ThePitcrewOnline

Category: Crew On Two

  • WorldSBK: Championship lead finally changes as Razgatlioglu dominates Donington

    WorldSBK: Championship lead finally changes as Razgatlioglu dominates Donington

    Toprak Razgatlioglu has finally knocked Nicolo Bulega off the top of the World Superbikes championship lead in 2025 after a comfortable treble victory around Donington Park – a circuit he has now secured 12 victories at – as his Ducati nemesis had to settle for consecutive runner-up spots.

     

    Tissot Superpole Race

    Alex Lowes was declared unfit for Sunday’s action after his crash from the lead yesterday in Race 1.  In the slightly cooler conditions, the World Superbikes grid was hoping for a much cleaner race than yesterdays and things immediately went smoother as they all made it through turn 1 safely.

    Once again, Jonathan Rea shot through from the 2nd row of the grid to take 2nd place behind polesitter Razgatliolgu into Redgate on lap 1.  Bulega slid to 4th while Andrea Locatelli ran in 3rd.

    The only casualty on the 1st lap was Michael van der Mark, whose miserable season continues.  By the 2nd lap, Locatelli was back down to 5th as Bulega moved ahead to challenge Rea for 2nd and Sam Lowes then passed him for 4th.

    The battle between Rea and Bulega over allowed Razgatlioglu to stretch his lead out front as the Yamaha and Ducati ran the latter half of the Donington Park lap side-by-side on the 2nd lap.   The entertaining battle came to an end as Bulega prevailed and it became clear that Rea’s ultimate pace was not enough for him to secure a podium.

    Another great piece of racing occurred between Ryan Vickers and Yari Montella.  The latter made a mistake that lost him positions and the former had enough pace to fight within the crucial top-9 positions in the Tissot Superpole Race – which sets the grid for Race 2.

    Alvaro Bautista – like Sam Lowes – was making up for lost time from the previous day’s crash.  The Ducati rider passed Locatelli for 4th and secured a much better grid spot for Race 2 later in the day.

    Behind the top 6 and starting Race 2 where they finished were Danilo Petrucci, Garrett Gerloff and Andrea Iannone.  It seemed as if Vickers would be in the top 9, but on the 8th out of 10 laps he ran wide at the final corner.

    Iker Lecuona and Scott Redding both had technical issues that forced them out near the end while Locatelli made it past his teammate Rea at the chicane on the last lap.  Razgatlioglu’s 11th win around Donington Park cut the gap to Bulega to just 1 point ahead of the full distance race in the afternoon where he looked all set to snatch the lead in the championship.

    Tissot Superpole Race Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Race 2

    For the third time this weekend, Razgatlioglu made the hole shot to Redgate as Bulega suffered another sluggish getaway.  It was Sam Lowes, fresh from a home podium in the Tissot Superpole Race, who inherited 2nd place at the start.

    Bulega again fell as low as 5th and had to repass Locatelli, then set about his teammate Bautista who had also passed him in the early stages.  The Ducati teammates fight over 3rd then became a battle over 2nd as Sam Lowes crashed out at high speed at the start of lap 4 but thankfully without any obvious injuries like his brother Alex had a day earlier.

    After Bulega made it past Bautista the battles at the front of the grid settled down as Razgatlioglu had covered off any vulnerability by acing the start and settling into a comfortable rhythm.  There was however a battle for 4th featuring Locatelli, Petrucci, Iannone and Gerloff.

    Locatelli held a gap of just under a second to stay out of range from Petrucci as Iannone made a mistake at the chicane that dropped him out of the fight and behind Dominique Aegerter with 8 laps to go.  Vickers was a couple of seconds behind holding Remy Gardner at bay for 9th, both of whom had made up several spots since the start.

    Meanwhile, van der Mark had yet more mechanical trouble as his nightmare weekend in Donington continued with another retirement on Sunday as his teammate romped to a triple victory.  The only threat to Razgatlioglu was a track limits warning but it did not advance into a penalty.

    Bulega was in bigger trouble than the leader as his teammate Bautista put on a charge to close right up to him on the final lap.  Bulega just held on from Bautista as Razgatlioglu came home 3 seconds clear of the Ducatis and took the championship lead for the first time this year with a record 12th victory at the Prosecco DOC UK Round.

    Further down, Iannone made it back past Aegerter for 7th but Vickers fell backwards once again and came home 11th.  Scott Redding was behind in 12th, completely unable to replicate the pace he had shown in Race 1 the previous day while British wildcard Tommy Bridewell retired.

