The 2024 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship season just keeps on giving. 12 races in, a new name leads the standings and there’s plenty of talk and gossip about the future, particularly involving the reigning Champion. We’ve gathered some of the best quotes from the Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” for you to enjoy…

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “We started a bit early with these wins but this is just the start!”

Starting with the hat-trick hero, who also now leads the standings, Razgatlioglu said about Race 2: “It was difficult to catch Nicolo because he was pushing at 100%. I don’t understand because we started the race and, at Turn 4, I saw everyone go inside the line to try to block the riders. I didn’t find a way to attack. Especially ‘Loka’, on the first lap, he used the inside of the corners, and it wasn’t easy to pass. I believed that after five laps, I would be strong. In the first laps, Nicolo was pushing, but I was closing in step by step. We improved the bike on Sunday, the front feeling was better. We are understanding hot conditions and which way is better with this bike. I had a problem in the final corner, a lot of chattering, but I was trying to find which way is better for my bike. I’m happy as I got three wins, and this was my target with BMW. We started a bit early with these wins, but this is just the start!”

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team): “I can’t believe it… when I crossed the finish line, I felt like someone stabbed my right arm!”

A heroic effort on his comeback from severe injuries sustained in training, a clearly emotional Petrucci said after P6 on Sunday: “I tried to keep my pace and I understood how to brake and stop the bike straighter. After half the race, I was really tired and also with the legs. I thought someone would pass me, but I watched my pit box, and I was keeping the distance and also catching Bassani. I didn’t know if I could finish the race because I started to lose the front. In the last five laps, I saw he was in trouble, so I switched my mind. I felt like a block of concrete over the bike! When I crossed the finish line, I felt like someone stabbed my right arm. There is nothing broken, there’s a big inflammation. I can’t believe it. I didn’t expect it.”

Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I’m more worried about recovering my confidence on the bike than deciding my future…”

No news about his 2025 plans yet, Alvaro Bautista is seemingly unbothered about it at this stage. On Sunday, he said: “It was a bit difficult, like Saturday. I couldn’t feel as I wanted with the bike, I was missing some confidence. I think we’ve changed the bike more than the whole of last season, and until we find something that allows me to have the confidence with the bike and rider like I want, it’s always difficult. Even if I started from the front in Race 2, I think the maximum would’ve been third. In the end, I’m not happy because we’re not at our best, but, at the same time, I got the maximum I could. I’m struggling a lot to stop the bike and go in, and then the exit is a consequence. At the moment, I don’t have any deadlines for my future. In my mind, there’s some questions and the main question is why I don’t have the same confidence as last year and what do I need to improve? About my future, I have no idea and also Ducati or Aruba haven’t asked me what I want to do. Maybe in this month, before Donington, we’ll speak or not. I’m more worried about recovering my confidence on the bike than deciding my future.”

Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK): “In this race, I understood a lot of things!”

A best weekend of 2024 for ‘El Bocia’, who was also full of praise for compatriot Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) after his heroics at Misano. Bassani said: “Sunday was better. I was lucky in the Superpole Race because there were a lot of crashes in front of me, and starting from P6 is easier for the first laps. I tried to manage the race, be consistent. I had some problems with the electronics. I’ve done a lot of races with this bike, but I have to work more on this bike, I have to change my work on the bike. In this race, I understood a lot of things. On the last lap, I tried to overtake Danilo, but he did an incredible job this weekend; he’s like a hero! To come here after two months and have three races like this was incredible.”

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha): “It’s shit for me to have to start from zero after four rounds, it’s starting to chip away at me mentally…”

Another difficult round for Rea following his switch to Yamaha, who said: “Race 2 was my first chance of doing the long race, with no information. In the Superpole Race, I got good track position and finished eighth, which was very positive but quite far away from the leaders. In Race 2, the only target for me was to finish and to build a base to improve because my confidence is quite low now, with the bike and the feeling. The direction I want to go with the bike, I don’t seem to be able to make in-roads into arriving. Just starting again from zero, giving the feedback and trying not to get too emotionally involved about the result; it’s not good enough, 27 seconds from the victory is too much. I was quite a lot of seconds from the top Yamaha as well. We can improve, I expect to improve, but we need to make a big step. Before we can do that, I need to feel good with the bike. It’s shit for me to have to start from zero after four rounds, it’s starting to chip away at me mentally. It’s nice to be positive and I always try to be, but I’m struggling. I always say the light at the end of the tunnel theory but it’s hard to see the light. What’s true as well is sport is like that; all you need is one good day on the bike, or a breakthrough and you can start to arrive. I don’t want to doubt myself but it’s hard not to question myself because the other Yamahas are doing a really good job, but I have to keep demanding what I need from the team, and they need to react to what I’m saying.”

