ThePitcrewOnline

Category: Crew On Two

  • Somber Start, Triumphant Finish: Furusato Claims Maiden Victory Amid Difficult Day in Sepang

    Somber Start, Triumphant Finish: Furusato Claims Maiden Victory Amid Difficult Day in Sepang

    The Malaysian Grand Prix began under sombre circumstances following a serious incident on the sighting lap involving José Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) and Noah Dettwiler (CIP Green Power). The collision brought out the red flag before the race had even begun, with both riders receiving immediate medical attention. Updates have been provided by both teams as follows:

    “Following the impact at the exit of Turn 3 between Jose Antonio Rueda and Noah Dettwiler during the Sighting Lap, the Red Bull KTM Ajo rider has a fracture in his hand. At this moment, Rueda is awake and conscious in the hospital.
    The Spaniard was assessed as having no serious injuries to his head or torso, albeit with a severe concussion from the impact. He remains under observation, awaiting further tests on his hand and arm.”
    – Red Bull KTM Ajo

    “This morning, during the sighting lap at Sepang, our rider Noah Dettwiler was involved in a serious accident. He was taken to the hospital in Kuala Lumpur and will need to undergo multiple surgeries.
    He is in good hands, and we kindly as you to respect his privacy. We will not be sharing further updates at this time.
    Noah is a true fighter, and the entire CIP Green Power team is right behind him. We will keep you updated as soon as possible”
    – CIP Green Power

    My thoughts, and the thoughts of the fans and paddock are with both riders and we wish them a speedy recovery.

    In a controversial decision I personally disagree with, officials decided that the Moto3 race would continue over a shorter distance.

    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    When racing eventually resumed, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) delivered a faultless performance to claim his first Moto3 Grand Prix victory — a moment of joy on an otherwise difficult day for the Moto3 community. The Japanese rider took the holeshot and never relinquished control, showing poise and precision under the sweltering Sepang heat.

    From pole position, David Almansa (Leopard Racing) initially fought back to briefly lead on Lap 3, but Furusato quickly reclaimed the top spot with a confident move. Behind them, Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Power Electronics Aspar Team), Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing), and Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) were locked in an intense scrap for the podium. Pini managed to climb to second midway through the race, only for Quiles to strike back as Fernandez carved his way forward from the fourth row.

    Furusato, meanwhile, remained untouchable. His Honda RC250RW looked perfectly balanced as he kept a one-second buffer while chaos unfolded behind. There were close calls aplenty — Quiles miraculously saved a near-crash at Turn 2, and both Almansa and Pini later ran into trouble as the race wore on.

    With two laps to go, the battle for second saw Fernandez slide wide, allowing Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) to slip through. Up front, Furusato was long gone, cruising across the line to take a hugely emotional first win — and Honda’s first of the 2025 season. Piqueras claimed P2, while Fernandez completed the podium to make it three Hondas in the top three.

    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    Almansa recovered to finish fourth, followed by Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) in fifth and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in sixth. Quiles came home seventh and, with that result, secured the Rookie of the Year title after a consistent and impressive debut campaign. Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) earned his best result since Assen in eighth, Brian Uriarte (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) was ninth, and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) rounded out the top ten.

    The points were rounded out by Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in eleventh, Joel Kelso (LevelUP – MTA) in twelth, Maco Morelli (GRYD – MLAV Racing) who is continuing to impress as a last minitue switch in for the team as he crossed the line in thirteenth. Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) took fourteenth and a single point went the way of Eddie O’Shea (GRYD – MLAV Racing) who came home in fifteenth.

    Malaysian wildcard Hakim Danish (AEON Credit SIC Racing MSI) deserves an honorable mention as he gave the local fans something to cheer with the fastest lap of the race before retiring due to a technical issue.

    It was a day that reminded everyone of both the joy and fragility of racing. While Furusato celebrated a long-awaited victory, the thoughts of the entire MotoGP paddock remained with Dettwiler, Rueda, and their families.

  • WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu withstands Bulega pressure to seal 2025 WSBK Championship in Jerez

    WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu withstands Bulega pressure to seal 2025 WSBK Championship in Jerez

    A controversial crash in the Tissot Superpole Race in Jerez that led to borderline violent scenes from the Turkish fans coupled with a crushing treble of race wins from Nicolo Bulega was not enough to prevent Toprak Razgatlioglu from wrapping up his third WorldSBK title at the Pirelli Spanish Round.

    Tissot Superpole Race

    All Razgatlioglu had to do to wrap up the championship was finish in the top 7 of the morning’s 10-lap race.  This should not have been difficult and it was fully expected that ‘El Turco’ would seal the deal before the final full-distance race of the year in the afternoon.

    A promising start that left him challenging Bulega on the first lap saw Razgatlioglu pushed wide by Bulega at turn 5 in a similar but more consequential move to the one that occurred at the start of Race 1 yesterday.  Razgatlioglu was unable to rejoin and thankfully his BMW was not too damaged, although there were obvious concerns about reliability for Race 2.

