DID YOU MISS IT? Razgatlioglu claims Championship lead after Donington treble
‘El Turco’ leads the Championship for the first time this season after a stunning hat-trick in the UK, while he also made circuit history
The Prosecco DOC UK Round is done and dusted and with plenty of takeaways from Donington Park. As the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship paddock prepare to head to Hungary, let’s look at some of the defining moments from the weekend just gone, which saw the Championship lead change hands for the first time this season.
FRIDAY’S ACTION: Bulega crashes, Razgatlioglu struggles
The two title contenders had issues on Friday, with Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) crashing at the Foggy Esses and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) perhaps off the pace compared to what would’ve been expected for the pre-round favourite – although he was still pushing hard, as shown from his onboard lap from Friday practice.
RACING ON SATURDAY: a pile-up at Turn 1
Race 1 got underway and there was immediately drama at Turn 1 when Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team), Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) all came down after contact; thankfully, all three were on their feet and able to continue the weekend. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) had been leading Race 1 on his KB998 Rimini but crashed at the Craner Curves and was subsequently ruled out of action for the rest of the weekend; a disappointing end to what had been a strong weekend for the #22. In WorldSSP, Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) claimed victory while Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) was fifth and, in WorldWCR, Maria Herrera (Klint Forward Racing Team) resisted Beatriz Neila (Ampito Crescent Yamaha) for a hard-fought win.
A NEW-LOOK TITLE RACE: Sunday’s action provides plenty of drama
In the Tissot Superpole Race on Sunday, Razgatlioglu once again stormed to victory to close the gap in the Championship to just one point, with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) on the podium – his second in WorldSBK and his first at home. Race 2 is where the Championship got a new leader, as Razgatlioglu wrapped up his hat-trick – his third at Donington – to head Bulega in the standings by four points after ‘Bulegas’ finished P2 three times at Donington. Razgatlioglu’s three wins in 2025 mean he’s now got 12 at the circuit – his Race 1 victory taking him above the previous record of nine, held jointly by Tom Sykes and Razgatlioglu. In WorldSSP, Oncu bounced back with a win and it was rival Manzi who finished down the order in P7 after the pair almost came together in the early stages of the race. In WorldWCR, Neila claimed a second win of the season after an epic last-lap fight involving Herrera, Sara Sanchez (Terra & Vita GRT Yamaha WorldWCR Team) and rookie Chloe Jones (GR Motosport).
NEXT UP: a big milestone awaits…
WorldSBK heads to a new track next time out: Balaton Park Circuit in Hungary. Situated not far from capital city Budapest and very close to the stunning Lake Balaton, the venue will host a milestone event for WorldSBK: the 1,000th race. Unpredictability awaits at a new venue and it’s your chance to be part of a special event as the Championship celebrates an incredible milestone.
DON’T MISS OUT: get your tickets for Balaton Park and the Hungarian Round HERE.