Iker Lecuona (Team HRC): “We made a step and also gained confidence!”

A positive weekend for Honda and Team HRC, with Lecuona in the top ten in all three races and securing a season-best P7. He said: “I think the worst part was the crash in Warm Up… but it was just to wake up! I’m really happy. We worked really hard during the test here, and during the round. We followed everything as planned. Sometimes it worked, sometimes not, but we made a step and we also made gained confidence. I improved a lot in that area. On Sunday, I struggled a lot in Race 2 with the front; I saved many crashes after 10 or 12 laps. The main difference is the confidence on the bike and having time on the bike. With all the injuries, it’s been impossible to ride a lot and to learn. I also have a new crew chief. I could only do a few tests and then I crashed, so I missed a lot of kilometres and the chance for my crew chief to learn about my style or what I need on the bike. During the last month, with your days of testing, we learnt a lot.”

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati): “I won the first race in Australia, so when I’m second, we’re happy but not 100%…”

Now top Ducati in the Championship, Bulega was in good spirits on Sunday after three P2s on home soil, joking that his Race 1 win in Australia was a ‘stupid mistake’: “Toprak was just faster! I tried in the first laps, but I know that he was fast this weekend. I tried to make a gap to third place because I thought that if Toprak passed me, second was the best we could achieve this weekend. I have to be happy for my weekend. With new tyres, when we have grip, I have the speed. Maybe I miss some experience when the tyres start to drop, maybe to change the riding style. This weekend, I was always the first Ducati, so I think more than this was difficult. Unfortunately, I won the first race in Australia, so when I’m second, we’re happy but not 100%… I made a stupid mistake by winning the first race!”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship enjoyed a dramatic Round 4 of the Championship at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”, as the weekend saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) perform at a different level to the rest of the grid, securing top spot in the Championship ahead of the duelling Ducati threats of Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). However, one man who enjoyed a subtle, yet solid weekend was Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK). The Italian, who has continued to show improvement and development onboard the ZX10 RR, capped a fine return home with two top ten finishes. The Italian native has been slowly getting up to speed this season in adapting from the Ducati Panigale V4 R to the Kawasaki machinery and had previously enjoyed a best finish of P9 up until this weekend. Bassani also had a superb Superpole Race, finishing P6 by the time the chequered flag dropped on Saturday at Misano.

“I’M REALLY HAPPY WITH THE JOB WE DID”: Bassani buoyed by Misano showing

Naturally, Bassani was happy to see the fruits of his (extensive) labours onboard the Japanese machine. Speaking about his successes on Saturday and Sunday, Bassani said: “For sure, this was the best Sunday of the year so far! I’m really happy with the job we did. I’m already starting to understand what I have to do on the bike during the race, because it’s very different to last year. We also have to compete in a different way.”

“THE BIGGEST DIFFERENCE IS THE ELECTRONICS”: Bassani talks steps made

When discussing the tangible progress and steps made with the Kawaski setup, Bassani offered a thoroughly insightful response. The Italian had this to say: “I’m starting to understand the movement of the bike during the race; the bike is very different in the second part of the race compared to the first part. I’m also trying to be more relaxed on the bike and to follow it. The biggest difference is the electronics on this bike; you have to work a lot on these.”

