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Title battles will go down to the wire in Jerez

Tissot Superpole Race Highlights

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) narrowly defeated Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in a thrilling Tissot Superpole Race, claiming victory by just 0.003 seconds—the closest finish in WorldSBK history.

Starting from pole, Razgatlioglu opted for the harder SCX tire but was shuffled to fourth on the opening lap after being overtaken by Danilo Petrucci, Andrea Locatelli, and Jonathan Rea. However, he quickly regained the lead by lap two and held it until the final stretch, where Bulega, running on the softer SCQ tire, timed his last-lap move perfectly to secure his fourth win of his rookie season. Bulega spent much of the race closely tracking Razgatlioglu, never allowing the gap to widen beyond half a second.

Race 2 Highlights

Attention before Race 2 centered on whether Razgatlioglu would make a similar tire choice as in Race 1. With higher track temperatures and more rubber on the asphalt, the Turkish rider chose the same tire strategy as his rivals. It was a crucial race, as Razgatlioglu had a chance to claim the championship if results played in his favor.

Razgatlioglu won the 56th race of his WorldSBK career, but it wasn’t without challenges. He dropped from second to fifth on the opening laps before making his way back up the ranks by overtaking Rea, Locatelli, and Bulega. The Turkish rider then set his sights on Alvaro Bautista, who had jumped to the front from the outside of the front row and led for six laps.

Bautista made a mistake at Turn 6, allowing Razgatlioglu to slip through into the lead. Soon after, Bulega also overtook Bautista, putting both Aruba.it Racing – Ducati teammates under pressure. Although Bautista tried to mount a challenge, he eventually settled into a rhythm behind Bulega, acting as a support in case his teammate faltered. In the end, Bulega held on to second place, securing crucial points for his title fight.

Jonathan Rea claimed fourth place, his best result since Donington’s UK round, finishing well off the podium but ahead of a four-rider battle for fifth.

Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) crossed the line in fifth, while Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) finished seventh, clinching the Independent Riders Award for the season after finishing behind Team HRC’s Xavi Vierge.

Championship Highlights

With his win, Razgatlioglu now holds a 46-point lead over Bulega, with 62 points still up for grabs at the Jerez finale. The Turkish rider will have another chance to secure the title in Race 1 next weekend. Meanwhile, Petrucci’s successes also secured the Independent Teams Award for Barni Spark Racing Team, while Ducati extended their lead in the Manufacturers Standings to 35 points.

Rider Reactions:

P1 | Toprak Razgatlioglu | ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team

“I’m really happy because I had a bit of bad luck in the Tissot Superpole Race, losing it right at the line, but we worked very hard and managed to win Race 2. This victory was important for the championship. Now, we’ll see how things go in Jerez. I know Ducati is strong there, but I’ll do my best. Overall, I’m pleased with how the weekend turned out.”

P2 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“I really enjoyed the Superpole Race, especially the last corner where I overtook Toprak. In Race 2, it was difficult to beat him because he was so fast, but I had fun with all the overtakes. I’m happy we’ve pushed the championship fight to the final race, but it’s going to be tough to win. Toprak has had an amazing season, but I’m proud of what we’ve achieved in my rookie year. We’ve learned a lot for next season.”

P3 | Alvaro Bautista | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati

“I had a good start in Race 2, but Toprak’s pace was incredible. I made a small mistake at Turn 6, and Nicolo passed me. I thought maybe he had more pace than me, but we both had the same issues. We couldn’t catch Toprak, so I followed Nicolo for the rest of the race. In normal conditions, I would have tried to overtake him, but helping him fight for the championship was the best decision for the team. We’re a team in both good and bad times, so I pushed to support him.”

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.866s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +3.998s
4. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +12.005s
5. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +15.209s
6. Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) +15.792s
Fastest lap: Toprak Razgatlioglu, BMW – 1’36.802s

Key Highlights:

Superpole Race Winner: Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
Closest Finish in WorldSBK History: 0.003 seconds (Bulega vs. Razgatlioglu)
Race 2 Winner: Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
56th Career Win for Razgatlioglu
Independent Riders Award Winner: Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team)

Toprak Razgatlioglu – 46-point lead
Nicolo Bulega
Alvaro Bautista – teammate to Bulega, supporting title bid
Jonathan Rea
Danilo Petrucci – Independent Riders Champion

With the final round taking place at Jerez, the stage is set for a dramatic season conclusion as Razgatlioglu attempts to clinch the title while Bulega looks to keep his championship hopes alive.

WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.003s
3. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +4.253s

Championship Standings:

Toprak Razgatlioglu – 46-point lead
Nicolo Bulega
Alvaro Bautista – teammate to Bulega, supporting title bid
Jonathan Rea
Danilo Petrucci – Independent Riders Champion

WorldSSP Sunday Race 2

Manzi forces Huertas to wait for title

Manzi Claims Third Win of the Season as Montella Crashes Out

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) secured his third victory of the season in the Supersport class, keeping his slim title hopes alive. The Italian rider applied consistent pressure on Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) throughout the race, and on Lap 10, Montella crashed out of the lead—and out of the championship battle.

Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team), racing with the chance to clinch the Supersport title for the first time, finished second. Starting from the front row, the Spanish rider ran wide into Turn 1, dropping to fifth at the end of the opening lap. He quickly recovered, eventually finishing in second place behind Manzi, securing a crucial 20 points for his title bid.

Montella’s mistake at Turn 7 transformed what had been a fight between Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) and Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) into a battle for the final podium spot. Both riders set their fastest laps on the final tour, but it was Debise who prevailed, securing his sixth podium of the season by just two-tenths of a second.

Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) concluded an impressive debut weekend with a fifth-place finish. The Dutch rider started from sixth and spent the 18-lap race in the second group, battling closely with Debise and Mahias.

Championship Highlights

Adrian Huertas now holds a 45-point lead in the championship standings over Manzi. Heading into the final round, Huertas needs just five more points to secure the World Championship title.

Rider Reactions

P1 | Stefano Manzi | Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing

“Yesterday’s race was disappointing, but we made a huge step forward this morning in the warm-up. I felt great on the bike and had a good feeling that something could happen during the race. After Turn 1, I was already in second place, and Yari was setting a fast pace. In the end, he made a mistake and went out, which gave me the lead. I saw I had a 1.5-second gap to Adrian, and I knew I just had to maintain that. I’m really happy to keep the championship alive for the final round.”

Key Race Highlights:

Race Winner: Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
Yari Montella crashes out of contention on Lap 10
Adrian Huertas finishes second, securing critical points for the title
Valentin Debise claims third after a thrilling final-lap battle with Lucas Mahias
Bo Bendsneyder finishes fifth, concluding a strong debut weekend

Championship Standings:

Adrian Huertas – 45-point lead
Stefano Manzi
Valentin Debise

With the final round looming, Adrian Huertas is on the verge of clinching the WorldSSP title, needing just five points to seal the championship. However, Manzi remains a distant but determined contender, ready to battle to the end.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing)
2. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +2.506s
3. Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) +4.103
4. Lucas Mahias (GMT94 Yamaha) +4.351s
5. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) +7.670s
6. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +9.355s

Fastest lap: Stefano Manzi, Yamaha – 1’40.063s

Championship Standings

1. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 410 points
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 365 points
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 354 points