With just three rounds left in the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, the tension is at boiling point. This weekend, the paddock lands at MotorLand Aragon, a demanding and technical track in the Spanish desert that has often been a turning point in title fights. Round 10 could prove decisive, and the riders wasted no time in firing up the talking points on Friday.
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “This is my last chance before I move to MotoGP… we are having an amazing season”
Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu is chasing his first win at Aragon – one of the few venues still missing from his glittering CV. The Turkish star reflected on both the challenge and the timing of the event:
“I’m really happy because we are having an amazing season. I’ve never won in WorldSBK at Aragon; my best position is second. Now we’re here, this is my last chance before I move to MotoGP. This weekend, I’ll try to win. Ducati are very strong here, but I’ll never give up.”
Toprak admitted that last season, fresh from a heavy crash at Magny-Cours, he avoided unnecessary risks in Spain. This time, he says he’s more relaxed and confident. He also spoke about testing form:
“At the test, Ducati always made up 0.2 or 0.3 in the last sector. I did a one-day test at Jerez. It was incredibly hot; the track temperature was 58 degrees. We did a very good job because we conducted a race simulation in the afternoon and worked on a good setup for Jerez. It looks positive. After that, I went to the USA, then back to Turkey, and finally to Aragon… It’s been a busy week for me!”
Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “Last year, I was fast but couldn’t put it all together. I’ll try this year to be fast and put all the pieces together”
Nicolo Bulega heads to Aragon with unfinished business after a mixed weekend last season. He explained that while he had the pace, small mistakes cost him dearly:
“It’s a track I like, normally our bike is good here, so I’ll try to have a good weekend staying in the front. Last year, I was faster during the weekend. I took pole, then the Race 1 tech issue, then in Race 2, I wanted to take P1, but got impatient and made a mistake. I was fast but couldn’t put it all together. I’ll try this year to be fast and put all the pieces together.”
Bulega acknowledged the scale of the challenge posed by Razgatlioglu and BMW:
“At the moment, Toprak is very fast, and it’s been very difficult to stay with him. BMW have been working very well. Last year, Toprak was still not 100% after his injury. This year, he will be stronger, so it will be more difficult. Racing here at Aragon is a good chance for us, but it won’t be easy.”
Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “We’re fighting with two factory bikes, but that doesn’t matter, I want to claim third place”
Veteran Danilo Petrucci is locked in a battle for third in the standings. He knows it won’t be simple against factory opposition, but he remains bullish:
“It’s a track that I like, we’ve had good results here the last two years. It’s a unique track with its long back straight. In the past, our engine would give us an advantage, as we saw at Magny-Cours; however, this year we aren’t as fast on the straights. The fuel flow limits are huge for us, and we don’t have the speed we had in the past.”
Despite the technical challenges, Petrucci’s goals are clear:
“We’re fighting for third in the Championship. I’m trying not to focus on our current position in the Championship, but I want to concentrate on riding fast. My goal is to fight for the podium after missing it in the last two rounds. We’re fighting with two factory bikes, but that doesn’t matter; I want to claim third place.”
He also addressed speculation over a 2026 teammate:
“I’ve heard things about Xavi Vierge, Pol Espargaro, and Miguel Oliveira. I’d be happy to have any of them; the important thing is to have a quick rider with you in the box.”
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I think I’ll think about myself and not help any other rider”
Alvaro Bautista, a nine-time winner at Aragon, knows the track suits him well but is setting personal targets rather than playing team orders:
“It’s always very good to ride here. It’s a track that I’ve had good results at in the past, but every year and season is different. I think the layout fits my riding style very well, and plays to the strengths of the Ducati. This season, we are not fighting for the position we wanted, but it’s always nice to come here.”
Reflecting on last year’s memorable battles with Toprak and Bulega, Bautista added:
“Our target right now is to finish in the top three in the Championship, and we’re close. For Nico, it all depends on him. He has to beat Toprak… I think it’s difficult because Toprak has a lot of motivation, really strong performance, and I think I’ll think about myself and not help any other rider. I have a target, and I’ll try to reach it.”
Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC): “I’ve made my decision… I’ll stay here in the WorldSBK paddock”
After four years with Honda, Xavi Vierge has confirmed he will part ways with the manufacturer at the end of the season but stay in WorldSBK:
“I want first to say thank you to Honda, it’s been a pleasure to be a part of this team for the last four years. I think we all expected better results, but unfortunately, it took longer than we had hoped, and now we’re deciding to part ways.”
Despite the split, Vierge highlighted progress with recent upgrades:
“At the Jerez test, we tested a new swingarm… It has been very positive so far. We were really fast with it, not only with our race pace, but with our single lap speed, which is something that we have struggled with in the past.”
Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team): “The triple podium last round doesn’t change our goals much, the goal is to work hard and get the maximum out of the weekend”
Alex Lowes arrives in Spain on the back of his best run of the season. However, he insists that expectations remain grounded:
“The triple podium in the last round doesn’t change our goals much; the goal is to work hard, maintain a good attitude, and get the maximum out of the weekend. Ducati always do well here, and Toprak is, of course, always fast. The two long straights don’t play to our benefits a lot, but there’s no reason that we should have a disadvantage in other sections.”
Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven): “My idea is to stay in WorldSBK. I think I have a good chance to achieve a good result in this Championship”
Andrea Iannone returns to Aragon with fond memories, recalling his stunning victory here in 2024:
“For sure, my win here last season was one of the best days of my life. It was after a long time without winning; I remember this feeling well – it was incredible.”
Looking ahead, the Italian made clear his intentions:
“Never say never, but for sure, this season has been challenging for us. My idea is to stay in WorldSBK. I think I have a good chance to achieve a good result in this Championship.”
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha): “I want to dream a little bit. The possibility of the top three is open”
Finally, Andrea Locatelli is eyeing a strong finish to the season and has not ruled out a push into the Championship’s top three:
“It’s another opportunity for us to do our best. The Magny-Cours weekend was a bit unlucky. We need to forget the bad things but remember the good. It’ll be a different story, and we’ll start from zero again.”
Optimistic yet realistic, he added:
“A third-place finish would be a good result; it’d be good to finish in the top five. I want to dream a little bit. The possibility of the top three is open. We need to work hard, do our best and push hard on the bike.”
The Stage is Set
With just three rounds to go, Aragon looks ready to deliver fireworks. Toprak’s push for an elusive win, Bulega’s determination to put everything together, Petrucci and Bautista’s battle for third, and the futures of Vierge, Iannone, and Locatelli all combine to create a weekend rich with storylines. Expect drama, passion, and perhaps a reshaping of the Championship order by the time the sun sets on MotorLand Aragon.
Image WorldSBK
