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DEFINING STORIES, ROUND 5: Most Race 2 – Bulega vs Toprak in a late shootout for the ages

Friday, 15 August 2025 05:57 GMT

    • Nicolo Bulega made a statement, winning Race 2 at Most, a track where the #1 had dominated all weekend.

    After a catastrophic first round for Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) at Phillip Island, the #1 found himself playing catch-up. Four rounds down, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) and his Riders’ Championship lead had been under siege all weekend at the Motul Czech Round by Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team), who was riding very well at one of his favourite tracks on the Circuit. Heading into the final race of the weekend, the #11 was determined to find a way to stop the defending Champion’s growing momentum.

    ARRIVING TO MOST RACE 2: Bulega red hot, Razgatlioglu returning to regular form

    Finding himself trailing from the outset of the season, by Czechia’s Round 5, Razgatlioglu and his BMW factory team had made progress in rectifying the problems that beset them at Phillip Island. Bulega, however, had been showing his ascendancy in his sophomore year, dominating at Phillip Island and Cremona, the round before Most. The Czech round came at an important time for the defending Champion; he is the most successful rider at that Circuit, coming into the 2025 round with six wins compared to the rider with the second most wins at the venue - Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) with two.

    Bulega's season could not have started better, and while Razgatlioglu earned a hat trick of his own at Portimao, Bulega’s Championship lead was up to a substantial 34 points before the beginning of the Czech Round due to ‘El Turco’s poor performance at Phillip Island, and more recently, Bulega’s Cremona hat trick. After a big high-side crash, which he walked away from bruised but ruled fit, Race 1 and the Tissot Superpole Race at Most both went to the #1. Race 2 then came as the last chance for the Italian to break the momentum of his title rival.

    A DOGFIGHT AT MOST: In one of their most thrilling battles to date, Bulega showed he was not going to roll over at one of Toprak’s best circuits

    At lights out, the Italian rider shot out of his P2 grid start position to claim the holeshot, establishing himself at the front for the first half of the race, making the Turkish rider push hard for the first time on the weekend. Razgatlioglu and Bulega both ride with a knife between their teeth, the #| cut inside on Turn 17 of the 12th lap to take P1, however on the straight, Bulega’s Ducati Panigale V4 R steamed past the #1 to reclaim P1 with its famous prowess in a straight line,; just for the Turk to take it back from him on Turn 2. The riders wove past each other; trading overtakes until the final lap. Razgatlioglu led by +0.253s at the start of the final lap, the #11 seemingly too far behind to make a move before the end of the contest. Into the final corners, the margin decreased bit by bit, until on the exit onto the final straight, Bulega’s bike was slowly gaining on the BMW. Both riders were laying it on the line full gas, Bulega got his nose in front and won Race 2 by a mere 0.027s. The win prevented Razgatlioglu’s hat trick and buoyed Bulega’s lead back up to 31 points, meaning he only lost a net total of three points from one of the clearest examples of a ‘Toprak Track’ on the calendar.

    Catch the next instalment of their title fight in the French Round at Magny-Cours! Watch live or on demand with the WorldSBK VideoPass! Now 50% off!