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Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) is on the verge of being crowned a three-time Champion in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship, and it could happen at the EICMA Estoril Round, despite Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) winning the last two races. ‘El Turco’ holds a 36-point lead heading to the Circuito Estoril and would need to be 62 points clear of Bulega on Sunday to be crowned Champion.

CHAPTER 11 OF RAZGATLIOGLU VS BULEGA: Back at the scene of the closest ever finish…

Last year’s visit to Estoril featured history as Bulega beat Razgatlioglu by just 0.003s in the Tissot Superpole Race, and there’s nothing to suggest the racing won’t be close in Portugal after the three epic battles at Aragon. Of course, Bulega is in a position where he has to beat Razgatlioglu and hope there are riders between the pair if he’s got a chance of overturning the deficit. On the flip side, the #1 can retain the title if he leaves Estoril with a 62-point advantage over Bulega. The title can only be won in Race 2, but Race 1 and the Superpole Race will give an indication of whether it’s possible.

FIGHTING FOR THIRD: Petrucci with a 30-point lead over Locatelli

Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) still holds the cards for the battle for bronze, leading Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) by 30 points and Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) by 31. ‘Petrux’ is facing his final two rounds with Barni Ducati and will aim to go out with a World Championship P3 to his name, as well as the Independent Riders’ title; he will win that in Race 1 if he finishes ahead of Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) or if neither rider scores points. The #14 is in a fairly lonely sixth place, 69 points behind Bautista but 15 points ahead of twin brother Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), while Sam enters Estoril in good form even if his pace hasn’t translated into results. Alex has also shown strong pace recently for Bimota and will be hoping that translates into good results; will the siblings be fighting over P6 in the standings? In recent rounds, Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) has put himself in the top five consistently, and Estoril was arguably his best round in 2024 on the Yamaha R1.

VIERGE VS IANNONE VS BASSANI: Three riders for three manufacturers scrapping inside the top ten

Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) heads to Estoril knowing Honda secured a podium finish last year, in the hands of Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC), and will be hoping to repeat that as he looks to bow out from Honda on a high. As for Lecuona, he’s scheduled for a medical check in the week of the round but will need to pass a pre-round inspection at Estoril if he’s to ride. Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) has had a rollercoaster campaign but found form at Aragon and will hope he can continue that at Estoril, while Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) has been in the top ten in recent rounds, including Race 1 at Aragon, where he started from 23^rd.

10 POINTS SEPARATING FOUR RIDERS: Little to choose between Aegerter, Gardner, van der Mark and Lecuona

Lecuona’s absence from Magny-Cours and Aragon means he’s dropped to 14^th in the standings, behind GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team’s Dominique Aegerter and Remy Gardner as well as Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team). The latter has been back in the top ten over the last two rounds and will aim to finish his time with BMW on a high, while Aegerter will look for strong results as he fights for his future. Gardner, however, has his future in the bag, and his sole focus can be on putting his bike as high up the field as possible.

AIMING FOR GOOD RESULTS: Can Estoril be a happy hunting ground?

Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) was on the podium at Estoril back in his rookie season, with Yamaha, and will hope his pace at the Portuguese venue will help him fight comfortably in the top ten again. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) will tackle Estoril for the first time in WorldSBK, but was a WorldSSP winner there last year, while Tarran Mackenzie (MGM BONOVO Action) will look to fight towards the top ten in his fourth round on the Panigale V4R. Ryan Vickers (Motocorsa Racing) heads into the unknown, having never raced here in WorldSBK, as does Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team), while his teammate, Tito Rabat, plus Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team duo Bahattin Sofuoglu and Michael Rinaldi have experience of the track already and will hope to utilise that this weekend.

GRID CHANGES: Two wildcards line up at Estoril

Honda HRC will have two bikes on the grid even if Lecuona is unable to ride at Estoril, with Tetsuta Nagashima joining the grid as a wildcard. Bobby Fong will make his WorldSBK debut in Portugal on the Attack Performance Yamaha Racing R1 machine, with the Californian heading to Estoril on the back of a thrilling MotoAmerica season where he led with two rounds to go but finished third.

Catch up on the Aragon highlights show HERE, read the Official Programme for Estoril HERE and don’t miss any action using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now only €9.99!