    Razgatlioglu’s exit meant that BMW’s efforts to clinch the Manufacturers’ Championship had taken a serious blow with them being left 19 points down on Ducati with one race to go.  Bulega was immediately placed under investigation and was docked with a single long-lap penalty, but he was so far out front and so fast that his lead was barely compromised.

    Bulega’s dominant win cut the gap to 22 points and although the only way he could win the championship was victory in Race 2 with Razgatlioglu lower than 13th, the anger towards the Ducati rider was palpable as many expected things to have been wrapped up in the morning.  Loud boos and jeers were directed towards Bulega when he arrived in the paddock and there were rumours of the ardent Turkish support getting particularly aggressive towards anyone trying to calm them down.

    Additional security was deployed and social media went mental demanding justice for Razgatlioglu.  The BMW team shielded Razgatlioglu from any press intrusion until after Race 2 as the WorldSBK paddock geared up for its first final race showdown since 2014.

    Well behind Bulega came Alvaro Bautista who dispatched Andrea Iannone for 2nd on lap 4 at turn 6.  The Italian was able to hold on to 3rd place ahead of a squabbling Xavi Vierge and Alex Lowes, the latter running wide on the last lap to cost him 4th place.

    Andrea Locatelli passed an impressive Tarran Mackenzie for 6th place on the penultimate lap while Iker Lecuona and Micheal van der Mark rounded out the crucial top 9 spots that set the grid for Race 2, with Razgatlioglu trapped down in 10th.

    Tissot Superpole Race Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Race 2

    Amidst the fallout of the Bulega/Razgatlioglu incident, some hugely unfortunate news broke from the medical centre.  Jonathan Rea crashed out at high speed with Remy Gardner at turn 3 and unlike his accident at turn 4 yesterday, this one left him with an injured knee and he was declared unfit for Race 2.

    Rea was therefore left unable to contest his final WorldSBK race in which Yamaha were running a celebratory livery.  A despondent Rea was caught on camera watching the race with his family from their garage following a huge outpouring of support and appreciation in the paddock towards the Northern Irish 6-time World Champion, who may be seen testing next year in plans that are yet to be revealed.

    Starting in 10th, the only real fear for Razgatlioglu was if his bike broke down or he was caught up in a melee in the midfield.  The Turk methodically made his way up to 3rd place and settled there to win the championship by 13 points as Bulega clinched a treble of race victories.

    Bulega first had to ignore the pressure by the critical fans and even some of his fellow riders, and he lost the initial lead to his teammate Bautista who was obviously determined to repeat Chaz Davies past feat of winning his last race with the aruba.it Ducati team.  Through his strong point of turn 5 that let him set up a move into turn 6, once Bulega was past Bautista it was a done deal and all the focus switched to Razgatlioglu.

    With 12 laps to go Razgatlioglu was already up to 3rd, having dealt with Locatelli, Vierge, Lowes and Iannone who had been battling all weekend in Jerez for positions just below the rostrum.  It was a fairly underwhelming race overall once Razgatlioglu settled into his rhythm and the laps wound down to confirm him as a 3-time WorldSBK Champion ahead of his blockbuster move to MotoGP next season.

    Iannone had slipped back while running in 7th to fend off Mackenzie and Lecuona, who swapped places by the end of the race.  Michael van der Mark was a lowly 13th in his final WorldSBK race as BMW lost out on the Manufacturers’ Championship to Ducati.

    Bautista did more than enough to secure 3rd place overall in the World Championship which arguably should have gone to the Independent Champion Danilo Petrucci, who was ruled out of the last 2 rounds (6 races).  The only retirements from the race were Lukas Tulovic through a crash and Garrett Gerloff brought his underwhelming season with Kawasaki to close by retiring into the pitlane.

    In any other year, Bulega would have been World Championship, but the critical retirement while leading Race 2 in Assen for example when Razgatlioglu was further down the order will be a painful pill to swallow.  As for Razgatlioglu, he heads to MotoGP having left his mark on a championship that will simply never be the same without him, or indeed Jonathan Rea…

     

    Race 2 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

    2025 WorldSBK Riders’ Championship Standings

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

    2025 WorldSBK Manufacturers’ Championship Standings

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • WorldSBK: Title goes to final day as Bulega wins Jerez Race 1

    WorldSBK: Title goes to final day as Bulega wins Jerez Race 1

    Nicolo Bulega kept his faint hopes of winning the 2025 Superbike World Championship title alive after a controlled victory in Race 1 at the Pirelli Spanish Round well clear of Toprak Razgatlioglu.

    Facing the possibility of losing the championship to Razgatlioglu on Saturday in Jerez if the BMW rider won the race, Bulega had set a blisteringly quick lap record during qualifying to snatch pole position.  It had looked clear since the first practice sessions on Friday that Bulega had the edge and he did what he had to do to prolong the title fight for another day.

