Sunday double for Bulega
Tissot Superpole Race Highlights
With Toprak Razgatlioglu sidelined, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) capitalized on the opportunity to secure victory in the ten-lap Tissot Superpole Race. The Italian rookie led from the start, earning his first win since the season opener in Australia, showcasing a dominant performance with his Number 11 Ducati.
Starting from pole position, Alex Lowes was the only rider to choose the harder SCX rear tire. The Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK rider rebounded from a crash in Race 1, battling Bulega throughout the race. On the penultimate lap, Lowes attempted an overtake at Turn 13 but lost momentum, finishing in second place, marking his third consecutive Superpole Race podium.
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) emerged victorious from a seven-rider group to secure the final podium spot. A mid-race clash with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) was reviewed by the FIM Race Stewards, but Petrucci was cleared to retain his podium finish.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) suffered a crash on the opening lap at Turn 6 while chasing Tarran Mackenzie (PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda) and Bradley Ray (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team). The reigning World Champion fractured his left rib cage, ruling him out of Race 2.
WorldSBK Tissot Superpole Race Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +0.115s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +3.677s
Race 2 Highlights
In a lights-to-flag victory, Nicolo Bulega closed the gap to within 55 points of Razgatlioglu in the championship standings. Starting from pole, the Ducati rider achieved the first Sunday double of his Superbike career.
Alex Lowes, who started from the middle of the front row, anticipated contending for the win. However, a mechanical issue on the opening lap dropped him to 19th. Lowes staged an impressive recovery, finishing in fourth place and earning 13 crucial points, leaving him just eight points behind Bautista in the battle for third in the standings.
Danilo Petrucci had a solitary race in second place, chasing Bulega. With podium finishes in all three races this weekend, Petrucci’s improved consistency was evident as he continues to gain experience in his second WorldSBK season. The winning margin was over two seconds, with Garrett Gerloff finishing similarly behind Petrucci.
Gerloff secured his first podium since Catalunya 2022 and his first for BMW. The American emerged victorious in a fierce battle involving nine riders in the early stages, eventually beating Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) to be the top BMW rider.
Late-race penalties dropped Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) and Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) to eighth and tenth positions, respectively.
Key Points
- Race 2 Winner: Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
- Race Fastest Lap: Nicolo Bulega, 1’36.717s
P1 | Nicolo Bulega | Aruba.it Racing – Ducati
“I’m really happy to win both races today. After yesterday’s crash, it’s incredible to have a day like this! I knew I had the speed, but it wasn’t easy. I want to thank my team and the doctors who helped reduce the pain after yesterday’s huge crash. We’ll keep pushing for more good results!”
P2 | Danilo Petrucci | Barni Spark Racing Team
“I’m really pleased to be back on the podium. I didn’t expect a race like this. I thought I’d be battling with Nicolo and Alex, but I couldn’t keep up with Nicolo in the first few laps. I pushed hard, but Nicolo just kept pulling away. Toward the end, I was missing some grip, but I’m really happy with the podium. Thanks to my team, the bike was nearly perfect.”
P3 | Garrett Gerloff | Bonovo Action BMW
“That was a super cool race! I struggled in the Superpole Race with corner exits, leaving me vulnerable to overtakes. But in the afternoon, everything clicked. The bike felt amazing in the first couple of laps, and it was awesome to ride. We’re finally starting to figure things out after a slow process this year. We kept our heads down, stayed focused, and now it’s paying off. I’m so happy to get a podium for this team and BMW.”
WorldSBK Race 2 Results
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +2.841
3. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +4.300s
4. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +6.576s
5. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +7.521s
6. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +11.620s
Championship Standings
1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 365 points
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 310 points
3. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 243 points
World Supersport Races 1 and 2
Tuuli and Montella share the spoils
Race 1 Highlights
Race 1, originally postponed yesterday, took place as the first event of the day, lasting 12 laps.
Overnight rain left a narrow dry line on the Magny-Cours circuit, leading most riders to start on dry-weather tires. However, Valentin Debise (Evan Bros. WorldSSP Yamaha Team) opted for wet tires, delighting the French fans by leading the race’s first half. As the track dried, Debise’s advantage faded, and he eventually dropped to tenth place.
Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team) charged through from the third row to claim his third Supersport World Championship victory. Taking the lead on Lap 7, he crossed the finish line with a 2.9-second margin, marking the first win for the EAB Racing Team.
Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing), switching to MV Agusta this season, secured his first podium of the year. The Italian extended his streak of strong performances, making it five consecutive top-six finishes.
It was a mixed day for Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing, with Glenn van Straalen finishing third, while his teammate Stefano Manzi crashed early in the race after hitting a damp patch at Turn 15.
