WorldSBK 2025 Round 2 – Portimão Friday: Toprak Blazes to P1 in FP2 After Missing FP1 Due to Technical Issues
Reigning World Champion Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) delivered a commanding performance in Free Practice 2 (FP2) on Friday at Round 2 of the 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship in Portimão. After a dramatic start to his day, missing FP1 due to technical issues, Toprak bounced back in style to set the fastest time of the day—firmly establishing himself as the weekend’s frontrunner.
FP1 Drama: A Day That Started in Chaos
Toprak’s Friday began on the back foot. His BMW M 1000 RR encountered a technical problem in FP1 that prevented him from recording a single flying lap. After running off at Turn 1 during his out-lap, he returned to the pits and attempted to rejoin, but was ultimately forced to abandon the session.
Team Principal Shaun Muir commented on the situation:
“It was a small issue, and we haven’t fully pinpointed the exact cause yet. We swapped back from the test engine to the race engine—the same one used in Race 2 at Phillip Island. The issue was linked to electronic control settings, not the engine itself.”
With the problem resolved before FP2, the team was ready—and so was Toprak.
FP2 Charge: Only Rider in the 1’39s
Toprak wasted no time in FP2. From the opening laps, he attacked the track with full intensity, clocking a 1’39.995—the only lap of the day under 1’40. He finished the session 0.3 seconds ahead of second-placed Nicolo Bulega (Ducati), topping the charts with confidence.
Race Pace Dominance: Consistency Over Distance
One of the most impressive aspects of Toprak’s performance was his long-run consistency. In his first stint, he ran seven consecutive laps between 1’40.735 and 1’41.081. In the second stint, he immediately dropped into the 1’39s and low 1’40s, maintaining high pace through nine laps.
By comparison, Bulega’s laps ranged mostly between 1’41.346 and 1’40.767, highlighting a clear edge in overall race pace for Toprak.
Toprak Razgatlıoğlu – Post-FP2 Comments
“I was honestly surprised I couldn’t ride in FP1. I just sat in the pit watching. In FP2, I jumped straight into a race simulation and tested two different tires. I ran 10 laps—about half a race—with one compound, then switched to another to feel the difference. Both lap times and pace were good. There’s still room for improvement in a few corners.”
“When it gets hotter, the bike’s balance, grip, and engine braking behavior change—it gets tricky. But I’m happy with the bike. It’s not at 100% yet, but tomorrow we’ll keep adjusting the engine brake and balance.”
“I’m not worried about FP1—it’s only Friday. I believe in my team; they worked really hard. Of course I wasn’t happy about not riding, but they did their best and got the job done. Maybe we would’ve found a better setup if I had run FP1, but it’s fine. This is a technical sport—things like this happen. Now, I’m focused on FP3 and Superpole. We’ll improve more and aim for a great lap time.”
(Photo courtesy of BMW)