    Lecuona’s Honda finally held together for a race distance at the 3rd attempt this weekend to take 10th behind Gardner, then came the two Brits.  Vickers and Redding were the meat in a Honda sandwich as Montella and Rea trundled home as the last of the points scorers.

    Race 2 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • Muñoz Claims Sachsenring Thriller

    Muñoz Claims Sachsenring Thriller

    David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) emerged victorious in a breathtaking Moto3 Grand Prix at Sachsenring, delivering a sensational final corner move to take his second career win – and the first at home for his German-based team. The Spanish rider edged out rookie sensation Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team) by just 0.241 seconds, with Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) pushed back to third in a three-wide drag to the line.

    Photo Credit: KTM Red Bull Ajo

    The final lap delivered peak Moto3 chaos. Rueda led through the closing stages, but Muñoz made his move into the final corner, running the #99 wide and opening the door for Quiles to slice through into second. Rueda held onto third by just 0.009s ahead of Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with the top five split by just 0.335s at the flag.

    The drama was non-stop throughout the 23-lap race. Scott Ogden, who started from pole, crashed out in the second half after early front-running form. Carpe was forced to take a Long Lap Penalty after aggressive opening-lap contact with David Almansa (Leopard Racing), but clawed his way back to the lead group by the final laps.

    Australian Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) rode smartly to sixth, just half a second from victory, while Italy’s Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) equalled his best-ever finish in seventh. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) and Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE) secured impressive eighth and ninth places, the New Zealander earning his career-best result to date. Marcos Uriarte (LEVELUP-MTA) completed the top ten.

    Further back, Dennis Foggia came through from deep in the pack to finish 11th ahead of Valentin Perrone, Stefano Nepa, and Riccardo Rossi, with Ryusei Yamanaka taking the final point in 15th. Swiss riders Noah Dettwiler and Lenoxx Phommara rounded out the finishers ahead of Nicola Carraro, who was classified but finished off the pace.

    Rueda’s P3 finish still sees him extend his lead in the championship, but with Muñoz, Quiles, and Piqueras all closing in, the title fight is heating up heading into the second half of the season.

    Pos Rider Nat Team Time/Gap Points
    1 David Muñoz ESP LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP 33:27.081 25
    2 Maximo Quiles ESP CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +0.241 20
    3 Jose Antonio Rueda ESP Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.250 16
    4 Angel Piqueras ESP FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +0.298 13
    5 Alvaro Carpe ESP Red Bull KTM Ajo +0.335 11
    6 Joel Kelso AUS LEVELUP-MTA +0.563 10
    7 Guido Pini ITA LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP +0.645 9
    8 Jacob Roulstone AUS Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.893 8
    9 Cormac Buchanan NZL DENSSI Racing – BOE +1.505 7
    10 Marcos Uriarte ESP LEVELUP-MTA +6.518 6
    11 Dennis Foggia ITA CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +9.429 5
    12 Valentin Perrone ARG Red Bull KTM Tech3 +9.484 4
    13 Stefano Nepa ITA SIC58 Squadra Corse +9.687 3
    14 Riccardo Rossi ITA Rivacold Snipers Team +11.058 2
    15 Ryusei Yamanaka JPN FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +12.298 1
    16 Noah Dettwiler SUI CIP Green Power +27.245 —
    17 Lenoxx Phommara SUI SIC58 Squadra Corse +43.348 —
    18 Nicola Carraro ITA Rivacold Snipers Team +0.000 —

    Feature Photo Credit: KTM Red Bull Ajo

  • WorldSBK: Brits impress on home soil as Razgatlioglu wins Donington Race 1

    WorldSBK: Brits impress on home soil as Razgatlioglu wins Donington Race 1

    Toprak Razgatlioglu took a historic 10th victory at Donington Park to slash the championship deficit to Nicolo Bulega to just 4 points under sizzling Leicestershire sunshine as the home heroes did their best to put on a show for the British crowd.

    Having started on pole position at a track that is amongst his favourites on the World Superbikes calendar, Razgatlioglu took a comfortable 10th victory around Donington in Race 1 at the Prosecco DOC UK Round.  However, the Turkish rider had a couple of unlikely challengers in the opening stages.

    Starting in 4th place – his best of the season – Jonathan Rea shot through into 2nd place and very nearly took the lead into Redgate on the 1st lap.  Halfway around the lap, Rea’s dream start was thwarted by Alex Lowes and halfway round lap 2, Lowes snatched 1st place from Razgatlioglu on his Bimota.

