News

It’s easy to read too much into two rounds of a season. Nothing is usually as good as they appear. The same happens for things being good. The truth tends to lie somewhere in the middle. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) dominated at Phillip Island. The Italian delivered the first hat-trick of his MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship career. At Portimao, Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) returned the favour.

THE FIRST TWO ROUNDS: a hat-trick apiece…

The manner of Bulega’s dominance in Australia prompted Toprak’s “Ducati Cup” comment. It’s not unfair to say that Ducati has the best bike on the grid; there’s a reason that so many Independent teams clamber to find the finance to run a Panigale V4R. It’s also fair for Ducati to counter that the technical support from Bologna is what makes the Panigale tick. The rider line-up also helps. It doesn’t relegate Toprak’s remark from comment though. The Portuguese Round showed that Razgatlioglu can still win in WorldSBK despite the technical changes to the BMW M1000RR. Without his superconcession chassis, the Turkish rider has had some of his prowess blunted. It’s also forced him to raise his game still further. ‘El Turco’ is the WorldSBK superstar of the current generation. He is a next-generation talent that shines brightly. We saw him at his best last time out. 

CONTRASTING PERSONALITIES: two different characters fighting for one goal

We saw the best of the #1 because Bulega forced him to raise his game. After the weekend at Portimao, Toprak smiled when asked about their battle and said, “This is what racing is all about.” He is a caged animal that needs to fight. The contrast on and off the bike is so stark but it still amazes. Bulega is a different character. In the paddock and with the media he is guarded. His past in the MotoGP™ paddock has made him wary. He doesn’t make waves with comments. He does on the track though. He is the difference maker at Ducati; just like Toprak is at BMW.

EXCEEDING EXPECTATIONS: how Bulega changed the Ducati form book

When Bulega signed for the Aruba.it Ducati – Racing squad in 2024 he was the Supersport World Champion. Coming in alongside Alvaro Bautista, the reigning two-time Champion, he was the number 2 at Ducati. The expectation was that he would be an able back-up to Bautista. Regular podiums and the odd victory was the target. He delivered that from the outset and quickly showed his consistency. Mid-way through the season Bulega was the leading Ducati rider in the standings but there was the nagging feeling that Bautista was still more likely to win races and fight Razgatlioglu. Any such thoughts are now gone. 

ESTORIL THE CHANGE? How 0.003s enabled Bulega to come of age…

Estoril last year was a moment that will be etched in both riders’ minds. It was the moment Bulega came of age. At the time Toprak was told that “Bulega has had the best WorldSBK education and will only get stronger.” We can see now just how true that sentiment was. Ducati is Bulega country. WorldSBK is now Razgatlioglu and Bulega country. Portimao delivered three pulsating races between the rivals. It was a stunning weekend of racing and one that every fan of two wheels would have enjoyed. Assen this weekend should be the same. At Portimao, it was clear that Ducati need to finalise Bulega’s contract. It’s been clear for some time that Toprak is eyeing a switch to MotoGP™ but it’s more likely that he stays in WorldSBK. The Grand Prix paddock doesn’t need Razgatlioglu, and their loss is our gain.

For Bulega the goal is to find a way back to MotoGP™. His success is timed well for the new regulations and the change to Pirelli tyres in 2027. He’ll feel he has some power at the bargaining table but it’s hard to return to MotoGP™ from WorldSBK. His next deal is “99% done” according to sources within Borga Panigale. With a new bike set to debut next year Ducati want to have their Italian star on the bike. The sticking points are final details but expect the deal to be done soon. Whether it is Assen or Cremona the deal is all but certain.

THE FUTURE: “it’s impossible not to be excited for this!”

Having more battles in the future like we saw last time out is exactly what fans want to see. In WorldSBK the rider can still make the difference. Toprak had to ride on the absolute limit to win at Portimao. Bulega had to do the same to push Razgatlioglu. We should see the same this weekend at the Dutch Round. It’s impossible not to be excited for this.

Round 1 belonged to Bulega. Round 2 belonged to Razgatlioglu. It’s seconds out to Round 3 and Saturday can’t come soon enough...

Follow all the action from Assen using the comprehensive WorldSBK VideoPass!