“IT WAS GREAT TO ANNOUNCE IT BEING AT HOME” – Axel discusses future clarity

Bassani also discussed his delight at knowing his future for next year. It was announced during the weekend that Bassani would be staying with Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK for next year. Discussing this, Bassani said: “For sure, it was great to announce it being at home with a lot fans. I am happy knowing that I will be continuing with this team next year.” Bassani’s teammate, Britain’s Alex Lowes, also confirmed during the weekend that his future for next season lies with the Japanese manufacturer, so there is much cause for optimism within the green-and-black brand. Bassani lastly briefly discussed the upcoming Cremona test, and whether Kawasaki would have any news parts to work on. Discussing this, Bassani said: “I don’t know if we will have new items, but we definitely know the direction that we have to follow.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well and truly back, and the roadshow has come and gone from Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”. Round 4 truly was one to remember, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) single-handedly laying siege to Ducati’s title ambitions. However, one man who enjoyed his best weekend of the year was Spain’s Iker Lecuona (Team HRC). The Honda rider has found some difficulty in building momentum, but the Spainard enjoyed a much more solid weekend on the Adriatic Coast.

“PACE WAS VERY STRONG AND CONSTANT” – Lecuona happy with forward progress

Speaking about his weekend form, Lecuona was brimming with positivity, especially given that he did not finish outside the top ten all weekend. In particular, his P7 finish in the Tissot Superpole Race is, by some margin, the best finish that Honda have enjoyed all season. Discussing this progress, Lecuona said: “I’m honestly really happy with the steps we’ve made. On Saturday we struggled a little bit with the qualifying, but in the race, we finished P10. The pace was very strong and very constant. During the race, I started to struggle with the front, and I saved several crashes at turn 2 and turn 4.”

“WE’LL SEE IF WE CAN TAKE ANOTHER STEP”: Honda rider discusses data

One thing that Iker Lecuona has been short of this season is testing data. The Spaniard, who has suffered with repeated injury setbacks, has been very limited in his ability and capacity to perform testing onboard his CBR1000RR-R. Discussing this, Lecuona said: “We haven’t had the time to work. We feel really good, and we are ready to jump on the bike during the race weekend to continue to learn and improve. Now we have two more days of testing at Cremona, and we’ll see if we can take another step to stay in the top ten.” When asked about the possibility of new parts for testing at Cremona, Lecuona was less than certain, saying that: “I don’t know if Japan is bringing something new…for now, we know the way we have to develop.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship burst back into action at Misano and duly delivered a fantastic event, with Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) securing a hat-trick for BMW. Next up for the Championship is Donington Park, a return to where it all began, and a venue that’s provided plenty of drama over the years. So, here’s 10 reasons why you can’t miss attending the Prosecco DOC UK Round; buy your tickets HERE.

THE TITLE BATTLE HEATS UP: Razgatlioglu surges past Bautista…

Razgatlioglu’s Misano masterclass means he heads into Donington – a circuit he calls his favourite – 21 points clear of Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in the standings, with his teammate Alvaro Bautista in third. There’s plenty to look forward to in the UK and the title fight will continue at a circuit that always delivers.

A CIRCUIT WHERE RIDERS CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE: a new order to come?

Donington provides plenty of challenges for teams and riders thanks to its intricate details and technical layout. Experience can make a difference, so maybe there’s a chance for more riders to be at the front. Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) will be hoping to claim a first Yamaha podium, Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed a maiden WorldSBK rostrum in 2023 and heads into the round on the back of a stunning performance at Misano.

THE WOMEN DELIVER IN A BIG WAY: Catch the WorldWCR in action!

The FIM Women’s Circuit Racing World Championship made history at Misano and delivered some epic action worthy of the occasion. With last-lap drama and overtakes aplenty, do not miss the second instalment of this phenomenal Championship!

RACING CALENDAR ROYALTY: Do not miss Donington!

It’s very rare to find a racetrack that has nearly unanimous approval from an entire grid, but Donington Park (and the UK Round as a whole) has long been the favourite of many riders in the WorldSBK paddock. Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu called it his “favourite” track, whilst title rival Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) said he has “great memories” of the circuit.

RELIEF FOR REA? Ulsterman’s struggles could end at Donington Park…

Jonathan Rea (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) has endured a torrid start to his season with the Iwata manufacturer, and those struggles continued at Misano. However, Donington Park is famously a fortuitous track for Rea, with success at the track as recent as last season. With the development of the R1 continuing, could a return to Donington be the spark that ignites Rea’s campaign?