    Sadly, Lowes time in the lead was cut short when he crashed going through the fast Craner Curves at the start of lap 4.  Lowes was far from the only fast rider to exit the race early on as three Ducatis from three different teams went down in a scary accident at the first corner on lap 1.

    Yari Montella and Sam Lowes came together, collecting Alvaro Bautista on the outside of Redgate corner.  This is far from the only time Bautista has been caught in a crash in the midfield after the start of a race this year as the Spaniard’s poor qualifying form keeps leaving him vulnerable.

    By one quarter distance in the race, one quarter of the field was already out. Only 16 riders made it to the finish, while it was not just crashes but mechanical problems probably onset by the heat that led to Iker Lecuona’s Honda gearbox giving up.

    As some unfortunate riders dropped out, others rose to the fore.  Scott Redding had leapt up 8 spots after the 1st lap but his compatriot Ryan Vickers, who like Rea was enjoying his best qualifying of the year at home in Donington fell down 7 spots.

    After Alex Lowes took himself out of the lead, Razgatliolgu had enough pace in hand to increase the gap to Bulega behind each lap.  Bulega had fallen as low as 5th but was back into 2nd place fairly quickly as Rea started to fade, but had no answer to his BMW rival who won by 6 and a half seconds.

    Rea settled at the back of a four-way fight for 3rd behind Danilo Petrucci, Andrea Locatelli and Redding.  Behind them came Dominique Aegerter and Garrett Gerloff both running comfortably in their respective positions while another four-way battle ensued over 9th place.

    Although Redding appeared to have the most pace and made it into 4th before Petrucci started to pull clear a little, a mistake at the Melbourne Hairpin towards the end dropped him to 6th place at the flag but it was still a positive race for the Brit who had been back racing in the British Superbike Championship just 6 days earlier at Knockhill.  In the battle for 9th, Vickers and Michael van der Mark tripped over each other too much and slipped behind Andrea Iannone and Xavi Vierge.

    Race 1 Results

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • Moto3 Mayhem: Rueda Victorious, Perrone Shines

    Moto3 Mayhem: Rueda Victorious, Perrone Shines

    In a race defined by chaos, comebacks and crashing contenders, Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) kept his cool to claim victory at the Dutch Grand Prix. The Championship leader outlasted the madness to finish ahead of David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) and Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Ajo), with the Argentine making history by taking his first Moto3™ podium — and the first for Argentina since Gabriel Rodrigo at Mugello in 2021.

    Photo credit: Pirelli Press office

    Early drama strikes the grid
    It was Rueda’s teammate Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo), who grabbed the holeshot from pole, while Rueda slotted into second. Behind, trouble brewed immediately as Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) stalled from seventh. He was thankfully avoided but retired from of the race.

    Lap 2 brought even more chaos. David Almansa (Leopard Racing) lunged at Rueda at Turn 8 and collided with him, while Carpe, caught in the aftermath, lost momentum and tumbled to 15th. Then, on Lap 4, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) made contact at the final chicane, both losing ground but continuing.

    The race explodes at half distance
    Rueda led until Lap 9 before being passed by a charging Maximo Quiles, whose aggression shook up the lead group. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) and Adrian Fernandez (Leopard Racing) joined the front pack as Rueda briefly slipped to seventh, regrouping just ahead of Perrone.

    Lap 15 saw full elbows-out racing. Almansa muscled into the lead but Quiles hit back at Turn 9. A lap later, Carpe’s stunning recovery peaked as he surged to the front after diving past Almansa at Turn 10.

    Photo credit: Pirelli Press office

    Final laps deliver fireworks
    With three laps to go, everything unravelled. Quiles crashed out at Turn 10. Moments later, Perrone barged Almansa wide at Turn 15, sending the Leopard rider back to 13th. As the group fractured, Rueda and Carpe were back in the fight at the perfect moment.

    But even more carnage followed — a big crash involving Furusato, Fernandez, and Luca Lunetta (Sic58 Squadra Corse) at the end of Lap 18 brought out the red flag. With results taken back to the last completed lap, Rueda was declared the winner, just ahead of Muñoz and a jubilant Perrone. Injury update: At the time of writing it is understood that Lunetta has multiple leg fractures which he sustained when Fernandez clipped him while on the ground.

    The rest of the top ten
    Carpe came home fourth after a rollercoaster ride, while Piqueras fought back to fifth from P16 on the grid. Despite being pushed wide late in the race, Almansa recovered to sixth. Scott Ogden secured a season-best seventh place, ahead of Dennis Foggia (CFMoto Gaviota Aspar Team), Joel Kelso (LevelUp-MTA), and Marcos Uriarte (LevelUp-MTA), who celebrated a first top ten finish.

