Nicolo Bulega came out firing this weekend after leading all three practice sessions as well as claiming Superpole. Thus far no other manufacturer has had an answer for the corner speed of the Ducatis and Nicolo Bulega appears to be poised to take full advantage.
Superpole Results
World Superbike testing is back with the opening day at Philip Island now complete. Nicolo Bulega led the field after FP3; setting the only 1m28.680s lap. Practice didn’t come without on track drama. Defending champion Toprak Razgatlioglu crashed in turn 6 during FP1 in what seemed to be a day ending incident. However, Razgatlioglu returned and set the 4th fastest time in FP3. He seems to have escaped the incident un injured.
The same could not be said for Jonathan Rea who was declared unfit to continue with the testing day after suffering from a crash that resulted in major injury to his foot. Yamaha released the following statement, “Rea fell on the exit of Turn 2 in the closing stages of Monday’s first two-hour test session. He was taken to the circuit medical center, before being transferred to Cowes for further assessment where it was confirmed he had sustained multiple fractures to the left foot. He will take no further part in testing or the upcoming race weekend.”
Ducati appears to be the dominant manufacturer thus far filling 4 of the top 5 finishers on day 1 of testing. Bulega, Danilo Petrucci, and Andrea Iannone filled the top three and the three Ducati riders had the top speeds clocked in the speed trap.
FP3 Results from Phillip Island Day 1
The Honda Racing Corporation has released their contingency program for the 2025 racing season which spans across multiple disciplines of racing. Via it’s Ride Red program, Honda will provide racers across the globe with the opportunity for big cash prizes across the 190 race series it has riders participating in worldwide. The program will include 11 disciplines, including AMA Supercross and AMA Pro Motocross, AMA Arenacross, amateur motocross, various forms of off-road racing, flat track, road racing, and side-by-side racing.
The Following is From Honda and was not Written by Speed Trap Magazine Staff
Covered Honda models include the CRF Performance line, the CBR family of sport bikes, Talon sport side-by-sides and more.
For 2025, Honda has transitioned the Red Rider Rewards program to the industry-proven Brandecation race-contingency platform. The new platform delivers a smooth user experience to help with checking and using race earnings, whether using a computer, smartphone or tablet. All participants must register with the new platform by logging on to HondaRideRed.com and clicking “enroll.”
“We’re excited to continue to grow the Red Rider Rewards program each year, as we want to reward our customers for their efforts,” said Jeff Weiner, Assistant Manager of Racing at American Honda. “Honda has a tradition of success in all facets of racing, and we want to encourage racers to Ride Red. We look forward to seeing how our Red Riders perform this season, and to rewarding them for their efforts.”
In addition to the Red Rider Rewards contingency program, Honda offers trackside support at many races, through partnerships with JCR Honda, SLR Honda, Phoenix Racing Honda, Honda Talon Factory Racing and DR Powersports.
For more information, visit the updated Red Rider Rewards page.
About American Honda
American Honda Motor Co., Inc., is the sole distributor of Honda motorcycles, scooters, ATVs and Side-by-Sides in the United States. American Honda’s Power Sports & Products Division conducts the sales, marketing and operational activities for these products through independent authorized Honda retail dealers. For more information on Honda products, go to powersports.honda.com.
Due to off track issues with the Ducati.it Racing bike the team had limited track time during the Portimão test. Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista only rode in the afternoon session on Day 11 and a short stint on Day 2. Alvaro Bautista ended up crashing twice in the testing event in both dry and wet conditions. Bautista walked away uninjured.
Nicolò Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #11)
“I am pretty happy with what we did at Portimao, even though the weather didn’t allow us to do all the planned work. The feeling with the bike is positive, even if it is still not 100%. However, I am satisfied with the race pace I managed to keep, even though there are still a few details to iron out. I could have done better on the time attack if I hadn’t found traffic on the track”.
Alvaro Bautista (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati #19)
“Unfortunately, the conditions were challenging again in this test. However, we did some good work comparing the setup of the bikes. The crash was scary, but at the same time, I’m happy that I didn’t get hurt”.
The ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team has concluded their Portimão test with overall positive feedback from the team. Due to the FIM rule change effective January 23, 2025, the FIM ruled that BMW’s Super-Concession frame used last year may no longer be deployed. In addition the fuel flow limit of 47 kg/h forces all teams to adopt more efficient strategies.
The event was the first full test that reigning Word Superbike champion has completed in 2025 after missing previous testing at Jerez due to a finger injury. Given the post session reports the team ahs indicated very positive results and is pushing forward to retain the top spot.