PADDOCK SHOW AND ENTERTAINMENT

As ever, the WorldSBK Paddock Show will feature at Donington Park, and it’s your chance to be at the heart of so many moments. Podium celebrations are the highlight, but there’s so much more: meet and greet sessions, interactive activities and games also take place there between the track action.

KAWASAKI CONTINUE TO CHARGE

Kawasaki were one of the quiet, albeit very impressive stories of the weekend at Misano. Both Alex Lowes and Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK), who both signed contract extensions with the team over the weekend, showed very real progress and development onboard the ZX-10 RR. Lowes finished both Race 1 and Race 2 inside the top five, whilst Axel Bassani showed strong improvements across the weekend. Watch for the Japanese giants to continue to push.

PETRUCCI TO PUSH ON? Comeback story continues…

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) was one of the feel-good stories of the Misano weekend, as he continues his comeback from a brutal Motocross injury prior the Assen round. Petrucci not only saw out all of the weekend action, but he actually improved from P9 in Race 1 to P6 in Race 2. It will be interesting to see if Petrucci can continue his miraculous comeback story in the Midlands next month…

LECUONA MAKING GAINS?

Team HRC have struggled for success this season, with both Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge finding it difficult to find progress this season. However, Lecuona appeared to show big jumps during the weekend at Misano, finishing inside the top ten in both Race 1 and Race 2. Can Team HRC find another step when the Championship moves to Donington?

WORLDSSP DELIVERING IN SPADES

The FIM Supersport World Championship has continued to deliver breath-taking action from the opening round up until this point. Round 4 at Misano was no different, with Adrian Huertas (Aruba.it Racing WorldSSP Team) putting on clinic after clinic during all the racing action. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) continues to keep the pressure on the young Spaniard, and will be hoping to one-up his Ducati rival in the UK.

DON’T MISS OUT: get your tickets for the UK Round HERE!

Source: WorldSBK.com

THE MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is well and truly back into the swing of things, with Round 4 from Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” now firmly in the books. It was a whitewash weekend for the new Championship leader Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who claimed a clean sweep of all three races. However, one man who matched the Turk in consistency was Italian native Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati). The Ducati rider left the Adriatic Coast on Sunday with all silver medals, finishing P2 in all the action at Round 4.

“TOPRAK WAS ON ANOTHER LEVEL THIS WEEKEND”:  Bulega happy with three P2s

Discussing his impressive consistency across the weekend, Bulega conceded that, whilst winning is always the goal, there was simply nothing he could do to deal with the Bavarian’s ace card, who put on clinic after clinic in each session. Speaking following the conclusion of his home round, Bulega had this to say: “Yes, I feel very good. Toprak was on another level this weekend. I tried passing him during the races, but this weekend it was very difficult to stay with him, especially because I had some problems with the front. I feel good with new tyres, but when I started to feel the drop, I decided that 20 points was better than nothing. To win was a dream, but three podiums is not bad.”

“NOT ONE SPECIFIC PART…SMALL STEPS EVERYWHERE”: Nicolo notes need for improvement

Bulega was also asked if there was a specific part of the Misano track where he lost out most to Toprak, as well as whether there were certain issues with the bike. The man occupying P2 in the Championship said this: “No, not one specific part, but just small steps everywhere. We have to work, because BMW have improved a lot and Toprak is a great champion.” Bulega also discussed what it meant to be the top Ducati in the Championship, having now overtaken teammate and reigning World Champion Bautista. Bulega said that: “When you are the first rider with your brand, it’s always special, because it means that I am using 100% of the bike, which I am happy about. I didn’t expect to be so fast at Misano in the first year.”

“I REALLY LIKE DONINGTON; I HAVE GREAT MEMORIES” – Bulega looks forward to UK Round

Lastly, Bulega was asked for his thoughts heading towards the UK round at Donington Park next month. Nicolo was quite optimistic and positive when reflecting upon the Midlands circuit. The Italian rider had this to say: “Yes, I really like Donington; it’s a great circuit and I have good memories of it from last year. This year will be more difficult for sure. The same way we prepared for these first four races is the way I will prepare for Donington”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The Bonovo action BMW team will withdraw from the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship at the end of the current season, bringing an end to four seasons in the production-based Championship. Initially joining WorldSBK in 2020 with Yamaha before switching to BMW for 2021, the team have secured some good results in their short stint including pole position for Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) in the 2023 French Round.

