DID YOU MISS IT? A weekend of firsts at Assen as drama hits WorldSBK at the TT Circuit Assen
Round 3 was just as dramatic as the previous two with big Championship swings as the top two had different fortunes
The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship visited the stunning TT Circuit Assen for Round 3 of 2025, the Pirelli Dutch Round, and it was one to remember. Wins were shared between Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), while WorldSSP, WorldSSP300 and WorldWCR all delivered incredible racing in the Netherlands.
FRIDAY: practice for WorldSBK, Superpole for WorldSSP, WorldSSP300 and WorldWCR
Friday was a relatively calm day as teams and riders worked on their machines, with the sessions topped by Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and Bulega under sunny skies in the Netherlands, while the 2025 WorldWCR campaign also kicked off at the TT Circuit Assen with Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) claiming a first pole of the season.
SATURDAY: Bulega’s victory, podium fight clashes and epic last-lap scraps
A new name claimed pole on Saturday as Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) secured his first pole position in WorldSBK with a stunning lap record, emulating his twin brother, Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), whose first pole was also at this venue in 2018. Race 1 was won by Bulega, while Sam Lowes' hopes of a maiden rostrum were ended by Bautista. In WorldSSP and WorldSSP300, home heroes claimed victory in the form of Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) and Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing), while there was a must-watch last-lap battle in the first WorldWCR race of the year.
SUNDAY: a day to remember for so many reasons
As Sunday came around, the sunny skies were replaced by dark clouds and rain, leading to a 10-lap Tissot Superpole Race in wet but drying conditions. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) claimed victory as Bulega retired, while Sam Lowes stood on the podium for the first time with a P2 finish; the same result Alex took for his first rostrum, also at Assen, in 2014. In Race 2, Bulega looked like he had everything under control but a second technical issue on his Panigale V4 R forced him to retire from P1, handing the lead to Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) who claimed a first WorldSBK victory. In WorldSSP, Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) beat Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) in a last-lap showdown while history was made in WorldSSP300 as Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) secured a double by just 0.001s. A new winner was named in WorldWCR as Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) beat Herrera in a final-lap battle.
UP NEXT: a second visit to Cremona
The fourth round of 2025 comes from the Cremona Circuit, one of the newest for WorldSBK after its debut in 2024. Last year’s visit was where Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) claimed his first wins in WorldSBK, and he’ll be hoping for a rostrum return on home soil. Bulega will be hoping to bounce back from his Dutch disappointment while it will be a first visit for Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team).
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