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The MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship is heading home as the second half of an unforgettable campaign kicks off at the historic Donington Park. The British venue, situated in the picturesque countryside, hosted the first ever WorldSBK race back in 1988 and has often been the scene of plenty of drama thanks to its unique layout, so sit back, relax and enjoy what will be a phenomenal Prosecco DOC UK Round as the title battle ignites in the summer sun in the UK.

NINE POINTS IN IT: Razgatlioglu territory… but Bulega’s shown he can fight anywhere

Donington is traditionally Toprak Razgatlioglu's (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) most successful track. He took his first podium there in 2018 and he has nine wins at the venue – one more and he becomes only the second rider, after Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha), to have 10 or more wins at two venues, while he would also surpass Tom Sykes’ record for victories at Donington. He completed a dominant hat-trick last year and this year’s UK Round completes a trio of venues where ‘El Turco’ secured consecutive triples – Most, Misano, Donington. He's currently on 5/6 from Most and Misano and has closed the gap in the Championship down to just nine points but Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) has shown ‘Toprak Territory’ means little to him; if he can take the fight to the #1, he will. He won a last-corner showdown at Most and was close in Race 1 at Misano, although his Sunday was compromised after being taken out in the Tissot Superpole Race. ‘Bulegas’ was on the rostrum twice last year and took two wins in WorldSSP in 2023 at the iconic venue, so he knows what it takes to win at Donington. Will he be able to extend his Championship lead or will Razgatlioglu move into first in the standings for the first time this season?

THE RACE FOR THIRD: advantage Petrucci but Bautista close behind…

The fight for P3 in the standings is also very close with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) holding a slender seven-point lead over Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati), with Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) now dropping a bit further back from that fight. Petrucci’s first WorldSBK rostrum came at Donington Park, in Race 2 back in 2023, although he’s not tasted victory at the circuit. Bautista, in contrast, has after winning Race 1 and Race 2 in the same year Petrucci was on the rostrum for the first time. Donington has often been tricky for Ducati but the #19 has six rostrums there – all on the Panigale V4R, including third last year. The Spaniard is also fighting for his WorldSBK future, and a good performance at Donington could help secure a seat for 2026. Locatelli will be aiming to close the gap to the two ahead, but Donington is a circuit he’s yet to take a podium at, and only has two top-five finishes.

HOME HEROES: several riders looking for good results at Donington

There are plenty of local riders for the British fans to cheer on. Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha) secured his only rostrum with Yamaha last year at Donington, in the Superpole Race, and the six-time Donington winner will be hoping to repeat that this year. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) heads into his home round in superb form and the #14 will be aiming to take a rostrum on home soil for the first time in WorldSBK, with a fresh two-year contract in his back pocket. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) heads into Donington on the back of a podium at Misano – Bimota’s first in 25 years – and was on the rostrum twice last year in Kawasaki green. Scott Redding (MGM BONOVO Racing) will be hoping Donington can provide him with a return to his best form, having been a podium finisher in 2022 on the BMW; though he didn’t finish in the top three when on Ducati machinery in 2021.

STRONG RESULTS AT DONINGTON POSSIBLE? Riders head to the UK in form…

Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team), like his teammate, showed incredible speed at Misano and will hope that translates to Donington after he put Bimota on the front row of the grid. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) is a double Donington winner, having won both races in 2018, and will be hoping he can utilise his BMW package to fight for the podium. Honda HRC duo Iker Lecuona and Xavi Vierge have struggled at Donington in recent years, not cracking the top ten in 2023 or 2024, but head to the UK with an ever-improving package which they hope can take a big step compared to last year’s results. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) has his 2026 contract in his back pocket and will hope to use that as motivation to fight in the top ten on raw pace, having been a podium finisher at Donington with Yamaha. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) has been fighting with Locatelli for top Yamaha honours at times this season and he’ll hope to continue that at Donington.

AIMING FOR STRONG RESULTS: can Iannone find form at Donington?

Andrea Iannone (Team Pata GoEleven) had one of his trickiest rounds at Donington in his rookie season, with a best finish of P10 in the Superpole Race and comes into this year’s UK Round not in the form he’s shown he can deliver. In the nine races since Australia, his best finish is P4 in Race 1 at Cremona, while he’s had retirements in five of those nine outings. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) and Bahattin Sofuoglu (Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) both tackle Donington in WorldSBK for the first time while Sofuoglu’s teammate, Michael Rinaldi, will race there on the Yamaha R1 for the first time; during his team on Ducati machinery, he claimed a best result of fourth in Race 2 in 2022, but only finished in the top ten five times in 17 races.

GRID CHANGES: a change at MIE Honda, Bridewell makes wildcard appearance

With Tarran Mackenzie's departure from the PETRONAS MIE Racing Honda squad announced ahead of Donington, they have drafted in Tito Rabat to replace him in the UK; Rabat missed Misano but completed the first five rounds of the season with the Yamaha Motoxracing WorldSBK Team outfit. Zaqhwan Zaidi (PETRONAS MIE Honda Racing Team) will also miss the UK Round and Portuguese rider Ivo Lopes – who tested for the team at Misano in May and has raced with them before – will replace the Malaysian. Elsewhere, Tommy Bridewell will make a first appearance of the season as a wildcard for Honda Racing UK; it will be his first time racing in WorldSBK at Donington, but he is a two-time winner at the venue in BSB. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) will need to be passed fit following his crash at Misano and he will undergo his compulsory medical check on Thursday.

Watch the Misano highlights show HERE, read the Official Programme for Donington HERE and watch every moment from the UK using the WorldSBK VideoPass – now 50% off!