    🇳🇱 Moto3™ – Dutch GP: Final Classification (Top 15)

    TT Circuit Assen | Red flag – results taken at end of Lap 18

    Pos Rider Team Time/Gap Points
    1 Jose Antonio Rueda Red Bull KTM Ajo 32:12.319 25
    2 David Muñoz LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP +0.144 20
    3 Valentin Perrone Red Bull KTM Tech3 +0.245 16
    4 Alvaro Carpe Red Bull KTM Ajo +1.087 13
    5 Angel Piqueras FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +1.296 11
    6 David Almansa Leopard Racing +2.083 10
    7 Scott Ogden CIP Green Power +2.234 9
    8 Dennis Foggia CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +5.034 8
    9 Joel Kelso LEVELUP-MTA +5.755 7
    10 Marcos Uriarte LEVELUP-MTA +6.318 6
    11 Ryusei Yamanaka FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI +7.002 5
    12 Jacob Roulstone Red Bull KTM Tech3 +8.555 4
    13 Stefano Nepa SIC58 Squadra Corse +12.395 3
    14 Riccardo Rossi Rivacold Snipers Team +12.675 2
    15 Maximo Quiles CFMOTO Gaviota Aspar Team +24.394 1

    Title photo credit: Pirelli Press office

  • Maximo Quiles wins a Mugello classic to claim first Moto3™ victory

    Maximo Quiles wins a Mugello classic to claim first Moto3™ victory

    Rookie sensation Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) delivered a final-corner masterclass at the Autodromo Internazionale del Mugello, storming to his first Grand Prix victory in a Moto3™ thriller. The 17-year-old battled from the third row to lead home a rookie 1-2, fending off Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) in a drag to the line, while Dennis Foggia (CFMOTO Valresa Aspar Team) returned to the podium in front of his home crowd for the first time since 2022.

    Photo credit: Pirelli Press Office

    The early chaos and charge
    Polesitter Carpe grabbed the holeshot and kept things tidy early, with front-row starters briefly forming the top three. Behind them, it was action immediately, as Jose Antonio Rueda and Scott Ogden rubbed elbows on Lap 1. On Lap 2, drama struck as Vicente Perez, Riccardo Rossi, and Ruche Moodley all crashed exiting Turn 5. Then on Lap 3, David Almansa was eliminated in contact with Ogden, ending another promising charge early.

    While Carpe and Rueda duked it out with Quiles at the front, Guido Pini (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) put on a sensational show, slicing from 20th to P4 by Lap 6 and battling for the podium on home turf. Also on a flyer was Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), joining the lead group after starting from the back of the grid.

    But it wouldn’t last. Lap 7 saw more heartbreak for the home fans as Adrian Fernandez and Luca Lunetta crashed out at Turn 1. A few corners later, the dream run for Pini ended after contact with Joel Kelso sent him down at Turn 12.

    Photo credit: Pirelli Press Office

    The final lap showdown
    The final lap was a Mugello classic. Foggia led into Turn 1, but as the group blasted through Arrabbiata 1 and 2, the top three went full attack mode. Carpe and Foggia swapped positions, allowing Quiles to slide back into P2 by Turn 12. Into Bucine, the last corner, Quiles hit the front—and despite Carpe’s late lunge in the slipstream, the #28 held his nerve to cross the line just ahead.

    “That was chaos—but incredible,” said Quiles. “I didn’t expect the win to come this soon, especially here. Mugello is special. I can’t believe it.”

    Carpe took his third podium of the year in P2, while Foggia celebrated an emotional return with a home podium in P3.

    Title implications
    Championship leader Jose Antonio Rueda finished fourth after briefly dropping to 15th mid-race, salvaging valuable points in a wild one. David Muñoz crossed the line fifth, just ahead of Taiyo Furusato, who was shuffled back late in the lap.

    Angel Piqueras fought to P7, narrowly ahead of Perrone in P8, with Joel Kelso and Ryusei Yamanaka completing the top ten—just 0.9s from victory. Nicola Carraro was 11th in a photo finish.

    Main Photo credit: Pirelli Press Office

  • WorldSBK: Points gap to Bulega slashed by Razgatlioglu after Misano treble

    WorldSBK: Points gap to Bulega slashed by Razgatlioglu after Misano treble

    Toprak Razgatlioglu has slashed the championship points lead of Nicolo Bulega after the BMW rider romped to a treble of victories in Misano and his Ducati rival went pointless in the Tissot Superpole Race.

