Razgatlioglu is the world champion after the first race!
When he signed with BMW a year ago, many thought it was crazy. But time has finally proven Toprak Razgatlioglu right, because today in Jerez he declared himself. Superbike World Champion for the second time in his career, giving the German manufacturer its first title.
The Turk arrived in Spain with a 46-point lead and in the first race of the weekend he managed to finish second perfectly on every lap, behind Nicolo Bulega, who never gave up and dreamed of a comeback.
After the fastest in Superpole and set a bogey time with which he lowered the Jerez track record he had held since 2019, the Ducati rider did a monologue in the race, exiting the first turn in the lead and not relinquishing first place until the checkered flag, with a lead more than six seconds off the already 2024 WSBK champion.
The fact that he picked up his fifth win of the season gives Bulega confidence that it won’t be a surprise if he takes on Razgatlioglu for the title again next year, as he won’t be a rookie, but he will be a force to be reckoned with. all effects are among the greatest in their category.
Moreover, it was also great day for Ducati, because in this way the title of Builders was established.
Nicolo Bulega, Aruba.It Racing – Ducati
Photo: Gold and Goose / Motorsport Images
Toprak did not perform miracles this time, but limited himself to putting an end to the dream that he had been building throughout the season, with no more and no less than 17 victories and which was probably never questioned even after Magny’s accident forced him. skip two rounds.
When he crossed the finish line second, it was almost liberating, in fact. for both him and BMW, who achieved the feat they had been chasing all season.
AND the holiday was perhaps the most successfulbecause a space shuttle “landed” in the battlements of Jerez, into which the Turk entered to change clothes and reappeared in a gold jumpsuit and an alien helmet. Indeed, what he has managed to do this year, dominating on a bike that didn’t even make the podium last year, truly feels like something from another planet.
Andrea Locatelli finished on the podium, a statistical curiosity, once after a superb start on his Yamaha that took him into third position, which he then held until the checkered flag. The interesting thing is that the three riders who finished in the first three positions were born on October 16th, so today we can say that they gave themselves a nice birthday present.
Alex Lowes finished fourth, who continued in the same position in the championship standings, 7 units ahead of Danilo Petrucci, who will probably want to complain because he was hit by a Kawasaki rider at Turn 2 on the first lap. and while trying to get back on track, the Barni Racing Team driver found himself with his wheels up, but he’ll still have the opportunity to rectify the situation tomorrow.
After the podium at Estoril, Honda also did well in Jerez, with Iker Lecuona finishing fifth, some four seconds behind the top three. But his teammate Xavi Vierge also staged a good comeback that saw him move up to seventh position, also behind fellow BMW Michael van der Mark.
The top ten was completed by Axel Bassani, Dominik Aegerter and Garrett Gerloff, while Jonathan Rea was overshadowed by a fall in the qualifying session.
There was a negative note Alvaro Bautistawho fell in the early stages of the race and fell again in the closing stages. The only positive thing for him was that between the two crashes he managed to become the second fastest rider on the track after Bulega. So it looks like he could try to make a magical comeback from 15th on the grid tomorrow.
Results of the first WSBK race in Jerez