WorldSBK Round 5 report | Bulega and Razgatlioglu excel

WorldSBK Round 5 report | Bulega and Razgatlioglu excel | In front of a weekend attendance of over 55,000, Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11) and Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team #1) put on a show for the Czech fans at the Autodrom Most. Report: Ed Stratmann/WorldSBK

Friday practice
WorldSBK

Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) finished Friday at the Autodrom Most on top of the timesheets after two practice sessions for the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship field. Razgatlioglu cemented his position as pre-round favourite as he topped both FP1 and FP2, posting a 1’31.318s in FP2 for his fastest time of the day to secure first place on the combined timesheets. ‘El Turco’ was the first rider to lap in the 1’31s bracket as the track dried in both practice sessions.

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team #14) secured P2 on Friday with a 1’31.542s to finish as the lead Ducati rider. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) was fourth in the combined classification as he felt the effects of his huge FP1 highside at Turn 6, which left him with contusions to his right ankle and left knee.

WorldSSP

Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA #94) claimed his first pole since 2019 at the Motul Czech Round’s opening FIM Supersport World Championship Tissot Superpole session.

Following Mahias across the line was Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #61) and Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse #53) to form Race 1’s front row. With their best results of the season so far, Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team #65) and Raffaele De Rosa (QJMOTOR Factory Racing #3) stepped up their game in the wet, earning P5 and P6 respectively.

Read our WorldSBK Round 4 report here…

Saturday
WorldSK
WorldSBK Race 1

The sun was out as the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship grid took to the track for Race 1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) returned to the top of the podium, cruising past Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) for P1 and not letting go of it from then on. Bulega and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team #9) claimed P2 and P3. Elsewhere, Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19) recovered from a Lap 1 incident to secure P5.

Razgatlioglu overcame a streaking holeshot from Bulega, who started in P2, to top the podium in Race 1. He took P1 from Bulega with a vintage ‘El Turco’ late braking overtake on the inside of Bulega into T1. It was his fifth race win of the season so far and broke a three-race streak of placing P2 behind Bulega. For Bulega, tomorrow’s Tissot Superpole Race would be his 50th WorldSBK race. He had finished on the rostrum in more than 70% of those races. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) ran a solid race, doing well to convert his P3 in the Tissot Superpole session to P3 in Race 1.

Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team #22) had a good jump off the line, and while he was behind the streaking Bulega and Razgatlioglu, he powered to a P4 after holding off a late attack by Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati).

“This has been the best race of the season so far. I’m really happy because I needed a win. I had not won a long race since Portimao, so I’m really happy here after so many races. Every session we are improving the bike, but we still need more because there are still two more races tomorrow,” Razgatlioglu stated.

WorldSBK Race 1 Results

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +6.015s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +10.230s
4. Alex Lowes (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team) +14.814s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +15.520s

WorldSSP Race 1

Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura #51) claimed the first win of the Motul Czech Round weekend at the Autodrom Most as he led Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) and Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) into Parc Ferme.

Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing #62) crashed out of the race on Lap 8, but second and third in the FIM Supersport World Championship standings were unable to take advantage of Manzi’s misfortune as Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse #11) finished P8 and Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing #69) crashed out.

Grey skies once again hung above the Autodrom Most, causing low track temperatures, which affected grip on the track. Oncu, Masia, Mahias and Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) managed to hang on behind Manzi, who surged forward early in the race to claim P1. Debise fell out of the running early on with a crash in Lap 6, preventing him from being able to take advantage of Manzi’s crash.

After Manzi’s Turn 16, Lap 8 lowside, Oncu strode into P1, first fighting with Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) and then Masia, with Masia sliding up the inside of Oncu at Turn 20 to claim P1 and shuffle Oncu to P2. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing #23) earned his second-best result of the season, which was also his best result since his P3 at Phillip Island’s Race 1.

Aldi Mahendra (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team #57) landed his best-ever WorldSSP finish in P5, leaping up the grid from his P11 start. Corentin Perolari (Honda Racing World Supersport #6) was not only the fastest Honda on the day, but he was also the best-performing WorldSSP Challenge rider on the day in P6.

WorldSSP Race 1 Results

1. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura)
2. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +0.137s
3. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) +7.997s
4. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +14.560s
5. Aldi Mahendra (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) +14.796s

Sunday
Superpole Race

The final day of race action at Autodrom Most’s Motul Czech Round saw Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) atop the podium. He was followed into the rostrum by Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) in P2 for his second P2 of the weekend so far. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) took P3 for his second consecutive third-place finish at Most this weekend.