    For the first time since 2014, the WorldSBK Championship will be settled on the final day of the season thanks to Bulega’s efforts today.  The Ducati rider raced clear of the chasing pack and by the time Razgatlioglu had recovered from his underwhelming start he was clear enough to manage the gap behind.

    Sam Lowes should have been starting on the front row but was sadly declared unfit as the chest injuries he had hoped to recover from by now flared up again.  This promoted his brother Alex to the front row.

    The two championship contenders very nearly came together about halfway around the 1st lap, with Razgatlioglu being pushed out slightly wide by Bulega at turn 5.  The Turk ran even wider at the end of the following straight to let Andrea Iannone slip by into 2nd place.

    By lap 3 Razgatlioglu moved back in front but Bulega was already 3 seconds clear.  This gap would remain roughly the same for the remainder of the race as Razgatlioglu had to bank the 20 points for 2nd.

    All Razgatlioglu has to do to wrap up his 3rd WorldSBK Championship tomorrow is finish in the top 7 in the morning’s Tissot Superpole Race.  The only realistic path to the title for Bulega is if he wins both races and Razgatlioglu fails to score in both, with the BMW ride 34 points clear ahead of the Sunday showdown.

    A huge crash for Jonathan Rea at turn 4 thankfully left the Yamaha rider uninjured and fit to compete in his final World Superbike races tomorrow.  As the race stalled out front, the capacity crowd around the Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto were treated to their home hero Alvaro Bautista’s bid for the podium.

    The order settled after the 3rd lap with Bulega up front, Razgatlioglu clear of the chasing pack in 2nd, then Iannone, Lowes, Xavi Vierge, Remy Gardner, Andrea Locatelli and then Bautista.  The latter’s rise through the order was captivating to watch, particularly as he made his bid for the podium in the 2nd half of the race.

    Having moved past the slower Yamaha duo of Locatelli and Gardner, Bautista had a fight on his hands with the Honda of Vierge and Bimota of Lowes who were squabbling over 4th.  With 9 laps to go the Spaniard scythed up the inside of both in one fell swoop at the first corner in a thrilling pass for 4th and all 3 riders then began to close in on the slowing Iannone.

    2 laps later, Bautista made another lunge at turn 1 but ran wide and nearly lost the front end of his bike at turn 2 while battling Iannone for the podium.  He fell to 5th behind Vierge with Lowes right there as well in 6th, but Bautista was soon back into 4th just a few corners later.

    Bautista eventually made it past Iannone with plenty of time to spare but the battle for 4th raged until the very end.  Iannone and Vierge were swapping positions out of the last corner and into the first on the penultimate lap but the defiant Italian held on as his future remains unclear beyond this weekend.

    Further back, Gardner was under threat from an impressive Tarran Mackenzie in the battle for 8th while Michael van der Mark was 10th. The Dutchman’s team will be hoping he can go out on a high tomorrow as Ducati have opened up an 8-point lead in the Manufacturers’ Championship, although the big story tomorrow will almost inevitably be the crowning of Razgatlioglu for the third time in five years.

    Race 1 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • WorldSBK: Bulega keeps championship alive with Estoril Race 2 rebound

    WorldSBK: Bulega keeps championship alive with Estoril Race 2 rebound

    Nicolo Bulega bounced back with a dominant Race 2 victory at the EICMA Estoril Round to take the 2025 WorldSBK title down to the final round in Jerez next weekend, although Toprak Razgatlioglu still holds the upper hand after a victory in the Tissot Superpole Race.

     

    Tissot Superpole Race

    The start of the 10-lap Sunday morning race saw Bulega snatch the lead, with teammate Alvaro Bautista in 2nd and Razgatlioglu down to 3rd.  Xavi Vierge mounted a brief attack for 3rd, but the top 3 settled after the first corner.

    When Razgatlioglu fell down the order in yesterday’s race, it did not stop him coming back through to the front.  This time he had only fallen to 3rd so predictably the BMW rider was still in contention for the win despite another poor start.

    Within half a lap, Bautista had succumbed to the pressure from Razgatlioglu.  By the start of the 2nd lap, Razgatlioglu made a successful move for the lead however he then ran wide at turn 6.

    This began a half-lap scrap where the positions changed at turns 8, 10 and then turn 1 on the following lap. Ultimately, Razgatliolgu prevailed and after this entertaining battle it was a done deal for the win, although Bulega at least kept him honest and under pressure for the remainder of the 10 laps.

    Bautista had slipped back and was locked in a battle with Jonathan Rea.  Rea, his teammate Andrea Locatelli and Vierge were stuck behind Bautista after the former very briefly ran in 3rd in the early stages only to crash out at turn 7 on lap 6.

    Yari Montella also crashed out at turn 7 but was able to rejoin while Michael Ruben Rinaldi pulled into the pits of his own volition and Tito Rabat was eliminated late on.