Words from ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team Riders
Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “For me the test in Portimão, especially the first day, was really positive. We tried some new parts and set-ups and it worked really well. I’m happy and it looks like that we’re ready for the Phillip Island race. The test was also very important for me after my injury; my finger was broken and I couldn’t ride a bike for almost two months, so I’m glad that I could ride the Superbike again.
I have still a little pain in my finger but on the bike I’m feeling very good. The hard braking especially is good and normal, it’s only while I’m leaning in the right corner, I’m not feeling a hundred percent comfortable and I’m not pushing as hard as before. I hope that it will be better by Phillip Island because generally everything is going really well. I’m looking forward to the Phillip Island test now, I hope we can find a good set-up and to start the season strong.”
Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team): “It was really nice to be back at the track after the winter break. We were just really unlucky with the weather during the two tests at Jerez and Portimão. Anyway, I think we started off on a very good level. For sure you always want to try new things on a bike, especially with a new bike as we have, but the level was already so good, so I’m feeling very confident and am looking forward to Phillip Island. We have another two days of testing there, so there will be still a lot of things that we want to try but we know that the basis is really good and we’re happy to race now. The new bike feels really similar to last years bike, but with certain improvements, which is really good, I like it a lot.”
Management Weighs in on the Teams Progress
Sven Blusch, Head of BMW Motorrad Motorsport: “To sum it up briefly, we are ready for Phillip Island. It was certainly not the easiest winter, especially with the rainy days and the limited dry track time. Nevertheless, on the first day at Portimão, we were able to show well where we stand. We are also very happy that Toprak’s injury is healing. He’s not at 100% yet, but he has already proved on track what potential he and the BMW will have this year again. On Mickey’s side, we were also very positive. His performance has remained strong over the winter, and we saw in Jerez that he will carry this momentum into Phillip Island. Now, we can hardly wait to head to Australia and start the first race.”
With three testing weekends completed in 2024 the world superbike championship field has the first testing event of 2025 this weekend at Circuito de Jerez in Spain starting tomorrow afternoon. In many ways this testing event will be a first look at the bikes in 2025 and will help the riders see where they stand in the ranks. Of note, bimota returns to the series in a partnership with Kawasaki Racing Team. Team Manager Guim Roda offered some thoughts on the direction he wants to take the team this year.
“Here we are on the eve of the first track session of 2025. Everybody involved is very excited to start again. Is nice to stay home and recharge the batteries, of course, but people in racing need action, so all of them have a big motivation to get back to the racetracks”, Roda said.” The riders have been working hard in preparing themselves. All of those inside the team are making preparations to the KB998 Rimini machinery to be ready to go testing in Jerez.
We are still preparing many items and it is a very tough job to have everything ready for Australia. We know that all our suppliers are working at 110% and we are all very committed to have the items ready, as far as possible. I am very curious to see the potential of the KB998 Rimini at this next test, especially with more bikes on track as they start to warm up their engines for the first round at Phillip Island.”
Alex Lowes Offers His Thoughts on The Gaps between Testing Events
Lowes said, Alex Lowes (BbKRT Rider): “I’m looking forward to getting back on the bike after what is, in reality, quite a short winter break nowadays. We do not have much time off in WorldSBK, what with testing going into late November and then starting again at the end of January. It has been good not so switch off too much – and I have enjoyed some time with my family. I have been working really hard on myself during the winter. Last season was a good one but I know that I need to improve a lot if I want to make a step forward.
I have tried to analyze last season to see where I can improve and what I can do better this year. That’s from my side. From the bike side I am excited to see the evolution that the guys from bimota have brought. I know Pere and all the guys in my side of the team have been working hard to use the vital information we gathered at the end of last year. We are getting closer to race time, and there will be more of our rivals on track at this test. We may get a bit more of an understanding of where we stack up. I cannot wait to get to work.”
Remaining 2025 World Superbike Testing Events
22nd and 23rd January – Circuito de Jerez – Angel Nieto
28th and 29th January – Autodromo Internacional do Algarve
17th and 18th February – Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The FIM World Superbike championship has released the rider line up for the 2025 season for all three premier classes. Defending World Superbike champion Toprak Razgatlioglu will make his return with ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team. The listing is as follows:
With the top 3 in the championship already decided before the superpole race and race2. Sunday was more of a formality to close out the 2024 World Superbike championship season. Nicolo Bulega won the superpole race and Toprak Ragatlioglu won the final race of the season in true champion form. Razgatlioglu said, “I want to say thank you to the entire BMW family because we had an incredible year. The season finale was an amazing event. We are World Champions – this was the end to a very long season and a very successful year in which we also had 13 wins in a row. We never gave up, and also today after the sprint race, we were working hard with the team. We changed the set-up of the bike and we tried something to get the win.