Bulega claimed the holeshot, passing Razgatlioglu into Turn 1. The pair then traded overtakes throughout the first half of the race before Bulega ran through the shortcut instead of taking the Turn 1-2 chicane, being forced to give up a second and granting the #1 a cushion behind him. From there, Razgatlioglu sailed ahead and finished the race with more than a second and a half margin. It was his tenth win at Most, the first circuit he’s recorded double-digit wins at. Bulega still managed to take home P2, finishing four seconds ahead of Petrucci.

Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) nearly finished top Independent ahead of Petrucci for what would have been his second WorldSBK podium; instead he took home a healthy P4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) again stacked up the overtakes after his Race 1 passing frenzy, moving up from his P10 start to finish in P5, including passing Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC #7) on the final lap at Turn 20, the penultimate corner, as the #7 finished in sixth.

Superpole Race Results

1. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team)
2. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +1.917s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +5.943s
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +6.033s
5. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +7.700s

WorldSBK Race 2

Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) stunned Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) with an overtake to steal away the Race 2 win from ‘El Turco’ in the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The venue is one the #1 historically dominates, however, Bulega’s dramatic late move rained on the #1’s parade and prevented his hat-trick.

The race’s first corner featured a chaotic incident, which sent Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC #97) tumbling, and a double long-lap penalty applied to Jonathan Rea (Pata Maxus Yamaha #65) for irresponsible riding. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) and Rea traded paint at the first chicane, the collision pushing Bautista sliding into Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC), ending the race for the pair of Spaniards and sending Vierge to the medical centre.

After the dust cleared, Bulega led the race ahead of Razgatlioglu, Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) and Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team). ‘El Turco’ was close behind Bulega, however, the #11 did well to hold off the #1 for the first half of the race. Turn 17 of Lap 12 was Toprak’s first assault on Bulega for P1, cutting inside on the home straight. Bulega quickly steamed back past him before Razgatlioglu caught Bulega by surprise on the Turn 2 switchback to wrestle P1 back.

Bulega hung around into the last laps of the race, meaning he was just close enough to reel in Toprak, and on the exit of the final corner, he pipped Razgatlioglu for his first-ever race win at Most and prevented the Turk’s hat-trick. Petrucci made a move on the inside on Sam Lowes to claim P3 from the Brit, the overtake earning ‘Petrux’ his 17th WorldSBK podium and his third P3 podium of the weekend. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) didn’t settle for P4 lying down, battling to the line with Petrucci and only crossing the line +0.176s behind.

Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team #87) did well to come out on top in his battle with Axel Bassani (bimota by Kawasaki Racing Team #47), Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC) and others for P5.

“It was incredible, Toprak had more than I did all race; his pace was stronger than mine. But I was trying to push 200 per cent every lap to follow him. By halfway through, he was about a second ahead of me, but I never gave up. Most is not the best for my riding style or our bike, we prefer long and fast corners, and this one is small and slow, so I’m happy to win here. It’s very special,” Bulega explained.

WorldSBK Race 2 Results

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati)
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.027s
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +16.276s
4. Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) 16.452s
5. Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +20.703s

Championship Points

1. Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 252 points
2. Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 221
3. Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) 146
4. Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) 141
5. Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) 127

WorldSSP Race 2

Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) topped the podium for his third win of the season ahead of Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) and Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team), with Oettl rounding out his best weekend of the season on the podium. Jaume Masia (Orelac Racing VerdNatura) and Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) battled in the podium positions early on before a crash out of the running for Masia dropped him out of the top positions to a P6 finish.

Oncu flew off the line to claim the holeshot from P1, followed into the second sector by Masia and Manzi. The pair passed Oncu back to lead the race at different points as the lead swapped hands on several occasions. Oncu took back P1 with a double overtake on the pair under braking at Turn 1 and pulled away from there to seal his first race win since Assen. Mahias went into Most podium-less, and now after his Race 2 P2, he will go to Misano with a pair of podiums under his belt.

Oettl took another step with his P3 podium finish, achieving his first WorldSSP podium result since returning to the Championship for the 2025 campaign. Masia was duelling with Manzi for P2, until the Spanish youngster crashed out of the race on Lap 12’s Turn 10, leaving him to finish with no points. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) in P4 will look ahead to Misano with a smile on his face as he seems to have returned to form after struggles at Cremona. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) righted the ship with his P5 finish after his Race 1 DNF.

Despite temporarily leading the race and fighting for the race win for most of the race, Manzi’s pace dropped off in the final laps and saw him fall to P6. This capped off a weekend of struggles for the Championship leader, as he only took away 10 points from Most.