    Andrea Iannone made the most of Rea’s exit as he moved past Remy Gardner and a fading Vierge to seal 5th.  He was also aided by Alex Lowes eliminating himself when he lost the front of the bike at the first corner on the last lap, securing 4th for Locatelli with Bautista broken clear up the road for 3rd with Axel Bassani and Michael van der Mark being promoted into the crucial top 9 that sets grid spots for Race 2.

    Tissot Superpole Race Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

    Race 2

    Thanks to 2 consecutive runner-up spots, Bulega put himself in a position of near certainty going into the final race of the weekend to prolong the championship battle into Jerez.  However, what the Italian pulled off on Sunday afternoon in Estoril was a real warning shot to his rival ahead of next week’s showdown.

    Once again, Bulega made the hole shot to turn 1 and was followed by Locatelli from 4th on the grid.  Bautista was 3rd, a jump-starting Iannone 4th and Razgatlioglu down to 5th from pole position.

    Predictably, Razgatlioglu’s fightback began on lap 2, passing Bautista for 4th at turn 1.  He did not really need to pass Iannone on-track who would soon be docked with a double long-lap penalty (far from his first this year) but did so anyway at the penultimate chicane of the Estoril track later on lap 2.

    There followed a forceful move on Locatelli by Razgatlioglu at the final chicane, which Iannone also took advantage of.  It was not long before the Italian departed the fight but Bautista and Locatelli had passed him before he dived off the racing line for his penalty.

    By this stage, Bulega was already 1.5 seconds clear of Razgatlioglu.  Surprisingly, the gap did not come down and later in the race Razgatlioglu was caught by the trackside cameras shaking his head as he came out of the last 2 corners.

    It appeared that the hot conditions were causing Razgatlioglu to struggle for rear grip and he had to settle for 2nd place 5 seconds down on a jubilant Bulega.  The race was hardly a classic, but it reignited hope that Bulega was not yet down and out in 2025 as he and Bautista sealed the Teams’ Championship for aruba.it Racing – Ducati.

    Rinaldi and Tarran Mackenzie both crashed out while Lecuona slid out with 8 laps to go.  The fight for the final podium spot was a more muted affair once Alex Lowes (who started 10th) passed Locatelli for 4th on lap 5 but was unable to catch Bautista, as Rea faded to 9th after another promising race start.

    Vierge settled in 6th while Gardner and Axel Bassani fought with Rea for 7th.  van der Mark was 3 seconds back in 10th and was being caught by Garrett Gerloff and a resurgent Iannone.

    The gap now stands at 36 points between Razgatlioglu and Bulega (with BMW and Ducati even closer in the Manufacturers’ Standings) ahead of the Jerez showdown in a week’s time.  Should Bulega prevail in Race 1, the championship will go down to the final day, and the battle for 3rd overall has intensified as Danilo Petrucci’s absence this weekend saw him lose positions to Bautista and Locatelli in the standings.

    Race 2 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

  • WorldSBK: Match point to Razgatlioglu after Estoril Race 1 win

    WorldSBK: Match point to Razgatlioglu after Estoril Race 1 win

    Toprak Razgatlioglu put one hand on the 2025 Superbike World Championship trophy after winning race 1 at the EICMA Estoril Round, with there now being a possibility that the Turkish rider can win his third title in the class tomorrow if he outscores Nicolo Bulega by 21 more points – ahead of the Jerez finale next weekend.

    Starting from pole position with a new lap record around Estoril, Razgatlioglu was pipped to turn 1 by his title rival Nicolo Bulega.  However, five riders crashed and left a chaotic scene at the first corner that necessitated a red flag being flown by the end of the 1st lap.

    The race was interrupted after Tetshuta Nagashima, Bahattin Sofuoglu, Axel Bassani and Michael van der Mark went down together at turn 1 without any serious injuries, while Tarran Mackenzie narrowly avoided going down after also being hit.  Nagashima is a wildcard for Honda HRC this weekend, while Danilo Petrucci, Sam Lowes and Michael Ruben Rinaldi had all been declared unfit prior to the race.

    All of the riders were thankfully able to restart the now 20-lap race.  Razgatlioglu had a nightmare getaway dropping to 5th while Alvaro Bautista shot into the lead ahead of his teammate Bulega.

    For Razgatlioglu, it was imperative that he passed the Yamaha duo Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea in case the Ducati duo escaped up front.  However, the BMW rider made it back into the lead by as early as lap 3…

    When Razgatlioglu moved clear of the Yamahas, Bulega and then Bautista by turn 1 on lap 3, he was able to immediately stretch his lead.  Bulega had to battle past his teammate to stop Razgatlioglu blasting off into the distance, but the consequence of his move at turn 6 left Bautista vulnerable to Rea.

    As has so often been the case in 2025, Razgatlioglu was able to control the pace and came home 2 seconds clear of Bulega.  The gap had been stretched in the first half of the race and steadily came down in the second, but this may have been down to a tyre offset from a swtich made during the red-flag period and Razgatlioglu had enough in hand over the closing laps to respond to Bulega’s pace to give himself a narrow shot at wrapping up the championship after Race 2 tomorrow.

