Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) continued his MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship winning streak after resisting teammate Iker Lecuona's pressure throughout Race 2, taking his tally up to 19 consecutive victories as he extended the all-time record. Lecuona recorded his 14th podium in WorldSBK at the Autodrom Most while Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) concluded the Czech Round on the rostrum for his third podium of the weekend.

ROUNDING OUT MOST WITH A PODIUM

Bulega got a superb start when lights went out for the final race of the weekend to hold P1 from teammate Lecuona, while Montella was able to resist an early challenge from Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) to hold a provisional podium spot. By the start of Lap 4, Bulega had opened the gap to over half-a-second as he quickly moved clear of the #7, although as half-race distance approached, Lecuona once again closed the gap. However, ‘Bulegas’ was able to maintain distance between the duo, as he made it 15 wins this season – more than he won in the entirety of last season. Lecuona came home in second, 0.594s behind, as he took his 14^th podium; he now jointly holds the record for most rostrums without a win with Davide Giuligano. Montella finished in third; it’s his fourth consecutive rostrum and the first time he’s made it a clean sweep of podiums in a single round.

EPIC BATTLE FOR P5

Montella was able to pull clear of ‘Balda’ in P4 when the #34 made an error, which allowed rookie Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) to close in and then pass at Turn 1 on Lap 5, moving into a provisional P4. Baldassarri tried to fight back a lap later through Turns 15-16, as well as Turns 1-2 on Lap 8, but Surra was able to resist the GoEleven Ducati rider’s charge at that point. On Lap 10, Baldassarri was able to get ahead at Turn 1 and quickly pulled out a gap over Surra. Their scrap allowed Tarran Mackenzie (MGM Optical Express Racing) and Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) to close in, with the #31 getting ahead of the #95 at Turns 1-2 on Lap 12 for P5. On Lap 14, Gerloff attempted to pass Surra at Turn 1, but the #67 was able to defend through Turn 2. A lap later and the Texan made the move at Turn 1, but through Turns 3 and 4, Surra was able to get ahead once again. He tried at Turn 20 on Lap 15 but wasn’t close enough as he aimed to catch the rookie by surprise but was unable to make the move stick.

GERLOFF COMES OUT ON TOP… JUST

Their battle kept raging on as Gerloff tried to pass him at Turn 20, but the Italian immediately responded at Turn 21 to maintain the inside line and the position. A crash on Lap 16 at Turn 10 dropped Mackenzie out of the fight and the race, the sole retirement from Race 2, meaning it was between Surra and Gerloff for P5. On Lap 18, Gerloff tried on the inside of Surra at Turn 1 but the rookie was able to fight back through Turns 3 and 4, while Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) had joined the fight. Gerloff resisted the challenge and soon set his sights on Surra again, but, despite repeated attempts, wasn’t able to get ahead. On Lap 20, Gerloff got ahead at Turn 20, and resisted the challenge into Turn 21 to claim P5 – and this time, Surra was unable to respond, with Gerloff coming home in fifth place ahead of Surra, while Alex Lowes was forced to settle for P7.

INSIDE THE TOP TEN

Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) finished the race in eighth, two tenths behind his teammate, while also finishing three seconds clear of Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha), who finished as the lead Yamaha rider in ninth. Tommy Bridewell (Superbike Advocates) took his best WorldSBK result in the Tissot Superpole Race on Saturday morning with P8, and he backed that up with tenth in Race 2.

SCORING POINTS IN CZECHIA

Xavi Vierge (Pata Maxus Yamaha) finished in 11^th place, two seconds behind the #46, with Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) closing in on Vierge in the closing stages. The Brit finished in 12^th, just 0.020s behind the Spanish rider, after eventually getting ahead of Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) in an epic scrap. The Dutchman finished in 13^th, ending his comeback weekend in the points, with GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team duo Remy Gardner and Stefano Manzi completing the points-paying positions.

LAST CLASSIFIED RIRDERS

Bahattin Sofuoglu (Motoxracing WorldSBK Team) was around four seconds down on Manzi as he missed out on points, but he did finish some 12 seconds clear of teammate Mattia Rato. Somkiat Chantra (Honda HRC) was 18^th with teammate Yuki Kunii in 19^th. Chantra received a Long Lap Penalty for shortcutting the Turn 1-2 chicane without losing the required one second.

The top six from WorldSBK Race 2, full results here:

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati)
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) +0.594s
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) +15.529s
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) +16.783s
5. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki WorldSBK Team) +22.947s
6. Alberto Surra (Motocorsa Racing) +23.177s
Fastest lap: Nicolo Bulega (Ducati), 1'30.109s

Championship standings
1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 310 points
2. Iker Lecuona (Aruba.it Racing - Ducati) 215
3. Yari Montella (Barni Spark Racing Team) 121
4. Lorenzo Baldassarri (Team GoEleven) 107
5. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 103
6. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) 101

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