In 2020, Bonovo action, which was already active in Sidecar racing, joined forces with MGM Racing Performance and immediately achieved resounding success in International German Motorcycle championship (IDM). Jonas Folger, who dominated every race of the season without exception and celebrated the IDM Superbike title early on in his return to racing, caused much cheering among the team around Bonovo action Team Owner Jurgen Roder and Team Manager Michael Galinski.

The story of success continued with a permanent entry to World Superbike and a new partnership with BMW Motorrad Motorsport in 2021. Although Folger had a difficult debut year in WorldSBK, the Bonovo action BMW Racing Team continued to develop and started their second WorldSBK year with Eugene Laverty and Loris Baz in the top class of production-based racing bikes. While Laverty ended his long and successful active career after the 2022 finale and took on a leading role in Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, Baz continued his upward trend together with Bonovo action BMW Racing.

In 2023, Texan Garrett Gerloff started alongside the Frenchman. Both talents pushed themselves to surprising heights. While Gerloff secured a first pole position for Bonovo action BMW Racing Team in Magny-Cours, France, and finished fourth in both races, Baz had his best race in Imola, Italy, where he finished ninth in the second race.

Scott Redding replaced Baz this year and experienced a rather difficult start to the 2024 campaign alongside Gerloff, although both riders had already achieved several top 10 results. After four of the 12 planned WorldSBK events this year, team owner Jurgen Roder decided after careful consideration that Bonovo action BMW Racing would end the WorldSBK adventure at the end of this year for personal reason

Explaining the decision, Roder said: “I will be leaving for personal reasons from 2025 and Bonovo action is therefore withdrawing as a factory team from BMW. I would like to personally thank all the fans who have stuck with us so loyally, who have been happy with us but also suffered with us. Thank you very much, because without the enthusiasm of the spectators and fans such a commitment would not be possible. You are carried by the euphoria and enthusiasm, and I have enjoyed that in recent years, whether in IDM or World Championship. It was a nice feeling to delight other people with our riders and to provide entertainment and happy hours.

“Then I would like to thank our entire team headed by team manager Michael Galinski, who have always done an excellent job. We hope that we can make a difference this year too. We are doing everything we can to move forward, and we hope that we can still show some strong signs of life from our side this season. My thanks also go to BMW. BMW has always been a fair and very reliable partner who has supported us in everything, including this year, when we are receiving the same material as our colleagues at SMR, so we are actually equipped accordingly. BMW and especially Marc Bongers deserve my most heartfelt thanks for their support over the years. He has been with us through the highs and lows and has motivated us during the lows and helped us looking forward. I think that cannot be valued highly enough. At the same time, I would like to thank our sponsors for their loyalty and strong support over the last few years. I wish all the teams in the entire WorldSBK paddock all the best for the future, always an accident-free ride, that is the most important thing of all, and of course much success for everyone.”

Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Sporting Director added: “We regret Jurgen Roder’s decision not to continue his involvement in WorldSBK, but at the same time we understand it. We would like to thank the entire Bonovo action BMW Racing Team, Jurgen Roder and team manager Michael Galinski, who led the team with a lot of heart and passion, the riders, the technicians and mechanics, and everyone else involved for the great and professional cooperation over the past few years. Now we will continue to give it our all to be successful together in the remaining races of this season and to achieve strong results.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Another seat on the 2025 MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid is no longer available. Michael van der Mark will stay with the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team alongside Toprak Razgatlioglu for next season after a strong start to the current campaign. The first four rounds for the Dutchman have seen him get close to his best as he comes back off two injury-hit campaigns, with BMW rewarding those performances with a new contract.