    TISSOT SUPERPOLE RACE

    With Bulega now able to start on pole position having served his 3-place grid penalty in Race 1 yesterday, he was keen to get the hole-shot into the first corner.  However, Axel Bassani (gambling on qualifying tyres for the half-distance event) got a much better launch but went into turn 1 too fast and eliminated himself and Bulega on the spot.

    Thankfully neither of the Italian riders were injured on home soil and were able to race again in the full-distance race in the afternoon.  Bulega was fuming that Bassani did not immediately offer an apology and the latter was dealt a double long-lap penalty for Race 2.

    Razgatlioglu was very fortunate to have avoided the chaos at turn 1 and after his main rival went down the half-distance race was a foregone conclusion.  The Turkish rider came home 4 seconds clear of an impressive Alex Lowes (also on qualifying rubber) in 2nd place who secured the first podium finish for Bimota in 25 years that arguably might have gone to his teammate if not for the accident at turn 1.

    The rival Yamahas of Andrea Locatelli and Remy Gardner squabbled over 3rd place on lap 1 and their resulting battle left the latter vulnerable to Danilo Petrucci.  Unfortunately for Petrucci’s teammate and compatriot Yari Montella he crashed out while chasing Iker Lecuona for the final points-paying position in 9th.

    Andrea Iannone was given yet another double long-lap penalty for jumping the start having already been found guilty of the same offence twice before this year.  That ruled him out of the fight for points, where the man with the most pace on Sunday morning was Alvaro Bautista.

    Bautista was determined to improve his grid position for Race 2 by finishing in the top 9 of the Tissot Superpole Race and eventually made it past Gardner for 5th.  Gardner then slipped behind Sam Lowes and Jonathan Rea, who was finally showing some promising pace in his injury-affected 2025 campaign.

    TISSOT SUPERPOLE RACE RESULTS

     

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    RACE 2

    Having dropped 12 points to Razgatlioglu in the Tissot Superpole Race and consigned to starting in 10th for Race 2 of the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round, Bulega had a point to prove on Sunday afternoon.  The championship leader had made it into 2nd place with 17 laps still to go, but it was already too late to catch Razgatlioglu up front who won by a dominant margin of almost 10 seconds.

    Once Razgatlioglu survived the first lap in the lead from pole position the ‘treble’ never looked in doubt.  This was the second time in as many years that Razagtlioglu had won all three races in Misano and he has now cut the points gap to Bulega down to just 9 points at the halfway point of the season.

    In the sweltering Sunday afternoon heat that was 3 degrees hotter than Race 1 a day earlier, Locatelli, Petrucci and Alex Lowes were once again the riders who ran behind Razgatlioglu.  Bautista took some time to get up to speed but after being passed by his charging teammate the Spaniard began his pursuit of the podium.

    Around the halfway point of the race, Bautista engaged in battle with Locatelli for 3rd and sealed the deal with a move at turn 10.  It was particularly important for Bautista to have a good result as it was revealed ahead of the Misano weekend that negotiations between himself and his factory Ducati team had broken down over a 2026 contract.

    Gardner and Montella suffered a high-speed crash while Jonathan Rea slid out of 9th to end his encouraging weekend on a low.  Likewise, Alex Lowes crashed out of 6th after his and Bimota’s breakthrough podium finish earlier in the day but recovered to finish 14th.

    The double long-lap penalty for torpedoing Bulega in the Tissot Superpole Race cost the other Bimota of Bassani any chance of a good result after such a strong qualifying earlier in the weekend, while Iannone’s nightmare weekend continued with a crash two laps from home.

    The attrition left Locatelli ahead of Petrucci in 4th, with the Italian struggling to keep the Lowes brothers and the Lecuona behind.  Once Alex Lowes slid off, Petrucci just held on ahead of Lecuona and Sam Lowes for another solid result that helps keep him narrowly ahead of the factory Ducati of Bautista in the championship.

    There was a monumental gap between Sam Lowes in 7th and Garrett Gerloff in 8th.  The fight over P8 however was absolutely thrilling.

    Gerloff prevailed over Xavi Vierge, an under-pressure Michael van der Mark and an impressive Ryan Vickers but the race-long fight for 8th also featured Iannone and Scott Redding before they both crashed out with less than 2 laps to go.  The battles further down the grid compensated for the lack of action at the sharp end as an ecstatic Razgatlioglu gets ever more motivated to switch to MotoGP next year as the reigning World Superbike champion, but Bulega is far from beaten as the season concludes its first half…

    RACE 2 RESULTS

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

  • WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu lays down marker in Misano Race 1

    WorldSBK: Razgatlioglu lays down marker in Misano Race 1

    After inheriting pole position but falling to third at the start, Toprak Razgatlioglu fresh from the news of his move to MotoGP calmly retook the lead of Race 1 at the Pirelli Emilia-Romagna Round to ominously breeze past home hero Nicolo Bulega.