In the race, I had a very good package and we did it – we won again. And I wanted to win the last race of the season. Usually Ducati is very strong here but we beat them again so everybody understood that BMW is really strong at all race weekends. It was incredible to be on the podium together with Mickey. It was dream, together with the team, to share the podium and it finally came true. He is a very great guy and he is pushing so hard at every race weekend. After his big injury, he is trying to come back and he has shown everyone what a strong rider he is. We are working together very well and I hope that we can race for the podium together again next year.”
Nicolo Bulega Finishes P2 in Rookie Season
Bulega came into the season as a rookie and finished as a top 3 contender ahead of his teammate and last years champion Alvaro Bautista. Bulega said, “I’m pleased with this weekend. It was the best round of an excellent season for me. I think that I have taken at least one podium (24 in total) at every circuit, which fills me with pride. I thank the team for everything they have done for me”.
World Superbike Champion Final Standings
In a season that had ups and downs Toprak Razgatli0glu bounced back from what was seemingly a season threatening break due to injury and has now clinched the championship in Race 1. Despite Nicolo Bulega leading the race from start to finish Razgatlioglu’s entering point advantage proved to be too far out of reach.
Razgatlioglu’s move to BMW has proved to be the missing key that he needed after falling short last year with Yamaha. He said, “I feel like a World Champion! I’m not feeling any stress. For me, the season’s finished now; we have two more races tomorrow, but I’ll just be enjoying it. It’s been a long season. Nobody believed me or the BMW, but finally they understand we’re World Champions. This is incredible, especially with BMW; they’ve never won the title. Finally, I got my second title and BMW got their first!”
Speaking on the crash that could have ended his season Toprak said, “Maybe the title fight finished in Italy if I didn’t crash at Magny-Cours or maybe Estoril. After the crash, I had a big injury and missed two races: France and Italy. When I came back to Aragon, I kept fighting for the world title. If I didn’t come back at Aragon, I think we’d lose the title. It’s not been an easy three or four weeks after the injury. I went to Austria for the Red Bull Athlete Performance Center, and I kept working to come back quickly. Sometimes we’re lucky, sometimes we’re not. When I crashed in France, I learnt things. If we’re fighting for the world title next year, if we have a big gap, I need to be more careful in the last races.”
His season was eerily similar to the dominant performance from Alvaro Bautista in 2023 where it came down to an end of the season push to secure the top spot. With his job done the battle behind for second between teammate Nicolo Bulega and Alvaro Bautista is also over. Bulega holds a 96 point lead and the final two races of the season are a formality at this point.
Race 1 Results from Jerez
The race at the front of the World Superbike championship continued this weekend between Nicolo Bulega and Toprak Razgatlioglu. After a day one win by Razgatlioglu the battle would continue in the Superpole race and Race 2. Bulega got the advantage in the super pole race but Razgatlioglu walked away from the weekend with a bigger point lead than he came in with due to also winning race 2. With that lead Razgatlioglu’s path to the 2024 championship got a lot easier as he will go into the final round with a 46 point lead.
Razgatlioglu said, “I am really happy today, especially with race two. We did not manage three wins this weekend, but almost, as it was very close in the Superpole race. There, I also used the race tire because I thought that the Q tire would drop at the end. I had incredible pace with the race tire but when I saw the checkered flag I had lost the race. I was surprised that the Q tire didn’t drop while my tire started to spin a lot.
Nicolo had a big advantage in the last corner and I kept fighting and it was very close. But we got good points for the championship and I won both long races. They are always more difficult because you need to manage the tire and your pace. I did a very good job. To get the wins again after the big injury is really good for me and now we will see what happens at Jerez. I am pretty relaxed because I have a good points lead.
I will just try to enjoy Jerez…I don’t need to win at Jerez – and maybe I will win there, too…Ducati is very strong there but we improved a lot after the test and I am ready to fight. if I just need a second position in the last race, that’s okay but I am focusing on winning again.”
Three Podiums and in the Fight
Nicolo Bulega took a hit in the championship race after Razgatlioglu won 2 of three races. However Bulega kept his hopes alive for a fighting chance at the final round in with three podiums this weekend. He said, “I’m thrilled with the results this Sunday. In particular, I feel that this morning’s Superpole Race was one of my best races, not only this season. I am pleased to have extended the title fight to Jerez. I think it is an important result for a rookie”.
With a 46 point deficit it will take some divine intervention to knock Razgatlioglu off of the top of the table. With one weekend of racing left to go its now or never for the rookie. Last year’s champion Alvaro Bautista put in a valiant effort in 2024 but is statistically eliminated from championship contention.