ALL SIGNS POINTED TO IT: key figures spoke about wanting to keep the #60

With Razgatlioglu on a two-year contract covering 2024 and 2025, the questions about who would be his teammate were swirling although key figures from BMW – including the #54 – all gave clues about the future. Marc Bongers, BMW Motorrad Motorsport Director, said “there’s no reason to split anything up” at the Misano test, and these comments were endorsed by ROKiT BMW Team Principal Shaun Muir during Free Practice 1 at the Emilia-Romagna Round. At Assen, Razgatlioglu stated van der Mark as his teammate preference for 2025 and now that has come true, with the Dutchman staying with the team.

VAN DER MARK’S BMW HISTORY: three podiums, one win and disruption

The Gouda-born star linked up with the German manufacturer in 2021 and it’s been his most successful year with the brand to date. Three podiums came in that first season including a famous win in a mixed-conditions Tissot Superpole Race at Portimao, with the other two rostrums being third place finishes at Donington and Mandalika. He missed a big chunk of the 2022 season through injury, sitting out of the season-opening Aragon Round, returning for Assen before being injured again at Estoril. He was back in action for the French Round until the end of the season as he looked to get fully fit. 2023 started strongly but another injury, this time at Assen, forced him to miss half the season again before he returned for the Czech Round at Most; again, the end of 2023 was focused on building fitness for 2024. In 12 races this season, the Dutchman has been a regular fixture in the top ten with his best result coming in Race 2 in Barcelona, when he narrowly missed out on a podium.

BEFORE BMW: starring with Honda and Yamaha, a WorldSSP Champion

31-year-old van der Mark made his WorldSBK debut in 2015 with Honda, staying there for two seasons, and finished with nine podiums for the Japanese manufacturer. A new challenge came in 2017 when he moved to Yamaha, which would propel him to new heights in his four-year stint with them. Four wins between 2017 and 2020 as he helped develop the R1 into a title-winning package – Razgatlioglu claimed the 2021 title on it – came and he was never lower than sixth in the Championship standings for the Iwata manufacturer. He moved to BMW for 2021 and, for 2024, was reunited with the #54. Before making his WorldSBK debut, he was a title winner in WorldSSP. He claimed 10 podiums in 11 races in 2014, including six wins and was only outside the top two once – in the season-opening Phillip Island race, where he was a retirement.

VAN DER MARK SAYS: “It’s fantastic to be able to stay!”

Van der Mark said: “I am very, very happy and honoured to continue with BMW. I am really happy that especially after the two difficult years they still have the trust in me and I think that this year’s results are showing improvements. I’m really happy with how the team’s working, how the BMW M 1000 RR is working and how we are still improving it. So it’s fantastic to be able to stay. This also gives me a lot of confidence for the rest of the season. I’m ready to keep building our momentum and be even more ready for next year.”

BMW’S VIEW: “van der Mark and Toprak have proved in recent years that they belong to the best and will form a powerful duo”

Bongers added: “We are very pleased to have Toprak Razgatlioglu and Michael van der Mark, two absolute top riders, in our factory team for the 2025 Superbike World Championship. Both have proved in recent years that they belong to the best and will form a powerful duo on our BMW M 1000 RR next season.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

Italian wildcard Christian Pucci took a debut R3 bLU cRU World Cup victory in a sensational Race 2 at Misano World Circuit – Marco Simoncelli where the Top 10 crossed the finish line covered by just +0.842.

The FIM Yamaha R3 bLU cRU World Cup riders put on a superb show during the 10-lap race, with constant changes of the lead, exciting overtakes and plenty of suspense. Home rider Alessandro di Persio made the initial break away from the pole position he achieved thanks to setting the fastest lap in Race 1, but the chasing pack quickly surrounded him. A race-long battle between the World Cup’s usual runners and the additional wildcards, Pucci and Gianmaria Ibidi, kept fans on the edge of their seats. Race 1 winner and championship leader Gonzalo Sanchez was a constant feature at the front of the field, quickly regaining ground every time he lost positions. An initial group of four – Marc Vich, Eduardo Burr, di Persio and Sanchez – emerged on the fourth lap, but a final push saw the second group join the first and 11 riders were covered by one second. The top seven riders crossed the line separated by just half a second, and the top 10 by +0.842s.

