WorldSBK 2025 Round 2 – Portimão Day 1: Toprak Fastest Despite Missing FP1, Bulega in 2nd
On the opening day of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship (WorldSBK) Round 2 at Portimão, reigning champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu of the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team set the fastest overall time. Despite missing the entire FP1 session due to technical issues, he came back strong in FP2 to become the only rider to break into the 1’39s, dominating the session with an exceptional performance.
Toprak’s Comeback: From FP1 Trouble to FP2 Triumph
Razgatlıoğlu’s day began with drama, as a technical issue with his BMW M1000RR in FP1 meant he couldn’t complete a timed lap. His only track time was an out-lap that ended with a run-off at Turn 1, after which he returned to the pits and was unable to rejoin. The team later identified the issue as an electronic control setting fault, confirming there was no engine damage.
However, FP2 told a different story. From the very beginning of the session, Toprak was on the attack. His first stint yielded a 1’40.735, followed quickly by a 1’40.637. Near the end of the session, he climbed to the top with a 1’40.089, and with 12 minutes remaining, he delivered a stunning 1’39.995—the only sub-1’40 lap of the day.
Bulega Shows Consistency for 2nd
Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) put in a consistent and composed performance to secure the second-fastest time overall with a 1’40.294. His first stint saw steady laps in the mid-to-high 1’40s, and he improved in his second outing to stay just behind Razgatlıoğlu.
BMW’s Strong Start: van der Mark Takes 3rd
Toprak’s teammate Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW) also impressed in FP2, clocking a 1’40.506 in the closing stages to finish 3rd, just 0.511 seconds off the top. With BMW locking out both 1st and 3rd, the team had a highly successful opening day in Portugal.
Day 1 Combined Top 6 Times – Portimão Round
- Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (BMW) – 1’39.995
- Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) – +0.299
- Michael van der Mark (BMW) – +0.511
- Andrea Iannone (Ducati) – +0.600
- Álvaro Bautista (Ducati) – +0.711
- Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) – +0.762