Cycle News is a weekly magazine that covers all aspects of motorcycling including Supercross, Motocross and MotoGP as well as new motorcycles
Issue link: https://magazine.cyclenews.com/i/1536483
(ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Nicolo was pinged, however, for getting in the way of Danilo Pe- trucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) in Superpole and was forced to start from the second row. But his new track best still stood in the record books and the results sheets. Bulega looked like he might truly have Misano in his pocket after Superpole, but Toprak had other plans. Bulega, with a bike he said let him ride at 90 percent, just didn't quite have enough for Razgatlio - glu, who won by half a second. Toprak was not that happy with his bike setup either and both riders were visibly worn-out after wres - tling their bikes around for 21 laps. It's impossible then to not be shocked that they still finished a full 16 seconds ahead of the next nearest bike, another Ducati, from Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). Both Ducati and BMW have received two levels of reduction in the new fuel control rules, but if this was designed to bring the top Ducati and BMW riders into the orbit of mere earthlings… it is so far, so ineffective. So, so ineffective. A pre-Misano test took place at the end of May, in warm condi - tions, so there is no excuse for anyone not to have been set up as well as they could be. What we have in WorldSBK is, clearly, two riders who are just so far ahead of their WorldSBK peers at the season midpoint that it will take something spe - cial to balance them even just against the best of the rest. We cannot pass up the oppor- tunity to say that the famous old name bimota was written large in the pre-race and Superpole race results, with Axel Bassani (bi- mota by Kawasaki Racing Team) putting the new KB998 on the front row for the first time. The 10-lap Superpole race started in impossibly dramatic fashion, with Bassani taking out Bulega before they even reached the first-corner apex. With those two, the reluctant stars in a mo - ment of drama, the race became a clear run for Razgatlioglu, who beat Alex Lowes's bimota over the line by over four seconds. This was the first bimota KB998 Rimini podium, providing a stark counterpoint to the luck - less Bassani's no-score. Before this race in Misano, the most recent podium for bimota was actually a win, thanks to Anthony Gobert on that famous wet day at Phillip Island in 2000. The impact of the Italian-on- Italian Bassani-Bulega clash was not just brutal for them, as you could feel the shiver run through the crowd, which was laden with Ducatisti as usual… and even 'bimotisti' in 2025. Third place went to Andrea Locatelli (Pata Yamaha), fourth to Petrucci and fifth to Bautista (Aruba.It Racing – Ducati). The second race, with Bulega starting down in 10th place, saw Razgatlioglu disappear off again, this time with a ragingly fast Bulega chasing—but he was only chasing shadows. Razgatlioglu had time for one of his now customary victory roll - ing stoppies, and hang whatever fine the authorities may have had in mind for him. Bautista finished third, longing for a bike with no weight penalty, while riding one that he said he feels like a passenger on in hot- weather conditions. American Garrett Gerloff had another mixed weekend, rolling out of Misano with a 14th, 11th and an improved eighth in race two. "We had not the best start in race two, but we had pretty good pace, and I felt better and better the more laps I did, and the more the fuel load started to go down," said Gerloff. "I finished inside the top 10 and it was nice to have a single digit next to my name. We made some progress, and I hope we make more in the next race, and keep improving, I hope." In the championship fight, Bulega still leads Razgatlioglu, but by a wafer-thin nine points now—292 to 283. The next round is at Donington Park in the UK between July 11-13. It could be 90 degrees there too, as it was almost as hot in parts of England this weekend as it was in Misano. But it probably won't. WorldSSP It has been a better start for the all-new Yamaha YZF-R9 than many imagined, but it's not infal - lible, and neither are its riders. They are just all seldom infal- lible all at once. In Superpole qualifying, Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura Ducati) took his first pole since joining WorldSSP, with Mattia Casadei (Motozoo ME Air MV Agusta) second and proven win - ner on the official MV, Bo Bend- VOLUME 62 ISSUE 24 JUNE 17, 2025 P39