Razgatlioglu Dominates Donington in Historic Triple Crown Performance
The Prosecco DOC UK Round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship concluded with a masterclass display from Toprak Razgatlioglu, as the ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team rider completed a flawless weekend sweep at Donington Park.
Razgatlioglu’s dominance was evident throughout the event, starting with Friday’s fastest time and Saturday’s pole position. The Turkish sensation equalled Tom Sykes’ record at the iconic circuit, securing his ninth victory for BMW and extending his championship lead with a commanding performance in Race 2.
Pre-race drama unfolded as reigning champion Alvaro Bautista suffered a crash during the sighting lap. Despite this setback, Bautista’s team worked feverishly to repair his Ducati in time for the start.
As the lights extinguished, Razgatlioglu launched into an unchallenged lead, quickly building a gap to his pursuers. Nicolo Bulega fought hard to maintain second, while Scott Redding’s strong start was eventually overcome by Alex Lowes, who celebrated his 300th race start with a podium finish.
Jonathan Rea struggled to find pace, dropping through the field and engaging in battles with Bautista and Danilo Petrucci. Meanwhile, Razgatlioglu’s relentless pace saw him consistently lapping in the 1’26 range, ultimately crossing the line with an astounding 8.062-second advantage.
Bautista recovered admirably from his pre-race mishap, climbing to fifth position and demonstrating his championship-calibre resilience. Petrucci continued his strong form with another top-ten finish, while Andrea Locatelli and Rea provided late-race excitement, battling for seventh until the checkered flag.
Further down the order, Dominique Aegerter secured ninth, with Axel Bassani impressing in tenth after starting from 16th on the grid. The race saw early exits for Adam Norrodin and Andrea Iannone, adding to the day’s drama.
Razgatlioglu’s victory, coupled with a new lap record, cements his position atop the championship standings with 241 points. Bulega and Bautista round out the top three, setting the stage for an intense battle as the series heads to the Czech Republic next week.
Final Results (Top 6):
- Toprak Razgatlioglu (BMW)
- Nicolo Bulega (Ducati) +8.062s
- Alex Lowes (Kawasaki) +10.026s
- Scott Redding (BMW) +12.275s
- Alvaro Bautista (Ducati) +13.476s
- Danilo Petrucci (Ducati) +15.562s
As the WorldSBK circus moves to Autodrom Most, all eyes will be on Razgatlioglu to see if he can maintain this blistering form and further extend his championship lead.