    There was at least plenty of action in the battle for the final podium spot which eventually went to Bautista.  On lap 8, Rea made a mistake by running wide at the first corner but was able to close right back up to Bautista, with the latter then slipping up on lap 12.

    Bautista’s error just after half distance allowed Alex Lowes to close in for the podium battle.  Thankfully for the Ducati rider Lowes slowed down Rea’s assault and Bautista was able to come home 2 seconds clear for 3rd place but a whopping 15 seconds down on the race leader.

    Sadly for the outgoing Rea, there was to be no podium result as he slipped behind both Lowes and Locatelli on lap 15 of 20.  On the following tour an impressive Locatelli got past Lowes into turn 1 to seal 4th while Bautista had gotten clear of the battle behind.

    Xavi Vierge (who replaces the retiring Rea next season) nearly caught the bike that will soon be his and Andrea Iannone was right behind at the chequered flag.  In 9th came Remy Gardner ahead of a charging Garrett Gerloff with Tito Rabat the other big mover from his starting spot.

     

    Race 1 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • Rueda Clinches the Crown in Chaotic Mandalika Showdown

    Rueda Clinches the Crown in Chaotic Mandalika Showdown

    After a season of relentless pace, poise, and precision, José Antonio Rueda has been crowned the 2025 Moto3 World Champion at the Pertamina Grand Prix of Indonesia, sealing the title with races to spare after a brilliant run of form that left his rivals without an answer. The Red Bull KTM Ajo rider’s journey to glory has been one of quiet consistency and fierce determination — the kind that doesn’t always make headlines lap-by-lap, but defines champions over a season.

    Photo credit: Pirelli Press office

    Rueda’s campaign has been a masterclass in balance — starting the season with a win he races with equal parts aggression and control. From the very first round, he showed the hallmarks of a rider ready to step out from under the “next big thing” label and into genuine championship contention. His blend of speed and race intelligence meant he was almost always in the fight, no matter the circuit.

    The Spanish rider’s title was effectively sealed after a hard-fought second-place finish at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan, where he once again showed his trademark patience under pressure.  Rueda kept his composure to bring home the points that put the championship at his doorstep. It was a fitting way to crown a campaign defined by maturity beyond his years. He sealed the deal this weekend after a red flagged race saw him emerge from the race in the top spot and seal the championship

    From his victory charge in Mugello to his late-race duels in Austria and Aragon, Rueda has been a constant presence at the front. But perhaps his greatest weapon this season wasn’t raw speed — it was precision. Few mistakes, fewer crashes, and an uncanny ability to manage the chaos of Moto3 racing, where a thousandth of a second can separate glory from heartbreak.

    In parc fermé, emotion spilled over as Rueda celebrated with his team. It’s a world title that also cements Aki Ajo’s team as a dynasty in the lightweight class, adding another jewel to a crown already glittering with names like Brad Binder and Pedro Acosta – Rueda now joins that elite list, continuing Spain’s remarkable production line of world champions — and doing so with a riding style that whispers promise for the classes above.

    Image
    Photo Credit: MotoGP Videopass

    His closest rivals — Ángel Piqueras, David Muñoz, and Máximo Quiles — all had their moments in the sun, but none could match Rueda’s consistency across the continents. Even when the battles got fierce, the #99 kept his head down and let his results do the talking.

    As Moto3 prepares to head to Australia, the pressure now shifts to the rest of the grid — the title may be wrapped up, but the fight for pride, podiums, and factory futures rages on. For José Antonio Rueda, however, the future already looks golden. A calm, calculated champion in a class known for chaos — and a rider who will be moving to Moto2 in the 2026 season as the world champion in Moto3.

    Eyes now move to Piqueraz, Munoz and Quiles to see who can pick up second and third in the title fight.

  • WorldSBK: Bulega bounces back on Sunday in Aragon

    WorldSBK: Bulega bounces back on Sunday in Aragon

    Nicolo Bulega bounced back on Sunday at the Tissot Aragon Round to keep the Superbike World Championship battle rolling on into the last two rounds after a pair of hard-fought victories against Toprak Razgatlioglu, whose record-breaking winning streak he has finally ended.

     

    Tissot Superpole Race

    As with Race 1 yesterday, Razgatlioglu established a pattern of passing into turn 15 but Bulega would retaliate through the long final corner of turn 16.  This first occurred at the end of lap 1 then again on laps 2, 4, 5 and 9.

    When both realised they would have to get a little more creative to pass each other, turns 7 and 12 became passing hotspots.  Razgatlioglu preferred the former and Bulega the latter.

    Behind them was Alvaro Bautista who made it into 3rd place but still had Sam Lowes sticking with him.  Dominique Aegerter, Yari Montella and Tito Rabat collided at turn 5 on the opening lap but it was an otherwise clean 10-lap affair.

