Razgatlioglu Shatters Records in Breathtaking Donington Qualifying
In a display of sheer dominance, Toprak Razgatlioglu of ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team left his competitors in awe during the qualifying session for the Prosecco DOC UK Round of the MOTUL FIM Superbike World Championship. The Turkish phenomenon not only secured pole position but did so by obliterating the existing lap record at Donington Park.
As dark clouds threatened overhead, riders scrambled to set fast times early in the 15-minute session. Razgatlioglu immediately stamped his authority, posting an incredible 1’24.892s lap that was 1.2 seconds quicker than the previous pole record. But he wasn’t done yet. In his second run, Razgatlioglu pushed even harder, clocking an astonishing 1’24.629s, a time that no other rider could come within half a second of matching.
Nicolo Bulega of Aruba.it Racing – Ducati put in a valiant effort to claim second place, 0.573s behind Razgatlioglu, while Scott Redding rounded out the top three for Bonovo Action BMW, marking his first top-three Superpole result since 2022.
The session was not without drama. Sam Lowes, despite a late crash at Turn 8, managed to secure fourth place. Danilo Petrucci initially looked set for a strong grid position but was relegated to 13th after losing his fastest lap due to yellow flags.
BMW’s resurgence was further highlighted by Michael van der Mark’s sixth-place finish, giving the manufacturer three bikes in the top six. Meanwhile, Yamaha riders Andrea Locatelli and Jonathan Rea found themselves in seventh and eighth respectively, both over a second off the pole time.
Surprisingly, reigning champion Alvaro Bautista struggled to find pace, managing only 11th place at a circuit where he scored a double victory last year.
The session’s blistering pace was evident as 13 riders managed to break the previous pole record, showcasing the fierce competition and technological advancements in the championship.
As the grid takes shape for Race 1, all eyes will be on Razgatlioglu to see if he can convert his record-breaking pace into race victory, while his rivals will be strategizing on how to close the considerable gap to the flying Turk.
The top six from WorldSBK Superpole, full results here:
- Toprak Razgatlioglu (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) 1’24.629s
- Nicolo Bulega (Aruba.it Racing – Ducati) +0.573s
- Scott Redding (Bonovo Action BMW) +0.777s
- Sam Lowes (ELF Marc VDS Racing Team) +0.863s
- Dominique Aegerter (GYTR GRT Yamaha WorldSBK Team) +0.899s
- Michael van der Mark (ROKiT BMW Motorrad WorldSBK Team) +0.992s