WorldSSP Race 1 Results
1. Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team)
2. Federico Caricasulo (Motozoo ME AIR Racing) +2.938s
3. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +3.248s
4. Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +3.390s
5. Can Oncu (Kawasaki Puccetti Racing) +4.121s
6. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +9.119s
P1 | Niki Tuuli | EAB Racing Team
“It was the right call to cancel the race yesterday due to poor visibility. I was a bit nervous about this race because I don’t like using slick tires on a wet track. But after the first lap, I started feeling comfortable and got faster. My first Supersport win was here in 2017, so it’s special to win again. I’m really happy for the team and our supporters.”
Race 2 Highlights
For the first time in WorldSSP history, two races took place on the same day. With a dry track, Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) started from sixth and quickly took the lead on Lap 2. Despite a challenge from Stefano Manzi two-thirds into the race, Montella kept his composure, retaking the lead with three laps to go and securing victory by just one-tenth of a second.
Manzi’s second-place finish marked his 11th podium of the season, solidifying his third place in the championship standings. With four rounds remaining, the Yamaha rider is 50 points behind leader Adrian Huertas.
Huertas, who now leads the standings by 14 points over Montella, struggled with tire wear in the closing stages. He finished fourth in Race 1 and third in Race 2 after a small mistake at Turn 5 on the final lap.
Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) achieved a career-best fourth place, narrowly missing the podium in a race-long battle with Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura), finishing less than three-tenths of a second behind.
Key Points:
- Race 1 Winner: Niki Tuuli (EAB Racing Team)
- Race 2 Winner: Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
P1 | Yari Montella | Barni Spark Racing Team
“This was a great victory, possibly the most important race of the year, with three riders battling until the end. Managing this race wasn’t easy because Adrian and Stefano have been very strong all season. I set the pace early and built a lead, but I knew they would push hard to close the gap. That might be why I was able to win today. Now, we just need to stay focused for the championship.”
WorldSSP Race 2 Results
1. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team)
2. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +0.171s
3. Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) +1.380s
4. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph) +12.230s
5. Jorge Navarro (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) +12.626s
6. Glenn van Straalen (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) +14.148s
Championship Standings
1. Adrián Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) 289 points
2. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 275 points
3. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 239 points
WSSP300
Buis back to winning ways
Race 2 Highlights
WorldSSP300 Race 2 was reduced to seven laps following a red flag delay caused by a technical issue for David Salvador (MS Racing) on the first lap. Unai Calatayud (ARCO SASH MotoR University Team) started from pole position when the race resumed.
Double WorldSSP300 champion Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) secured his first win since the season opener in Catalunya. Buis, who was leading before the red flag, quickly regained the front position when the race restarted. He led all but one lap, controlling the race in the closing stages to win by 0.5 seconds.
Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BR Corse) finished third, extending his championship lead to 12 points over Loris Veneman with two rounds remaining. Mahendra was narrowly beaten to the line by Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) but secured a crucial podium finish.
Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki), starting from the fifth row, capitalized on an eventful final lap to finish fourth. The 17-year-old Dutchman spent most of the race outside the top five but scored 13 important points, keeping his championship hopes alive.
Inigo Iglesias Bravo (Fusport-RT Motorsport by SKM-Kawasaki) crashed on the final lap after a collision with Mirko Gennai (MTM Kawasaki). Gennai received a three-second time penalty for the incident, dropping him to 14th in the final standings.
Key Points
- Race 2 Winner: Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing)
- Race Fastest Lap: Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BR Corse) – 1’52.744s
P1 | Jeffrey Buis | Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing
“It’s incredible to be back on the top spot, especially in the 100th race for the Supersport 300 class. Winning a milestone race like this is always special. Our team really needed this win, as we’ve been working hard and eager for results. After the red flag, I restarted from P10 but quickly fought my way back to P1. I have a great feeling with this bike, and it’s the perfect way to end the weekend. We’re closing the gap in the championship, but there’s still a big challenge ahead… never say never!”
WorldSSP300 Race 2 Results
1. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing)
2. Galang Hendra Pratama (ProGP NitiRacing) +0.546s
3. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) +0.548s
4. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) +1.526s
5. Marc Garcia (KOVE Racing Team) +1.674s
6. Phillip Tonn (Freudenberg KTM-PALIGO Racing) +1.848s
Championship Standings
1. Aldi Satya Mahendra (Team BrCorse) 164 points
2. Loris Veneman (MTM Kawasaki) 152 points
3. Inigo Iglesias (Fusport-RT Motorsports by SKM-Kawasaki) 138 points
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship will return to action at the Cremona Circuit for the Acerbis Italian Round on September 20th-22nd.
WorldSBK Official Press Release