    The TV direction had no chance to much of the action further down the grid as the titanic battle constantly played out at the front.  With 3 laps to go, Bautista had broken free of Sam Lowes after the Brit made a small mistake and it looked as if the Spaniard could possibly make it a 3-way fight for the win or at least try and take some points off Razgatlioglu to help his teammate.

    The other notable thing to happen on lap 8 was that there was no overtakes between the top 2.  Razgatlioglu was preparing himself for a late lunge and it came at turn 7 on the penultimate lap.

    However, Bulega was back ahead at turn 12 before Razgatlioglu slid through at turn 15 and lost the lead again at the end of the straight going through turn 16.  It was all so predictable but heading onto the last lap through the last two corners but going into the last lap it was all to play for.

    Razgatlioglu surprised Bulega with a move into the corkscrew halfway around the final lap.  The BMW rider held the lead right up until the last corner, when the inevitable happened…

    Bulega slingshot his way underneath his rival and took victory by    to avenge his narrow defeat yesterday and ended Razgatlioglu’s winning streak of 13 races to seal his first victory since back in May at Most.

    Tissot Superpole Race Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

    Race 2

    The whole grid made it cleanly around the opening corners of Race 2 as Bautista fell down to 5th behind Andrea Iannone and Jonathan Rea.  Then came the inevitable Razgatlioglu pass on Bulega at turn 15 before the Ducati’s retaliation at turn 16.

    Razgatlioglu had to try something different and one lap later bullied his rival out of the way at turn 14 instead of 15, but again Bulega was far superior through the long left of the last corner.  When Razgatlioglu passed into turn 16 himself on lap 3, by the exit of the corner Bulega was immediately back ahead.

    Thankfully for Razgatlioglu he carried enough speed to retake the lead at turn 1 as it became clear that we were once again in for an absolute classic World Superbikes race.  Bulega was back ahead by turn 16 next time around.

    Meanwhile, Bautista had gotten back up to 3rd place and began to slowly reel in the leaders.  Ultimately, he lost too much time to catch Razgatlioglu and try to take some points off him to help his teammate Bulega.

    At the end of lap 7 Razgatliolgu was again briefly ahead through turn 16 but was close enough to scythe through on Bulega at turn 7 on the following lap.  Bulega struck back at turn 12 and held on until turn 1 on lap 10.

    The defining moment of the race sadly did not come right at the end as it had yesterday or in the Tissot Superpole Race.  After a successful move at turn 7 again on lap 11, the next time around at the same corner Razgatlioglu uncharacteristically ran wide to let Bulega through easily.

    That was it as far as the race was concerned and Razgatlioglu had to focus on repelling Bautista behind to bank the points for 2nd place.  Meanwhile, Bahattin Sofuoglu and Zaqhwan Zaidi crashed out further down the order.

    The next most interesting fight to develop was over 4th place.  With 4 laps to go the battle intensified between Iannone, Rea and Sam Lowes but the latter slid out at turn 14 on the penultimate lap.

    Alex Lowes was around 3 seconds further back and trying to keep Andrea Locatelli at bay with Michael van der Mark close behind.  The latter rider on the second BMW crashed out at high speed at turn 16 on the penultimate lap but thankfully was not too badly hurt.

    The late accidents promoted Garrett Gerloff and Ryan Vickers to the points.  Bulega eased to the line 3.2 seconds clear of his title rival with Razgatlioglu just over a second clear of Bautista so that the championship lead comes down from 39 to 36 points with 2 rounds (6 races) to go in 2025.

    Race 2 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • Marc Márquez: The Champion Who Refused to Break

    Marc Márquez: The Champion Who Refused to Break

    From broken bones to unbreakable spirit — Marc Márquez is world champion again.

    Marc Márquez has always been more than a motorcycle racer. He is a force of nature, a rider who bends the laws of physics, a competitor who redefined what it meant to be on the limit. And now, after years of heartbreak, setbacks, and doubt, Márquez is once again at the summit of the sport. A ninth world championship crown shines on his head — one forged in pain, resilience, and an unshakable refusal to give in.

    For those who have followed his journey, the number nine carries a weight beyond statistics. It’s more than a number. Márquez was already a legend when he secured his sixth MotoGP title and eighth world title in 2019. But then came 2020 — the year when everything changed. A brutal highside at Jerez left him with a shattered right arm, a wound that became a nightmare of failed surgeries, infections, and setbacks. What was supposed to be a short recovery spiraled into a saga of suffering. The rider who once seemed invincible suddenly looked human, broken not only in body but almost in spirit.

    The world questioned whether he would ever return. Some even whispered that his career was finished. MotoGP, it seemed, was moving on. But Márquez never stopped believing. He rebuilt himself slowly, painfully, brick by brick. Even when he did return to racing, it wasn’t the Márquez of old. The victories were rare, the bike unstable, the risks enormous, and the shadow of injury lingered over every lap.

