Title Rivals in a Deadlock Duel – Razgatlıoğlu Edges Out Bulega by 0.067 Seconds in Portimão Race 1
The 2025 FIM Superbike World Championship Round 2 at Portimão delivered a sensational showdown on Saturday in Race 1, as Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) and Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) reignited their rivalry in a battle reminiscent of last year’s title fight.
Dramatic Start and Relentless Lead Changes
Bulega got the holeshot at the start, while pole-sitter Razgatlıoğlu struggled off the line and dropped to seventh. But by Lap 4, the Turkish rider had fought his way back to Bulega’s rear wheel. What followed was a breathtaking 15-lap duel, with the two swapping the lead nine times in total.
On Lap 19, Bulega briefly regained the lead on the straight, but Toprak struck back immediately in Turn 3 with his signature aggressive braking move. From there, he held on to win by a razor-thin margin of 0.067 seconds, marking BMW’s sixth victory at Portimão — the manufacturer’s most wins at a single circuit.
For Razgatlıoğlu, it was his 58th career victory, putting him just one win shy of four-time world champion Carl Fogarty’s total.
Impact on the Championship Standings
Despite narrowly missing the win, Bulega secured second place and increased his season total to 82 points, maintaining his lead in the standings. Razgatlıoğlu moved up to second in the championship with 45 points, tightening the race for the title.
Locatelli on the Podium, Best Result for Honda
Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) claimed third after a tight battle with Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team), who finished fourth and was the top independent rider.
Honda’s Xavi Vierge had a standout ride, finishing fifth from sixth on the grid — the team’s best result of the season so far. Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW) took sixth, signaling a strong comeback after early-season struggles.
Iannone Charges from 16th to 7th
Andrea Iannone (Team Pata Go Eleven) started from 16th due to a Superpole penalty (three-place grid drop) but climbed steadily to finish 7th, showcasing his experience and racecraft. Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha) finished 8th. With Alex Lowes crashing out, Axel Bassani was the only Bimota rider to see the checkered flag, finishing 9th.
Rookie Watch – Sofuoğlu Scores Points Again
Remy Gardner (GYTR GRT Yamaha) came home 10th, followed by Iker Lecuona (Honda HRC), who scored his first points of the season in 11th in his return race. Garrett Gerloff (Kawasaki) finished 12th, and rookie Bahattin Sofuoğlu (Yamaha Motoxracing) took 13th, continuing his solid start to the season. Taran Mackenzie and Tito Rabat rounded out the points in 14th and 15th respectively.
Top 6 Results – Race 1 (Portimão)
- Toprak Razgatlıoğlu (ROKiT BMW)
- Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.067s
- Andrea Locatelli (Pata Maxus Yamaha) +7.855s
- Danilo Petrucci (Barni Spark Racing Team) +8.991s
- Xavi Vierge (Honda HRC) +15.475s
- Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW) +17.830s