Desperate to take his first victory at home, di Persio fought valiantly in the closing laps, but the rider from Abruzzo was forced to settle for second – just +0.057s from the victory. Sanchez showed his skill once again to push through for third and build on his title lead. Another wildcard, Ibidi, achieved fourth place and Eduardo Burr completed the Top 5.

FULL RESULTS – R3 bLU cRU – RACE TWO

Christian Pucci said: “It has been such a pleasure to come back, and I want to thank Yamaha for this opportunity. I was running well in the R3 SuperFinale last year but now in this wildcard appearance I’ve been able show something more and achieve a win. I love the feeling inside the bLU cRU village – this weekend has been wonderful and not only because of my double podium. A big thanks to my family and my sponsors.”

Source: WorldSBK.com

The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is firmly back, and Round 4 has come and gone at Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli”. One rider who struggled much more than many expected was reigning World Champion Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati), who found himself outclassed at times by teammate Nicolo Bulega, and especially by hat-trick hero Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).

“THE MAXIMUM WE COULD HAVE FOUGHT FOR WAS THE PODIUM” – Bautista still unhappy with setup struggles

Reigning Champion Bautista was asked about the struggles he continues to endure onboard the Panigale V4 R, specifically in relation to the setup issues with the bike. On Sunday morning, Bautista was able to finish P4 in the Warm Up, but he appeared to struggle for large periods of the session. The Ducati rider had a nightmare Superpole Race, suffering a crash before finishing in a lowly P17. Race 2 saw a much improved performance, with Bautista ultimately finishing on the podium in P3, but he was still far from happy. Addressing his struggles on the bike, Bautista said: “This weekend, the maximum we could have fought for was the podium. The problem is, we are not at our best. We have changed the bike more than during the entirety of last season. The feeling with the bike is not the best.” Bautista then further elaborated on Ducati’s setup issues with the front end, saying: “We don’t know exactly what we need. I feel a lot of difficulty with stopping and entering the corner…we are missing traction.”

“TOPRAK HAS MADE A GOOD STEP” – Alvaro on trailing the championship

Last year, Alvaro Bautista was comfortably leading the Championship, whereas now, he is trailing by a growing margin. Whilst everyone has been amazed by the revelation that Toprak Razgatlioglu has proven to be for the Bavarian team, it is still a stark reversal of fortune compared to just twelve months ago. When asked for the reasons behind this (aside from the setup/technical issues), Bautista was very precise in his views, saying: “First of all, we have to find our best performance on track. Toprak has made a good step with the BMW, but Nicolo is also doing well. The big problem is me; we are not competing like we did last year.” Bautista has been consistent in his view that the feeling on his bike is not as good as it should be. He will be hoping for that to change in between the Championship returning to Donington Park for the UK round.

“IF I HAVE SOMETHING CLEAR, I WILL MAKE A DECISION” – Bautista on his future

Lastly, Bautista was pushed again on his plans for the future. The Champion’s future has been the subject of never-ending speculation since the 2024 season began, with gossip and speculation reaching fever-pitch this weekend. When asked if a decision had been made one way or the other, Bautista responded with this: “It was important this weekend to rediscover the feeling on the bike this weekend; unfortunately, I did not! (laughs) I did say that I would make a decision after Misano, but this could be tomorrow, next month or next year. At the moment, I haven’t spoken with anybody. If I have something clear, I will make a decision. If not, I will wait.”

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Source: WorldSBK.com

The Misano World Circuit “Marco Simoncelli” is a special round for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship and that was no different this weekend, especially for Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). ‘Petrux’ was injured in a motocross training crash back in April, missing the Dutch Round, but he returned in emphatic fashion on home soil to secure three top-ten finishes including sixth in Race 2 on Sunday. This is the story of Petrucci’s epic weekend, from doubts about racing to securing a P6 finish.

