Sunday’s races at Circuito Estoril saw the wins split between Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), with the Championship battle now set to be decided at the season finale in Jerez. Bulega claimed a historic victory in the Tissot Superpole Race by just 0.003 seconds, while Razgatlioglu delivered a dominant Race 2 performance to take a 46-point lead into the final round.
HISTORIC SUPERPOLE RACE: Bulega edges out Razgatlioglu
The morning Superpole Race seemed destined for Razgatlioglu’s victory, but Bulega put in two remarkable laps to challenge the Turkish rider. On Lap 9, Bulega set a new race lap record to close the gap and, with a perfect exit from the final corner, managed to overtake Razgatlioglu by a mere 0.003 seconds, making it the closest finish in WorldSBK history. The previous record was set at the 2010 Australian Round, just one thousandth of a second slower.
Reflecting on his historic win, Bulega said: “I really enjoyed the Superpole Race. It was a great race; I overtook Toprak at the last corner, and it was a lot of fun. In Race 2, I had fun too with some good battles. Toprak was incredibly fast, and it was difficult to beat him. I’m happy because I’ve taken the Championship to the last round. Beating Toprak, especially in the last lap, was one of the best races of the season for me.”
RAZGATLIOGLU’S RESPONSE: commanding Race 2 victory
Razgatlioglu struck back in Race 2 with a commanding victory, crossing the line almost four seconds ahead of his rivals. Starting from P5 on the first lap, he quickly worked his way through the pack, overtaking riders like Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha), former teammate Andrea Locatelli, Bulega, and two-time Champion Alvaro Bautista. His win solidified his position with a 46-point advantage heading into Jerez.
“I’m really happy with Race 2 today,” Razgatlioglu said. “The Superpole Race was a disaster because I had incredible pace but lost out at the end. I focused on Race 2 because I needed more points for the Championship, and this win was crucial.”
THE TITLE BATTLE: Razgatlioglu holds the upper hand heading to Jerez
While Razgatlioglu had a slim chance of sealing the title at Estoril, it’s now confirmed that the title fight will go to Jerez. He can clinch the Championship as early as Race 1 if he finishes more than 37 points ahead of Bulega. Razgatlioglu is no stranger to final-round title deciders, having won his 2021 title at the last race, while Bulega, in his rookie WorldSBK season, has kept the fight alive into the finale.
Razgatlioglu downplayed the pressure heading into Jerez: “Everyone expects a stressful weekend, but I’m more relaxed with a big points lead. I’ll just try to enjoy Jerez.”
Bulega, proud of his debut WorldSBK season, said: “It’s a tough situation, but even being in the title fight in my first year is incredible. I’m really happy with what I’ve achieved, regardless of the final result.”