    In the 30 Degrees Celsius Saturday afternoon sunshine, there was some great action on lap 1 as Bulega shot through from 4th on the grid (having been penalised three spots after going fastest in Superpole) to take the lead through the fast turn 11 from Axel Bassani.  Bassani had stolen the lead after Razgatlioglu ran wide through the long left-hander of turn 5 while Dominique Aegerter and Bahattin Sofuoglu both went down at the same spot seconds later.

    Alex Lowes put a move on Andrea Locatelli for 4th on lap 2 but just seconds later his Bimota teammate Bassani crashed out, as did Andrea Iannone.  This left Razgatlioglu free to chase after Bulega and the two left Lowes behind on track, with the gap already being at 4 seconds by lap 4.

    By the 5th lap, Razgatlioglu was confidently closing on Bulega and easily swept past in a move that saw him encounter little defence.  Bulega simply had to accept that his BMW rival was a cut above the rest at the circuit where the Turk had performed a hat-trick one year ago and the race was ultimately settled at this point.

    Danilo Petrucci had passed Locatelli for 4th and set about catching Lowes for 3rd.   It appeared that Petrucci had sealed the deal but with 6 laps to go Lowes retaliated, only for the Italian to get back ahead a couple of corners later in an interesting duel for the final spot on the podium.

    Behind the top 4 came Locatelli who held off Alvaro Bautista for 5th then Sam Lowes and Yari Montella were behind and closely contested 7th place.  Scott Redding sandwiched the Honda duo with Jonathan Rea, Ryan Vickers, Garrett Gerloff and a returning Michael Ruben Rinaldi rounding out the points scorers.

    RACE 1 RESULTS

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

     

     

  • David Muñoz wins final corner thriller at Aragon

    David Muñoz wins final corner thriller at Aragon

    A thrilling last corner overtake reminds us how close the racing is in Moto3™ . David Muñoz (LIQUI MOLY Dynavolt Intact GP) finally broke through for his first Grand Prix victory at the GoPro Grand Prix of Aragon, pulling off a perfectly judged final-corner move on rookie star Maximo Quiles (CFMOTO Viel Aspar Team) to clinch the win by just 0.050 seconds.

    Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) completed the podium, continuing his quietly impressive rookie campaign with a strong late-race charge. But it was a race to forget for his teammate and current points leader Jose Antonio Rueda, who had led for much of the contest before a costly last-lap error dropped him to P8 at the flag.

    Photo Credit: Rob Gray (Polarity Photo)

    Rueda nailed the holeshot and led through the opening sector, while Quiles rocketed through from the second row to slot into second by Turn 3. The duo quickly broke clear with Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) and David Almansa (Leopard Racing) giving chase, forming an early lead group. But Moto3™ being what it is, the pack soon swelled again. Unfortunately, the field was down a rider early on as Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3) retired with a mechanical issue, and Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA) took out Stefano Nepa (SIC58) at Turn 9.

    By Lap 12, the tide began to turn. Lunetta and Muñoz both made aggressive moves on Rueda, shuffling the #99 back to sixth. Almansa capitalized to hit the front with five laps remaining, his weekend pace finally converting into race-leading form. Behind him, Carpe, Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia), Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Ryusei Yamanaka, and Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) kept the fight for the podium wide open.

    Quiles reclaimed the lead with two laps to go, looking composed as the front group of ten barreled toward the finale. Muñoz hit back on the penultimate lap, but it was all to play for. Then came the mistake—Rueda ran deep into Turn 1 on the final lap, undoing all his earlier work and tumbling down the order.

    Photo Credit: Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    Down the long back straight and into the final corner, Quiles held the advantage. But Muñoz, calm and calculating, made a clean, clinical move to dive up the inside. Quiles tried to retaliate with a final drag to the line but fell heartbreakingly short—just 0.050s the margin between victory and a continued wait for that first win.

    David Almansa claimed a career-best P4, narrowly missing the podium but showing clear upward momentum. Lunetta and Piqueras followed in fifth and sixth, the latter closing the gap slightly in the Championship standings. Kelso crossed the line in seventh ahead of Rueda, whose P8 result leaves him with a bitter taste after leading so much of the race.