WorldSSP Race 2 Results

1. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team)
2. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) +1.706s
3. Philipp Oettl (Feel Racing WorldSSP Team) +3.643s
4. Marcel Schroetter (WRP Racing) +4.956s
5. Valentin Debise (Renzi Corse) +5.081s

Championship Points

1. Stefano Manzi (Pata Yamaha Ten Kate Racing) 185 points
2. Bo Bendsneyder (MV Agusta Reparto Corse) 145
3. Tom Booth-Amos (PTR Triumph Factory Racing) 131
4. Can Oncu (Yamaha BLU CRU Evan Bros Team) 122
5. Lucas Mahias (GMT94-YAMAHA) 110

WorldSSP300 Race 1

Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing #48) earned his first race win in 2025 and his second race win of his FIM Supersport 300 World Championship career at Autodrom Most’s Race 1 of the Motul Czech Round. He was followed across the line by David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI #38), who ran a tremendous race to overcome a P28 start and a long lap penalty in P2, and Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove #7) in P3 for his second podium in his rookie season so far.

Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing #6) had a rollercoaster race; the Championship leader going into the encounter fell as low as P8, climbing back to lead the race for moments before crashing out from P2 on the final lap. Garcia’s win was his second in WorldSSP300 and the 40th race win by a Spaniard in WorldSSP300. Salvador finished in P2 for his third podium, followed by Benat Fernandez in P3 for his second podium. Fernandez, however, was under investigation for his and Daniel Mogeda’s (Pons Motosport Italika Racing #88) last lap incident, which saw Mogeda crash out of the race.

Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing #12) started from the front of the grid, but as the grid grouped up in the first corner, he found himself shuffled all the way down to P9. He recovered to lead the race for stretches but ultimately was beaten for pace by the trio of Spanish riders ahead of him in the final straight for P4.

WorldSSP300 Race 1 Results

1. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport)
2. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.012s
3. Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) +0.027s
4. Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing) +0.041s
5. Matteo Vannucci (PATA AG Motorsport Italia WorldSSP300) +0.136s

WorldSSP300 Race 2

The FIM Supersport 300 World Championship’s Race 2 at the Motul Czech Round was rain-delayed during the Warm-Up lap. After a delay for teams to change tyres, the riders returned to the track for the race over a shortened 10-lap distance. The two-time WorldSSP300 World Champion reasserted himself atop the podium and Championship standings alike. Buis’ 25 points from the race win put him back on top of Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Italka Racing) with 97 and Benat Fernandez (Team #109 Retro Traffic Kove) with 96.

David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI), Carter Thompson (MTM Kawasaki #50) and Benat Fernandez had a great start to the race, shooting off at lights out, however, after the first chicane, Buis had slid his way into P1. Fernandez, Maier, Buis, Salvador and Bartolini (#23) all battled for P1, overtaking each other repeatedly as the group slipstreamed off of each other to shuffle the order.

On the final lap, the Brazilian and the #7 tailed Buis as the final straight approached, and as they rounded the final corner, both lacked the pace to catch the streaking Buis, who claimed his first race win since his Assen double and his 17th career WorldSSP300 win. Maier’s P3 meant a sixth career podium for the Brazilian, who still chased his first win. Rookie Fernandez made it back-to-back podiums at Most for his third in his rookie season.

WorldSSP300 Race 2 Results

1. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing)
2. Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) +0.045s
3. Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing) +0.095s
4. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) +0.167s
5. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) +0.215s

Championship Points

1. Jeffrey Buis (Freudenberg KTM-Paligo Racing) 100 points
2. Julio Garcia (Prodina Kawasaki Racing Sport) 97
3. Benat Fernandez (Team#109 Retro Traffic Kove) 96
4. David Salvador (Team ProDina XCI) 77
5. Humberto Maier (Yamaha AD78 FIMLA by MS Racing) 69

How did the Aussies Do?

Despite a DNF in Race 1, there were still many positives to be extracted from Remy Gardner’s Most, as he secured sixth place in the Tissot Superpole before claiming a brilliant fifth in Race 2.

PTR Triumph’s Oli Bayliss (#32) banked a solid ninth in Race 1 in the demanding Supersport class. Starting 17th, he fought his way up to challenge for sixth, but a late mistake saw him slip to ninth, in a race where he rode to his best finish since the season opener. His second race was then scuppered by two long lap penalties, but, to his credit, he recovered admirably to bag 12th.

Luke Power (#68) continued on his path to get back to his best following his shoulder injury, with an 18th in qualifying and 18th in Race 2 a decent effort by the Aussie.

For the full WorldSBK Round 3 results in all classes for all days, click here...