.
Official WorldSBK Press Release