    Ryusei Yamanaka and Cormac Buchanan completed the top ten, the New Zealander earning his best-ever result in Moto3™ after an assured ride. Taiyo Furusato, after his best-ever qualifying, just missed the top ten and had to settle for P11.

    Photo credit: Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    Jose Antonio Rueda may have had a rough ride to P8 in Aragon, but his early-season dominance means he still holds a commanding 52-point lead in the Moto3™ World Championship. With 149 points, he remains the clear favourite—but that margin is beginning to look more manageable for the chasing pack.

    Angel Piqueras  sits second on 97 points. The Spaniard hasn’t had the cleanest run of late, but consistent top-ten finishes and flashes of pace suggest he’s still the most likely challenger. A big result at the next round could really tighten things up.

    Just behind, a cluster of riders are separated by less than a race win:

    • Joel Kelso (LEVELUP-MTA) – 86 pts

    • Alvaro Carpe (Red Bull KTM Ajo) – 85 pts

    • Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) – 67 pts

    Kelso has been in the mix regularly but still seeks a win. Carpe, meanwhile, is quietly having one of the best rookie seasons on the grid, now just 1 point off P3 in the standings. Furusato rounds out the top five and remains a wildcard threat—especially on Sundays.

    Feature image credit: Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool
  • Rueda storms from the back to win at Silverstone

    Rueda storms from the back to win at Silverstone

    Jose Antonio Rueda (Red Bull KTM Ajo) delivered a masterclass in comeback racing at the Tissot Grand Prix of the United Kingdom, charging from the back of the grid to claim his third consecutive victory — and one of the most impressive of his career. The Spaniard, who had taken pole before being penalized for riding significantly more slowly on the racing line, joined an elite club of riders to win from last, standing alongside the likes of Marc Marquez (Valencia 2012, Moto2™), Brad Binder (Jerez 2016, Moto3™), and David Alonso (Silverstone 2023, Moto3™).

    Jose Antonio Rueda spraying Prosecco
    Gold & Goose / Red Bull Content Pool

    What followed was a clinical ride through the chaos of a classic Moto3™ lead group. Rueda got a solid launch and was already picking off riders into Turn 1, while teammate Alvaro Carpe grabbed the holeshot. By Lap 3, the #99 was leading the second group, and by Lap 4 he’d bridged the gap and joined the freight train at the front. With five laps to go, Rueda had cracked the top five—and not long after, he was at the head of the pack.

    Still, he had to fight for the win. Rookie Maximo Quiles (CFMoto Valresa Aspar Team) impressed when he refused to back down, making it a thrilling final-lap showdown. The two went side-by-side through the final sector, with Quiles slightly wide at the final chicane. Rueda didn’t hesitate—diving up the inside and powering out of the last corner to snatch victory in a photo finish.

    “I took making the comeback calmly because I knew the front group wasn’t going to break away, and we also had good pace, so we were able to be patient and attack at the right time” – Jose Antonio Rueda

    Quiles, despite losing out by the narrowest of margins, still secured a stunning maiden podium in just his rookie season.

    Luca Lunetta (SIC58 Squadra Corse) completed the podium in third, bouncing back impressively from a Long Lap penalty for contact with David Muñoz (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) earlier in the race.

    A group of motorcycle racers on a race track
    Rob Gray (Polarity Photo)

    Just off the podium, Alvaro Carpe finished fourth ahead of fellow rookie Valentin Perrone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), with David Almansa (Leopard Racing), Guido Pini (Liqui Moly Dynavolt Intact GP) fifth and sixth respectfully. Ryusei Yamanaka (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI), Vicente Perez (LEVELUP-MTA), and Nicola Carraro (Rivacold Snipers Team) rounding out the top ten.

    A late incident involving Taiyo Furusato (Honda Team Asia) and Angel Piqueras (FRINSA – MT Helmets – MSI) saw Piqueras crash out and Furusato hit with a Long Lap-equivalent 3 second time penalty. That moved home hero Scott Ogden (CIP Green Power) up to P11, followed by Furusato in P12. Jacob Roulstone (Red Bull KTM Tech3), Cormac Buchanan (DENSSI Racing – BOE), and Riccardo Rossi (Rivacold Snipers Team) all picked up points in the race.

    Title photo credit: Rob Gray (Polarity Photo)

  • WorldSBK: Instant classic Czech Race 2 settled by just 0.027s

    WorldSBK: Instant classic Czech Race 2 settled by just 0.027s

    After victory pole position and victory in Race 1 on Saturday, Sunday started well for Toprak Razagatlioglu as he saw off an early challenge by Nicolo Bulega in the Tissot Superpole Race but was thwarted on the finish line in Race 2 by his Ducati rival by just 0.027 seconds.