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    And yet, through all the doubt, the fight never left him. That is what makes this ninth crown so remarkable. It is not the product of youthful dominance or raw talent alone, but of talent sharpened by years of hard work and hardship. Casey Stoner once put it perfectly: “Normally you have hard work can beat talent. Until talent decides to work hard.” Márquez has always had the talent — the kind that cannot be taught, the kind that cannot be matched. But now, after everything, he has also shown the discipline, the patience, and the grit to mold that talent into something unstoppable.

    Alberto Puig, a man not known for giving away easy praise, summed it up simply before Sundays Grand Prix: “The guy deserves everything.” Coming from Puig, it was not just admiration but recognition of what Márquez has endured to stand once more as world champion.

    This ninth title feels different because it is not about domination. It is about redemption. It is about proving that greatness is not defined by never falling, but by always rising again. Márquez is no longer just the fearless boy who conquered MotoGP in 2013. He is a seasoned warrior, one who has stared down his own mortality and chosen to fight back.

    MotoGP Videopass

    Legends in sport are rarely made by numbers alone. They are made in the moments when all seems lost, when the world doubts, and when an athlete finds something deeper within themselves. Márquez has had many victories that will be remembered — the saves, the last-lap duels, the impossible lean angles. But perhaps his greatest victory is this: that after being broken, after being written off, he came back and reminded the world why he is one of the greatest to ever race.

    Marc Márquez is now a nine-time world champion. The statistics will place him among the immortals, but the story — his story — is what will endure. The boy became a man, the man was broken, and the champion rose again.

  • Dominant Muñoz Wins in Japan, Rueda Edges Closer to Glory

    Dominant Muñoz Wins in Japan, Rueda Edges Closer to Glory

    David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) thrived in the chaos of Motegi, taking a commanding win at the Motul Grand Prix of Japan after mastering tricky conditions that caught many of his rivals out. Behind him, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) put together a fierce comeback to grab second and keep his championship push firmly alive, while Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) edged out Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) in a last-lap duel to secure his eighth podium of the year.

    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    When the lights went out, Rueda made the start he needed from pole, though Perrone was equally sharp off the line. Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) delighted his home crowd by slotting into third, but the order didn’t last long. Joel Kelso (LEVELUP – MTA) came flying through on Lap 2, barging past Rueda at Turn 5 to seize the lead. Muñoz was quick to follow, while Quiles and Perrone also dispatched the poleman a lap later, pushing Rueda back to fifth. Meanwhile, David Almansa (Leopard Racing), starting from the very back, wasted no time cutting through the pack with fastest laps to join the leaders.

    Rain spots soon began to pepper parts of the circuit, injecting another layer of unpredictability into an already frantic contest. Quiles took his first turn at the front on Lap 4, but the lead group was in constant flux. Kelso’s charge faltered on Lap 6 after a brush with Almansa at Turn 10 forced the Australian wide and down the order. By Lap 8, Muñoz had broken clear by a second, leaving Furusato in second with the chasers strung out behind. Rueda and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), the top two in the standings, were mired in ninth and tenth, giving the championship leader a golden chance to stretch his advantage.

    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    But the Japanese fans’ hopes were dashed soon after. Furusato, running second, suffered a vicious highside at Turn 2 on Lap 9. Though he remounted, he went down again at Turn 5 in the tunnel section, ending his chances of a dream home podium. Muñoz, now unchallenged at the front, continued to increase his advantage.

    As the laps ticked down, the fight shifted to the podium. Perrone and Quiles scrapped hard, while Almansa, Fernandez, Rueda and Yamanaka formed a chasing pack. Piqueras’ race unravelled further with a crash at Turn 10, though he managed to rejoin in 11th. Almansa’s brilliant ride also ended in heartbreak just two laps from home, leaving Rueda to lock horns with Quiles and Perrone for the podium.

    With two laps to go, Rueda pounced on Perrone for second at Turn 7 and dug in defensively. Perrone then tried to muscle past Quiles at Turn 13, but the rookie countered perfectly, holding the outside into Turn 14 to snatch back third place.

    At the flag, Muñoz crossed the line almost two seconds clear, securing his third victory of the campaign with authority. Rueda’s determined ride to second keeps his title bid firmly on track, while Quiles continued his stellar rookie season with another rostrum finish.

    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) capped off his strong weekend with fifth place, just ahead of home hero Ryusei Yamanaka. Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) overcame a double Long Lap penalty to finish seventh, followed by Kelso in eighth, Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) in ninth, and Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) rounding out the top ten.

    Despite his crash, Piqueras salvaged 11th to keep his fading championship hopes mathematically alive. Behind him came Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Matteo Bertelle (LEVELUP – MTA) on his return from injury, Carpe and Stefano Nepa (SIC58 Squadra Corse) to complete the points scorers.

    Muñoz may have owned the day, but Rueda was the big winner in the title picture. With a 78-point cushion, the #99 now heads to Indonesia with a chance to wrap up the Moto3 crown early.

