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/1537523
and an occasionally bril- liant Misano round for both Lowes and teammate Axel Bassani last time out. Bulega, in fifth place early on, broke free of the Razgatlioglu chasers early on Saturday to get into sec - ond place at the flag. Bulega was too far be- hind to do any damage to Razgatlioglu's lead, but he openly admitted that he and his bike setup would not have been able to claw the tall Turkish rider back into a real fight, due to tire-choice disparity, and also sweat getting into his eyes so of - ten he said he had to enter some corners with his eyes tightly shut. Not given to flights of fancy, this particular rider, so we have to believe him. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Ducati) placed third in race one. Razgatlioglu's Saturday win was a clear one, and he had a special celebration all ready at the base of the Craner Curves/ Old Hairpin. For the 10-lap Superpole sprint race on Sunday, the not unreason - able expectations that we would have a much closer contest were dashed by another Razgatlioglu rampage, a Bulega runner-up posi- tion, and a fine third place from Sam Lowes (Elf Marc VDS Racing Team Ducati). It would be his only highlight, as he fell while chasing Razgatlioglu in race two, uncan - nily like his identical twin brother had on Saturday, of course, but nowhere near as fast. Razgatlioglu won the final Donington race, the second 23- lap one, from Bulega again. This time, Alvaro Bautista was so close that he surely needed only one more lap to pass his team- mate Bulega. But none of them could touch Razgatlioglu, who is on his way to making a lot more history in WorldSBK before he heads off to MotoGP in 2026. He gave BMW its 100th (then 101st) podium in WorldSBK, took a new record of 12 individual race wins at Donington Park, and moved even closer to Jonathan Rea's 119 race-win record with his 69th race win. Most importantly, he took over the championship lead for the very first time in 2025, after his up-and- down start in the opening round at Phillip Island in February. Only the outlier of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) winning a race at Assen is break - ing up the top of the table domi- nance, with Toprak now recording 12 wins this year and Bulega eight. Petrucci is third in the points but still 136 points from Razgatlio - glu. In the championship, Razgatlioglu has 345 points, Bulega 341 points and Pe - trucci 209. WorldSSP Stefano Manzi (Ten Kate Racing Yamaha) took his first pole of the year and was well on his way to being everyone's favorite for the opening race win, at least. The Next Generation rules in WorldSSP have been a true and repeat - ing success in WorldSSP, and the proof of that is evident despite the high numbers of fast R9 riders there are this year. In only seven rounds this year, there have been six different Superpole "winners," with Manzi joining at Donington. Manzi was looking to have lots of tough competition from other Yamahas and Ducatis pre-race one, so it was almost a surprise that it would be a local rider on a local bike—Tom Booth- Amos, aka "TBA" (PTR Triumph Factory Racing)—who took the fight to him all the way to the flag. Or at least, all the way to the sudden notice that TBA had broken the track limits rules too often and had to take a long-lap penalty right at the end. In doing so, Manzi won by sec - onds. TBA was still the runner-up anyway, and former champion Lucas Mahias (GMT94-Yamaha) beat all the newer pretenders WIND IN THE P54 Stefano Manzi joined the long list of 2025 WorldSSP winners when he topped race one.