    TISSOT SUPERPOLE RACE

    Much like in Race 1, Bulega beat Razgatlioglu to turn 1 at the start of the 10-lap affair.  This began a thrilling battle that lasted just under half of the race before the crucial moment came when Bulega cut the first chicane while battling Razgatlioglu for the lead.

    While running wide, Bulega added a second to Razgatlioglu’s lead that the Turkish rider was able to protect for the remainder of the race, with the BMW rider going on to secure a new race lap record on his way to the victory.  It was another comfortable 2nd place for the factory Ducati rider ahead of the two satellite riders behind him.

    Danilo Petrucci recorded another podium finish and was ran close by Sam Lowes.  Behind them came a charging Alvaro Bautista who came from 10th to 5th with some audacious move in the 10-lap sprint to secure a second-row start for Race 2 in the afternoon.

    Alex Lowes split the Honda HRC riders, with Xavi Vierge only just pipping Andrea Locatelli to the line for 8th place.  Jonathan Rea was also right behind in the battle for the crucial top 9 positions that set the grid for Race 2 but fell short behind his teammate.

    Axel Bassani had been in contention for a top-9 spot but was docked with a double long-lap penalty for jumping the start.  Up front, there was definitely some renewed vigour that Bulega could challenge Razgatlioglu more than in Race 1 heading into the final full-distance even in the afternoon.

    TISSOT SUPERPOLE RACE RESULTS

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

     

    RACE 2

    For the third time in succession, Bulega beat Razgatlioglu to the first corner at the Motul Czech Round as the BMW rider struggled to get the hole shot from his three successive pole positions.  The pair were fortunate to get to the chicane before everyone else as just like in Race 1 the filed concertinaed up with disastrous consequences for some.

    Once again, Bautista found himself caught in the madness that he hoped he would avoid having started from P5 instead of P10 but it was not to be for the Spanish veteran.  It was Rea who checked up going through the apex of turn 2 that saw a distraught Bautista and Vierge eliminated on the spot and Alex Lowes being forced to ride through the gravel and condemn himself to the back of the grid after taking the necessary avoiding action.

    Rea had got himself into 5th thanks to the chaos he had initiated but was unsurprisingly dealt a double long-lap penalty from the stewards.  Once he rejoined from both he ended up 12th and would finish 13th, although there had at least been flashes of pace this weekend for the Northern Irishman who continues his recovery from injury earlier in the season.

    Razgatlioglu stuck within range of Bulega for the first half of the 22-lap race, meanwhile Petrucci and Sam Lowes resumed their battle from the Tissot Superpole over the final spot on the podium, with the former once again securing 3rd place but by a very slim margin over his British rival.

    The other big mover in the first half of the race was Bassani who rose as high as 5th ahead of an impressive Remy Gardner.  In the end it was Gardner who prevailed while his teammate Dominique Aegerter fought his way up through the lower points-paying positions and another satellite Yamaha of Bahattin Sofuoglu had yet another long-lap penalty that ruined his progress for cutting turn 1 again after a solid ride until that point.

    With half the race completed Razgatlioglu passed Bulega with a surprise move through turns 16 and 17 having stalked his rival to identify his weaknesses around Most.  Although Bulega was back past at turn 1 shortly after, the next time around saw Razgatlioglu launch a successful block pass through the first chicane to steal the lead.

    It appeared that Razgatlioglu had it all under control as he sought the treble in the Czech Republic before Bulega started to reel him in right towards the very end of the 22 laps.  With 3 laps to go and rain starting to fall around the outskirts of the circuit, it suddenly looked as if the race was well and truly on instead of another forgone conclusion.

    Even exiting the last corner on the final lap Bulega was still not ahead but by the finish line he was, by just 0.027 seconds.  It was the sort of ending that Razgatlioglu used to suffer back in his Yamaha days when battling Bautista at tracks like Portimao and the Turk predictably made his frustrations clear on the slowing down lap while also pinning the blame on his bike.

    Bulega’s victory was thoroughly well deserved after his horrific highside on Friday and it brought a nice bit of variety after he himself blitzed everyone at Cremona a fortnight ago.  Razgatlioglu ultimately brings the points gap down to Bulega by 3 overall and 31 total this weekend, while Petrucci jumps ahead of a hapless Bautista for 3rd overall in the standings.

    RACE 2 RESULTS

    Image Credit: WorldSBK

    Feature Image Credit: WorldSBK