THURSDAY’S THOUGHTS: “I can’t say whether I can even make it to the end of Race 1…”

Previewing the weekend, ‘Petrux’ spoke candidly about his return but cast doubts on whether he would be able to make the race. He said: “I’m really happy to be here. I have no big injuries left so I’m almost feeling 100%. I still need a bit of time but I’m really happy to be around in this paddock again. I try to ride my bike again after a few days. It’s quite difficult to accept because 95% of the body’s okay but I have quite a lot of pain in my right shoulder. This puts me in trouble when I brake; I feel a lot of pain when I brake. When I release the brake and I’m on the straight, I don’t feel any pain. It’ll be a big achievement if I can make it through the weekend. My target is to race all three races and finish them. I can’t say whether I can even make it to the end of Race 1. I have no big expectations.”

FRIDAY’S ACTION: “At the end of FP1, I was in trouble… I’ll try to make Superpole and see if I can feel better tomorrow morning”

The #9 returned to WorldSBK action on Friday, securing 14^th in FP1 and 12^th in FP2. His best time was a 1’34.476s, around a second slower than Friday pacesetter Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). Petrucci and the team opted to miss half of FP2 following the Italian’s feedback after FP1. Reviewing Friday, Petrucci said: “On Friday morning, I was feeling quite good, and not in a lot of pain. At the beginning of the first session, I was okay. The feeling with the bike was not as good as the test we did in May. At the end of the session, I started to feel a bit of pain. At the end of the first session, I was quite in trouble, so we decided to skip the first half of FP2. It’s always hard to imagine the pain you’re going to feel, so when you feel pain regarding the shoulder, it’s always much more than expected. I’m struggling a lot with my shoulder. With a fracture, everything is stable, but there’s a big inflammation. The more you use it, the more you use the muscles and tendons and so on, the more the situation gets worse. I’ll try to make the Superpole and see if I can feel better tomorrow morning and make it to Race 1.”

SUPER SATURDAY: “Firstly, I wanted to finish the race. In the top ten is something unexpected!”

With pain in his shoulder continuing, and after raising doubts about competing in the race, the four-time podium finisher took to the track and stunned everyone by claiming an ‘unexpected’. He received plaudits from all over for his efforts and he reacted, saying: “I was not expecting that much because, on Friday after FP2, I said, ‘maybe it’s not possible to race tomorrow’. Then I wasn’t thinking about it, I was going session by session, lap by lap, corner by corner. I started the race quite well but in the second part of the race, I was not using my right hand anymore because of the pain in my shoulder. I was using my legs to hold me on the bike, but I was really stiff. I was really surprised about the possibility of finishing the race and especially in the top ten; I went over my target. Firstly, I wanted to finish the race. In the top ten is something unexpected.”

SENSATIONAL SUNDAY: “Unbelievable… the last four laps were a nightmare!”

Sunday went even better for the Italian. He backed up his Race 1 P9 with the same position in the Tissot Superpole Race, but Race 2 was another step up. He climbed from ninth on the grid to claim sixth, around 16 seconds down on race winner Razgatlioglu but fought with Axel Bassani (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) throughout the 21-lap race. Speaking after Sunday’s action, an emotional Petrucci said: “It’s unbelievable. I didn’t expect to be here. I think, after yesterday, I thought there’d be something wrong. I didn’t know how I did it yesterday! This morning, I woke up, and I didn’t know how I’d make it through two races. In the Superpole Race, the start wasn’t really good. I was worried about crashing. A lot of riders overtook me, but they were really aggressive on each other, so they crashed into each other. I found myself in ninth place after a few laps and said, ‘oh, perfect!’. In Race 2, when I left the pits for the first time, I braked at Turn 4 and felt a lot of pain. I joined the starting grid and said to my team, ‘maybe I do a few laps and see’. It felt like a knife into my shoulder. I had a really good start. The first few corners were okay, and I was able to keep the pace, even if it was really painful. I saw Bassani not far ahead, so I went with him because we were trying to make a gap to the riders behind. He was in trouble, and I was able to pass him, but the last four laps were a nightmare. I switched my mind but when I crossed the finish line, I felt like someone had stabbed my right shoulder. I was in pain. It’s an incredible feeling because it was really painful, but at the same time, I remembered that after the crash that the doctor said, ‘I don’t know if you’ll be able to go on the bike again’, and after two months, I finished sixth. It was a mixed feeling between pain and joy; something that makes me cry!”

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Source: WorldSBK.com