The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship was back in action at the Circuito de Jerez - Angel Nieto on Sunday morning for the final Tissot Superpole Race of the 2024 season. Ten laps of the Spanish circuit resulted in the newly crowned World Champion, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) settling for second place behind another impressive ride from Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) who achieved his second win of the race weekend, as Britain’s Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) took the final step on the podium.

BACK-TO-BACK WINS: Bulega looking for triple

All eyes were on Razgatlioglu and Bulega for the morning Superpole Race, and with nothing to lose after claiming the title on Saturday, the #54 was looking to take the win. Both riders were strong from lights out, riding level into the first corner, but it was Bulega who led the field out of the exit of turn one, with Lowes close on their tails. The 28-year-old Turkish rider soon took control however, as he overtook his slowest rival of the year, and moved into first position with nine laps remaining.

HONDAS OUT: Vierge and Lecuona crash

An unfortunate start to the day for the HRC garage as both of their Spanish riders, Iker Lecuona (Team HRC) and Xavi Vierge (Team HRC) crashed out of the top ten rankings on turn six on the second lap of the race. Lecuona was taken to the medical centre following the incident and has since been declared unfit for Race 2 with a displaced fracture of his left 5^th metatarsal bone.

VICTORY FOR THE #11: Bulega records 11^th fastest lap

At half race distance, Bulega found some increased race pace, managing to overtake Razgatlioglu into first position, and soon gapped the BMW rider who was unable to respond. Bulega recorded his eleventh fastest lap in the Superpole Race, putting in a 1'38.528s around the Jerez circuit. The order remained much the same until the final stages of the race, where a last lap battle for a points position between Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Switzerland's Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team), saw the Ducati rider come out on top and claim P9.

BAUTISTA FIGHTS TO P9: #1 beats Aegerter in last-lap fight

With Bulega, Razgatlioglu and Lowes completing the rostrum at the chequered flag, it was a strong rider from Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) who took fourth ahead of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) and BMW’s Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in fifth and sixth. #29 rider Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) led Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) over the line to claim seventh and eighth, whilst Alvaro Bautista pipped Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team)  to ninth.

The top six from WorldSBK Superpole Race, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +2.375s
3. Alex Lowes (Kawasaki Racing Team WorldSBK) +4.182s
4. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.511s
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Prometeon Yamaha) +6.202s
6. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +6.540s
7. Andrea Iannone (Team GoEleven) +7.306s
8. Garrett Gerloff (Bonovo Action BMW) +7.500s
9. Álvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +8.306s

Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega, Ducati - 1'38.528s

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