    Pos Rider Number Team Time/Gap Points
    1 David Muñoz 64 LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP 33:09.599 25
    2 Jose Antonio Rueda 99 Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.618 20
    3 Maximo Quiles 28 CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +2.203 16
    4 Valentin Perrone 73 Red Bull KTM Tech3 +2.336 13
    5 Adrian Fernandez 31 Leopard Racing +3.853 11
    6 Ryusei Yamanaka 6 FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +5.496 10
    7 Guido Pini 94 LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP +5.617 9
    8 Joel Kelso 66 LEVELUP-MTA +5.771 8
    9 Luca Lunetta 58 SIC58 Squadra Corse +11.955 7
    10 Dennis Foggia 71 CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +21.113 6
    11 Angel Piqueras 36 FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +21.326 5
    12 Matteo Bertelle 18 LEVELUP-MTA +21.528 4
    13 Jacob Roulstone 12 Red Bull KTM Tech3 +21.568 3
    14 Alvaro Carpe 83 Red Bull KTM Ajo +21.669 2
    15 Stefano Nepa 82 SIC58 Squadra Corse +22.631 1
    16 Cormac Buchanan 14 DENSSI Racing – BOE +24.383 –
    17 Marco Morelli 95 GRYD – Mlav Racing +27.887 –
    18 Eddie O’Shea 8 GRYD – Mlav Racing +29.201 –
    19 Ruche Moodley 21 DENSSI Racing – BOE +35.122 –
    20 Riccardo Rossi 54 Rivacold Snipers Team +35.305 –
    21 Scott Ogden 19 CIP Green Power +68.971 –
    – David Almansa 22 Leopard Racing DNF – 15 Laps –
    – Taiyo Furusato 72 Honda Team Asia DNF – 8 Laps –
    – Noah Dettwiler 55 CIP Green Power DNF – 1 Lap –
    – Arbi Aditama 93 Honda Team Asia DNF – Lap 1 –
  • WorldSBK: 0.030s separate top 2 in titanic Aragon Race 1 battle

    WorldSBK: 0.030s separate top 2 in titanic Aragon Race 1 battle

    Having never won at this circuit before, Toprak Razgatlioglu extended his winning run to 13 races in the Superbike World Championship after an incredible duel with resurgent polesitter Nicolo Bulega in Race 1 at the Tissot Aragon Round.

    With Bulega starting on pole position with a new lap record and Ducati historically holding the upper hand in Aragon, hopes were high that Razgatlioglu would finally be denied as he steamrolls his way to a third WorldSBK title.  What ensued under the Spanish sunshine was a thrilling battle that lasted the entire length of the race as 2025’s main protagonists chopped and changed positions throughout and were never more than 1 second apart for the entire 18 laps.

    The general pattern was that Bulega would get a much better exit from the long final corner of turn 16 to get close to Razgatlioglu by turn 1, then the latter would be stronger through the middle of the lap.  While the top-2 in the championship did battle, Sam Lowes was in close attendance right behind the pair.

    This pattern first occurred at the end of the 1st and start of the 2nd lap after Razgatlioglu had stolen the lead on lap 1.  Then it happened again at the end of the 2nd lap and the start of the 3rd.  Two laps later and again, Bulega slingshotted into the lead at turn 1 before he ran wide at the tight chicane at turns 14/15 to allow Razgatlioglu back through – then Bulega was ahead again by the next time they reached turn 1.

    By the halfway stage of the race Razgatlioglu had edged ever so slightly clear of Bulega while it looked as if Danilo Petrucci, Alvaro Bautista and Alex Lowes were starting to close up to the top 3.  Ultimately, home hero Bautista crashed out with 6 laps to go from 5th place while Petrucci and Alex Lowes stabilised their respective positions of 4th for the former and an inherited 5th for the latter.

    Behind them, the two Andrea’s were battling over 6th with Iannone passing Locatelli in the 2nd half of the race.  Behind them came Axel Bassani from 23rd on the grid after being penalised earlier, with the Bimota rider making up 15 places and settling into 8th in the closing laps while Jonathan Rea faded after to 13th after his own promising start.

    With 5 laps to go, Bulega began to pick up his pace and stretch a small gap to Sam Lowes.  However, Sam was saving himself for the last couple of laps and closed back in to the top 2 to finish less than 1 second off the winner.

    The MarcVDS rider was so close but just not quite by enough to get involved in the scrap for the lead as Bulega very nearly made it past Razgatlioglu into turn 1 on the final lap.  Once again, a superb ride through the long last corner let the Ducati rider close right up to the BMW as they blasted towards the chequered flag and were separated by just 0.030s in Razgatlioglu’s favour.

    The win meant a lot to Razgatlioglu and was devastating for Bulega after such a defiant ride.  Not only was it the Turk’s first win at Aragon but it matched his record of 13 consecutive wins from last season and was of course another hammer blow in the championship for his Italian rival – but tomorrow’s pair of races should hopefully be another close fought affair with the BMW and Ducati neck-and-neck.

    Race 1 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK